Chloe Fineman couldn’t hide her excitement after meeting Kamala Harris backstage. The comedian, 36, took to TikTok to share the unexpected encounter with the Democratic presidential candidate, 60, which took place behind the scenes at Saturday Night Live on Nov. 2.
However, Fineman soon realized she was still dressed as Timothée Chalamet when she met the politician. Recalling the moment, she said, “Last night at SNL, I turned a corner and there she was — Kamala!” Fineman was immediately starstruck.
In an attempt to connect with Harris, Fineman mentioned their shared Bay Area roots. As a Berkeley native, she explained, “I was like, ‘Bay Area!’ since we’re both from there. I even mentioned how she’d once lived in my best friend’s apartment in Oakland — I was so thrilled!”
Still dressed as Timothée Chalamet, Fineman was starstruck when she bumped into the presidential candidate
As they chatted, Harris’s team suggested they take a photo, and Fineman agreed, only to remember her costume at the last moment. “I was holding her hand, feeling inspired, and then realized — I was dressed as Timothée Chalamet!” she laughed. “I’m still waiting for that picture, but wow, it’s crazy!”
Fineman had donned the costume for a musical sketch featuring parodies of songs from shows like Hamilton, Grease, and The Lion King, centered around a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest recently held in New York.
Harris, meanwhile, made a guest appearance in the show’s cold open. Maya Rudolph, playing Harris, interacted with SNL cast members portraying President Joe Biden (Dana Carvey) and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (Andy Samberg), before sitting in front of a mirror for a pep talk.
In character as Harris, Rudolph expressed, “I wish I could talk to another Black, South Asian woman running for president from the Bay Area.” Harris then appeared, encouraging her by saying, “You’ve got this. You can open doors.”
The skit humorously referenced a moment when Trump struggled to open a truck door on Oct. 30 in Wisconsin. Harris and Rudolph shared a laugh over the slogan, “Keep calmala and carry on-a-la,” and added, “We finish each other’s… belief in the promise of America.” The playful scene ended with Rudolph saying, “I’m gonna vote for us,” to which Harris joked about Pennsylvania voter registration.
