Kamala Harris Jokingly References Donald Trump in SNL Appearance
In a surprise appearance on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL), Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, visited New York City ahead of the November 5 presidential election. This was after a rally held by her opponent, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in a key battleground state.
Harris had a starring role in the November 2 show’s “2024 Pre-Election Cold Open.” The skit started by revisiting some of the most talked-about campaign moments of the past week. Maya Rudolph, reprising her role as Harris, and James Austin Johnson, wearing a vest and portraying Trump, were involved.
The sketch transitioned to Rudolph, as Harris, sitting at a vanity table and expressing a desire to speak with someone who understands her experience as a Black, South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area. The camera then shifted to reveal Harris seated on the other side of the imaginary mirror.
Following a round of applause from the audience, Harris addressed Rudolph and, by extension, herself, saying, “You got this.”
Harris continued, “Because you can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors,” a playful jab referencing a viral video of Trump struggling with a garbage truck door this week.
With their comedic timing in full swing, Harris and Rudolph, maintaining their characters throughout, engaged in a rhyming pep talk. Rudolph, as Harris, began with the phrase, “Now Kamala, take my palm-ala,” and then the two agreed that America needs to “keep Kamala and carry on-a-la.”
The two then joined each other at the center of the stage. Rudolph stated she was voting for Harris on Tuesday and, together, they delivered the show’s iconic final lines of the cold open: “And live from New York, it’s Saturday night.” This marked the cue for the week’s host, former SNL writer John Mulaney, to take over.
Harris has never hosted or appeared as a guest on the show before. During an appearance on in October, she praised Rudolph’s impression of her, calling the SNL star “so good.”
Trump has hosted SNL twice: once in 2004 and once as a presidential candidate in 2015. However, he has not been on SNL this season or since his presidency.