Alec Baldwin, who plays President Trump on 'SNL,' says he's 'overjoyed' to 'lose a job'
With President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, President Donald Trump will be forced to make some new career moves — and he’s not the only one.
Alec Baldwin, who has won an Emmy for his bronzed, bombastic portrayal of POTUS on Saturday Night Live, tweeted his delight at Trump’s Election Day defeat — even though it means he’s out of work.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before,” quipped Baldwin just hours after Biden was finally declared the winner on Saturday after days of ballot counting.
I don’t believe I’ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before!
— HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 7, 2020
Saturday Night Live hasn’t made a formal announcement about the fate of Baldwin’s future on the show, though past political characters — for instance, Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin, or Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton, who resurfaced last week for the first time since 2017 — have typically been phased out post-election. That said, Baldwin will presumably at least stick around until Jan. 20, the day Biden is inaugurated. Indeed, the actor was present and accounted for during Saturday night’s cold open, delivering a defiant non-concession speech and performing a ballad version of the Village People hit “Macho Man.”
Baldwin shared a behind-the-scenes photo from Studio 8H, writing, “It’s been fun.”
It’s been fun. pic.twitter.com/iodKjbm2ie
— HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 8, 2020
This isn’t the first time Baldwin, who is a guest star rather than an official SNL cast member, has spoken of leaving the show. In fact, he’s repeatedly hinted about hanging up his MAGA hat — most recently during the SNL season finale this spring — including telling Extra in 2017 that “I’m not going to do it much longer” and, in 2019, insisting to USA Today that he was “done” with the role.
“I feel like I'm done with that now,” he said at the time. “I'm so done with that. I can't imagine I would do it again. I just can't. They should find somebody who wants to do it.”
If Baldwin does indeed retire the role for real this time, at least one person in particular will no doubt be celebrating: Trump himself. POTUS has made little secret of his disdain for Baldwin’s portrayal of him, which he’s called a “terrible impersonation” that “agony for those who were forced to watch.”
Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch. Bring back Darrell Hammond, funnier and a far greater talent!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 2, 2018
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: