'Saturday Night Live' Takes Shots at Trump, Harris, Biden, Vance, and Walz in Season Premiere
“Saturday Night Live” launched its 50th season with a bang, returning to its political roots with a hilarious parody of the ongoing presidential campaign. The cold open showcased all the top candidates, poking fun at Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and their running mates—Democratic hopeful Tim Walz and Republican candidate JD Vance.
The sketch kicked off with Maya Rudolph reprising her famous role as Vice President Kamala Harris. In typical SNL fashion, Rudolph’s Harris quipped about the ambiguous nature of swing states in a hilarious line: “I am so happy to be campaigning in whatever swing state I’m in, which I will just refer to as Wisconsin-Pennsylva-Georgia.” Her comedic timing was on full display, blending political jabs with her character’s trademark sass.
Joining Rudolph was former SNL star Andy Samberg, who played Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff. Samberg’s Emhoff joked about the possibility of becoming the first First Gentleman, humorously suggesting that he’d be in charge of the White House Christmas decorations: “The theme will be Hanukkah.” Emhoff, as the real-life spouse of Harris, would indeed become the first Jewish First Gentleman if she were elected in November, adding an extra layer to the joke.
The sketch also featured the return of Dana Carvey as a bewildered President Joe Biden. Carvey’s signature take on Biden did not disappoint, delivering one of the night’s biggest laughs with the line, “A lot of people forget I’m president, including me.” It was a classic SNL nod to Biden’s perceived absent-mindedness, something Carvey has parodied for years.
Adding to the political roast, comedian Jim Gaffigan made a guest appearance as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is running as Harris’ Democratic running mate. Gaffigan’s portrayal played on Walz’s humble, everyman persona: “This is personal for me. I love this country. And, as a former teacher, I need the money.”
The skit then shifted gears, moving to a Trump rally, where regular cast member James Austin Johnson once again took on the role of former President Donald Trump. Johnson’s Trump, in typical SNL fashion, delivered a rambling monologue filled with nonsensical non-sequiturs and complaints about no longer facing Biden. “I miss Joe Biden … oh, Joe! We had this in the bag,” he lamented. The joke played on Trump’s obsession with Biden and his endless campaign rallies.
Trump was joined by his running mate, JD Vance, played by Bowen Yang. In a mocking take on their relationship, Yang’s Vance described his fraught dynamic with Trump: “Just this afternoon, he told me: ‘JD, you’re like a son to me – because I don’t like you, and I’m stuck with you.'” The gag reflected the peculiar nature of Trump’s alliances with those he endorses, often giving them backhanded compliments.
The media was also in SNL’s crosshairs during the skit, which was framed as a fictional ABC News report hosted by anchor David Muir, played by Andrew Dismukes. Dismukes’ Muir jokingly acknowledged the accusations of bias in moderating the Harris-Trump debate, slyly quipping, “Whether or not I was biased towards the Democrats. Which … duhhhh.”
SNL’s biting political humor didn’t stop with the presidential race. The show took aim at North Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, following reports from CNN alleging he had posted shocking content on a pornographic website. The cast made joke after joke about the scandal, delivering a cutting commentary on Robinson’s controversial history.
The famous New York-based sketch show also made jabs at New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing bribery and foreign funding charges. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett also got her moment in the spotlight, as SNL humorously revisited her viral takedowns of her fellow lawmakers.
All in all, SNL’s season premiere delivered its usual blend of sharp political satire and laugh-out-loud moments, offering a fresh and timely take on the chaos of the 2024 campaign season.
