“I’m not really laughing like that, am I?”

“Ehhhh, a little.”

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris broke the campaign trail to embrace her reputation as a “fun warrior” with a surprise appearance on the TV variety show Saturday Night Live.

Harris portrayed herself appearing in a mirror opposite actor Maya Rudolph, who first played her on the show in 2019 and has reprized the role this season.

The two were dressed identically in a black suit and pearls and exchanged variations on Harris’ first name. They said Americans want to end “the drama-la” in politics “with a cool new stepmother-ala.”

Saturday Night Live, filmed in New York and celebrating its 50th season, has become a favorite venue for politicians to show viewers – and voters – that they can carry their own pomposity and laugh at themselves. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have all appeared in previous episodes.

This week’s “cold open” featured Rudolph as Harris prepared to speak in Philadelphia and chatted with running mate Tim Walz (Jim Gaffigan), Joe Biden (Dana Carvey) and husband Doug Emhoff (Andy Samberg) .

Then, left alone with her thoughts, Rudolph said, “Gosh, I wish I could talk to someone who has been in my shoes. You know, a black South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area.”

She turned to what looked like a makeup mirror and saw, sitting across from her, the real Kamala Harris. The studio audience erupted in wild cheers and the two women laughed for half a minute.

Harris said with folded hands, “You and me both, sister.”

Rudolf said: “Nice to see you, Kamala.’

Harris replied, “It’s nice to see you, Kamala, and I’m just here to remind you: You got this. Because you can do something that your opponent cannot. You can open doors.”

This was a reference to Trump reaching for the door of a garbage truck during a recent stunt and appearing to miss it. “I see what you did there,” Rudolph said. “Just like a garbage truck, right?”

The actor then burst into exaggerated cackles. Harris asked, “I’m not really laughing like that, am I?”

This was a near repeat of a line from a 2008 episode in which Hillary Clinton, running in the Democratic presidential primaries, appeared next to Amy Poehler, who gave her an exaggerated chuckle. The real Clinton wondered, “Am I really smiling like that?”

Rudolph reached out and took Harris’ hand and gave her a pep talk. “Now Kamala, take my palm-ala. The American people want to stop the chaos…

Harris concluded: “And put an end to the drama drawer.”

Rudolph: “With a cool new stepmother-ala. Put our pajamas back on and watch a rom-com-ala.”

Harris: “Like Legally Blonde-ala.”

Rudolph: “And start decorating for Christmas, fa-la-la-la-la. Because what do we always say?”

The pair then said in unison: “Keep calm and carry on.”

Rudolph added: “We know each other so well that we even finish each other’s words….”

They said together: “Believe in the promise of America.”

Rudolph and Harris then stood together. Rudolph said, “I’m going to vote for us.”

Harris replied: “Great. Is there any chance you are registered in Pennsylvania? – referring to a crucial swing state in Tuesday’s elections.

Rudolph admitted, “No, I’m not.”

Harris mused: “Well, worth a try.”

Together they then delivered the show’s signature line: “And live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”

Harris made her first appearance on the show. “It was fun,” she told reporters on the tarmac before flying to Detroit, Michigan.

Saturday’s episode also featured Tim Kaine, a senator for Virginia and Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016, who appeared in a skit in which one contestant couldn’t remember who Kaine was. The musical guest, Chappell Roan, announced in September that she is voting for Harris.

Rudolph’s performance received critical acclaim, including from Harris himself. “Maya Rudolph – I mean, she’s so good,” the vice president said on ABC’s The View last month. “She had the whole thing, the suit, the jewelry, everything!”

Harris follows a long line of politicians who want to show a lighter side on Saturday Night Live, broadcast on the NBC network. The first sitting president to participate was Republican Gerald Ford, who made his debut at a cold opening in April 1976.

Then-Senator Barack Obama appeared alongside Poehler in 2007 as Clinton, and Republican Bob Dole was on the show in November 1996 – just 11 days after losing that year’s election to Bill Clinton.

In 2008, Tina Fey did a memorial impression of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, joking that “I can see Russia from my house.” Palin himself appeared on the show in the weeks before the election.

Trump hosted Saturday Night Live in 2015, sparking protests outside the studio and joking about his tendency to exaggerate and evade policy details. He also appeared in 2004.