SNL'sSeason Premiere Cold Open Introduces Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden and More

Mar. 15, 2025

(L-R) Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey.Photo:Saturday Night Live/Youtube

Saturday Night Live/Youtube

Saturday Night Liveis poking fun at the2024 election,Kamala HarrisandDonald Trump— with a few star-studded cameos in the mix.

During the season 50 premiere of the comedy sketch series on Sept. 28, the show’s cold open featured the much-anticipated casting of some of the biggest faces in politics, includingSNLalumAndy Sambergstepping into the role of Harris' husbandDoug EmhoffandDana Carveyplaying PresidentJoe Biden.Jim Gaffigan, meanwhile, appeared as Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov.Tim Walz.

The cold open began with cast memberAndrew Dismukesas journalist David Muir introducing Harris' rally, before Rudolph, 52, appeared on stage announcing, “Your fun aunt has returned.”

“The funt has been rebooted,” she said, adding, “Too funt too furious.”

Rudolph’s Harris next introduced her running mate Walz, as Gaffigan, 58, stepped on stage to cheers from the audience.

“Folks, I haven’t been this excited since I got a 10% rebate on a leaf blower from Menards," he told the crowd, also noting, “I got that BDE: Big Dad Energy.”

“In Minnesota, we have a saying, ‘Mind your damn business.’ We also have another saying in Minnesota, ‘My nuts froze to the park bench,’ " an energetic Gaffigan, as Walz, told the audience.

However, as Rudolph noted, “Tim is not the only white dude for Harris here today.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Samberg’s Emhoff then appeared on stage and introduced himself: “Tis' I Doug, the second gentle-mensch. Also known as Charlie Brown if he was a grown-up.”

“I for one can’t wait to decorate the White House for Christmas. The theme will be Hanukkah,” Samberg, 46, quipped as Harris' husband.

Elsewhere in the sketch, Dismukes' Muir introduced the audience to Trump’s rally, where among other jokes, Johnson’s Trump admitted he wished Biden was still his opponent.

“We miss Joe Biden. What we wouldn’t give to have him stand next to me and be old,” he said, before Yang’s Vance showed up to get “this crowd hyped.” The action then returned to Harris' rally, where Carvey, 69, debuted his impression of Biden.

“I didn’t want to. They made me,” he said at one point when Rudolph’s Harris thanked him for “handing over the reins.”

James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump on ‘SNL’.Saturday Night Life/YouTube

Saturday Night Life/YouTube

SNL’s latest political cold opencomes weeks ahead of the upcoming presidential election, in which Harris, 59, and Trump, 78, are up against one another.

Trump said after the event that he will not participate in another debate with the vice president, which would mark his third of the current election cycle, after he previously faced off Biden in June.

“THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday, Sept. 12. “When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH.’ Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ Radical Left Candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately called for a Second Debate.”

Harris did call for another debate within minutes of leaving the stage — though polls overwhelmingly declared her the winner of the evening, not Trump.

Others who made cameos during the milestone episode included Smart’sHackscostar Hannah Einbinder, who appeared to introduce one of Jelly Roll’s performances.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

This season’sSNLcast includes Yang, Dismukes,Michael Che, Mikey Day,Chloe Fineman,Heidi Gardner, James Austin Johnson,Colin Jost,Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman,Kenan Thompson,Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow andDevon Walker, plus newcomers Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline.

Other hosts and musical guests announced so far forSNL’s season 50 includeNate BargatzewithColdplay,Ariana GrandewithStevie Nicks,Michael KeatonwithBillie EilishandJohn MulaneywithChappell RoanSaturday Night Liveairs weekends at 11:30 p.m. EST on NBC.

source: people.com