From Trump to Clinton, a history of politicians stopping by SNL
Many have been calling for NBC to dump Trump as host over his offensive remarks
Donald Trump's unorthodox campaign for president will take another unusual step this weekend when he takes a break from typical campaigning to host Saturday Night Live.
The appearance will put the billionaire businessman and reality TV star in rare company: Only eight politicians have hosted Saturday Night Live in its entire 40-year history.
- Donald Trump's Saturday Night Live guest host gig sparks growing protest
- Hillary Clinton makes cameo in Saturday Night Live skit
Only one politician-slash-guest host was an active presidential candidate — the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was seeking the Democratic nomination when he hosted in December 2003.
The appearance is the latest example of how Trump — who first guest hosted SNL in 2004 just weeks after the show he helped create, NBC's The Apprentice, began airing — has been able to capitalize on his celebrity throughout his campaign, which has translated into record ratings for networks on each of the three Republican debates.
In the lead up to the show, many advocacy groups have pressured NBC to cancel Donald Trump's guest-host appearance. Earlier this week, there were protests in front of the network's New York studios and one of the groups delivered petitions Wednesday calling for Trump to be dropped from the show.
Other politicians to guest host SNL include:
- U.S. Rep. Julian Bond in April 1977
- New York Mayor Ed Koch in May 1983
- Former Sen. George McGovern in April 1984, a month after he had withdrawn from a presidential run
- Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson in October 1984, after a failed bid to be the 1984 Democratic nominee
- Former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani in November 1997
- Sen. John McCain in October 2002
- Former Vice-President and Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in December 2002
Cameos are a different story
Despite only having eight politicians host in its 40-year history, SNL has been ripe with political cameo appearances.
President Gerald Ford was the first to swing by the show, appearing in April 1976 as he was seeking re-election. More recent memorable appearances include:
Hillary Rodham Clinton, 2015
Coming off a summer dominated by questions over her use of a private email server, Clinton took a starring turn as bartender "Val" in an October appearance.
In the skit, Clinton offered a sympathetic ear to Kate McKinnon's Clinton impersonation while poking fun at her late opposition to the Keystone pipeline and support of same-sex marriage.
John McCain, 2008
On the eve of the 2008 presidential election, then-Republican nominee John McCain appeared alongside Palin, played by Fey, in a sketch mocking their campaign's financial disadvantage against then-Sen. Barack Obama. In the sketch, the pair hawked commemorative plates, action figures and jewelry on the shopping channel QVC.
Sarah Palin, 2008
Then-vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, lampooned hilariously by Tina Fey, got some revenge when she made an appearance on the show.
In her sketch, real Palin appeared beside fake Palin at a mock press conference and was complimented on her looks by Fey's 30 Rock co-star Alec Baldwin.
Barack Obama, 2007
Obama appeared on the show in 2007 in a sketch depicting Hillary Clinton's Halloween party featuring the then-Democratic candidates.
Toward the end, a man walked in wearing an Obama mask, which he removed to reveal it was really Obama. "I have nothing to hide," he told Clinton. "I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it's Halloween."
Rudolph Giuliani, 2001
Besides his hosting engagement, Giuliani made numerous appearances on the show. But the most memorable came in the days after the Sept. 11 attacks when he appeared alongside first responders and delivered a message of hope and resolve.
The opening ended with Lorne Michaels asking the mayor for permission to be funny, to which he responded, "Why start now?"