Kamala Harris made her highly anticipated appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) this weekend, leaving the audience in applause and offering a rare moment of calm amidst the heated US presidential campaign. The surprise cameo came after Air Force Two changed course mid-air to head to New York instead of Detroit, hinting that the opportunity for national exposure was too great to resist.
The show’s creator Lorne Michaels has long maintained that SNL remains neutral in electoral matters, but the past month’s sketches have been criticized for their subtle jabs at Harris and Trump. However, Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris struck a balance between parody and poignancy, capturing the candidate’s relatable quality as a Black South Asian woman running for president.
The comedy sketch featured Maya Rudolph’s Harris wishing she had someone likeminded to discuss her campaign with, highlighting how rare her figure is in American politics. When asked if she laughed like that, Harris seemed delighted, revealing a radiant smile buoyed by the audience’s applause.
In contrast, SNL’s Trump came across as tired and disconnected, free-associating on stage while clearly wishing he were elsewhere. This portrayal resonated with some viewers who have noticed Trump’s recent signs of exhaustion in his campaign.
Source: https://slate.com/culture/2024/11/kamala-harris-snl-skit-trump-fcc-maya-rudolph.html