Maya Rudolph Returns As Kamala Harris On ‘SNL,’ Delights Audience
Written by djfrosty on October 1, 2024
Source: YouTube / NBC
Actress Maya Rudolph thrilled audiences in her SNL return as Vice President Kamala Harris over the weekend.
As Saturday Night Live opened up its 50th season over the weekend, the cold open featured the return of veteran comedienne Maya Rudolph portraying Vice President Kamala Harris. “Well your fun aunt has returned,” she began, “The fun has been rebooted. Too fun, too furious.” From there, Rudolph demonstrated how uncanny her portrayal of the Democratic presidential nominee is, right down to recapturing the exact facial expression Harris displayed during her debate with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Stepping in to portray Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was comedian Jim Gaffigan. “What can I say? I’ve got that BDE- Big Dad Energy!” Gaffigan said. He continued to portray the effervescent energy of Walz in the intro. “I’ve got to be honest here folks. When Kamala Harris called and asked to be her vice president, I said, ‘Uh, yeah,’” Gaffigan said before adding: “This is personal for me. I love this country. And as a former teacher, I need the money. This suit is from Costco!”
The skit also introduced another SNL alum, Andy Samberg, who played Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff who referred to himself as the “Second Gentle Minch,” and James Austin Johnson as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Lastly, SNL alum Dana Carvey appeared as President Joe Biden leading to a comical exchange where Rudolph said thanks for “putting the country first and for handing over the reins,” to which Carvey replied, “I didn’t want to! They made me.”
Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris has garnered her two Emmy Awards – the first in 2019 for her presidential debate sketch, and in March 2021 when she hosted the show. “When I see her, I see her having fun,” she said in a Variety cover profile about the role. “And so the fictional Kamala that we created tapped into her fun. And then [SNL producer] Steve Higgins said to me that his wife called her a ‘fun aunt,’ and we were laughing at how that sounds like ‘funt.’ We just went from there. That was the moment where you realize, ‘Oh, now I know how to do this.’”
Check out the entire opening sketch above.