Anthony Jeselnik: “I think Lorne Michaels helped get Trump elected"

The Daily Beast

“I think putting him on SNL was way worse than the hair-ruffling thing," the Comedy Central star tells The Last Laugh podcast, referring to presidential candidate Donald Trump hosting SNL in November 2015 and his subsequent appearance on The Tonight Show when Jimmy Fallon ruffled his hair. Jeselnik technically used to work for Michaels when he was a writer on Fallon's Late Night. “I was disgusted by it,” Jeselnik says of Trump hosting SNL. “It was two rich guys helping each other out. I don’t know how I would have dealt with it if I was on the show. I found it to be, quite frankly, revolting.” Jeselnik also recalled auditioning for SNL's "Weekend Update" to replace Cecily Strong. He says he was one of 10 comedians paired with Colin Jost, who auditioned by himself. “It wasn’t going to be me and Jost together,” Jeselnik says, positing that the show “didn’t want two white guys sitting there next to each other.” Michael Che ended up getting the job. “That was the one job I’ve ever wanted in my life,” Jeselnik says of "Weekend Update." “I’ve certainly moved past it now. And even at the time I thought my chance to do it was over.”