Kamala Harris' Impression of Her Jewish Mother-In-Law Is Worthy of an Oscar

Editors’ note: This article was originally published in July 2019, when Sen. Kamala Harris was a Democratic candidate for president. Now that she’s been selected as Joe Biden’s running mate, we’re reupping this piece.

Apparently, Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate and stepmother (or rather, step-mamaleh) to two children, has a hidden talent: She’s great — like, really great — at imitating her Jewish mother-in-law.

Seriously, it is both hilarious and uncanny!

The 54-year-old California senator married Jewish lawyer Douglas Emhoff in 2014. In a recently resurfaced video from a January 2019 talk at New York’s 92nd Street Y about her book, The Truths We Hold, she told the story of her first meeting with Emhoff’s mother.

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First off, when author Cleo Wade asks Harris whether her Jewish in-laws still live in New Jersey, Harris replies, hilariously, “They are in California now, but New Jersey is very much in them.”

Then, Harris says, the first time she met Brooklyn native Barbara Emhoff, her future mother-in-law put her face in her hands and exclaimed, “Oh, look at you! You’re prettier than you are on television!”

And then, she calls for her husband: “Mike, look at her!”

Harris’s imitation is spot-on, as it comes complete with adorable gesticulations and a loud Brooklyn accent. We love it.

In which @KamalaHarris talks about @douglasemhoff's parents, and their reaction the first time they saw her! 😁😁😁 #KHive #DougHive pic.twitter.com/FK0o3NXLak

— Sudaraka (@SudarakaA) July 21, 2019

Also, can we just say how adorable the Harris/Emhoff family is? In a recent interview, the couple made roast chicken together (Kamala once told NowThis about her husband: “He is funny. He is kind. He is patient. He loves my cooking. He’s just a really great guy.”). After they’re done, they proudly lift their chicken up in the air and high five. It’s just so cute.

When I have some time off the campaign trail, I love to be in the kitchen whipping up something new for my family. See what @douglasemhoff and I were cooking the other day. pic.twitter.com/rmjRRPkYBX

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 22, 2019

Douglas’ Instagram and Twitter are an amazing testament to his love for his wife — there are loads of pictures of the couple with Douglas’ kids from his first marriage, Cole and Ella (who, incidentally, are named after Cole Porter and Ella Fitzgerald). Additionally, Harris is good friends with Emhoff’s first wife, Kerstin, joking that their blended family “is almost a little too functional.”