In the wake of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris picking Tim Walz as her running mate for the upcoming U.S. election, plenty of people began making comparisons between the Minnesota governor and acting/comedy great Steve Martin.
Martin embraced the reaction on Threads, saying: “I just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short.” Some of that reaction also called for Martin to play Walz on “Saturday Night Live”.
Then things got serious as SNL chief Lorne Michaels apparently called Martin with an offer, which Martin declined. Speaking with The Los Angeles Times, Martin explained why he turned it down:
“I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no. I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.’ I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses.
It’s ongoing. It’s not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that. They’re gonna find somebody really, really good. I’d be struggling.”
Maya Rudolph is returning to play Vice President Kamala Harris for SNL over the course of the new season with James Austin Johnson reprising his role of Trump, but no word as to who will play Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance.
Martin was never a part of the SNL cast but has hosted the show well over a dozen times over the past 48 years. Martin recently finished work on the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building” and will shortly begin promotion of the series ahead of its premiere at the end of the month.
