Kamala Harris surprises with Saturday Night Live cameo alongside Maya Rudolph just before election

Saturday Night Live's latest episode featured a cameo by Kamala Harris in the cold open sketch of the last episode before election day, which aired on November 2, 2024. Harris played herself and appeared as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph (who plays Harris) in the hilarious sketch.

Harris took a short break from campaigning in the battleground states and made an impromptu stop in New York to film her cameo on SNL. The vice president left immediately after filming her segment, telling reporters, "It was fun!" while exiting the studio. She headed back to the Air Force Two for her next campaign stop in Detroit, Michigan.

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How did Kamala Harris pull off a surprise cameo in Saturday Night Live?

Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris appears alongside Maya Rudolph on NBC's Saturday Night Live (Image via Getty)

On Saturday, the vice president's busy schedule included visiting Charlotte in North Carolina before heading to Detroit in Michigan. However, while en route to Detroit, Harris made a sudden change of plans and decided to stop in New York.

She reached Manhattan's 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where the comedy show is filmed, shortly after 8 p.m. Harris had enough time to prepare for the sketch and get ready before the show went live at 11:30 p.m. Her cameo on Saturday Night Live came as a complete surprise, as Harris’ team didn't confirm her appearance until minutes before she went live on air.

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A detailed look into Kamala Harris's sketch on Saturday Night Live

The cold open sketch begins with Chloe Fineman's Kaitlan Collins informing viewers of Trump's nearly five-hour-long speech at a rally in Pennsylvania. The scene then cuts to James Austin Johnson's Trump dressed in an orange vest, going off in his signature rambling style:

“I’m out of gas. I’m running on fumes here, folks, you can see it, right? I’m exhausted. I’m babbling. I’m doing crazy things with the microphone … the last time I hated a Mike this much I tried to have him killed."

Trump then brings JD Vance (Bowen Yang) to the stage. He's being watched by Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) in the war room along with her husband Doug Emhoff (Andy Samberg) and VP nominee Tim Walz (Jim Gaffigan). Walz leaves Harris to go play "Fortnite on Twitch" with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Just then, Joe Biden (Dana Carvey) enters to offer words of encouragement to his vice president. After Biden and Doug leave, Harris sits in front of the mirror reflecting on her journey and says:

"I wish I could talk to someone who's been in my shoes."

The camera then pans to the real Kamala Harris, dressed identically, amidst loud cheers from the crowd. During her short appearance, the real Harris takes a jab at Trump's struggle to open doors, refering to her rival's recent gaffe during a political stop at the Wisconsin airport on October 30, 2024. She also makes a self-deprecating joke about her distinct laughter.

The two women then get into a comical wordplay on her name with phrases like “Take my palm-ala,” "Keep Kamala and carry on-a-la,” and “End the dram-ala.” They also reiterate their shared "belief in the promise of America" before enthusiastically delivering the show's signature line:

"Live from New York; it’s Saturday night!"

The Saturday Night Live episode was hosted by John Mulaney with Chappell Roan as the musical guest. Maya Rudolph's impersonation of the vice president has been a highlight of SNL's season 50. She has received overwhelming praise for perfecting the mannerisms and body language of the presidential candidate.

Harris herself weighed in on Maya Rudolph's impersonation during an appearance on The View, telling the co-hosts in October 2024:

"Maya Rudolph - I mean, she's so good. She had the whole thing, the suit, the jewelry, everything!"

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Stay tuned for more updates on Saturday Night Live and other trending news of 2024.