(The Hill) — “Saturday Night Live” kicked off its 50th season this weekend with an episode packed with references to the upcoming election.
Actress and comedian Maya Rudolph returned to the cast to portray Vice President Kamala Harris and James Austin Johnson played his recurring role as former President Donald Trump in a cold open that poked fun at their respective campaign rallies.
Rudolph referred to Harris’s “coconut tree” line that went viral at the start of her campaign and joked that her bid was similar to Sabrina Carpenter’s hit “Espresso,” because “the lyrics are vague but the vibes slap.”
Rudolph was joined on stage by several big guests now playing political personalities.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 1865 — Pictured: (l-r) Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris and Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz during the “Campaign” Cold Open on Saturday, September 28, 2024 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 1865 — Pictured: (l-r) Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris and Andy Samberg as Douglas Emhoff during the “Campaign” Cold Open on Saturday, September 28, 2024 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 1865 — Pictured: (l-r) Bowen Yang as JD Vance and James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump during the “Campaign” Cold Open on Saturday, September 28, 2024 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 1865 — Pictured: Musical guest Jelly Roll, host Jean Smart, and Marcello Hernández during Promos in Studio 8H on Friday, September 27, 2024 — (Photo by: Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty Images)
Jim Gaffigan played Harris’s running mate Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), who leaned into the dad jokes. Andy Samberg played Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey portrayed President Joe Biden.
Gaffigan, as Walz, called Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) “weird.” Walz popularized the remark this summer and was launched into national fame for plainly calling out the other side before becoming Harris’s vice presidential pick.
Samberg joined Rudolph on stage to play Emhoff, the first Second Gentleman, to brush off the attacks from Republicans about his undying support for his wife.
“I am proud to join the esteemed list of presidential spouses throughout history, women and men – but all women,” Samberg said.
Rudolph thanked Biden for stepping aside to allow her to run and Carvey, as Biden, said he “didn’t want to,” but “they made me.”
The cold open also visited Trump at a rally, played by Johnson. He referenced the recent assassination attempts on the GOP nominee and Trump’s remarks about Harris’s race.
“They say that me blaming Democrats for inciting violence is the pot calling the kettle black,” Johnson said. “But frankly, I didn’t know the kettle was Black until very recently. I thought the kettle was Indian but then she decided to turn Black.”
Before introducing his running mate, Johnson as Trump said people were saying his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), was a bad pick and said “in many ways he was. JD come on up.”
“How much do we love Donald Trump? Just this afternoon he told me, ‘JD, you’re like a son to me ‘cause I don’t like you and I’m stuck with you,” Bowen said acting as Vance.
The episode was hosted by Jean Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll performed.
