‘SNL’ kicks off 50th year with mild mockery of Kamala Harris while taking sharper aim at Donald Trump

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: 'Saturday Night Live' (SNL) made its much-anticipated return, kicking off its 50th season with an episode filled with political satire, dry humor, and some notable jabs at the 2024 election campaigns.

True to the show's history, the season premiere took a lighter approach to critiquing Democratic figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris, while reserving sharper humor for former president Donald Trump, as per Daily Mail.

Maya Rudolph’s portrayal of Kamala Harris focused more on likability and less on political satire

The evening’s sketches, while humorous, underscored the ongoing election fever, with 'Saturday Night Fever' offering a mix of familiar political impersonations and new characters as they set their comedic sights on the political landscape.

However, while the focus leaned more on Trump, Harris, portrayed by Maya Rudolph, was not completely spared.

Kicking off the political sketches, 'SNL' alum Rudolph reprised her role as Harris, bringing back her beloved "fun aunt" persona, also known as "The Funt".

Rudolph's Harris entered the scene with her usual charisma, immediately showcasing the character’s blend of warmth and humor.

"The Funt has been rebooted," Rudolph’s Harris declared before throwing in a quip referencing the 'Fast and Furious' franchise: "2 Funt, 2 Furious."

Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris focused more on her likability and less on biting political satire.

At one point, she joked about Harris campaigning in "WisconsinaPennsylvaGeorgia", a playful mishmash of key swing states.

"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," Rudolph’s Harris said, throwing in a cheeky nod to women’s rights, a topic Harris has consistently championed.

Rudolph’s Harris continued with more light-hearted quips, joking that her campaign was "like the Sabrina Carpenter song ‘Espresso'."

She explained, "The lyrics are vague but the vibe slaps," using the comparison to highlight the often confusing yet captivating nature of political campaigns.

Rudolph also kept the playful spirit alive, saying, "Now this election is about moving forward. You see, Donald Trump is stuck in the past, but it’s like I say to my husband Doug when he leaves his phone at the Chili’s, 'We are not going back.'"

James Austin Johnson reprises his role as Donald Trump in political rally scene

While the Kamala Harris portrayal was kept relatively mild, 'SNL' did not hold back when it came to satirizing Donald Trump.

James Austin Johnson reprised his role as the former president in a rally scene that featured some of Trump’s more controversial comments.

The sketch began with Johnson’s Trump noticing attendees leaving the rally early.

"I see you trying to leave, but the doors are locked!" he exclaimed, mimicking Trump’s ability to turn even awkward moments into an opportunity for humor.

He followed this by lamenting the absence of Joe Biden from the race, wistfully stating, "What we wouldn’t give to have him stand next to me and be old!"

Johnson’s Trump then took the opportunity to revisit some of his most incendiary remarks, such as his bizarre claim that Haitian immigrants were eating cats and dogs.

He joked, "They’re doing freak-offs with the dogs, and they’re making the geese watch… They’re doing a Diddy," in reference to a recent scandal involving rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

The former president’s comments about immigration were parodied further with lines about immigrants and pets, reinforcing SNL’s penchant for taking Trump’s most inflammatory remarks and amplifying them for comedic effect.

Johnson’s Trump then made an off-color remark about Harris, saying, "They say that me blaming the Democrats for inciting violence is the pot calling the kettle black, but frankly I didn’t know the kettle was black until very recently. I thought the kettle was Indian. Then it decided to turn black."

Bowen Yang appeared briefly as Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, but the focus remained squarely on Johnson’s Trump, who continued to steal the scene with his erratic behavior and outlandish statements.