Saturday Night Live kicked off their second show of the season with a hilarious spoof of this week’s vice presidential debate.
It saw Bowen Yang’s take on the role of an awkward J.D. Vance while Jim Gaffigan made a return as a goofy Tim Walz.
The skit mocked how reverential the pair were to one another during Tuesday night’s debate, while also poking fun at some of the rules imposed by the debate moderators who insisted there would be no fact-checking – but then did it anyway.
At one point Vance and Walz were pictured gazing into one another’s eyes across the debate stage as the skit mocked how the pair found ‘common ground’ between the two.
The episode’s cold open began with Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris and Andy Samberg’s Douglas Emhoff sitting down to watch the debate on their couch at home.
Saturday Night Live started their second show of the season with a hilarious spoof of this week’s vice presidential debate that saw Bowen Yang’s J.D. Vance and Jim Gaffigan’s Tim Walz find common ground
SNL’s Heidi Gardner and Chloe Fineman played CBS News debate moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan respectively
‘I am feeling good tonight,’ Rudolph’s Harris says. ‘We have got momentum. Liz Cheney’s about to endorse me and Bruce Springsteen. Cause baby I was born to run,’ she jokes, while quoting a line from one of the The Boss’ legendary songs.
They proceed to turn on the vice presidential debate with moderators
SNL’s Heidi Gardner and Chloe Fineman played CBS News debate moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan respectively.
‘Thank you for having me. I want to begin with something that will appeal to women voters. I understand that both the moderators tonight are mothers and I like that,’ Yang’s Vance starts off before the cameras cut to Gaffigan’s Walz who can be seen scribbling.
‘Are you preparing your answers?’ the moderators ask him.
‘No, I gotta grade these papers,’ Gaffigan’s Walz says in response. ‘Got a stack of midterms.’
The real life Walz was a teacher in the late 1980s and early 90s.
As ever, the impersonations were spot on with Bowen Yang as J.D. Vance
Jim Gaffigan took on the role of Tim Walz as the Democratic VP hopeful
As the questions in the mock debate begin, the moderators Gardner’s O’Donnell and Fineman’s Brennan ask Yang’s Vance: ‘Senator Vance, you called Donald Trump America’s Hitler. Do you regret that?’
Just as in the real debate, Yang’s Vance tries to explain why he said it.
‘The context matters. I meant that as a compliment,’ he insists.
To Gaffigan’s Walz: ‘Governor Walz. You claimed you were in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre when you were home in Minnesota. Can you explain that?’
Gaffigan’s Walz answers: ‘I think what happened is I went to Epcot. You can go around the whole world, and I had a couple in the Germany section, and I thought I went to China. Anyway, I’m a knucklehead.’
The moderators quickly move on to ask the VP hopefuls how they might solve the current crisis in the Middle East.
‘That is such an important question,’ Yang’s Vance responds while avoiding answering the question. ‘Margaret, one that deserves an answer because it’s important and it’s a question that you asked of me tonight.’
Gaffigan’s Walz fairs no better as he also doesn’t appear to know the answer.
In the skit, Vance and Walz appeared to find common ground over their respective policies
Maya Rudolph portrayed Kamala Harris, left, Dana Carvey imitated a confused Joe Biden, center, while Andy Samberg’s took on Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, right
‘So I’m gonna just say the word fundamental a bunch because debating is 30 percent fun and 70 percent demental,’ he quips.
Back at the Harris residence, Rudolph’s Harris begins to show concern for her running mate.
‘OK, OK he’s out there he’s doing his thing, whatever that may be.’ Andy Samberg’s Doug Emhoff says. ‘Do you wanna watch something less stressful like the Menendez Brothers show?’ he asks.
Rudolph’s Harris suggests they rewatch her Presidential debate against Donald Trump. ‘Remember when I said his crowds were tiny and I broke his brain?’
Samberg’s Emhoff tries to calm Rudolph’s Harris’ fears.
