High-energy virtual fundraiser for Kamala Harris titled “Comics for Kamala,” comedian Cecily Strong and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) took aim at Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance with a barrage of sharp humor and biting satire. The event, which also featured stars like Jon Hamm and Jason Bateman, was organized by Swalwell and aimed to both entertain and support Harris’s presidential bid.
Swalwell kicked off the roast with a jab at Vance’s controversial positions: “JD Vance has some very strange and upsetting positions, honestly — just ask his couch.” Strong followed up with her own sharp-tongued remark, poking fun at a recent false rumor about Vance: “JD claims to be the voice of the Rust Belt, which is only true if we’re talking about his belt after he messes with an orange couch.” This comment referenced a debunked claim that Vance had written about a bizarre encounter with a couch in his memoir.
The humor didn’t stop there. Strong took a dig at Vance’s rhetoric versus his style: “JD Vance is confusing because his rhetoric wants us to panic about immigrants, but his eyeliner wants us to Panic! at the Disco.” Swalwell chimed in with a quip about Vance’s unpopularity: “JD Vance has been such a mistake Trump keeps calling him Eric.”
Strong, who enlisted former “SNL” writers Katie Rich, Josh Patten, and Peter Schultz for help, didn’t miss a chance to take shots at Trump as well. She humorously commented on Trump’s supposed lack of support for women’s reproductive health: “Trump wearing a maxi pad on his ear is the most support he has shown for women’s reproductive health.” She also hinted at possible discord between Trump and Vance: “There is speculation that Trump is unhappy with Vance and is thinking about getting rid of him. But he better hurry because it’s been six weeks.”
The rally highlighted serious issues, such as Trump’s role in the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn abortion rights and Harris’s historic visit to an abortion clinic. Yet, the event maintained its focus on entertainment, with Swalwell adding, “JD Vance looks like you told Chat GPT to draw a guy who says ‘M’lady.’” He further mocked Vance’s political position: “I’m not surprised JD Vance is so anti-choice, since having no other option is the only reason he’s Trump’s running mate.”
As the event wrapped up, it was clear that the comedy-packed roast succeeded in both entertaining its audience and drawing attention to critical political issues.
