Trump bashes Ben Carson for four seconds in Saturday Night Live promo
Donald Trump's impending appearance on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" this weekend was already controversial, prompting protests and calls for SNL to rescind the invitation. Now, it turns out that NBC may have made a mistake when they were posting the promotions online, according to a tweet Wednesday evening by NBC Correspondent Peter Alexander:
The billionaire businessman previewed his appearance on SNL in typical Trump fashion: with braggadocious statements and insults to his opponents.
In SNL's first promotional spots of the episode -- one that was reportedly not to air -- cast member Cecily Strong said that "because of equal time rules for television, Mr. Trump can only speak for four seconds in this promo."
So Trump, within his allotted time, appeared next to Strong and said: "Let me just say this: Ben Carson is a complete and total loser."
In another promo segment, Strong mentioned the billionaire's pledge that "for the whole show, he is not going to brag or say he's the best at anything."
Trump responded: "That's right, Cecily, and I'm going to do the best job anyone's ever done not saying anything."
When Strong pointed out that Trump had just broken his promise, he shrugged.
"What can I say?" Trump added. "I'm the absolute best."
NBC has faced mounting criticism over the decision for Trump, whose presidential campaign has been rife with controversial comments about the Latino community, to play host.
On Monday, a group of Hispanic lawmakers called for NBCUniversal and SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels to disinvite Trump. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus said in a statement that they did so "because racism is not funny."
And on Wednesday, The Associated Press reports, "A coalition of advocacy groups delivered petitions to the network calling for Trump to be dropped from the show. The petitions delivered to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, home of NBC and "Saturday Night Live," marked the latest attempts to dissuade the network from allowing the Republican presidential hopeful to host the show, with the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda earlier asking that NBC reconsider the decision."
Since Trump's 2016 campaign launch, when he first made derogatory comments characterizing Latinos as "rapists" and criminals, NBCUniversal has severed its business relationship with the reality TV star.
Trump lasted hosted SNL in April of 2004, the year Trump's hit television series "The Apprentice" first aired on NBC.