‘SNL’ kicked off Season 50 with star-studded cold open about politics, of course    

“Saturday Night Live” kicked off Season 50 with a star-studded cold open centered on the upcoming presidential election, featuring a humorous take on rallies held by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Maya Rudolph returned as Harris, playfully comparing her campaign to Sabrina Carpenter’s hit “Espresso,” quipping that “the lyrics are vague but the vibes slap.” 

She was joined by Jim Gaffigan as Harris’ running mate Tim Walz, who leaned into his Minnesota-nice persona with jokes about his Costco suit, saying, “It’s a Kirkland brand. They make great dog food.” 

Andy Samberg added to the humor as Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, delivering laughs with lines about being part of an esteemed list of presidential spouses, “but it’s all women.” 

On the other side of the sketch, James Austin Johnson reprised his Trump role, depicting a rally where the crowd gradually dwindled as he entered his third hour of speaking. The cold open effectively highlighted the absurdities of political campaigning with classic SNL flair.

Before introducing his running mate, Johnson as Trump quipped, “People are saying he’s a bad pick, and in many ways, he was.”

Bowen Yang then made an appearance as Senator JD Vance, delivering a punchy line: “How much do we love Donald Trump? Just this afternoon he told me, ‘JD, you’re like a son to me because I don’t like you and I’m stuck with you!’”

The season premiere was hosted by Jean Smart, with musical guest Jelly Roll providing the evening’s entertainment.