FCC Commissioner Claims Kamala Harris’ ‘SNL’ Appearance Violated Equal Time Rule
A Federal Communications Commission commissioner claimed incorrectly on Saturday that Kamala Harris’ appearance on Saturday Night Live violated the “equal time” rule.
“This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” commissioner Brendan Carr wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in response to news of Harris’ planned appearance.
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The FCC’s equal time rule requires American radio and television stations to offer equal time to rival political candidates. However, the burden falls on the candidates to request those equal opportunities, and the agency’s policy on the rule states: “Equal opportunities generally means providing comparable time and placement to opposing candidates; it does not require a station to provide opposing candidates with programs identical to the initiating candidate.”
In his statement on social media, which an FCC representative noted did not represent the agency’s official views, Carr wrote, “The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct — a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election,” adding: “Unless the broadcaster offered Equal Time to other qualifying campaigns.”
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, the FCC noted they have “not made any determination regarding political programming rules, nor have we received a complaint from any interested parties.”
Meanwhile, NBC has officially informed the FCC that Harris appeared on Saturday Night Live “without charge” for one minute and 30 seconds, officially triggering a window for other campaigns to request time from the broadcaster, though with only one full day before Election Day the window to do so is small.
Carr was appointed to the FCC by Donald Trump in 2017. Per Forbes, he is also credited as the author of a section in Project 2025, the unofficial policy plan of the Republican party. In his post Saturday, he went on to point out that SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels previously told THR the show would not reach out to either Harris or Trump, citing the equal time rule.
“You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions,” Michaels told THR, and then clarified: “You can’t have the main candidates without having all the candidates, and there are lots of minor candidates that are only on the ballot in, like, three states and that becomes really complicated.”
SNL has a long history of welcoming political candidates during their campaign (including Trump in 2015).
Harris’ cameo on Saturday night featured a the Democratic nominee in conversation with herself (or, with Maya Rudolph’s impression of her, that is) similar in structure to Trump’s appearance alongside Jimmy Fallon’s impression of him in that 2015 sketch.
“Now Kamala, take my palm-ala,” Rudolph told the veep. Then they began to finish each other’s sentences. “The American people want to stop the chaos and end the drama-ala with a cool new step-momala. Look, get back in our pajamas and watch a rom-Kamala, like Legally Blonde-ala. And start decorating for Christmas, Fa-la-la-la-la. Because what do we always say? Keep Kamala and carry on-ala.”
John Mulaney hosted the episode, with musical guest Chappell Roan.
Sunday, Nov. 3, 11:44 a.m.: Updated with statement and information from FCC representative.
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