Comedians and Georgetown University graduates John Mulaney (COL ’04) and Jim Gaffigan (GSB ’88) appeared together on Saturday Night Live (SNL) Nov. 2.
Mulaney hosted the show for the sixth time in his career, this time on a special 2024 election episode featuring Senator and former vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Vice President Kamala Harris. The cold open featured Gaffigan as Governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, alongside comedians portraying Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and President Joe Biden.
Eli Blumenfeld (CAS ’25), the co-president of the Georgetown Sketch Comedy Society, said that seeing famous comedians who came from the same place he is in now inspires him to pursue his comedic aspirations.
“It makes you almost want to do it because you see other people do it,” Blumenfeld told The Hoya. “You see that they’ve lived in the same dorms as you, they’ve had similar opportunities to you — so it’s pretty inspiring to see.”
Harris herself appeared in the cold open. In a conversation with her SNL impersonator, Maya Rudolph, she gave herself a pep-talk, reminded herself that she is capable and proceeded to make fun of the viral clip of former President Donald Trump struggling to open a door.
“I’m just here to remind you that you’ve got this,” Harris said on the show, “because you can do something your opponent cannot do: You can open doors.”
Blumenfeld said he watched the show mainly because Harris appeared.
“I tuned in primarily because I saw a tweet that said Kamala Harris was rumored to be on the show,” Blumenfeld told The Hoya, “and I’m like, ‘I have to see that.’”
Dori Rosenstrauch (CAS ’27), a Georgetown Sketch Comedy Society member who participates in stand-up comedy shows on campus, said this episode captures everything she loves.
“This really was an episode encapsulating everything that I love and adore,” Rosenstrauch told The Hoya.
Sophie Maretz (CAS ’26), executive producer of the Georgetown Improv Association, said she enjoyed Mulaney’s performance because of his background in comedy.
“I just love when comedians host SNL rather than general celebrities,” Maretz told The Hoya. “Because they actually do stand-up instead of some kitschy thing.”
Mulaney, who was a member of Georgetown Improv, hosted a fundraiser in 2019 called “Stand Up for Georgetown,” alongside comedian Mike Birbiglia (COL ’00) and Gaffigan, that raised over $1 million to support first-generation students at the university.
Comedy groups on campus include the Georgetown Improv Association, a long-form comedy troupe; GUerrilla Improv, an improv comedy troupe; and Georgetown Sketch Comedy Society, a sketch comedy group.
Rosenstrauch said she likes that comedy has a prominent role on campus, as that was one of the things she wanted out of her college experience.
“I do appreciate that there is a strong presence of stand-up on this campus,” Rosenstrauch told The Hoya. “That was something I was actually looking for when I was applying to college.”
Maretz said Georgetown comedians are very serious and passionate about their work, as some of the most famous comedians have gone here and have been in the clubs the students are in today.
“They’re doing comedy on campus,” Maretz told The Hoya, “the place where some of the most famous comedians have been, they’ve been a part of these groups, everyone is super passionate.”
Besides Mulaney, Gaffigan and Birbiglia, Georgetown has produced many distinguished comedians, including Nick Kroll (COL ’01) who is best known for creating the TV show “Big Mouth,” and Jacqueline Novak (COL ’04), whose comedy special “Get On Your Knees” was added to Netflix last year.
Blumenfeld said comedy at Georgetown provides a supportive environment where other students want you to succeed.
“I think comedy at Georgetown is really great because the students love to support other students,” Blumenfeld told The Hoya. “There’s a really great community and the crowd’s really easy because they’re rooting for you.”