Vice President Kamala Harris surprised audiences with a cameo in the November 2, 2024 episode of Saturday Night Live with less than 60 hours to go until Election Day — making an iconic appearance alongside Maya Rudolph (who's been impersonating Harris on the show) in a news-heavy cold open that featured James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump, Bowen Yang and JD Vance, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, and Dana Carvey as Joe Biden.
The cold open starts with Johnson (as Trump) speaking at a televised rally and going on about the candidate's usual grievances. "We're almost at Election Day. The fraud has already begun." He goes on, "I never said I wanted Liz Cheney to be shot in the face, OK? I just said I wanted her to go hunting with her dad. Alright, it's a little bing-bang, bing-bing-bing! And they say I hate women, but I love women. I love women, and children, and I want to protect women, OK? Whether they like it or not."
"When you're famous, they let you protect them… grab them right by the production," Johnson (as Trump) continues. "Remember that? Maybe not. Where the hell am I? This place reeks. I don't wanna be here with you people. Come on, I'm out of gas. I'm running on fumes here, folks."
He continues to complain about the rally and asks to be taken away from there, adding: "Speaking of 'who cares,' I'm gonna turn this over to JD Vance!"
Yang (as Vance) comes onto the screen. "Heyyy, where are my normal gay guys at?!"
The cold open then shows Rudolph (as Harris), Gaffigan (as Walz), and Samberg (as Emhoff) watching TV and seeing this whole thing play out between Trump and Vance.
Jim Gaffigan, Andy Samberg, and Kamala Harris on 'Saturday Night Live,' November 2, 2024 episode.NBC"Wow, I never thought I'd see Trump do that with a microphone," Samberg (as Emhoff) says. Rudolph (as Harris) then lets out the candidate's signature laugh. "What is happening?" she asks.
"I don't know," Samberg (as Emhoff) replies. "Fox News was telling MAGA husbands that if their wives secretly vote for you, it's the same as cheating."
Rudolph (as Harris) declares, "I wish I had time to personally knock on the door of any of those women and say, 'Girl… girl!"
"And what does girl mean?" Samberg (as Emhoff) asks.
Rudolph (as Harris) responds, "It means: girl…"
The segment continues with Gaffigan's (as Walz) hilarious exit. "I gotta get out of here," he says," AOC and I are gonna play Fortnite on Twitch."
When Samberg (as Emhoff) and Rudolph (as Harris) find themselves alone in the room, he brags about how she's the only person in history "who can say Beyoncé opened for you." He adds, "It's almost like it was your destiny, child."
The Beyoncé puns continue with Rudolph (as Harris) reflecting, "Maybe when I win, the American people will finally learn how to say my name, say my name."
Carvey (as Biden) randomly walks into the room. Rudolph (as Harris) thanks him for stopping by and supporting her campaign, to which Carvey (as Biden) replies: "Of course, my train was stopping here, I'm being serious right now," he says making googly eyes. "And by the way, it's good to be back on my home turf. 'Cause guess what? You know, I'm from the part of Pennsylvania that's a part of the state of Delaware."
As Samberg (as Emhoff) and Carvey (as Biden) exit the room, Rudolph (as Harris) is finally left to her own devices. "Gosh, I just wish I could talk to someone who's been in my shoes. You know, a Black, South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area," she says while taking a seat by the mirror. Upon looking at her reflection, it is revealed that the actual Kamala Harris is on the other side of that mirror staring back at Rudolph.
The SNL audience loses its mind screaming and shouting and cheering for Harris being actually there, in the studio, chatting with Rudolph as she impersonates the Vice President.
"What about it, sister?" Harris asks.
Rudolph replies, "It's nice to see you, Kamala."
"I'm just here to remind you… you've got this," Harris tells Rudolph (as Harris). "Because you can do something your opponent cannot do: you can open doors."
Rudolph nods, punctuating the literal and figurative meanings of Harris' statement about being able to "open doors." And then Rudolph laughs like Harris again, and Harris asks, "I don't really laugh like that, do I?" Rudolph nods, shyly. "A little bit," she replies.
Maya Rudolph and Kamala Harris on 'Saturday Night Live,' November 2, 2024 episode.
NBC
After a back-and-forth involving puns that rhyme with the name Kamala — akin to the infamously cringeworthy interview with Beyoncé on The Tyra Banks Show — Rudolph and Harris hold hands and stand up together, appearing side by side on our screens. "I'm gonna vote for us," Rudolph (as Harris) says.
"Great," the real Harris responds. "Any chance you are registered in Pennsylvania?"
The audience laughs. "Nope, I am not," Rudolph replies.
Harris replies, "Well, it was worth the shot."
You can watch this full cold open segment featuring Kamala Harris in the video below. Saturday Night Live airs on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock.
Jim Gaffigan, Andy Samberg, and Kamala Harris on 'Saturday Night Live,' November 2, 2024 episode.NBC
