In a surprise Saturday Night Live (SNL) appearance, Vice President Kamala Harris joined Maya Rudolph for a memorable skit that had both comedic moments and subtle political undertones. The segment opened with Harris gazing into a fictional mirror and offering a motivational pep talk to her longtime impersonator, Maya Rudolph. In the exchange, Harris assured Rudolph, “You got this,” delivering encouragement just days before the presidential election. She playfully referenced former President Donald Trump’s recent mishap involving a garbage truck, quipping, “Because you can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors.”
The skit was filled with puns on Harris's first name, from “mamala” to “rom-comala,” which had the audience laughing along. The vice president’s appearance marked one of the few times a candidate has taken the risk of live television on the campaign trail—a move seen as both daring and entertaining. SNL has long been a cultural landmark during election seasons, with its unique satirical approach to portraying candidates and political issues.
Harris’s guest spot was carefully planned, according to insiders, yet her decision to appear wasn’t confirmed until just before the weekend. After campaigning in Georgia and North Carolina, Harris made a quick trip to New York, with her motorcade arriving at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in secret. Once onstage, Harris’s presence sparked excitement from the audience. Introducing her was Rudolph, playing a fictional version of Harris who wished to talk to someone who truly understood her—a “Black, South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area.”
The sketch drew inevitable comparisons to past political SNL appearances, including those of Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2015, as well as Barack Obama in 2007. Clinton had appeared in a bartender sketch with her impersonator Kate McKinnon, while Trump—drawing on his reality TV background—hosted an entire episode. However, both Clinton’s and Trump’s appearances were considered mild in satire, whereas Harris's was more direct and self-referential.
Beyond Harris, the show featured other political figures as well. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia joined a game show parody where neither contestants nor the host could remember his identity. Kaine’s brief moment on SNL reminded the audience of his under-the-radar campaign, as he jokingly asserted, “I exist. I’m a senator representing Virginia.”
SNL’s tradition of political satire continues to resonate, especially in election years. For Harris, this cameo was an opportunity to laugh at herself and connect with the audience in a light-hearted, humorous way. As Harris and Rudolph wrapped up the skit with a laugh and a hug, Harris asked Rudolph, “Any chance you are registered in Pennsylvania?” hinting at the importance of key battleground states.
In the end, the skit balanced humor with a message, underscoring Harris's readiness for the campaign trail while giving viewers a moment of levity amidst an intense election season.
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