‘Keep Calm-ala and Carry On-ala’: Kamala Harris laughs at self on ‘SNL’
Comma-la. Kuh-mah-la.
Or as Vice President Kamala Harris said Saturday night, "Keep Calm-ala and Carry on-ala."
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, dropped into “Saturday Night Live” just three days before the Nov. 5 election, offering some sage advice to the iteration of herself portrayed by comedian Maya Rudolph.
Rudolph’s Harris, preparing for a final rally in Pennsylvania, wished she could speak with someone, “Who's been in my shoes, a Black, South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area.”
Rudolph sat before an (empty) vanity mirror and the real-life vice president appeared in a similar suit and necklace seated on the other side. Claps and screams erupted from the audience that lasted for nearly 30 seconds, making it hard to hear the vice president's line.
She tried again.
“You and me both, sista,” Harris said.
“It is nice to see you, Kamala, and I'm just here to remind you, ‘You got this,’ because you can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors,” Harris told Rudolph, referencing a recent video that showed former President Donald Trump struggling to open the door of a garbage truck before a Wisconsin rally.
Harris chuckled through the sketch, as Rudolph mimicked the vice president. (“I don’t really laugh like that do, I?” Harris asked.)
The two Kamalas then riffed on Harris’ first name, which her opponent, Trump has repeatedly mispronounced.
“Take my palm-ala,” Rudolph said as she grabbed Harris’ hand. “The American people want to stop the chaos and end the dram-ala with a cool new step-mamala. Kick back in our pajam-alas and watch a rom-com-ala.”
Harris, a former prosecutor and state attorney general, suggested putting on “Legally Blond-ala.”
“Because what do we always say?” Harris said. Then she and Rudolph said in unison: “Keep Calm-ala and Carry On-ala.”
Courting Pennsylvania voters — on ‘SNL’
The two Harrises wore matching suits: a black blouse, black blazer and black slacks. Both sported a double strand of pearls and had American flag pins fastened to their lapels.
Stepping out from behind the mirror, Harris linked with Rudolph while applause drowned out Harris’ lines.
“I wanna tell you something. I’m gonna vote for us,” Rudolph’s Harris told the vice president.
“Great, any chance that you’re registered in Pennsylvania?” Harris quipped. The vice president is tied with Trump in the state, to a USA TODAY/Suffolk poll published Friday. Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes, is considered a must-win on the path to the White House.
Standing with their arms over each other's shoulders, the two ended the skit with the signature "SNL" opener: “And live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Harris appears on 'SNL' in final days of election
Harris’ surprise appearance came as she’s appealing to undecided voters in the final days of the campaign. She and Trump are locked in a razor-thin race for the White House, with the two candidates in a dead heat in most of the seven swing states.
Earlier on Saturday, Harris campaigned across two battleground states: Georgia and North Carolina. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, also had stops in North Carolina and Virginia, a state considered a long shot for a Republican victory. Harris plans to campaign Sunday in Michigan while Trump is set to campaign in Pennsylvania.
Harris will spend Monday, the final day of the race, on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania.
Harris was not the first presidential contender to appear on the sketch comedy show celebrating its 50th anniversary this season.
Trump and his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared on the show in 2015. Barack Obama also dropped in on the show in 2007. But those appearances were anticipated in advance, the candidates didn’t pop in days before the general election.
As she boarded Air Force Two at LaGuardia Airport early Sunday, Harris was asked by reporters whether she liked appearing on the comedy sketch show.
"It was fun," Harris said.
(This story was updated with new information.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kamala Harris on 'SNL' makes light of her name