No wonder Saturday night liveThe 50th season of began with a focus on one of the most anticipated events… the upcoming 2024 presidential election
The new group of political candidates was revealed during Saturday night's Cold Open, starring Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, Dana Carvey as Joe Biden and Andy Samberg as Douglas Emhoff. SNL cast members James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang played Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, respectively.
The camera first moved to Rudolph's Harris after Andrew Dismukes' David Muir with ABC News said they would check in with each candidate on the campaign trail at their respective rallies.
“Well, your funny aunt is back,” Harris initially says of Rudolph. “I'm so happy to campaign in whatever swing state I'm in, which I'll just call Wisconsin-Pennsylv-Georgia because I'll protect your Virginia-Georgia.”
“You see, my campaign is like the Sabrina Carpenter song 'Espresso,'” Harris continues of Rudolph during his speech. “The lyrics are vague but the vibe is frank.”
“Now with this election it's about moving forward,” he adds before introducing his overly excited running mate. “See, Donald Trump is stuck in the past, but it's like me telling my husband Doug when he leaves the phone at Chili's: 'We're not going back!'”
Gaffigan's Walz then took the stage with a huge smile. “I haven't been this excited since I got 10% off a leaf blower at Menards,” he says. “I can say I got that BDE…. Big Daddy Energy. See what I did there?”
“Got it. I didn't want it, but I got it,” Harris jokes of Rudolph before later saying, “Tim's not the only white guy for Harris here today.”
Then she brings out her husband, Samberg's Emhoff, who has a strong message for the Republican Party. “I hear what the right says about me just because I don't mind being a man who supports his wife: 'Oh, he's a beta, a wifey guy, a traditional husband, a spoonie.' You know what, if helping Kamala – who in my family we call Mamala – become president means being a little spoon, then you can cut my ass off.
Jean Smart will host the season 50 premiere of the NBC sketch comedy show with musical guest Jelly Roll.
More to come.