Saturday Night Live cast member Leslie Jones has stated that she wishes for the next season of the show to focus less on politics. The current political climate has certainly been a major component to the show since President Donald Trump's election but Jones is hoping for the show to not lean on Trump jokes alone to carry itself.

SNL has made the president a point of parody and criticism since his campaign in 2016. Actor Alec Baldwin became a frequent guest star on the show, performing his uncanny impression of Donald Trump. While Baldwin's Trump definitely attracted the ire of the president, the political sketches have become a staple for the show in season 43.

Leslie Jones has been a prominent and popular cast member since her SNL debut on Weekend Update in 2014. She has made some appearances in several political skits but has been featured mostly in other sketches. While Jones sees the value in political satire, she recently expressed her eagerness to see more variety in the show. In an interview with The Wrap, she stated:

“There should be a stream of comics that come and do that type of comedy, because we do need that. And I love looking at that type of comedy that explains what’s going on and make it funny so you can really realize this is ridiculous. But there should be more than that as far as funny comics that come and really make you laugh. Like so gut laugh. Comedy is a release just like art and music. All of that is the same thing. You need that release. It can’t always be serious. You need The Three Stooges just as much as you need John Oliver.”

Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live

Jones' statement actually makes a fair point. The current state of the union has become the talking point of many a late-night show host's monologue. The Weekend Update segment of Saturday Night Live usually spends a good chunk of time slamming Trump for his actions that current week. Though Trump's presidency certainly has an influence over many facets of everyday American life, there are other topics of discussion to be had, other human quirks to be parodied.

Saturday Night Live has covered a variety of these topics over the years, but perhaps it could benefit from heeding Jones' wish for more. For one, political humor might not be everyone's cup of tea. Even though much of SNL's target demographic probably finds criticism of the current administration to reflect their own views, the show is bound to lose some viewers who disagree with its openly skewed opinions. Some people might also turn to comedy as an escape from the seriousness and stress that political issues can impose, making SNL's partial departure from that seem all the more advantageous. The show that has survived for decades and has had to change its structure multiple times to stay unique and fresh. Adding more diverse points of parody might be the best way for Saturday Night Live to do that in season 44.

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Source: The Wrap