October 08, 2017
“Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost brought up the Phillie Phanatic during Saturday’s episode of “Saturday Night Live,” drawing a parallel between the baseball mascot and the leader of the free world, President Donald Trump.
Last week Trump visited hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico for the first time since Hurricane Maria made landfall on Wednesday, September 20th.
In the time between the hurricane’s landfall and Trump’s visit, dozens of people died in the aftermath of the storm, the land’s hospitals were without power, and millions of American citizens there are still without electricity.
Criticism only intensified once Trump made his way to Puerto Rico, where footage circulated of the president tossing rolls of paper towels to hurricane victims.
The move better resembled the behavior of a mascot than that of a president, Jost argued.
“Nothing says ‘I understand the gravity of this situation’ more like a billionaire tossing six rolls of paper towels to hurricane victims,” Jost said during the live broadcast.
“Watching this, you know, I realized Trump might not be the best president, but he would be the best mascot. Just let him go nuts like the Phillie Phanatic, throwing free stuff to fans, cruising around on a 4-wheeler, mocking other countries while he shakes that big ol’ butt around.”
View the full clip below at the 3:21 minute mark.
