Gigi Hadid debuts Melania Trump impression at the AMAs, internet reacts
Things quickly got political at the 2016 American Music Awards on Sunday when co-hosts Jay Pharoah and Gigi Hadid broke out their best impressions of President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania.
In an attempt to impress her co-host, Pharoah, best-known for his impersonations from when he was on “Saturday Night Live,” Hadid first revealed the act she had been “practicing all week” during the opening monologue.
The 21-year-old model pursed her lips, and said, “This is my Melania Trump impression. I gotta get the face right.”
Hadid poked fun at the soon-to-be first lady’s address at the Republican National Convention, where she was accused of lifting words from First Lady Michelle Obama’s Democratic convention speech in 2008.
“I love my husband, President Barack Obama,” joked Hadid, speaking in a fake accent. “And our children, Sasha and Malia.”
The audience chuckled as Pharoah exclaimed, “That’s spot on!”
Gigi Hadid doing an impression of Melania Trump while hosting the American Music Awards. #AMAs pic.twitter.com/kN1e5RbmQt
— Shady Music Facts (@TheFactsOfShade) November 21, 2016
While the crowd at the AMAs seemed to enjoy Hadid’s comedic act, the internet gave the performance a mixed review.
Some agreed with Pharoah’s view that the impression was “spot on”:
Gigi Hadid's Melania Trump impression was better than Melania Trump herself #AMAs
— Jordan Doww (@JordanDoww) November 21, 2016
Nice Melania Trump impression, @GiGiHadid! 😂💯#AMAs #KTLive
— K T (@SoLegitKevin) November 21, 2016
Gigi Hadid's impression of Trump's wife was spot on😂😂😂 #AMAs
— Megan✨ (@megan_thijsen) November 21, 2016
Others said the impression was “mean,” and called Hadid out for bullying:
Ridiculing @MELANIATRUMP and her immigrant accent was just plain mean. Focus on the MUSIC. @GiGiHadid is a mean girl in the truest sense.
— Bill Ramia (@BillRamia) November 21, 2016
Gigi hadid is "anti bullying", but then turns around and bullyies melania trump for her accent & face. Classless. @GiGiHadid #amas
— Lauren James (@LaurenJlovalova) November 21, 2016
I can't believe people saying Gigi Hadid's work was brave. It was rude and a great example of the word "Bully" #AMAs
— H o W Ra (@HowraSmileberry) November 21, 2016
And at least one user is anticipating Mr. Trump’s response Monday morning:
Tomorrow morning @realDonaldTrump will tweet demanding Gigi Hadid to apologize for the Melania Trump impression. #AMAs 😂
— Hafiz Shariff (@HafizDoc) November 21, 2016
But the impressions didn’t stop at the future first lady.
Pharoah soon followed up with his own “bigly” impression of President-elect Trump.
Jay Pharoah opened the #AMAs with a great Donald Trump impression. Who knew Trump loved Bruno Mars? pic.twitter.com/75qt3z02rM
— Hardys® (@HardysMedia) November 21, 2016
“I love Bruno Mars. I don’t know what color he is, so I can’t deport him,” said Pharoah, while impersonating the president-elect on stage. “I mean, everyone, everyone, look, he looks like Mowgli from ‘The Jungle Book,’ he does. Alright? Listen everyone, I love ‘Uptown Funk,’ it was so totally about me, it was originally called ‘Uptown Trump.’ Listen, I’m going to funk this country up, bigly.”