If you’re a successful Kamala Harris impersonator, it may be time to clear your schedule. As the vice president steps into the spotlight after President Joe Biden backed her as the Democratic presidential candidate, the race is on to define her in the eyes of the American people. And while there have been plenty of memes making the rounds, there are only a few influencers and comedians who have gotten attention for their VP impersonations thus far. She’s not the easiest person to play, with her very specific laugh, her slightly musical voice, and her signature look.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most well-known impersonators of the VP to have hit TV and the internet so far. Be prepared: not all of them are fans of Harris.
Maya Rudolph on Saturday Night Live
The most famous person to capture the VP’s character is Maya Rudolph, who has performed as her on several episodes of Saturday Night Live. She debuted her impersonation in October of 2019, back when Harris was a California senator running for president. It was a star-studded skit (Larry David played Bernie Sanders and Kate McKinnon was Elizabeth Warren), but Rudolph’s “America’s cool aunt” bit was an instant hit. She has since returned again and again to play Harris in sketches like 2021’s “Unity Seder” bit. Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris in season 45’s “PBS Democratic Debate” sketch even helped land her an Emmy win for guest actress. While we can’t assume Rudolph will have the time to appear on SNL whenever the show needs a Harris this fall, we’re hopeful she and her blue blazer will be back soon.
TikTok’s Allison Reese
Los Angeles–based TikToker Allison Reese is a comedian known for Harris impersonations featuring the big three: the voice, the laugh, and the pearls. She first tried Harris on for size at an SNL showcase for creator Lorne Michaels back in 2019. Reese didn’t land a job on SNL, but she’s been using the impression to rack up followers on social media ever since, and now has about 224,000 of them on TikTok. She has also appeared as the VP on an episode of the podcast “Lovett or Leave It.”
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Estee Palti
Estee Palti, who posts under the name mommyrn88, first started impersonating Harris when she downloaded TikTok during the pandemic and a friend pointed out that she sounded a lot like the politician. Now she’s racked up more than 287,000 TikTok followers with videos that nail Harris’s cadence and laugh. Palti’s politics don’t seem to line up with Harris’s, and her impersonations have more of a mocking vibe. Despite that—or maybe because of it—she’s already landed on Tucker Carlson Tonight.