For 34 years, the series has poked fun at politics and culture in both Canada and the United States, but it is currently experiencing a renaissance fueled by Mr. Trump, his trade war, tariffs, threats, and insults directed at Canada. Stacey McGunnigle, a cast member and writer who portrays several MAGA women including Karoline Leavitt, Natalie Harp, and briefly Ms. Zacharia noted that younger audiences are increasingly tuning in, Dnyuz noted.
Ratings Rise During Political Friction
The weekly broadcast now averages 571,000 viewers, marking a 31 percent increase from last season’s 435,000, with 25- to 54-year-olds serving as the leading demographic, Dnyuz stated. The “Meet Katie” sketch surpassed 21.5 million views across social media platforms, while the first Leavitt sketch exceeded 7.8 million views, according to Yahoo. Aired Tuesday nights on the publicly funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the program leans progressive while maintaining nonpartisan political satire where any prominent figure is fair game.
Actors Play Neighbors and Leaders
Veteran cast member Mark Critch, currently in his 24th season, plays Mr. Trump on the show and approaches the dynamic by viewing the United States as a noisy neighbor throwing loud parties, Dnyuz explained. Mr. Critch has expanded his Trump impression to Greenland, created a “Quiet, Piggy” sketch after the president used the phrase to insult a reporter, and fulminated over The New York Times’s exclusive interview with Prime Minister Mark Carney in a cold open, Dnyuz reported.
Executive producer and showrunner Mike Allison noted that audience numbers climb as Canada-U.S. tensions escalate, pointing out fertile ground in the interplay between Mr. Trump and Mr. Carney, who is played by Mark McKinney, regarding the war in Iran, reverse psychology, and McDonald’s, Dnyuz stated.
