Staff Reports
A commissioner from the Federal Communications Commission has raised a ruckus over Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent cameo on Saturday Night Live, labeling it a clear violation of federal regulations. In a rare moment of FCC accountability, NBC is now scrambling to abide by the agency’s Equal Time rule by offering Donald Trump’s campaign some free commercial airtime. Welcome to the circus.
Harris’s cameo, which could only be described as a political stunt wrapped in a comedy sketch, lasted a mere 90 seconds. But here’s where the plot thickens: due to the Equal Time rule, NBC is required to provide the Trump campaign an equivalent slot. Failure to comply with this law could lead to the revocation of NBC’s broadcasting license, and that’s not something the network wants to face. Who would want to explain to their shareholders why they lost their license over a late-night comedy skit?
BREAKING NOW 🚨 NBC was FORCED to allow Donald Trump to air a 90 second advertisement for free per the FCC
Since NBC interfered with the Election by letting Kamala go on SNL but not Trump
GET OUT AND VOTE TRUMP 🇺🇸
— Marjorie Taylor Greene Press Release (Parody) (@MTGrepp) November 4, 2024
As for Trump, he cleverly seized the opportunity during a NASCAR race, using some of that free airtime to address America directly. Wearing his signature MAGA hat, he warned that electing Harris could lead to a looming economic disaster, urging people to cast their votes wisely. It remains an open question as to how much more airtime Trump will squeeze out of NBC. Perhaps he’ll turn it into a mini-series on how to navigate the minefield of liberal comedy shows.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr was not mincing words. He pointed out that Harris’s surprise appearance was an obvious breach of the rules intended to prevent biased coverage during election season. The Equal Time rule exists to ensure that all candidates get a fair shot at reaching voters—something that seems to be happening less and less in the current media landscape. It’s a shame that the word “fair” doesn’t seem to apply when left-leaning entertainers are involved.
In a truly comedic twist, it was confirmed that SNL didn’t extend an invitation to Trump to appear alongside Harris, leaving many to wonder if there’s a double standard at play in the world of late-night comedy. Harris’s appearance included some eyebrow-raising moments, such as her taking potshots at Trump and joking about her own laugh. It’s a safe bet that if SNL truly aimed for fairness, they’d consider inviting a broader spectrum of political views on their show. Instead, it seems clear that they’re content to serve as a platform for partisan theatrics, all while the FCC must remind them of the rules.
