Lorne Michaels chose him over SNL alumni Darryl Hammond to portray Trump.
Worst comedy decision ever. Hammond had been doing an amazing Trump impression for so many years. He inhabited Trump. When Hammond heard he would no longer be portraying the new President, he immediately vomited.
And I wanted to vomit every time I watched Baldwin’s atrocious portrayal. He was such a ball of hatred for Trump that he couldnt do even a decent impression. He was as funny as a middle schooler drawing an ugly stick figure of Teacher.
You have to BE your impression subject. You have to like and approve of yourself enough to appear realistic, and then add the funny idiosyncrasies. Hammond nailed it. I’m still upset he didn’t get those 4+ years
If SNL was really about comedy and not political posturing, they would have invited Trump to spoof the Baldwin shooting.