It's Palin v Palin in comedy TV double-take

It was Sarah Palin versus Sarah Palin in a bizarre comedy double-take that saw the Republican vice presidential candidate join her own television mimic.

It was Sarah Palin versus Sarah Palin late on Saturday in a bizarre comedy double-take that saw the Republican vice presidential candidate join her own television mimic.

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Hit comedy show Saturday Night Live opened with actress Tina Fey doing what she has been doing for weeks -- pretending to be John McCain's running mate.

The big hair-do, the little red jacket and rimmed glasses were perfect. So too were Fey's winks, smiles, twangy accent and salt-of-the-Earth language at a spoof press conference.

Then the camera cut outside the studio to the real Palin -- the moose-hunting, ice-hockey loving governor of Alaska -- watching her imitator on a monitor.

Palin, whose candidacy has been relentlessly mocked by comedians, proved that falling behind in the polls ahead of the November 4 election has not dented her sense of humor.

She replaced Fey at the fake press conference and later boogied to a rap song that made fun of her politics and home state, all against a background of phony Eskimos, an impersonator of her husband, and even the shooting of a theatrical caribou or two.

At the close of the song, Palin, still flashing that trademark smile, said: "I'm Sarah Palin. Goodnight and have a pleasant on Monday."