Kamala Harris ’ booming laugh has been applauded by the left and ridiculed by the right. Something as simple as a chuckle is now at the center of the political conversation—and prime fodder for comedians. In the hallowed halls of the Rockefeller Center, Maya Rudolph pokes at Harris’ certain memeability on Saturday Night Live (“ Mama needs a gif.
”) Rudolph is now confirmed to return as Harris as the presidential race heats up, while the internet continues to speculate on just who will play midwest princess Tim Walz . (No, not Steve Martin .) And on TikTok, Allison Reese struck gold with her own Harris impression, screaming out, “ It’s a Kamalanomenon! ” Once a side character in the rom-com Bros , Reese now has her own Harris-themed podcast and sprawling newspaper spreads .
But there’s an underbelly of comedians, those making the stand-up rounds and bubbling up on social media, who are honing in on their Harris impressions. Here, they share their advice on just how to nail a good “coconut tree” bit, and explain why Harris’ candidacy has been so fruitful for the world of comedy. When TikTok commenters first started telling Sydney Duncan that she looked like Harris, she was confused.
The UCB-trained comedian wasn’t expecting the comparison, but, seeing an opportunity, she acted. Duncan first premiered her Harris impression during the 2020 election, finding a deep love of political satire. “Sometimes I tell audiences if I’m doing a stand-up show, I�.