'SNL' veteran Victoria Jackson shares how religious beliefs got her blacklisted in Hollywood Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 10:29 a.m.
One of the more jarring moments during a chat with Victoria Jackson had nothing to do with her far-right convictions.
Near the end of a roughly 45-minute phone interview, the former “Saturday Night Live” star abandoned her trademark Betty Boop voice to do an impression of an older Jewish woman who has smoked too many cigarettes. Even though I knew it was coming, I was half-convinced that a stranger had cut into the conversation. ...
Those who check out Jackson’s comedy show will be treated to plenty of impersonations and ukulele songs. What they shouldn’t expect is the kind of anti-gay, Muslim-bashing opinions that railroaded her once promising career.
“I don’t do anything on religion or politics,” she said from her home in Nashville, Tennessee. “But I do have a slant because of who I am.”
Religion has always had a heavy influence in Jackson’s life, starting with a strict Baptist upbringing in Florida. Her father believed “gee” and “golly” were swearwords.
But her conservatism didn’t prevent her from making a mark in Hollywood, starting with 20 appearances on the “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Jackson had her fair share of memorable moments during her 1986-92 run on “SNL,” many of which involved showing off her considerable gymnastic skills on the “Weekend Update” desk.
But she clung to her values whenever she could, even giving audio-book versions of the Bible to her castmates one Christmas. ...
But there were still conflicts. She had a run-in with “SNL” writer Al Franken, who pulled her aside after a meeting. He told her he was bothered by her off-set behavior, particularly how she always seemed to be playing dumb.
“Maybe what I’m really thinking about is that everyone is going to hell and I’m supposed to tell them about Jesus,” Jackson said she told the future Minnesota senator. According to Jackson, Franken turned white as a ghost and walked away. ...
Tribune Review[-/url]
For some reason, the reporter's byline does not appear on this story. You'd think someone so proud of his/her anti-Christian, anti-conservative bigotry would gladly take credit. 
