--- ---  # Protesters March Against Donald Trump Hosting 'Saturday Night Live' ## Video: Donald Trump Envisions Life As President On SNL [Watch (HLS stream): Donald Trump Envisions Life As President On SNL](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yxXUO63Y.m3u8) (1:02)  _Published 2015-11-08. Donald Trump returned to the Saturday Night Live stage for the first time since 2004._  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:08 PM UTCPublished: Nov 8, 2015 6:36 AM UTC  Latino organizations hold a rally against Donald Trump hosting NBC's Saturday Night Live outside of Trump Tower on November 7, 2015 in New York City. Latino organizations hold a rally against Donald Trump hosting NBC's Saturday Night Live outside of Trump Tower on November 7, 2015 in New York City.Andrew Renneisen—2015 Getty Images  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:08 PM UTCPublished: Nov 8, 2015 6:36 AM UTC Hours before Donald Trump appeared on _Saturday Night Live_, a group of protesters marched from the sidewalk in front of Tump Tower down Fifth Avenue to the doors of NBC Universal Studios. The Marcha to End the Hate began with modest numbers, but the crowd swelled to more than 200 by the time the group settled in at NBC. Organized by the League of United Latin American Citizens, the ANSWER Coalition and others, the rally was the latest in a [string of demonstrations](http://time.com/4089468/donald-trump-saturday-night-live-protests/?xid=tcoshare) against NBC condoning the Republican presidential candidate’s comments about undocumented immigrants. “America needs to know that racism is not funny,” said student Maribel Villarreal, 21, who traveled to the rally from Washington, D.C., as she handed out signs that said “SNL Stop the Hate” and “Basta Trump.” “We need to stop the hate because it’s not a joke. It should not be tolerated in any part of society.” Around her, chants in both Spanish and English broke out, with people shouting, “The people united will never be divided” and “SNL, escucha, estamos in la lucha.” Around 6:30 p.m., the group began the march — falling in line behind a large banner and eliciting a few honks of support from passing traffic. As Graciela Pichardo, 26, gathered email addresses for the ANSWER Coalition mailing list, she said she knew it was unlikely the march would succeed in persuading NBC to cancel the broadcast. “It’s still worthwhile,” said Pichardo, who lives in New York. “Just because injustices are going to keep happening doesn’t mean we shouldn’t say something.” Opposition to the hosting gig began as soon as NBC [announced](http://time.com/4071784/donald-trump-host-snl/) it last month. Critics argued that giving Trump—who said at his campaign launch that many undocumented immigrants are rapists—such a prominent platform was tantamount to endorsing his views. NBC had already cut ties with Trump over his show “The Apprentice.” The controversy grew, too, with some activists pointing to _Saturday Night Live_‘s low number of hosts and cast members who are Latino. **Read More:** [_Donald Trump’s Saturday Night Live Protests Grow_](http://time.com/4089468/donald-trump-saturday-night-live-protests/) Colorado State University Professor Nick Marx, who edited the book _Saturday Night Live and American TV_, told TIME that the protests took on an outsized importance due to the show’s iconic status. “For some reason, SNL is emblematic for us still,” he said. “We still expect it to represent us more closely than the shows on Comedy Central or others in the lineup on NBC.” Brent Wilkes, head of the League of United Latin American Citizens, echoed that line of thought during his remarks. “Allowing Trump to host _Saturday Night Live_, a storied comedy show, is nothing short of a slap in the face for more than 57 million Latinos living in the US whose only wish is the opportunity to work hard, provide for their families, and live the American dream,” he said. Wilkes’ words from the podium were briefly drowned out by the protesters behind him, as the repeated cheer of “Live from New York! A racist piece of s—!” rose in volume. The Trump campaign and NBC Universal declined to comment about the march. **Read Next:** [_Donald Trump Tries to Show He Can Take a Joke_](http://time.com/4103976/donald-trump-saturday-night-live-larry-david/) ### See Donald Trump on SNL Over the Years  The 'Saturday Night Live' skit 'A Trump Christmas' featured Phil Hartman as Donald Trump and Jan Hooks as Ivana Trump on Dec. 10, 1988. Raymond Bonar—NBC/Getty Images  Darrell Hammond played Donald Trump during the "Donald Trump's Address" skit on Jan. 10, 2004. Mary Ellen Matthews—NBC/Getty Images  Donald Trump hosted 'Saturday Night Live' on April 3, 2004\. He appeared in the 'Donald Trump's House of Wings' sketch with Amy Poehler, Kenan Thompson, Seth Meyers and Maya Rudolph. Mary Ellen Matthews—NBC/Getty Images  Darrell Hammond as Donald Trump, right, appears with Donald Trump as Jerry the Janitor in the SNL sketch 'The Prince and the Pauper' on April 3, 2004. Mary Ellen Matthews—NBC/Getty Images  Darrell Hammond and Paris Hilton appeared as Donald Trump and Malania Knauss during "The New Trump Family" skit on Feb. 5, 2005. Dana Edelson—NBC/Getty Images  SNL's 'Domino's Ad Shoot' skit from May 7, 2005, featured Darrell Hammond as Donald Trump. Dana Edelson—NBC/Getty Images  Comedian Darrell Hammond appeared as Donald Trump during the skit 'Trump's Press Conference' on Jan. 13, 2007. Dana Edelson—NBC/Getty Images  The SNL skit 'Trump Steaks' featured Darrell Hammond as Donald Trump and Molly Shannon as Melania Knauss on May 12, 2007. Dana Edelson—NBC/Getty Images  Comedians Taran Killam, as Donald Trump, and Cecily Strong, as Melania Trump, appeared in the sketch 'Trump Cold Open' on Oct. 3, 2015. 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