Will Maya Rudolph once again portray Kamala Harris in an epic SNL return?
The comedian’s Saturday Night Live spoofs of Harris date back to when she was Senator Harris. And the role earned her an Emmy Award.
On Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden endorsed VP Kamala Harris to succeed him as he bowed out of the 2024 election.
Alongside everything else, people are saying that this could be a huge moment for Maya Rudolph. And they’re right.
On Saturday Night Live, Maya Rudolph staged a return during a skit about the 2019 Democratic Primaries. (Image Credit: NBC)
It’s time for Maya Rudolph to make her ‘SNL’ return
Following President Biden’s announcement, Vice President Kamala Harris received ringing endorsements from celebrities, voters, fellow Democratic elected officials, and donors.
Amidst the discourse — from ironic Harris memes to contrarian pouting to more serious conversations about this historic moment — one name keeps coming up: Maya Rudolph.
This would be the perfect time for her to stage an SNL return to once again portray Kamala Harris. As the party nominee and then, one would hope, as President of the United States.
Maya Rudolph’s portrayal of Kamala Harris began during the 2020 election cycle. Her 2019 debut in the role on Saturday Night Live was during the Democratic Presidential Primaries, and came twelve years after she left SNL.
Rudolph won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of then-Senator Harris.
SNL is famous for its political parodies and its (often frustratingly moderate) commentary during election cycles and political scandals. Even in that context, Rudolph’s role as Harris is an all-time favorite.
Everyone is talking about a Maya Rudolph comeback
When it comes to something as serious as this Presidential election, people are eager to pivot to something a little lighter. Celebrating what this means for Maya Rudolph is much lower-stakes than the 2024 election.
As you can see from the above tweet, people are anticipating more pay for Rudolph. Yes, SNL could cast someone else … but it would not go over well with viewers.
Even more are looking forward to Rudolph raking in more Emmy Awards. Especially if Vice President Harris becomes President Harris, leading to a potential decade of skits starring Maya Rudolph.
Obviously, the 2024 election is going to be contentious. There’s a lot at stake — from how the world views America to how many of us fear becoming political refugees if a second Trump presidency and Project 2025 become a living nightmare.
Even within Democratic circles, there are real concerns about how much influence wealthy donors had over President Biden withdrawing from the race. That’s not on Harris, but it’s a topic of discussion.
And, of course, there are concerns about Vice President Harris’ record from her days as a prosecutor, even if it varies from her stated positions on things like marijuana legalization and trans rights. Politics is a complex topic, and can tear good friends apart even if they agree on virtually everything.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends a moderated conversation with former Trump administration national security official Olivia Troye and former Republican voter Amanda Stratton on July 17, 2024. (Photo Credit: Chris duMond/Getty Images)
Maya Rudolph making an ‘SNL’ return as Kamala Harris could bring levity to this time
Comedy is just a coping strategy. It doesn’t fix political tensions. No amount of very moderate political humor on SNL is going to fix the rot that grips so many in this country. White nationalism, state-mandated births, an out-of-control SCOTUS, genocide in Gaza, and more can’t be cured by laughter. That requires a coalition of Americans working to fix things.
But there is no sense in wallowing in misery. Giving in to doom and despair, suffering because the world is a serious place? That doesn’t help anything. It also leads to burnout.
Having some laughs while continuing the long road to fix our nation’s heart and soul is a good thing. And we don’t mind if Maya Rudolph wins some more awards along the way.
Maya Rudolph Returning to ‘SNL’ as Kamala Harris? The People Demand It! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.