In its latest episode, Saturday Night Live took aim at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz following his much-criticized performance in the vice presidential debate earlier this week.
The show, which has a long history of satirizing political figures, used its cold open to poke fun at Walz’s debate missteps.
The sketch featured SNL regulars Maya Rudolph, reprising her role as Vice President Kamala Harris, and Andy Samberg as Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.
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The two characters are seen watching Tuesday’s vice presidential debate, where Walz’s performance was widely seen as disastrous.
“Ok, he’s out there, he’s doing his thing… whatever that may be,” Rudolph quipped in character, holding a glass of wine in hand, impersonating Harris.
The sketch then played on the speculation that Harris might have preferred Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate instead of Walz.
Shapiro was seen as a strong contender for the vice presidential spot until Harris made the last-minute decision to choose Walz.
This has raised questions among political analysts, given Shapiro’s popularity in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Rudolph’s Harris lamented this decision in the sketch, saying, “I wish I had picked Josh,” seemingly referring to Shapiro.
Samberg, playing Emhoff, then asks if she’s referring to Josh Shapiro.
In a comedic twist, Rudolph pulls out another bottle of wine named “Josh” and begins pouring.
The humor escalated when Samberg’s Emhoff tried to reassure Harris by saying, “Look, Tim will be fine. It’s not like he’s gonna say anything crazy.”
The sketch then cut to a clip of Walz’s gaffe from the actual debate, where he made an unfortunate comment involving “friends with school shooters,” causing Rudolph’s Harris to shatter the wine glass in her hand.
BRUTAL 🤣
Saturday Night Live just mocked Kamala Harris and Tim Walz pic.twitter.com/iQLXl1u2QG
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 6, 2024
This wasn’t the first time SNL has poked fun at the Biden-Harris campaign this season. In the show’s premiere last week, Maya Rudolph’s Harris was joined by Dana Carvey, who made a guest appearance as Joe Biden. Carvey, a veteran SNL performer known for his impressions of various U.S. presidents, expertly mimicked Biden’s often forgetful speaking style and his tendency to trail off during speeches.
“Folks! That’s right. A lot of people forget I’m president, including me. But guess what? And by the way,” Carvey said in his impression of Biden, before pausing and continuing with, “I think I did a pretty good job. I passed more bills than any president in history. But folks, we still got work to do. No joke. I’m being serious right now. Come on. And guess what? And by the way, the fact of the matter is.”
BREAKING: SNL rolls out Joe Biden skit and admits he didn’t want to go away, but “they made me.”
BIDEN: “A lot of people forget I’m president, including me.”
HARRIS: “I just wanna say thank you, Ja Biden. Thank you for putting country first and for handing over the reins.”… pic.twitter.com/FIASLRzICf
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) September 29, 2024
Saturday Night Live, a show often perceived to lean left in its political humor, has still managed to find ways to critique the Biden-Harris campaign, focusing on their missteps and lighter moments in recent weeks.
The skit targeting Walz’s debate performance is the latest example of the show’s commentary on the political landscape as the 2024 election draws closer.
Governor Tim Walz’s debate performance has been widely criticized by both Democrats and Republicans, and SNL has now joined the conversation with its own satirical take on the situation.
Walz’s “friends with school shooters” comment during the debate has been especially scrutinized, drawing negative attention to the Minnesota governor during a critical time for the campaign.
As the 2024 election approaches, the public and media continue to focus on the performance of the candidates, and it seems Saturday Night Live will keep finding humor in the political process, regardless of party lines.
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