Fans Praise Maya Rudolph’s Spot-On Kamala Harris Impersonation in SNL Skit

Actress and comedian Maya Rudolph made a highly anticipated return to portray Kamala Harris during the premiere of Saturday Night Live (SNL) for its 50th season on September 28, 2024. The episode featured a cold open showcasing Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris, who was joined by her running mate Tim Walz, depicted by Jim Gaffigan.

“Well, well, well. Look who fell out of that coconut tree. Well, your fun aunt has returned,”Maya began.

As Maya’s cold open gained viral traction, social media users rushed to praise her performance. One comment on X (formerly Twitter) stated:

“Her vocal impersonation is scary accurate wtf.”

Many people highlighted the striking resemblance between the two, with one user even calling her the GOAT (greatest of all time).

“That’s not Maya Rudolph. That’s Kamala Harris of the Alternate Universe,”one person commented.

“Maya Rudolph really a GOAT at this comedy thing lol,”another person wrote.

“this is so uncanny like if you close your eyes it’s literally her,” another person noted.

Despite the widespread praise, some viewers criticized the skit as a “cheap attempt at comedy.”

“Maya Rudolph’s acting abilities will never not amaze me,”another fan remarked.

“The voice, the intonation, the mannerisms… gagged,”someone added.

“I watch every SNL clip with a pure heart and an open mind but time and time again I am unmoved by their cheap attempts at comedy,”one X user noted.

“This election just got more annoying,”one user commented.

In addition to Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan, Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey were part of the skit

The recent SNL episode also featured Golden Globe-winning actor Jean Smart as the guest host, with Tennessee-born singer Jelly Roll providing musical entertainment for the evening.

As the Democratic presidential candidate, Maya Rudolph humorously remarked:

“I am so happy to be campaigning in whatever swing state I’m in, which I will just refer to as Wisconsin-Pennsylv-Georgia because I am going to protect your Va-Georgia.”

This quip referenced Harris’ stance on abortion laws and women’s rights. She also poked fun at current Vice President and Republican contender Donald Trump, stating he’s “stuck in the past.”She added:

“It’s like I say to my husband Doug when he leaves his phone at the Chili’s… ‘We are not going back!’”

Maya introduced Jim Gaffigan on stage as her running mate, Tim Walz, and later welcomed Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, portrayed by Andy Samberg. Samberg humorously stated that they refer to Kamala as “Mamala”at home and expressed his excitement about decorating the White House for Christmas, with plans for a Hanukkah theme.

James Austin Johnson resumed his role as Donald Trump, while Bowen Yang portrayed Trump’s running mate, JD Vance. Dana Carvey took on the role of President Joe Biden.

“Thank you for putting country first and call handing over the reins,”said Karmala Harris to Biden.

Biden responded that he “didn’t want to”but that “they made him do it.”This marks yet another instance of SNL featuring impersonations of various politicians, including Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Sarah Palin.

You can stream Maya Rudolph’s SNL episode now on NBC.

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