Kamala Harris’ appearance on Saturday Night Live instantly drew comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s ill-fated performances on the show in previous elections.
The vice president laughed during her sketch with Maya Rudolph on Saturday’s episode, putting on a performance similar to Clinton’s in 2008 and 2016.
At one point, Harris even repeated a joke from Clinton’s sketch alongside Amy Poehler, asking Rudolph, “I don’t really laugh like that, do I?”
Hillary Clinton was running for president in the 2008 Democratic primary when she appeared alongside Poehler, who played her on the show and offered a trademark, exaggerated laugh.
The real Clinton asked herself during her appearance: “Do I really laugh like that?”
Kamala Harris made a surprise last-minute cameo on Saturday Night Live, appearing alongside Maiya Rudolph playing herself.
Viewers immediately drew comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s unfortunate sketches on the show in previous elections which she lost after performing on the show, seen in 2016 alongside Kate McKinnon.
Conservative critics of the vice president quickly brought up Clinton’s past appearances on SNL, as they hoped Harris’ sketch would not translate into a victory on Tuesday.
Harris’ appearance on SNL was a surprise last-minute move by her campaign as the election enters its final days.
Some viewers noticed the repeated phrase from Clinton’s previous performance, with one saying on X that the show “needs new writers.”
“SNL writers must be as lazy as everyone thinks they are,” said another.
Other viewers said Harris had prepared to make comparison jokes with Hillary Clinton if she loses the presidential race next week.
Podcaster Stephen L. Miller joked, “Kamala Harris tempting fate by appearing on SNL means there’s a real chance Maya Rudolph will play Hallelujah on a piano next week.”
Some observers joked that Harris had prepared to make comparison jokes to Hillary Clinton’s previous SNL sketches if she loses the presidential race next week.
Harris also faced criticism for her laugh in her surprise cameo, which viewers said was surprisingly close to a mirror sketch Donald Trump did with Jimmy Fallon in 2015.
In the sketch, Rudolph is getting dressed and preparing for a speech with her husband Doug Emhoff when she wonders aloud if someone who has “been in her shoes” can give her a pep talk.
Harris, laughing, appears as Rudolph’s reflection on the other side of the table and tells the actress: “You and me, sister.”
The scene then quickly turned into a parody of adding ‘ala’ to phrases in reference to the Democratic candidate’s nickname ‘Momala’.
‘I’m just here to remind you that you have this. Because you can do something your opponent can’t do. You can open doors,’ Harris tells Rudolph.
Rudolph, laughing, asked if he was referring to the video of Donald Trump opening the door of a garbage truck before his rally in Wisconsin last week.
The Democratic candidate was then mocked for her laugh when she asked, “I don’t really laugh like that, do I?”
Harris also faced criticism for her persistent laughter during the SNL sketch.
Rudolph and Harris hug at the end of the sketch from the iconic sketch show.
Rudolph bowed his head and nodded in response in a scene similar to when Hillary Clinton was roasted just before the 2016 election.
“Kamala, reach out and take my palm,” Rudolph tells Harris.
And he adds: “Kamala, the American people want to stop the chaos.”
‘And put an end to the drama,’ responds the vice president to the laughter of the audience,
‘The American people want to stop the chaos and end the drama, with a cool new stepmom, put our pajamas back on and watch a romantic comedy, like Legally Blonde-ala, and start decorating for Christmas, fa-la-la-lala .
‘Because what do we always say? Stay calm and carry on.