Comedian Jiff Gaffigan took a comedic approach to address Vice President Kamala Harris’ absence from the Al Smith Dinner in New York City on Thursday night, roasting her for not attending the charity event held by Catholic charities. The dinner is often attended by presidential candidates as a part of their campaigns. This event has been referred to as the Catholic Met Gala,” Gaffigan mentioned, pointing out that 22% of Americans identify as Catholic and this demographic will be crucial in key battleground states during elections.
Gaffigan’s first joke about Harris not attending the dinner drew a mix of shock and applause from the audience. He continued with another jab at her media tour, pointing out that she found time to appear on popular talk shows but skipped this Catholic charity event in New York City. He also humorously suggested that maybe she didn’t attend because she did not like him.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, expressed his disapproval earlier in the day regarding Harris’ absence from the Al Smith Dinner. The event is meant to be a non-partisan gathering focused on patriotism and humor, regardless of political affiliations. Despite the cardinal’s disappointment, the dinner proceeded with a mix of comedy and political commentary provided by Gaffigan and other attendees.