Maya Rudolph made a spectacular comeback to her role as Vice President Kamala Harris during the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), which kicked off its 50th season with a bang. The highly-anticipated episode showcased a star-studded lineup and aimed its satirical lens at the upcoming presidential election, lampooning both major party candidates, Harris and Donald Trump.
In her reprisal as Harris, Rudolph cleverly compared Harris’s campaign to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer hit “Espresso,” saying, “The lyrics don’t make much sense, but somehow they feel just right.”
The episode featured comedy veterans, including Jim Gaffigan portraying Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota and Harris’s campaign partner; Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, Harris’s husband; and Dana Carvey embodying President Biden.
Gaffigan, stepping into the role of Walz, highlighted the politician’s approachable persona with an enthusiastic Midwestern accent, joking, “I got this suit at Costco, it’s a Kirkland brand. They make great dog food, by the way.”
Samberg also had his moment in the spotlight, delivering a hilarious line that had the audience in stitches: “I’m honored to be among the esteemed spouses of presidents throughout history—regardless of gender, they’re all women.”
James Austin Johnson made his return as Donald Trump, humorously portraying the former president at a rally where the crowd dwindled as he neared the third hour of his speech. Before introducing his running mate, Johnson’s Trump quipped, “Everyone says he’s a terrible choice, and in many ways, he really is.”
Bowen Yang followed as JD Vance, adding to the humor with his remark: “How much do we love Trump? He just told me this afternoon, ‘Vance, you’re like my son, because I don’t like you, but I have to stick with you.’”
Hosted by Jean Smart and featuring musical guest Jelly Roll, this premiere episode has set an exciting tone for what promises to be an engaging season ahead.