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5. John McCain, 2008
Spare a thought for Republican John McCain, who found himself up against the might of the “Yes We Can!” Obama-mania in 2008. Despite trailing in the polls (and raising nowhere near as much money as his rival), McCain maintained a good sense of humour about the mismatch. He appeared on SNL days before the 2008 election, spruiking himself (alongside Tina Fey as his VP Sarah Palin) with painful honesty: “I’m a true maverick – a Republican without money.”
4. Hillary Clinton, 2016
Hillary Clinton has appeared on Saturday Night Live several times, but her standout performance came in 2016 when she was frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination. Clinton played a bartender named Val, while Kate McKinnon played Clinton, complaining to Val that everyone wanted to talk about a rumoured presidential bid by Donald Trump. Clinton – the real one – then did her own Trump impression: “Ugh, you’re all losers.”
Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton and Hillary Clinton as Val in 2015.Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
The segment showed Clinton’s human side (and even won an endorsement from Trump himself) but probably seems less funny to Clinton now, given how things played out.
3. Kamala Harris, 2024
Days out from the election, Harris has pulled off one of the more powerful moves of her campaign: being funny on SNL. Harris starred in a sketch opposite Maya Rudolph (who impersonates Harris on SNL), and the two Harrises combined to sketch out a plan to stop Trump. “Now, Kamala, take my palm-ala,” Rudolph said, extending a hand to Harris. “The American people want to stop the chaos,” Harris replied, “and end the drama-la.”
2. Donald Trump, 2015
Regardless of your position on his politics, Trump is a man who covets the spotlight, so, unsurprisingly, he did a decent job hosting Saturday Night Live. In November 2015, a few months after declaring his candidacy for the 2016 election, Trump took on hosting duties.
Appearing alongside two Trump impersonators, Trump went full Trump: “They don’t have my talent, my money or especially my good looks, but we’ll have a fun time.” In news that will shock no one, Trump has since turned on the show, describing it as “not funny with no talent”.
1. Bernie Sanders, 2016
He may not have had much luck securing the Democratic nomination in 2016, but at least Bernie Sanders can take some satisfaction in winning the title of the funniest politician to join Saturday Night Live. Sanders starred on the show in a Titanic-themed sketch in 2016, allowing him to riff on his socialist label. The sketch featured comedian Larry David playing a wealthy passenger who demanded he be bundled onto a lifeboat due to his privileged background. Enter Bernie Sanders.
“I am so sick of the 1 per cent getting this preferential treatment,” the Sanders character said. “We need to unite and work together if we’re all going to get through this!” “Sounds like socialism to me,” David replies. “Democratic socialism. H-YOOOOJ difference,” clarifies Sanders.
Find more of the author’s work here. Email him at thomas.mitchell@smh.com.au or follow him on Instagram at @thomasalexandermitchell and on Twitter @_thmitchell.