Mike Myers is uniquely positioned to poke fun at the administration of Donald Trump.
The Canadian-American comedian and former cast member of “Saturday Night Live” has been a recurring guest on the sketch series during Trump 2.0, taking on the role of Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk. He’s also been a visible opponent of the Trump administration’s designs on annexing parts of Canada.
In an interview with the New York Times published Saturday, Myers spoke on his decision to use the closing credits of “SNL” to send a message to his fellow Canadians. In consecutive weeks, Myers mouthed “elbows up” at the camera. The reference to hockey legend Gordie Howe is a signal to be aggressive in the face of power plays from Canada’s neighbor to the south.
“What happened came from my ankles and from my brain and from my heart, and it was not about me — it was about my country,” he said. “I wanted to send a message home to say that I’m with you.”
Myers shared that talk of annexation has raised Canadian consciousness and driven a groundswell of Canuck pride.
“As the great Canadian poet Joni Mitchell said, ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone,’” he said. “The possibility of it all being gone has raised our consciousness of how great we are.”
Myers also explained to the outlet why he chose to return to the airwaves and take on the role of another Canadian-American. His jittery take on Musk came about because Myers felt that the billionaire’s crusade against government spending and expertise was misguided.
“Fascism doesn’t like to be ridiculed; it likes to be feared,” Myers said. “Satire is an important tool in the toolbox to say that this is not normal — that the cuts he’s making are not normal.”
