“Saturday Night Live,” like the current late-night landscape, is beholden to the Left. That means few, if any cutting jokes aimed at President Joe Biden, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or, heaven forbid, Hunter Biden.
Yet some “SNL” alum did more than escape the show’s ideological tractor beam. They either carved out a new identity as a right-of-center mind or simply question the progressive groupthink on free speech, Big Tech and other hot button issues.
Either way, the following “SNL” alum would be a lousy fit in the current “SNL” version, and that’s a compliment.
Norm Macdonald
He’s one of the more respected stand-up comedians on the scene, and he famously got the “SNL” boot after telling one too many jokes about O.J. Simpson. He’s politically hard to track down, but Macdonald isn’t woke, nor does he pull many punches.
He did apologize for saying the wrong thing just as the MeToo movement kicked off, but otherwise he’s a far cry from the modern “SNL” player too timid to step on anyone’s toes (save Republican feet).
Heck, just being firmly apolitical (his mantra for his recent Netflix talk show) is often considered both political and conservative in the current climate.
Here, he defends why his show wouldn’t do what every other comedian was attempting at the time – take down President Trump. He even defended late night star Jimmy Fallon for allegedly “humanizing” Trump during the 2016 campaign.
“If you have the nominee to be president on your show and he is your guest, then he is your guest. Don’t have him on the show if you don’t want him.”
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Rob Schneider
“Deuce Bigalow” sounds like an odd fit for the conservative camp, and the “Real Rob” star isn’t a rock-ribbed Republican. He just sounds a lot like one today. He’s a passionate defender of free speech, loathes Big Government overreach and thinks Dr. Anthony Fauci is a fraud.
Free speech is suddenly a conservative value, and Dr. Fauci’s reign of error should be clear to anyone, left, center or right.
So Schneider’s Twitter feed might overlap with what Donald Trump Jr. might say now and then, and that’s probably because Schneider’s eyes and ears are working properly of late.
Here, he shared a Glenn Greenwald Tweet about Dr. Fauci’s changing story on COVID-19’s origins and how Facebook, et al, covered up what we know suspect to be the truth.
“That’s why censorship is the real threat to Democracy. And why monopolistic Tech companies will eventually get regulated after 2022 when the Republicans retake both houses of Congress. The fact that Dems want even more censorship is troubling.”
https://twitter.com/RobSchneider/status/1405188954802909187
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Bud Light
Dennis Miller
The Weekend Update’s gold standard is openly partisan – a smart, right-of-center soul who remains socially liberal. Miller employed his recently ended podcast to rally the Right against “bib adjacent” Joe Biden. It’s arguably the funniest dig at Biden to date, and only someone like Miller could have penned it.
Here’s Miller talking about Biden’s apparent mental decline.
“I know he lost his fastball, but I’ve been watching him lately. I think he’s lost his curve, I think he lost his slider and I think he’s wearing his cup as an N95 mask at this point.”
Miller’s brand of political comedy remains powerful, but it lacks the fury and rage of a Colbert or Kimmel. He routinely yukked it up with liberal stars on his podcast and radio show, but he avoided insulting his guests or forcing them into uncomfortable political fights. It’s why his voice is sorely missed at the moment.
Joe Piscopo
Miller’s ideological cousin is now a radio show host working the New York City beat. The old school “SNL” player has been openly conservative for some time now, and he uses his platform to spread his views without hesitation. His “SNL” days found him doing celebrity impressions, but in recent years he supported Donald Trump and flirted with a run for New Jersey governor.
The comic did incorrectly predict a second Trump term in October, saying the president’s enemies would seal the victory.
‘The more that they go after Donald Trump the more they will ensure a victory’
Victoria Jackson
Like Piscopo, Jackson embraced the right after leaving the NBC series that made her famous. She celebrated the Tea Party movement, openly shared her Christian views and skewered President Barack Obama in ways that alienated her from the mainstream. She created a stir after calling him part of the Muslim Brotherhood, among other incendiary charges.
“Muslim Brotherhood is controlling all of the Middle East except Israel and they are now in all of our highest positions, including the president,” Jackson said. “I said to this guy, the FBI guy, do you think Obama’s a Muslim? And he said, well, the facts are that all of his policies side with the Muslims and are against Israel. That’s just a fact.”
Jackson battled breast cancer in recent years but appears to have made a full recovery.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images for SLS Las Vegas
Jon Lovitz
Owning a business will give you a crash course in conservatism … and reality. It’s likely what fed into Lovitz’s transformation. The versatile comic made waves recently by comparing Cancel Culture to the blacklist of yore. Before that, he skewered President Barack Obama for promoting class warfare, called himself a Kennedy Democrat in 2017 and mocked current cast members for recoiling at the notion of Elon Musk hosting the show.
“For everyone @nbcsnl who isn’t sure about the host… Don’t forget where you were before you got the show. We are all extraordinarily lucky to have been on it,” Lovitz tweeted.
Maybe it started way back in 2012, when he Tweeted, “I find it so odd that I’m a liberal and yet only the conservatives get I’m joking. And the liberals take everything literally.”
Colin Quinn
The former “Remote Control” cutup had a short stint on “Saturday Night Live,” one that didn’t fully reflect his talents.
His post “SNL” career has been more rewarding, likely for himself and certainly for us. He’s carved out a respectable position as a neutral arbiter of both comedy and politics with specials like “Red State Blue State” and “Unconstitutional.” He’s a self-identified Democrat who votes for the “middle” candidate when possible.
And, while nearly all his peers were savaging President Trump, Quinn noted the leader’s flaws but acknowledged he exists for a reason.
Quinn loathes Cancel Culture and the new restrictions on comedy.
“Comedy’s never positive. Comedy is not talking about the lighter side. It’s talking about the people’s flaws and society’s problem. It’s not a positive thing.”
He’s willing to listen to both sides of the aisle without demonizing either. That’s darn near radical in today’s comedy world, but he wears it rather well.
Dana Carvey
Carvey’s imitations made him an “SNL” superstar and powered a brief film career thanks to the “Wayne’s World” franchise. He still does killer impressions on his “Fantastic!” podcast, including his recurring Dr. Fauci routine.
The bit … isn’t flattering. Nor is it as mean spirited as some might want. Still, it drills down much deeper than anything you’ll hear on Colbert or Kimmel. Plus, Carvey shredded socialism during his 2016 Netflix special, “Straight White Male, 60.”
Here, he breaks out a spot-on Sen. Bernie Sanders impression to hammer (and sickle) home his point.
“I will find people with money. I will take their money and give it to people who don’t have money,” he says. “I will find a rich prick. You look like a rich prick. I will take your money and give it to the poor bastard sitting next to ya.”
“To me, capitalism is an Apple store. Socialism is the Department of Motor Vehicles … sweaty, pissed off workers who can’t get fired. And they laugh at you … ha, ha, ha ha … you got the wrong line you f***ing idiot.”
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.