FCC commissioner slams NBC after Harris' SNL appearance: 'clearly intended' to circumvent rules

The Federal Communications Commission's top Republican criticized NBC's decision to host Vice President Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live” in the final episode before Election Day without giving equal time to former President Trump or other candidates in the presidential cycle.

“It appears that at least some executives at NBC and SNL are making it clear that they wanted to advocate for a candidate before the election. That's exactly why we had the same opportunities for decades.” The rule is to prevent this. Because remember, broadcasters don't have a license like every other person on the corner that requires them to act in the public interest,” FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Sunday morning.

Carr responded to Harris' last-minute appearance on NBC's “Saturday Night Live” just days before Election Day. The FCC commissioner was still on the ballot this weekend after dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump earlier this year.

The Federal Communications Commission's Equal Time Rule was established in 1934 and requires radio and television stations to provide equal time to competing political candidates. There are exceptions to the rule such as news programs, documentaries and political debates.

TRUMP, HARRIS CAMPAIGNS MAKE FINAL GAMES AS NATION Sits Barely a day before Election Day

Commissioner Brendan Carr speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on February 24, 2024. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“NBC has structured this in a way that is clearly designed to circumvent the FCC’s rules. “We’re talking 50 hours before Election Day begins, with no notice to other candidates, as far as I can tell,” Carr continued. “And after previously saying they would not do so because they did not believe they could do so consistent with election laws and the FCC’s concurrent rule.”

“I think every member of the FCC needs to speak up immediately, given how close we are to an election, and make it clear that we will follow and enforce our laws. And I think that under these circumstances every single remedy needs to be on the table,” he said.

KAMALA HARRIS APPEARS ON “SNL” IN THE LAST EPISODE BEFORE THE ELECTION

Harris was scheduled to fly to Detroit Saturday night, but her flight landed in Laguardia, fueling speculation that she would appear on the final broadcast of “SNL” before Election Day.

Harris actually appeared on Saturday night and showed off the “mirror image” of herself while talking to former “SNL” cast member Maya Rudolph, who portrayed the Democratic presidential candidate. Harris' appearance came at the end of the cold opening, which mocked Trump for wearing a sanitary vest at a rally last week as well as Joe Biden's repeated gaffes.

Rudolph, who portrays Harris, asked himself during the sketch: “I wish I could talk to someone who was in my shoes. You know, a black, South Asian woman running for president. Preferably from the Bay Area.”

It was then revealed that Harris was sitting across the table from her, prompting cheers from the audience. Harris grinned and said, “You and me both, sister.”

Maya Rudolph and Vice President Kamala Harris appear on NBC's “Saturday Night Live” on November 2, 2024 in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

“I’m just here to remind you that you get this. Because you can do something your opponent can't do. “You can open doors,” she said, looking at Trump, referring to his climbing into a garbage truck while doing so last week, according to The Campaign Trail.

KAMALA HARRIS WILL APPEAR ON 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE' TONIGHT: REPORTS

“The American people want to stop the chaos,” Rudolph said later in the skit, and Harris added, “And stop the drama.”

Kamala Harris made a cameo appearance on “Saturday Night Live” on November 2nd. (NBC/Saturday Night Live)

“With a cool new stepmom. Slip back into our pajamas. And watch a romantic comedy,” Rudolph said, as the two later touted their “belief in the promise of America.”

Carr is calling on his FCC commissioners to join him in demanding action and an investigation into Harris' NBC hosting Saturday night.

“If a commissioner stands alone, I cannot impose any real consequences at this point. You need the chairman of the FCC or at least three commissioners of the FCC to agree to take action. We will see if we end up with this commission or else,” he said.

“Ultimately, the penalties range up to and including potential license revocation in serious situations. And in my opinion, every single remedy must be on the table, at least in the initial phase. What we're looking into.” it is a complete violation, a… there is enough consequence that no broadcaster will do this again. Whether it benefits the Republicans or the Democrats, I don't care. We have rules in the books, we have to follow them.

'SNL' takes aim at the reaction of Kamala Harris' 'Middle-Class Family' during the 'Family Feud' sketch

Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox News Channel earlier this weekend that SNL did not extend an invitation to Trump. Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called Harris's appearance a sign of desperation to appeal to voters while “her campaign goes down the drain and into oblivion.”

“Kamala Harris has nothing of substance to offer the American people, so she lives out her distorted fantasy playing on Saturday Night Leftists with her elite friends while her campaign fades into obscurity. For four years, Kamala's destructive policies have been “She broke it, and President Trump is going to fix it,” Cheung told Fox News Digital earlier this weekend.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton's running mate in her failed 2016 presidential bid, also appeared in a skit Saturday as a game show contestant who couldn't remember who Kaine was.

Carr said Kaine's appearance also likely violated the equal-time rule since he is running for re-election in Virginia against Republican challenger Hung Cao.

“Later in the show, Sen. Kaine appeared on the show here in Virginia, where I am, and he is also up for election on Tuesday. There is a counter-campaign, the Hung Cao campaign, they may also have one in the programming at a similar time,” he said.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr speaks during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on June 24, 2020 in Washington, DC (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels said just last month that it was highly unlikely that either Trump or Harris would appear on the comedy show, specifically citing equal time laws.

SNL was grilled as the “PR arm” of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY after hosting HARRIS days before the election

“Because of election laws and equal opportunity regulations, you can't bring the actual candidates,” Michaels told The Hollywood Reporter in October. “You can’t have the major candidates without having all the candidates, and there are a lot of minor candidates who are only on the ballot in about three states, and that gets really complicated.”

Carr noted in the Fox Digital interview that Michaels was aware of the FCC's equal time rule as recently as last week.

“That's exactly why Lorne Michaels went public just a few weeks ago and said they wouldn't be doing any candidate appearances because he knew the mess NBC would get into. Something changed at the last minute and now they've jumped on it.” And I think it's important that the FCC comes together and we take action. Otherwise our rules are absolutely meaningless.

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at recent campaign events in North Carolina. (AP/Evan Vucci/Jacquelyn Martin)

Carr noted in a thread on Saturday that when Clinton also appeared on the show this cycle, affiliates again publicly filed equality notices.

Following the last-minute appearance on the comedy show, critics on social media also expressed criticism of the sketch itself, saying it looked eerily similar to Trump's 2015 sketch on Jimmy Fallon's “The Tonight Show.” Fallon dressed up like Trump during this skit, with the two talking to each other through a mirror, like Harris' “SNL” appearance.

HARRIS' COLD OPEN appears to copy Trump's 2015 sketch with Jimmy Fallon

Critics called Harris' sketch a “rip-off” of Trump's Fallon performance in 2015.

Host Jimmy Fallon and Donald Trump during the “Trump in the Mirror” sketch on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” September 11, 2015. (Douglas Gorenstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

“Kamala ripped off the same thing Trump did when he appeared on Saturday Night Live in 2015…and Trump's appearance was twice as long.” Radio host Ari Hoffman Posted on X

Both the Harris and Trump skits follow other “in the mirror” skits that Fallon has performed with other high-profile celebrities and politicians, including Mick Jagger on “SNL” in 2001 and current Utah Senator Mitt Romney on Year 2015.

Harris and Rudolph's Harris character capped the performance with the iconic message: “Live from New York, it's Saturday night!”

An NBC spokesperson told Fox Digital that the network will comply with all regulatory obligations and has hosted numerous political figures on both sides of the aisle over the decades.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's David Rutz and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates on the 2024 election, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital Election Center.