Maya Rudolph bows to popular demand, impersonates Rachel Dolezal

Maya Rudolph impersonate Rachel Dolezal
(Image credit: Late Night)

When Sarah Palin was thrust onto the national stage as Sen. John McCain's 2008 running mate, lots of people told Tina Fey she had step up and do Palin on Saturday Night Live. A similar thing is happening with SNL alum Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dolezal, the ex-NAACP official in Spokane who identifies as black even though her family says she's white, Rudolph told Seth Meyers on Late Night. "It happens to me every day."

Meyers asked, too, and Rudolph said yes, pulling out a handy Rachel Dolezal wig, In case you haven't seen the supremely awkward interview Dolezal gave to a local TV news reporter, Meyers plays it, and then re-enacts it with Rudolph. "I think America really missed out," Rudolph joked to Meyers afterward. And it's true — SNL wrapped up its 40th season in May, weeks before Dolezal became a household name, and nobody will remember Dolezal's name by the next season opener. But thanks to Late Night, America got at least a little taste of what might have been. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.