Donald Trump and a game show are still the best 'Match' for Alec Baldwin
PASADENA, Calif. – Here’s a Match Game question for host Alec Baldwin: The most surprising thing about playing Donald Trump has been — blank.
“How difficult it’s been,” answers Baldwin, who’s drawn lots of praise and some derision — from Trump himself — for his portrayal of the president-elect on NBC's Saturday Night Live.
“It’s easier to imitate people you have a lot of admiration for,” he explains to USA TODAY. “If you’re imitating Pacino, De Niro, Tony Bennett or Anthony Hopkins, there’s a degree of admiration for and appreciation, of which I have none for Trump. I don’t hate (or) despise Trump … but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to accept where we are.”
The New York actor, visiting the Television Critics Association press tour to promote ABC’s prime-time revival of Match Game, which he hosts (Wednesday, 10 ET/PT), says he's been surprised by the president-elect’s post-election response to his portrayal in Trump's signature harsh tweets.
“I thought, just in terms of human nature, that once he won he would change his tone, he’d become a little more humble. He would think, ‘Well, now I’ve won and I want to reach out to all people and be less malicious, petty and defensive,’ he says. “And he remains as malicious, petty and defensive as he was months ago, before he won.”
Baldwin, 58, says he will continue to play Trump on SNL “a little bit, per my availability. I’m not available every Saturday night.” Viewers likely would “be ready for it maybe like, every other week or once a month.”
He also hinted about other opportunities to play the president-elect. “If we don’t do SNL, we can maybe do some other kind of programming. I’ve been offered a lot of things, but I’m not allowed to discuss them.”
Baldwin’s next SNL appearance is scheduled for Jan. 21, the day after the inauguration. He is confident the writers will be able to turn around a topical segment quickly. “That’s what they’re good at.”
He credits Trump with providing much of the best material. “He’s our head writer. He provides us with a gift basket of ideas every week.”
Baldwin's availability, whether he's playing Trump, doing his podcast or appearing in films (he'll play a crisis negotiator in Emilio Estevez's The Public), is contingent on family considerations. He and wife Hilaria have three young children, none older than 3.
Match Game, which tapes an entire season in a five-day span, accommodates his family needs, provides money for his charity and has been enjoyable, he says.
"It's been a great thing because of my kids. We go to work and it's fun. We got a lot of the people we really wanted" for the celebrity panel, which includes Jason Alexander, Ellie Kemper and Ice T.
Baldwin remembers watching the 1970s version of Match Game, along with such other classic game shows as The Newlywed Game, The Dating Game, Password, To Tell the Truth and I've Got a Secret. The new Match Game features the familiar music, set design, suggestive "blanks" (although they don't seem as risque today) and even the long, skinny microphone that host Gene Rayburn used.
"If I want something that relaxes and comforts me, I'll watch old Dick Cavett shows, Lunt and Fontanne. Game shows are like that for me," he says. "For some people now, that's the same thing."