The Truth About Maya Rudolph And Kamala Harris

The announcement that Kamala Harris will be Joe Biden's running mate in the 2020 election was met with excitement from a number of Democrats on social media. While seemingly everyone had a hot take about whether she was the right choice, some people were thinking of a different potential benefit of having her on the ticket: It would mean a lot more of Maya Rudolph's Harris impression on Saturday Night Live. And the comedian herself definitely took notice. Rudolph is no longer a regular cast member on SNL — she first appeared on the show in 2000 and her final episode was in 2007 — but she does come back occasionally when called to play certain characters, which is what happened with her Harris impression. The first time Rudolph broke out the impression was in September 2019 for a DNC Town Hall sketch. The sketch was full of star power, with Bowen Yang as Andrew Yang, Kate McKinnon playing Elizabeth Warren, Larry David as Bernie Sanders, and more. Woody Harrelson, the host that evening, played Biden. While all the impressions were pretty spot-on, Rudolph's impression of Harris was so good that they kept bringing her back, up until the California senator dropped out of the race in December 2019. But it looks like there could be a lot more of Rudolph now. On social media, many people expressed their excitement about Harris joining Biden on the ticket — but it wasn't necessarily because of her politics. Instead, it was because it seemed like Rudolph now had a compelling reason to return to Saturday Night Live. Rudolph was both surprised and moved by the reaction. She told Entertainment Weekly, "I don't know that I'm ready to go right this minute, but it's so nice to have this nomination be associated with the show because it's my true love." Rudolph added that she wouldn't even mind commuting to take on the gig week to week, if necessary. She said, "I love going to the show. Any excuse I can get, I love. I just didn't really anticipate traveling during a pandemic, but if there's anyone that can work it out I'm sure Lorne [Michaels] has some sort of invisible helicopter that can get me there." In Rudolph's impression, Harris is often seen chasing a viral moment or being bitter about having to drop out, and the politician's reaction to the portrayal at least shows she has a sense of humor. After the first of the three appearances Rudolph made as Harris, the senator tweeted a GIF from the show. She even made a little joke about her oft-quoted response to Biden during a debate, saying: "That girl being played by [Maya Rudolph] on [SNL]? That girl was me." Rudolph's take on Harris wasn't just adored by fans; it might even win her an award. The comedian was nominated for three Emmys in 2020: one for her appearance on SNL as the California senator, another for her voice role on Big Mouth, and the other for her appearance on The Good Place. So the talent is there, as will be the material once the campaign and debates really get up and running. There's one catch, though. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Saturday Night Live is on an indefinite hiatus. The cast put on a remote episode in April 2020, but since then, there have been no new episodes — and there's no word yet on when there will be. A rep for the show told The New York Times, "We will monitor the situation closely and make decisions about future shows on an ongoing basis as further information develops." Hopefully, something develops soon. Because the people want what the people want... and that's Maya Rudolph back on their TV screens. Some of the reactions to the news that Harris was Biden's VP pick included actor Billy Baldwin, who tweeted after the news broke, "Paging Maya Rudolph...Paging Maya Rudolph...Please report to the SNL writers room immediately... thank you." Vulture senior writer E. Alex Jung added, simply, "maya rudolph up your fee" ...implying that she could make some money on the side this fall if the show goes back into production. Other fans were very optimistic about the Democrats' chances at the White House this year, opining that Rudolph could end up with a consistent gig for ten years or more. Writer Roxane Gay seemed pleased with Biden's VP pick, but she also noted, quote, "the real winner here today is Maya Rudolph." As Keep It podcast host Aida Osman put it, "maya rudolph bout to eat eat" ...potentially stacking money for years with her portrayal as the prospective new veep. No matter where you stand in politics, it's hard to ignore the fact that Harris' nomination is a perfect opportunity for Rudolph to get back to her SNL roots. Watch the video to learn The Truth About Maya Rudolph And Kamala Harris! #KamalaHarris #MayaRudolph