The media can’t resist Trump either — not that ignoring the president is an option, but he attracts an inordinate amount of coverage.
Alec Baldwin can’t quit President Trump.
The comedian returned as Trump on Thursday’s episode of “Weekend Update, ” the “Saturday Night Live” spinoff on a limited-time run this summer. Baldwin hadn’t donned Don’s wig since SNL’s season finale three months ago, and there was no guarantee that he ever would again.
In April, the Atlantic chronicled the unglamorous side of Baldwin’s celebrated impression and his ambivalence about the role. Here’s an excerpt in which reporter Chris Jones described midweek rehearsals:
Well, the season is over and Baldwin is still playing Trump. He can’t resist.
Neither can the news media — not that quitting the president of the United States is an option, but Trump has a way of attracting an inordinate amount of coverage. Bloomberg reported this week that evening cable newscasts have boosted their ratings this year by focusing heavily on Trump; meanwhile, over-the-air competitors at NBC, CBS and ABC have suffered by devoting airtime to a wider range of stories.
Reporter Gerry Smith put it like this:
Though he complains about critical coverage (and also about Baldwin) , Trump likes to be the center of attention, whether the attention is positive or not. Journalist David Von Drehle described a telling moment on Trump’s campaign plane, last March, when he observed the then-candidate’s TV viewing habits.
“When he flips to Fox News, ” Von Drehle wrote in Time magazine, “Trump notices a caption that sums up everything: ‚News outlets around the world are covering Trump.‘ Turning to me on the sofa, he gestures at the screen and remarks with satisfaction, ‚The key word is covering.’”
Trump also said this to Von Drehle: “I go on one of these shows and the ratings double. They triple. And that gives you power. It’s not the polls. It’s the ratings.”
Trump doesn’t “go on” the shows very often, these days. The highly accessible candidate has become a rather distant president. But he maintains an alluring quality that make him irresistible to Alec Baldwin and Anderson Cooper, alike.
