Saturday Night Live kicked off its 50th season with a political comedy bang, bringing back comedy heavyweights to lampoon the upcoming presidential race. Elections are just weeks away and there is no way the iconic show would let this epic opportunity slide.
Maya Rudolph returned as Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris while Dana Carvey played a hilariously forgetful Joe Biden. Jim Gaffigan joined the fun as Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, with James Austin Johnson taking on Republican candidate Donald Trump.
SNL’s presidential spoof reunites Maya Rudolph and Dana Carvey
From the moment Rudolph’s Harris walked on stage, she slid into her signature sass, joking, “Well, your fun aunt has returned!”—setting the tone for what was to come.
Gaffigan’s Walz stole the show right away with his deadpan delivery, admitting, “When Kamala Harris called and asked to be her Vice President, I said, ‘uh, yeah.'” He went on to quip, "As a former teacher, I need the money. This suit is from Costco," taking a swipe into the character’s down-to-earth personality as he stood by Harris' side, unsure if he was ready for the political ride but fully prepared for a comedic one.
{{/usCountry}}Gaffigan’s Walz stole the show right away with his deadpan delivery, admitting, “When Kamala Harris called and asked to be her Vice President, I said, ‘uh, yeah.'” He went on to quip, "As a former teacher, I need the money. This suit is from Costco," taking a swipe into the character’s down-to-earth personality as he stood by Harris' side, unsure if he was ready for the political ride but fully prepared for a comedic one.
{{/usCountry}}Carvey’s portrayal of President Joe Biden was spot-on as always. He bumbled through his lines with the perfect mix of bewilderment and fun. Thank you for putting country first and handing over the reins,” Rudolph’s Harris graciously said to Biden referring to the time when he stepped down from the presidential race and ended up endorsing her, to which Carvey’s Biden snapped back, “I didn’t want to!” capturing the awkward essence of their political dance according to the POST.
Bowen Yang as JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, was spot-on with the ‘controversial claims,’ delivering a hilarious take that kept the audience laughing as SNL’s star cast nailed their impressions, keeping the political satire light yet biting.
From Trump’s assassination attempt to Biden’s bills
The SNL veterans were on fire as they brought their iconic impressions to life. After dragging in one of the biggest US news of the year, Trump’s failed assassination attempt back in July at a Pennsylvania rally, James Austin Johnson's Trump quipped, “They say me blaming the Democrats for violence is like the pot calling the kettle black. But I didn’t even know the kettle was black until recently. I thought the kettle was Indian.” The joke, delivered with classic Trump-style oblivion and referring to his questioning of his opponent’s heritage, had the crowd on edge.
Then, Bowen Yang stepped in as J.D. Vance, adding even more absurdity to the mix. “How much do we love Donald Trump?” Yang asked the crowd according to NY Times, before delivering the punchline: “Just this afternoon, he said: ‘J.D., you’re like a son to me. Because I don’t like you, but I’m stuck with you.’”
In classic Carvey style, who made a return after 8 long years, he perfectly captured Biden’s signature quirks, delivering the line, "A lot of people forget I’m president – including me," while staring blankly into the camera. He followed up with, "But guess what... and by the way, I think I did a pretty good job. I passed more bills than any president in history, but there’s still work to do. And guess what... and by the way..."