Laughing at the Left: SNL’s Cold Open Takes on Biden and Harris
SNL legends Maya Rudolph and Dana Carvey put on a show in their hilarious cold open for the show’s 50th season premiere, poking fun at Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden. It’s always refreshing to see comedy that holds our leaders accountable, even if it comes from a late-night sketch.
Rudolph as Harris: A Campaign Speech to Remember
The sketch kicks off with Rudolph portraying Harris, delivering a campaign speech under a “Harris-Walz” banner. Right away, she thanks President Biden—played by Dana Carvey—while taking light-hearted jabs at the vice president’s unique speaking style. This kind of humor resonates because we all know someone who talks like that! It reminds us not to take politics too seriously.
Carvey’s Perfect Biden Impression
As Carvey shuffles his way to the podium, he captures Biden’s confused demeanor perfectly. You can’t help but chuckle as he looks around the room like he just walked into the wrong party. Then comes his spot-on impression of Biden’s speech patterns and mannerisms. It’s like watching an old friend you haven’t seen in ages—familiar yet slightly off-kilter.
“Folks! That’s right,” Carvey begins, echoing the president’s trademark way of addressing the crowd. “A lot of people forget I’m president, including me.” Now that’s a line that hits home! Carvey continues with his routine, claiming he has passed more bills than any president in history. The exaggeration is amusing, but it also highlights how many policies have been pushed through without much thought or debate.
Classic Jokes about Policy and Taxes
The fun doesn’t stop there; Carvey leans into the mic to deliver some classic lines about taxes: “The rich don’t pay their fair share!” He delivers this with a whisper—as if sharing state secrets—which is a nod to how often we hear these phrases from our current leadership. His comedic twist on “We gotta build back better” makes us laugh while reminding us of those overused slogans that seem to go nowhere.
Holy shit Dana Carvey crushed this two minute Joe Biden bit on SNL pic.twitter.com/TdGDIH36EC
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) September 29, 2024
You can almost imagine viewers across America laughing along as they recognize these familiar tropes from political speeches. After all, who hasn’t felt bewildered listening to one of these politicians ramble on? Carvey wraps up this part of his act with playful absurdity: “Can’t believe it’s not butter!” This line perfectly encapsulates how outlandish things have gotten in Washington lately.
A Quick Exchange Between Rudolph and Carvey
Then Rudolph jumps back into character with her own quips: “Thank you, Joe Biden. Thank you for putting country first and for handing over the reins.” It feels like she is speaking directly to every American fed up with political gamesmanship!
In response, Carvey quips back humorously that he didn’t want the job; “They made me!” How relatable is that? We’ve all felt pressured into situations we weren’t excited about—just ask anyone who’s ever run for office!
The Signature Nervous Laugh
The exchange continues as Rudolph mocks Harris’ signature nervous laugh before playfully rushing him offstage. This moment captures what many feel—a mix of frustration and laughter when watching our leaders stumble through their duties. It serves as a reminder that comedy can be an effective tool for critiquing those in power.
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