Listen To Story Above

Saturday Night Live” faced accusations of plagiarism after Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the show, mirroring a 2015 sketch featuring Donald Trump and Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.”

In the recent SNL cold open, Maya Rudolph portrayed Harris, who wished for advice from someone in her position. Suddenly, the real Harris appeared in a mirror, offering guidance and exchanging quips about her distinctive laugh and the challenges of politics.

The sketch bore a striking resemblance to Trump’s 2015 appearance on Fallon’s show, where the then-presidential candidate engaged in a similar mirror dialogue with Fallon impersonating him. Both segments featured nearly identical dressing room settings and mirrored gestures between the comedians and politicians.

Viewers quickly noticed the similarities, with some accusing Harris of lacking originality. Radio host Ari Hoffman commented on social media, “Kamala ripped off the same bit Trump did when he was on Saturday Night Live in 2015 …and Trump’s was double the length.”

The Harris sketch aired just days before the presidential election, prompting criticism from Trump’s campaign. Spokesman Steven Cheung told Fox News, “Kamala Harris has nothing substantive to offer the American people, so that’s why she’s living out her warped fantasy cosplaying with her elitist friends on Saturday Night Leftists as her campaign spirals down the drain into obscurity.”

Harris had been campaigning in Atlanta and Charlotte earlier that day before making her SNL appearance. She departed shortly after the sketch and arrived in Detroit early the following morning.

The controversy highlights the fine line between homage and imitation in comedy, as well as the scrutiny faced by political figures in their media appearances during election season.