Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise cameo on SNL, just days before Election Day, where she offered some encouragement to her comedic counterpart, played by Maya Rudolph.
In the cold open, Rudolph’s Harris was backstage at a fictional campaign event, chatting about the challenges of being a Black, South Asian woman running for president. That’s when the real Harris stepped in, sitting across from Rudolph at a dressing room table, both dressed and styled alike. Harris, through a “mirror” set piece, reassured her SNL double with, “You got this because you can do something your opponent can’t: you can open doors.”
The sketch poked fun at Harris’s trademark laugh, with Rudolph giving a light-hearted impression and Harris responding with, “I don’t really laugh like that, do I?” to which Rudolph quipped, “A little bit.” Watch below:
Hosted by comedian John Mulaney, the episode continued SNL’s tradition of poking fun at political figures, with a special sketch that also featured Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. The episode also featured several guest appearances, including Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden, and Jim Gaffigan as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
MAGA Angered by Appearance
Harris’s surprise cameo prompted complaints from Trump allies, who are demanding “equal time” for the former president. Despite SNL offering Donald Trump similar airtime within 24 hours of Harris’s appearance, MAGA Republicans claim Harris’s brief moment on the show violates FCC regulations.
Federal Communications Commissioner Brandon Carr, appointed by Trump, was quick to call the appearance a violation, stating on X that it was “a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule.” He asserted that licensed broadcasters should avoid such “biased and partisan conduct” ahead of elections unless equal time is provided to opposing candidates.
This is not the first time SNL has triggered the Equal Time rule. Trump’s 2015 hosting stint led NBC to offer his opponents 12 minutes of free airtime on affiliate stations, a deal now offered to Trump after Harris’s recent appearance. Trump received a 60-second spot after a NASCAR race on Sunday—around the same amount of airtime as Harris’s cameo.
However, dissatisfaction lingers among Trump supporters. Florida Senator Marco Rubio claimed that Harris’s appearance was part of a “full-scale assault” on Republican voters, suggesting her laughter on-air “was probably worth two to three million votes right there.” Meanwhile, Carr hinted on Fox News that license revocation could be considered if Harris’s cameo is deemed “egregious.”
Further fueling the uproar, Elon Musk joined the chorus, amplifying claims that SNL had unlawfully boosted name recognition for Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. However, it’s important to note that appearing on television does not violate campaign laws, making these allegations legally unfounded.
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