After a brief stint playing Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz on “Saturday Night Live,” comedian Jim Gaffigan has announced that his role on the show has come to an end. Gaffigan, who portrayed Walz alongside Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris for the first five episodes leading up to this year’s election, revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the gig was never meant to be a long-term commitment.
“It wasn’t the expectation that Maya [Rudolph] and I were gonna continue on the entire time,” Gaffigan explained. Despite having to cancel some concert dates to accommodate his “SNL” appearances, Gaffigan expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the iconic show and to portray Walz.
“It was such a cool thing, so I don’t necessarily feel bad,” Gaffigan shared with THR. “I feel more gratitude that I had the opportunity and to, like, swim in that pool with all those talented people. You can’t consider modern American comedy and not include ‘SNL’ in the discourse. And it’s such a unique show, the way it’s produced, so there is something really fun but also awe-inspiring about it.”
While Gaffigan enjoyed his time on the show, he admitted to hoping that his portrayal of Walz would garner more attention. On an episode of Dana Carvey and David Spade’s “Superfly” podcast, Gaffigan expressed a desire for Walz to make headlines outside of the show.
“I was like, ‘Oh, hopefully Tim Walz will also do something like, to get some news.’ I don’t want him to humiliate himself,” Gaffigan said. “And even when he would—I think in a different time, him even playing Fortnite with AOC, that would be newsworthy, but we live in such chaotic times.”
As Gaffigan moves on from his role on “SNL,” fans can look forward to seeing what projects he takes on next. While his time as Tim Walz may have been short-lived, Gaffigan’s comedic talent and charm are sure to shine in whatever he does next.
