Donald Trump on SNL: Sketches deemed too risqué were vetoed

Back in June, Donald Trump was fired from The Apprentice for comments he made about Hispanic immigrants in his presidential campaign announcement. This weekend, Trump returns to NBC as host of Saturday Night Live, but there have been some snags. Hispanic cultural figures have signed petitions against the hosting choice, and there are plans for protests. One joke — about Trump’s Republican presidential rival Ben Carson — had to be pulled from the episode promos. Additionally, Trump told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly in an O’Reilly Factor interview airing Friday night that he vetoed certain sketches so as not to offend Republican primary voters in Iowa.

WANT MORE EW? Subscribe now to keep up with the latest in movies, television, and music.

“There were a couple that were too risqué,” Trump told O’Reilly. “Because you know, the poll just came down, I’m leading in Iowa, I want to stay leading in Iowa.”

According to Trump, he and Lorne Michaels were presented with ideas for “many, many skits,” and he chose the ones “you think you like.” But the infusion of political concerns into the SNL process highlights how strange this situation has become.