Sarah Palin just came out and endorsed the enigmatic oxymoron — he’s a popular pariah — of presidential politics, Donald Trump. In so doing, Palin just gifted the writing staff at Saturday Night Live with their next cold open. Few political figures have been as good to SNL’s ratings as Palin and Trump — and together they must make producer SNL producer Lorne Michael’s heart sing.
The great Darrell Hammond has been terrific as Trump in the past (and so has Taran Killam) — that is, when SNL didn’t have the real McCoy. (Trump hosted the show himself in November.) Palin, the former Alaska governor who memorably ran as John McCain‘s choice for vice-president in 2008, has been quiet nationally of late. Her SNL doppelganger is, of course, the Mark Twain prize recipient Tina Fey — whose popular spot-on Palin impression consisted largely of repeating Palin’s actual quotes and somehow making them sound even stupider. SNL watchers are betting a guest appearance by Fey is imminent.
