Vice President Kamala Harris appeared surprisedly on Saturday Night Live this weekend as a “mirror image” alongside her impersonator, Maya Rudolph, in the show’s final pre-election episode. The skit, which aimed at recent political headlines, opened with Rudolph’s Harris contemplating the unique challenges of being a Black, South Asian woman running for president, wishing she could talk to someone who understood. Harris then appeared, drawing cheers as she sat across from Rudolph, responding, “You and me both, sister.”
The two exchanged witty banter, with Harris poking fun at recent events, including Donald Trump’s rally appearance in a sanitation vest. Harris encouraged Rudolph’s character, saying, “You got this,” and quipped that she had the unique ability to “open doors”—a nod to recent gaffes and Trump’s symbolic struggle with the garbage truck door.
“You can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors.”
The segment ended with playful rhymes on “Kamala,” including lines like “Kamala, take my palm-ala,” and “stop the chaos and end the drama-la.” Their humorous back-and-forth culminated in the iconic line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
Beyoncé can do it all — singing, dancing, acting, and recently, launching a haircare brand. And even though she carries hot sauce in her bag — as she noted on her 2016 hit single “Formation” — it’s possible that even she can’t handle the spice level of the wings on Hot Ones. In a Saturday Night Live sketch tonight (May 10), Mikey Day played Hot Ones host Sean Evans in a parody of the iconic YouTube show. Joining Day was tonight’s (May 11) host, Rudolph, as the one-and-only Beyoncé.
Hot off the release of her latest album, Cowboy Carter, Rudolph’s Beyoncé reminds us that she’s a southern country queen. But the flavor and heat of the wings proves to be too much — even for the Queen Bey.
Rudolph’s Beyoncé takes to the first few wings pretty well. But by the time she tries the “Sergeant Sphincter’s Volcanpeño sauce, with a Scoville rating of 530,000,” she appears to meet her match.
“This wing is stompin’ my ass,” she said. “Damn, my bones are hot. That wing was a real one.”
But thanks to the help of Bey’s loyal assistant, De’Raphael (Kenan Thompson), the world, perhaps, might never see Beyoncé in this rather humbling scenario.
Maya Rudolph, celebrated for her versatility and comedic genius, has carved a unique space for herself in the entertainment industry. Known for her memorable tenure on Saturday Night Live and her roles in various acclaimed films and TV shows, Rudolph has become a beloved figure in comedy and beyond. As of 2024, her successful career in acting and her ventures into voice work and music have contributed to a net worth of $10 million, according to Think Save Retire, reflecting her widespread appeal and talent.
Career & Accolades: A Journey Through Comedy & Film
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 09: Maya Rudolph attends the 92nd Annual Academy Awards also at. Hollywood and Highland on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Rudolph’s career in entertainment has been marked by a series of distinguished performances. Her time on Saturday Night Live showcased her exceptional comedic talent, leading to several Emmy nominations. In film, her roles in critically acclaimed movies like Bridesmaids and Away We Go have demonstrated her range as an actress, earning her further acclaim and solidifying her position in the industry.
The Woman Behind The Laughter
LOS ANGELES – DECEMBER 1978: Singer Minnie Riperton, her husband Richard Rudolph and children. Maya Rudolph and Marc Rudolph also attend the Hollywood Christmas Parade in December 1978 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
Beyond her professional achievements, Maya Rudolph’s personal life is further characterized by her dedication to her family and her passion for music. Her background as the daughter of singer Minnie Riperton and composer Richard Rudolph has deeply influenced her artistic path. Rudolph’s journey, balancing her thriving career with being a mother and her involvement in music, adds depth to her story. It also shows her as a multifaceted and relatable figure in Hollywood.
A Resonant Voice In Entertainment
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 24: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS, SPECIAL RATES APPLY) (L-R). Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Maya Rudolph attend the 2019. Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on. February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre /VF19/WireImage)
Reflecting on Maya Rudolph’s $10 million net worth in 2024, her career symbolizes her impact in comedy and acting. She is celebrated for her unique comedic voice, contributions to diverse projects, and influence on aspiring comedians and actors. Moreover, Rudolph’s legacy in entertainment is characterized by her wide-ranging talent, ability to connect with audiences, and role in shaping the landscape of modern comedy.
Maya Rudolph warned during her opening monologue that she would be wearing lots of wigs and doing impressions on Saturday Night Live, and thankfully for us that meant bringing back her Beyonce impression. The former cast member had hosting duties in its latest episode, and thankfully for us that meant a throwback-feeling segment about a very modern concept: Beyonce appearing on the web show Hot Ones to eat some very spicy chicken wings.
The sketch is a throwback to the era in which Rudolph thrived. It’s an absurd concept to begin with: the most famous musician in the world showing up on a show where you eat spicy wings and promote something while answering softball questions. But it’s a sketch that actually critiques not just the thing it’s parodying — an incredibly popular YouTube show — but Beyonce’s notorious attempts to control her image in the media.
Seeing Beyonce struggle with absurdly-named hot wing sauces and curse out the host, played by Mikey Day, is a departure from anything we’ve seen from the actual singer in years. At one point, Rudolph’s Beyonce is so overcome by the heat of the wings that she asked her stylist to take her wig off, put ice cubes in it and put it back on. Her “publicist” then stepped in to refuse to let that happen on camera.
The joke here is, after years of carefully cultivating her image in the public eye, Beyonce would never do anything like this. Or at least we’d never find out about it. Later, realizing just how many more wings she still needs to endure, she has her manager step in to call the whole thing off, with non-disclosure agreements all around to make sure no evidence of it ever happening.
It was great to see Rudolph play a character that’s not Kamala Harris and be free of the political news cycle that brought her back to the SNL stage at various points over the last year. And it was a strong start to an episode that reminded many viewers of the kind of sketch that was more common when Rudolph was a more permanent member of the show’s cast.
Jack Harlow is about to be all over America’s televisions in the month of March. Not only will he be participating in the NBA’s All-Star Weekend coverage, playing in a 2×2 with 2 Chainz, Lil Baby, and Quavo, but he’s also ending the month with a performance as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, March 27. The episode will be hosted by none other than SNL alum, Maya Rudolph, who currently voices the hilarious hormone monster Connie on Big Mouth, as well as Betty Hart on Fox’s Bless The Harts.
Harlow posted a heartfelt message to Twitter with a screenshot of his post-it from the announcement wall, sharing exactly what it meant to him to perform on the show. “I grew up watching SNL with my family every weekend,” he recalled. “I vividly remember seeing Kanye perform ‘Love Lockdown’ and ‘Heartless’ in 2008. Thank you for making this happen. Another dream come true.”
Saturday Night Live. March 27th.
I grew up watching SNL with my family every weekend. I vividly remember seeing Kanye perform Love Lockdown and Heartless in 2008. Thank you for making this happen. Another dream come true. pic.twitter.com/kafxiNa6bx
