Comedian Jim Gaffigan surprisingly lashed out at Vice President Kamala Harris for skipping Thursday’s 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner and instead sending a pre-recorded video message to be shown during the bipartisan and light-hearted Catholic charity event.

“You know, this event is also called the Catholic Met Gala. Twenty-two percent of Americans identify as Catholic. Catholics will be an important demographic in every battleground state,” Gaffigan, the charity dinner emcee, said Thursday.

‘I’m sorry. Why isn’t Vice President Harris here?’ he continued, as some of the crowd cheered. “I mean, think about this. This is a room full of Catholics and Jews in New York City. This is a setup for the Democratic nominee. I mean, in her defense, I mean, she found time to be on ‘The View ,” Howard Stern, Colbert and the campaign’s longtime staple, the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. You know what I think it is? I think she doesn’t like me. ”

In another jab at Harris and the Democratic Party, the comedian joked about the political “coup” against President Biden over the summer, when the 46th president withdrew from the presidential race amid increasing calls from members of his own party to race amid concerns about his mental acuity.

TRUMP SPEAKS AT ALL SMITH DINNER, HARRIS SENDS PRE-RECORDED VID

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 17: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and comedian Jim Gaffigan attend the annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown on October 17, 2024 in New York City. Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, was the keynote speaker with Gaffigan as master of ceremonies at the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. The dinner, a white-tie charity event benefiting Catholic charities, is known for political figures making fun of each other. The foundation honors the late Alfred E. Smith, former governor of New York and America’s first Catholic presidential candidate. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

“The Democrats have told us Trump that Trump’s re-election is a threat to democracy. In fact, they were so concerned about this threat that they staged a coup. They ousted their democratically elected incumbent president and installed Kamala Harris,” Gaffigan said.

“In other words, all her dreams came true.”

HARRIS VIRTUAL ATTENDS CATHOLIC CHARITIES DINNER AT WHICH RIVER TRUMP HEADLINE

Harris is the first presidential candidate in four decades, aside from the 2020 virtual dinner during the pandemic, not to physically attend the meeting. Catholic charity event. Failed 1984 Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale was the last nominee to skip the event.

Harris’ critique of the historical Catholic charity event irritated New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the dinner’s host, on his podcast this week.

“This year will be uneven because unfortunately Kamala Harris is not coming,” Dolan said on his podcast on Tuesday. “It’s a shame because the nature of the evening is to bring people together. The nature of the evening is civility, patriotism and humor. It’s not a campaign speech. It’s not a campaign stop.”

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump raises his fist as he and his wife Melania Trump attend the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Hilton Midtown in New York, October 17, 2024. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on sending a pre-recorded video message for the event, but did not receive a response. The campaign previously told Fox News that Harris was skipping the event to focus on campaigning in the state of Wisconsin on Thursday.

KAMALA HARRIS PLANS TO SKIP THE HISTORIC AL SMITH DINNER, DESPITE LONG-STANDING TRADITION

“The vice president will be campaigning in a battleground state that day, and the campaign wants to maximize its time in the battleground states so close to the election. Her team also told organizers that she would “love to attend their event as President. This would make her one of the first sitting presidents to attend,” the campaign said.

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Hilton Midtown in New York, October 17, 2024, with his wife Melania Trump and Archbishop of New York Timothy M. Dolan (L) . (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY/AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Harris recorded a video that aired during the dinner, in which she was joined by comedian and actress Molly Shannon. During Shannon’s days as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” she played a Catholic student named Mary Katherine Gallgher, a role she reprized for the video.

TRUMP APPRECIATES Catholic Group’s MULTI-MILLION ANTI-HARRIS CAMPAIGN, WHICH APPEALS TO CHURCH FAITH

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 17: Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks over a pre-recorded video message during the annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown on October 17, 2024 in New York City. Comedian Jim Gaffigan is the master of ceremonies at the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. The dinner, a white-tie charity event benefiting Catholic charities, is known for political figures making fun of each other. The foundation honors the late Alfred E. Smith, former governor of New York and America’s first Catholic presidential candidate. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

‘Tell me, I’m giving a speech. Do you have any idea what I might say tonight?’ Harris asked Shannon.

‘Don’t lie. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” Shannon replied.

“Indeed, especially your neighbor’s election results,” Harris said in a joke to Trump.

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The Al Smith Dinner was launched in 1946 and has raised millions of dollars for charities that support women and children. It has since become a political and cultural feature of election seasons. The dinner is named after the first Catholic presidential candidate, Al Smith, who served as president 42nd Governor of New York. In 1928 he ran for president as a Democrat.

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