NEW YORK — The “funt” of Will Maya Rudolph, aka Vice President Kamala Harrisbe back on “Saturday Night Live?”
Speculation has been rife since Sunday when President Joe Biden released the election news, but the “SNL” alum is a busy actor these days.
Rudolph received four Emmy nominations last week for his work on three different shows: “Loot” (just renewed for a third season on Apple TV+), “Big Mouth” on Netflix and two nominations for a season hosting the “ SNL.”
She played Harris several times as a guest on “SNL” in 2019 during the 2020 presidential election cycle. Rudolph was a cast member on the NBC show from 2000 to 2007.
The “Bridesmaids” actress won an Emmy for Harris in December 2019, during a cold open presentation of the PBS Democratic debate shortly after Harris dropped out of the presidential race. She debuted the character earlier that year, during a town hall performance in which she introduced Harris as “America’s cool aunt. A fun aunt. I call it ‘fun’.”
Her Emmy-winning turn as Harris referenced Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” with: “I just want to show you how good you could have done it, America. You withheld your donations and I got tired of waiting, so I walked out the door. Rudolph then sang, “You could have had a bad bitch.”
Calls for Rudolph to return to office have flooded social media since Biden stepped aside. He and Democratic leaders threw their support behind Harris as their presidential candidate before the party’s convention began in Chicago on August 19.
The 50th season of “SNL” premieres on September 28. An NBC spokesperson said there are no discussions at this time regarding Rudolph’s return as the show is on hiatus. An email request for comment to Rudolph was not immediately returned Monday.
Rudolph was neither the first nor the last person to face presidents and other names in U.S. politics on “SNL.”
A month into the show’s first season in 1975, Chevy Chase introduced its hesitant president Gerald Ford. Another original cast member, Dan Aykroyd, played President Jimmy Carter and his “Ask President Carter” segments. Phil Hartman spoofed President Ronald Reagan, Carter’s successor.
In the 1990s, Dana Carvey transformed into President George HW Bush. After President Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, Darrell Hammond and Hartman split Clinton’s roles, leading to other presidents played by various actors.
President Barack Obama was played by Jay Pharoah and Fred Armisen, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appearing as “The Rock Obama” in some sketches. President Donald Trump is a recurring recipient of the “SNL” treatment, even before he was elected. Hammond, Alec Baldwin and now James Austin Johnson have become Trump.
Jason Sudeikis, Jim Carrey and Johnson played President Biden. And don’t forget Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin and Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton.
