Kamala Harris Makes Surprise ‘SNL’ Appearance Before Election

Kamala Harris and Maya Rudolph Team Up on SNL, Drawing FCC Scrutiny Just Before Election Day

Vice President Kamala Harris surprised audiences with a cameo on the final episode of “Saturday Night Live” before Tuesday’s election, joining her impersonator Maya Rudolph in a skit that quickly attracted both laughs and controversy. Her appearance also drew criticism from the Trump campaign and an FCC commissioner, citing possible media bias.

A Playful Exchange with Maya Rudolph’s Harris

In the cold open, Rudolph’s version of Harris expresses a wish to speak with someone “who’s been in my shoes…a Black, South Asian woman running for president.” At this cue, the real Harris appeared, seated across from her impersonator, saying with a smile, “You and me both, sister.” Harris encouraged Rudolph’s character, stating, “You can open doors,” a playful jab at a recent clip of Donald Trump struggling to open a garbage truck door at a rally.

The exchange included jokes on Harris’ distinctive laugh, with Rudolph and Harris bantering about it before playfully rhyming Harris’ first name in phrases like “Kamala, take my palm-ala,” and “end the drama-la.” The segment concluded with Rudolph announcing, “I’m going to vote for us,” to which Harris replied, “Great. Any chance you’re registered in Pennsylvania?”—a humorous nod to the importance of swing states.

Trump Supporters and FCC Respond to Harris’ Appearance

While the appearance delighted the “SNL” audience, the Trump campaign was quick to criticize. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung commented that Harris was “cosplaying with her elitist friends” on a “leftist” show, claiming she offered “nothing substantive” to Americans.

Vice President Kamala Harris’s cameo on “SNL” has also sparked backlash from Trump supporters, who noticed it mirrored a 2015 skit where Donald Trump appeared with Jimmy Fallon. In both sketches, the real-life figure offered advice to their impersonator in a mirror setup.

Harris’s appearance alongside Maya Rudolph, her “SNL” impersonator, had Rudolph saying she wished to “talk to someone in my shoes,” leading to Harris’s reveal. Similarly, Fallon dressed as Trump in 2015, sought advice from Trump himself in a reflective moment.

This comparison has intensified claims of “SNL” bias, as some accuse the show of favoring Democratic candidates leading up to the election.

Brendan Carr, a Republican commissioner with the FCC, labeled it a “clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” which mandates that broadcasters give equivalent airtime to rival candidates. Carr’s criticism, posted on the social platform X, suggested that “SNL” had violated the rule by showcasing only one side before the election.

Equal Time Rule and “SNL’s” Position

The FCC’s Equal Time rule is intended to prevent broadcasters from showing favoritism to specific candidates. However, “SNL’s” executive producer Lorne Michaels previously stated he didn’t plan to invite either candidate to the show this season. Trump’s team noted that no similar invitation was extended to him, adding to the discussion over whether “SNL” should have offered a spot to the opposing campaign to balance out Harris’ cameo.

In Harris and Rudolph’s final line—“Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”—the “SNL” skit served as both a light-hearted moment in a tense election season and a flashpoint in discussions on media neutrality.