From Al Pacino and Tony Bennett to Harvey Fierstein and Donald Trump, Alec Baldwin has performed dozens of impressions over the years on Saturday Night Live, but he worried RFK Jr. might just be the one that would break him.
In a wide-ranging interview with Variety at Italy’s Torino Film Festival, the actor explained why playing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on SNL just over a week ago scared him.
“In the cancel culture you get worried about doing something wrong,” Baldwin said. “So where Bobby has the voice, which is obviously very raspy, I was afraid of doing too much of that because I would get condemned by people who have that condition.”
Kennedy suffers from spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder that causes involuntary muscle spasms in the voice box. It’s what gives the former presidential candidate and current Trump nominee for Secretary of Health and Human services his wavering vocal tone.
“You are always mindful whatever you do in the United States these days, because you are going to get into trouble,” the actor asserted.
Still, when Saturday Night Live calls, Baldwin is inclined to answer. “When I did the show [in the past] and hosted it for a period of time I would always say, ‘God, wouldn’t it be great to be a member of the cast?'” Baldwin recalled.
“And then I became a member of the cast when I did the Trump thing for four years,” Baldwin added.
The New York City resident went on describe the experience of being called by the show on Saturday mornings for a last-minute casting.
“They are always saying, ‘What are you doing tonight?'” Baldwin shared.
That’s how he ended up playing Bret Baier, even though he said that he told them at the time, “I don’t know how to do that.”
Baldwin shared that he met Baier at a restaurant recently, calling the Fox News host “a very nice guy.” He added that Kennedy also used to be a friend.
can’t say anything in england either it’s getting bloody stupid. now, what are we to be afraid of our own shadows.