Tom Hanks’ Black Jeopardy Sketch Sparks Reaction on The View

The Deadpool actor was in the audience alongside his wife Blake Lively during a Q&A session featuring SNL legends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. In a light-hearted manner, Reynolds hinted at the ongoing legal drama involving his wife and her It Ends With Us director and co-star, Justin Baldoni, showcasing an unexpected blend of humor amid serious allegations.

While numerous social media users expressed their discontent with the couple’s bold appearance, Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel praised the couple, dubbing their appearance “marketing genius” from both perspectives involved in this intricate public narrative.

“SNL was nothing short of brilliant for featuring them last night,” remarked the founder of Skinnygirl in an Instagram video. “They sit at the center of the pop culture zeitgeist, shaping discussions and trends across social media and beyond.”

“They often feature disruptive individuals discussing controversial topics, and they have even had political candidates on the show,” Frankel added. SNL has a history of inviting contentious figures, including high-profile personalities like Donald Trump and Elon Musk in recent seasons.

Regarding the couple at the center of this high-profile drama, Frankel stated, “Whether people are fans of them or not, it was a smart move for Blake and Ryan to make an appearance.”

In fact, she emphasized that it was “clever” marketing, asserting that “not everyone is immersed in TikTok, dissecting every legal document and understanding all the nuances you might know.”

Frankel’s supportive stance regarding Reynolds and Lively was met with the same backlash and criticism that SNL and the couple themselves received immediately after their appearance on screen during Sunday’s show.

“Such marketing strategies may have worked a few years ago, but it simply doesn’t resonate today,” remarked one of Frankel’s followers. Frankel herself defended her position, replying, “Yes, it does and it is.” Another commenter disagreed vehemently, stating, “I completely disagree. It made them seem desperate.”

“I just don’t agree. Going out in public to show the world you’re united as a couple is fine, but making jokes about the drama was utterly inappropriate,” argued another follower. “Did you observe the reactions of those around them? Very few people were laughing; it was a significant misstep.”

Another passionate commenter challenged Frankel, stating, “You’re the one who has been telling us that Hollywood is over and we’re not falling for it anymore. This is a prime example of that PR nonsense. Nothing is genuine. It’s disingenuous, and we’re shocked because we value your opinion so much, and you always keep it real ❤️ so how could you give any praise to these clowns?”

During the live broadcast, Reynolds referenced the ongoing scandal when he interjected during the aforementioned Q&A session. When asked by Fey and Poehler how things were going, he cheekily responded, “Great — why, what have you heard?”

Clearly aware of the comedic timing, Fey and Poehler quickly shifted the conversation, insisting that they hadn’t heard anything and that all was well, while Lively looked quite serious while observing her husband’s antics.

The moment didn’t sit well with the audience either, with many viewers taking note of the expressions of stars like Kevin Costner, Cher, and Anya Taylor-Joy, who were seated nearby as the awkward exchange unfolded.

On December 31, Baldoni initiated a significant $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for its coverage of Lively’s legal complaint, in which she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and alleged that he, along with others, conspired to orchestrate a smear campaign against her. Subsequently, Lively also filed her own federal lawsuit, reiterating the claims she made in her initial complaint.

In his lawsuit, Baldoni, along with other plaintiffs — including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel — accuses the publication of libel, invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract, asserting that they “intentionally” misled readers. The suit also claims that the publication relied on Lively’s “unverified and self-serving narrative,” which they argue is filled with “blatant falsehoods and egregious misrepresentations.”

In a statement to TMZ, a New York Times spokesperson remarked, “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported, based on a review of hundreds of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we accurately quote and reference extensively in the article. So far, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, and the other subjects of the article have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well. We intend to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

In a statement to The New York Post, Lively’s legal team responded to Baldoni’s lawsuit.

“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything regarding the claims advanced in Ms. Lively’s California Civil Rights Division Complaint, nor her federal complaint, filed earlier today,” stated the legal team. “This lawsuit is based on the clearly false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal.’”

“As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false,” they added. “While we will not litigate this matter in the press, we encourage individuals to read Ms. Lively’s complaint in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each of Wayfarer’s allegations in court.”

The situation escalated on January 16 when Baldoni lodged a massive defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane. In this filing, the plaintiffs seek to “set the record straight,” following Lively’s allegations that Baldoni had sexually harassed her and that his team had orchestrated a “smear campaign” against her in the media.