Kamala Harris is expected to appear on ‘SNL’ during a bid for the White House

Who needs Maya Rudolph when you can show off the real thing?

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is expected to appear on “Saturday Night Live,” according to a person familiar with the matter, the latest Oval Office hope to visit the show in an election year in an effort to drum up support and new publicity for a campaign. She has been played during the show’s current season – its 50th – by former cast member Rudolph.

A new schedule released by the Harris campaign indicated that the vice president would fly from Charlotte, N.C., where she was attending an event, and fly to New York City on Saturday evening, landing at 7:21 p.m. That would presumably give her enough time to travel to Studio 8H in NBC’s Rockefeller Center headquarters, where “SNL” is produced, before the usual 11:30 p.m. start time. Harris would not leave New York City until 12:40 p.m

A representative for “Saturday Night Live” did not respond to questions. CNN and The New York Post previously reported that Harris was expected to appear.

In 2008, President Barack Obama, then just a candidate, appeared on the program in the opening segment, initially disguised under a Halloween mask of his own. Hilary Clinton, who was also running for president that year, also made a cameo just a week later. Jon Huntsman, a Republican candidate vying to run in the 2012 election, appeared on the show’s “Weekend Update” in 2011. Sarah Palin, John McCain’s 2008 vice presidential nominee, appeared on the program within a few weeks. before the elections.

Former President Donald Trump hosted the program in 2015, as he competed among a broader group of candidates for the 2016 race. He appeared on air for a total of just 12 minutes, with NBC mindful of giving other candidates equal time.

Harris will appear on the program with just two days between her cameo and the start of in-person voting — perhaps the closest any candidate has come to the show until the start of Election Day.

More to come….