SNL will NOT allow Donald Trump or Kamala Harris cameos in season 50
Saturday Night Live has always made political satire part of its M.O., and there have even been times in which the real politicians who were being satirized on a weekly basis were invited onto the show to show how good a sport they were.
It happened with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both appeared in 2015. It's not, however, going to happen during season 50. At least, according to SNL boss Lorne Michaels. The showrunner told The Hollywood Reporter that he has not reached out to Trump or Kamala Harris to make a cameo during the current election, and he doesn't plan on doing so.
Lorne Michaels cited legal complications
Michaels' reasoning? Well, legal complications, to put it simply. The SNL boss noted that there would be conflicts of interest if he were going to try and get one of the presidential nominees onto the show without getting the other.
"You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions."
Michaels also told the outlet that if he were to approach Trump or Harris, he would effectively need to approach all the minor presidential candidates as well, which would swallow up a lot of air time that is likely going to be dedicated to hosts and/or SNL's 50th anniversary.
SNL will stick to impressions throughout season 50
Trump and Clinton's 2015 appearances were slightly different because they did not take place in an election year. We're mere months away from the election itself, so there's a lot more to consider in the optic and the legal sense.
Besides, Saturday Night Live is doing just fine with the comedians they've cast to portray both Trump and Harris. James Austin Johnson returned as Trump in the season 50 premiere, though it has been teased by Michaels that there will be some slight tweaks to Johnson's performance throughout the year.
Harris, meanwhile, is being played by Maya Rudolph. She kicked off the cold open segment for the episode, and proved why she's still perfect for the part by riffing with fellow SNL alum Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey. Samberg and Carvey played Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, and President Biden, respectively.