He sees dead people. Apparently, he also sees a future in political satire.
When Haley Joel Osment first appeared on screen with heavy eyeliner and a perfectly manicured beard, the internet collectively lost its mind. It wasn't Saturday Night Live (SNL), though. That’s the big misconception. While fans were screaming for Lorne Michaels to pick up the phone, it was actually Jimmy Kimmel Live! that nabbed the former child star for what became the definitive JD Vance parody of the 2024 election cycle.
Honestly, the resemblance was eerie. Osment didn't just look like the Senator; he captured that specific brand of "polite-but-uncomfortable" energy that dominated the headlines for months.
Haley Joel Osment Vance: The Donut Shop Sketch That Went Viral
If you spent any time on social media in late 2024, you saw the clip. The real JD Vance had a famously awkward encounter at a Georgia donut shop. It was the kind of cringe that makes you want to crawl into a hole. He tried to order "whatever makes sense," and the employee behind the counter was having absolutely none of it.
Jimmy Kimmel saw an opportunity. He brought in Osment to film a parody "campaign ad" where Vance tries to prove he’s a "normal human being" who can handle a simple pastry transaction.
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What made the impression work?
It wasn't just a wig. Osment brought a high-level acting pedigree to a three-minute late-night sketch. Here is why it hit different:
- The "Whatever Makes Sense" Line: Osment repeated the phrase with a deadpan desperation that perfectly mocked the original footage.
- The Chaos Factor: In the sketch, Osment’s Vance eventually loses his cool, smashing a glass display case to grab a donut because the ordering process is too high-pressure.
- The Eyeliner: This was a huge talking point during the Vice Presidential debates. Kimmel’s makeup team leaned into the "Eyeliner-gate" rumors, giving Osment a look that was part-Senator, part-emo-band-lead-singer.
- The Physicality: Osment nailed the stiff posture and the "smile that doesn't reach the eyes," making the "weird" label stick even harder in the eyes of the audience.
Wait, Was He Actually on SNL?
This is where things get confusing for casual viewers. People kept searching for "Haley Joel Osment Vance SNL" because, frankly, he should have been there.
Historically, SNL brings in big-name cameos for political roles. Think Alec Baldwin as Trump or Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris. But for the 2024 season, SNL decided to keep the JD Vance role in-house. Bowen Yang took the mantle on 30 Rock.
Yang’s version was great—it was campy, biting, and very "Bowen." But because Osment’s Kimmel performance went so viral (we’re talking 10 million+ views on X), a lot of people misremembered where they saw it. Or, they were part of the vocal minority on Reddit and TikTok begging SNL to "hire the kid from The Sixth Sense already."
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Why the Internet Was Obsessed With This Casting
Kinda strange, right? An Oscar nominee from the 90s becoming the face of a political meme in 2024. But it makes sense if you’ve followed Osment’s career lately. He’s transitioned from the "sad kid" trope into a phenomenal comedic character actor.
You’ve seen him in The Boys. You’ve seen him in What We Do in the Shadows. He has this ability to play "unhinged" while looking totally suburban. That specific skill set is exactly what you need to parody a politician who is trying—and failing—to act like a "regular guy" at a donut shop.
The Reaction from the Public
Social media went into a full-blown frenzy. Screenwriter Jace Serrano tweeted that Osment deserved an Emmy for the performance. Others pointed out that it was "the most exciting thing about Haley Joel Osment becoming a bigger presence in mainstream comedy."
Even after the election, the impression didn't die. In early 2025, Osment returned to Kimmel's stage to play Vance again—this time with a "Parisian spin." He wore a red MAGA beret and drank out of a bidet, thinking it was a fancy European water fountain. It was absurd, but that's the lane Osment has carved out for himself.
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The Evolution of the "Vance" Parody
Portraying JD Vance became a crowded field. You had:
- Bowen Yang (SNL): The "official" late-night version. Focused on the "hillbilly" persona and the awkwardness of the Trump relationship.
- Haley Joel Osment (Kimmel): The "viral" version. Focused on the "normalcy" struggle and the donut shop incident.
- The Internet Memes: Mostly focused on the "couch" rumors (which Osment’s character jokingly referenced by saying liberals "stooped so low" as to suggest it).
Osment’s version felt the most grounded in a weird way. It wasn't just a caricature; it felt like a real person who was vibrating with social anxiety.
What’s Next for Haley Joel Osment?
If you think he's just doing sketches now, you're missing out. He recently appeared in the Zoë Kravitz-directed thriller Blink Twice. He’s also been doing a lot of voice work and appearing in prestige TV.
But the "Vance" era proved something important: Haley Joel Osment is a comedic powerhouse. He took a niche political moment and turned it into a cultural touchstone. Whether he ever actually makes it onto the SNL stage for a guest spot remains to be seen, but he's already won the popular vote on the internet.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Story
If you want to keep up with the best of this era of political satire, there are a few things you should do:
- Watch the "Totally Normal JD Vance" series: Search YouTube for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! segments. They aren't just one-offs; they're a series of "campaign ads" that tell a hilarious, albeit fictional, story of a struggling candidate.
- Check out Osment’s recent work: If you only know him as the kid who sees dead people, watch his guest spots on The Boys or The Kominsky Method. You’ll see exactly where he got the chops to pull off the Vance impression.
- Follow the SNL vs. Kimmel dynamic: It’s rare for two different late-night shows to have such distinct, competing versions of the same political figure. Watching how Bowen Yang and Osment handled the same news cycles is a masterclass in different comedic styles.
The Haley Joel Osment Vance era might have started as a quick joke, but it became a highlight of 2024's cultural landscape. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best person for the job isn't the one on the "big" show, but the one who captures the vibe of the moment perfectly.