
Then fast forward to this year, when Shane Gillis was allegedly given the opportunity to come back to the show for a semi-full-time role, and the popular comedian apparently hit SNL with a, "Thanks, but no thanks." That was revealed when Gillis was at a Las Vegas comedy festival called Skankfest recently, and the other podcasters/comedians there mentioned that no one thought Gillis would actually be there (because he'd be on SNL doing his Trump impersonation).
Gillis jokingly said on stage that he told Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels he couldn't do his Trump for SNL's 50th season because he had to attend the Nevada comedy festival: "They said, ‘Are you serious? You’re going to say no?’ I said, ‘Lorne, I’ve got to go to Coke Magic.’” In the end, SNL stuck with current cast member James Austin Johnson to keep portraying Donald Trump on the show. And to be clear, he does a tremendous impersonation... but it will be a little difficult for Saturday Night Live fans to not think what a Shane-Gillis-Trump would have looked like opposite of Maya Rudolph's Kamala Harris. After all, we did get somewhat of a "Trump-Off" last season when Shane Gillis and James Austin Johnson both played the former president for a "Trump Sneakers" sketch. Take a look and see what you think is the better Donald Trump impression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwgzcXnOHyI