Kamala Harris Surprises Saturday Night Live Audience with Cameo alongside Maya Rudolph
In a lively and unexpected appearance, Vice President Kamala Harris joined comedian Maya Rudolph on Saturday Night Live (SNL), sparking cheers from the crowd that briefly drowned out her opening lines. The sketch marked a light-hearted moment for the Democrats’ presidential candidate, who shared the stage with Rudolph, known for her memorable impersonations of Harris.
The duo’s exchange was full of playful puns on the name “Kamala,” including quips like “keep calm-ala” and “carry on-ala,” which drew laughs from the audience. Harris and Rudolph, mirroring each other onstage, performed in sync and emphasized their shared “belief in the promise of America.” Together, they delivered SNL’s iconic line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
Republican adviser Jason Miller, a senior figure on Donald Trump’s campaign, expressed surprise over Harris’s decision to appear on the show, pointing to previous skits that he described as less-than-flattering portrayals of the Vice President. When asked if Trump might be invited to the show as well, Miller speculated that it was unlikely.
Throughout the short skit, Harris made several light jabs at her political opponent, recalling a recent stunt where Trump appeared to struggle opening the door to a garbage truck—a reference tied to President Biden’s recent comments, where he was interpreted by some as calling Trump supporters “garbage,” though the White House clarified that this wasn’t his intent.
As the two joked, Harris playfully told Rudolph, “You can do something your opponent cannot—you can open doors.”
This isn’t the first time a presidential candidate has appeared on SNL. Trump himself hosted the show in 2015 during his initial campaign. However, Harris’s cameo, so close to Election Day, is unusual. Brendan Carr, a Republican FCC official, criticized the appearance, calling it an “obvious attempt to bypass” the FCC’s equal time rule, which mandates that broadcasters offer balanced airtime to candidates.
Eric Trump later commented on Fox News, saying mainstream media has long opposed his father. “Honestly, I don’t think the SNL bit will matter much. My father’s work ethic is what counts,” he said.
Harris briefly paused her campaign trail efforts in battleground states for this appearance, flying into New York on Air Force Two after a day of rallies in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her New York appearance wasn’t revealed in advance, only confirmed shortly before the show aired.
As polls indicate a close race across key swing states, both Harris and Trump are intensifying their campaign efforts with final visits to these crucial areas ahead of Election Day.
