'SNL' Rides Trump to Record Emmy Nominations
by EG
Coming off of a season of record ratings and almost unprecedented buzz, Saturday Night Live has upped the already high bar for most Emmy nominations of a single series. The 42-year-old variety show got another 22 this year, building its record to a total 231 nominations since it premiered.
Chief among SNL's slew of noms are mentions for ubiquitous Alec Baldwin, 2016 supporting comedy actress winner Kate McKinnon, fellow cast members Leslie Jones and Vanessa Beyer and guest actress and host Melissa McCarthy and, a given, best variety program.
The 2016-17 season of SNL was a massive success for NBC, which announced last summer that Baldwin would be portraying then presidential candidate Donald Trump in the run-up to the November election. Trump's unexpected win over Hillary Clinton prompted the series to carry its political skewering through the entirety of the season, where McKinnon notable tackled Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway and attorney general Jeff Sessions after the election rendered her popular portrayal of Clinton less of a necessity. Interestingly, Baldwin was nominated for playing Trump specifically — where SNL cast are typically nominated for playing "various" roles.
Read the rest of this article at The Hollywood Reporter.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert enjoyed Emmy nomination success thanks to Trump-inspired material.