Actor Don Cheadle made a number of social and political statements while hosting "Saturday Night Live" for the first time over the weekend, according to Deadline.
Among them, Cheadle wore a black T-shirt with white text that read, “Protect trans kids,” as he introduced musical guest Gary Clark Jr., who was doing his second performance of the night.
People reported Clark Jr. sang "This Land," a song from his upcoming album of the same title.
The single, which Rolling Stone calls an "indictment of modern racism," contains lyrics like "50 acres with a Model A/Right in the middle of Trump country," and, "I remember they used to tell me … 'We don't want your kind/We think you's a dog born'/(expletive) you, I'm America's son/This is where I come from."
At the end of the show, Cheadle also took President Donald Trump to task, wearing a Soviet Union hockey jersey with “Trump” and “45” on the back.
A number of celebrities who work in advocacy for trans people praised Cheadle for his shirt, including actress Laverne Cox and Karamo Brown of “Queer Eye.”
Cheadle thanked them and others for their support, tweeting, "I awoke to so much support and love!! thank you @nbcsnl for the opportunity to play and pay respect and throw shade in an historic space in an historic time. keep fighting, y'all. evil grows in the dark.
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