Over the weekend, Alec Baldwin returned to Saturday Night Live! for the first time since his Rust shooting charge was dismissed over the summer. Unfortunately for Baldwin and Saturday Night Live!, however, it didn’t take long for this to backfire.
Baldwin’s Triumphant Saturday Night Live! Return
Baldwin, 66, appeared to be having a blast as he portrayed the Fox News host Bret Baier in Saturday night’s opening sketch. The skit featured Baldwin’s Baier interviewing Kamala Harris, who was played by Maya Rudolph.
Baldwin even got to say the sketch comedy show’s opening line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
Check out the skit for yourself in the video below.
Fans Fire Back
Sadly for Baldwin and Saturday Night Live!, social media users immediately fired back by reminding the world about his Rust shooting. In October of 2021, a gun that Baldwin was holding went off on the set of his movie Rust in New Mexico. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed, and director Joel Souza was injured.
“Why is Alec Baldwin being allowed on SNL? He shot and killed someone on a movie set,” one social media user commented. Another added, “Omg, an actual murderer jokingly talking about murder on #snl.”
(To be clear, he’s not a murderer, as his charges were dismissed.)
“We know that Alec Baldwin shot and killed someone, right?” a third person commented. Someone else later wrote, “Thanks for convincing the world how moronic and out of touch you are.”
Despite the charge against Baldwin being dismissed by a judge over the summer, social media users found this appearance to be insensitive.
“Even if it was an accident, that person is dead,” one person argued. “Her family and friends will never see her alive EVER again. Alec Baldwin should show some respect by not showing his face on TV let alone #SNL ever again.”
Baldwin’s Rust Shooting Charge Dismissed
Back in July, the New Mexico judge Mary Marlow Sommer threw out the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. She did so after accusing prosecutors of withholding evidence in the form of live bullets from the defense. Indeed, the judge dismissed the charge without prejudice, meaning Baldwin can’t be charged again.
“The state’s willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate,” she said. “If this conduct does rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith as to show signs of scorching.”
“The state’s discovery violation has injected a needless incurable delay into the jury trial,” Judge Sommer continued. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice. Your motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.”
Hutchins’ widower Matthew spoke out afterwards to say that he still wants to hold Baldwin “accountable.”
“We respect the court’s decision,” his lawyer told The Wrap. “We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins.”
Baldwin was facing 18 months in prison if convicted.
Meanwhile, Baldwin has been known as Saturday Night Live’s most prolific host. Indeed, he has hosted the sketch comedy show 17 times, doing so for the first time in 1990. His last gig on Saturday Night Live! prior to this weekend was in 2017.
After all the backlash that has come in over the past two days, it remains to be seen if Saturday Night Live! will ever have Baldwin on again.
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