‘It’s not like he’s gonna say something crazy,’ he says.
But Samberg’s Emhoff jinxes Gaffigan’s Walz who flubs a line: ‘I’ve become friends with school shooters,’ he yells, mimicking a line during the debate in which he misspoke.
The real-life Walz did actually say he’s ‘become friends with school shooters’ but later clarified his remarks telling reporters he was speaking about people impacted by school shootings rather than the shooters themselves.
Rudolph’s Harris portrayed and Samberg’s Emhoff appeared to watch the VP debate at home
In what was likely the most memorable moments of the sketch, the pair of VP candidates find ‘common ground’ and can be seen on screen staring into each other’s eyes.
The skit made clever use of the split screen and saw Yang’s Vance and Gaffigan’s Walz appearing to place their hands up against once another.
‘This guy is good — he’s got an answer for everything,’ Gaffigan’s Walz says, turning to Yang’s Vance.
The pair’s sensitive moment sees them reaching out to touch each other’s palms from their podiums across the split screen.
During the skit, the two seen saying the same thing at the exact same time as they turn to one another.
‘Why are they friends? Why are they vibing?,’ Rudolph’s Harris exclaims.
During Tuesday’s debate, both candidate spokes repeatedly about being in agreement with the other, about a wide range of topics.
The pair found agreement on speeding up the asylum claim system, bringing jobs back to the U.S., doing more to address gun violence and on not blaming immigrants for driving up housing prices.
Back in the alternate reality of the SNL sketch, the moderators get back to the topics at hand and showcase Vance’s worst moment of the debate.
Yang’s Vance if he would certify the results of the upcoming election noting how Donald Trump refused to accept the results from 2020.
‘Would you have certified the results?’ Gardner’s O’Donnell asks.
Yang’s Vance replies, while poking fun at the ‘no fact checking’ rule CBS News had earlier imposed on themselves, but then failed to stick to.
‘It’s rich to say that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy when he peacefully gave over power — no fact-checking — and willingly — don’t check — got on his plane without incident, right after saving Obamacare — don’t check that,’ Yang’s Vance said.
In real life Vance complained about the moderators fact checking him on some of his false claims.
Gaffigan’s Walz is then allowed a few more seconds speak and attempts a ‘hail Mary’ – referencing a football term to score some points before the clock runs out on the game.
‘I got to get some points on the board here, so I’m going to chuck a hail Mary. Senator, will you admit that Donald Trump lost the election?’ he asks.
‘Tim, I’m focused on the future,’ Yang’s Vance responds, deftly deflecting the question.
‘Bump, it’s good!’ praises Gaffigan’s Walz.
Back at the Harris household, Rudolph’s Harris expresses relief that Walz made it through the debate.
‘This is a huge victory. It made no difference,’ she said.
The sketch ended with Carvey’s Joe Biden, center, rambling on complete ice cream cone sitting between Rudolph’s Harris and Samberg’s Emhoff
Later in the skit Dana Carvey’s Joe Biden later arrives on scene at Harris’ house to give her some advice.
‘Hey kiddo, let me give you a little bit of a pep talk,’ Carvey’s Biden says. ‘Here’s the deal. I’m being serious right now. Look at me. I’m serious right now. The vice president doesn’t matter.’
Carvey’s Biden notes how Walz should highlight ‘all the great things we’ve done’ over the last four years in the White House.
‘Gas prices down, border crossings down and Emmys for The Bear down,’ Carvey’s Biden says. ‘Everybody get down… tonight.’
Biden is portrayed as bumbling as he appears with his signature ice cream cone and general all-round confusion.
‘Who the hell was Obama’s VP? Nobody knows,’ Carvey’s Biden says.
Of course, the real life Joe Biden served as Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017.
It was Carvey’s Biden who got the last laugh as he shoved his his ice cream into Rudolph’s Harris’ face.
‘You’re gonna be a great president, and when you’re done it’ll be my turn. Biden 2028!’