US Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin put in a widely anticipated appearance on Saturday Night Live last night.
She shared the stage with Tina Fey, the actress whose impression of Gov Palin has garnered almost as much attention as the Alaska governor herself.
RTÉ.ie/USelection: Watch the SNL sketch
The TV show opened with Fey appearing as Gov Palin, holding a mock news conference.
Actor Alec Baldwin, who had been seen backstage with Gov Palin, approached Ms Fey to whisper that the real Palin was on hand.
'What? The real one? Bye!' she said, fleeing. Gov Palin then took her place.
'I'm not gonna take any of your questions,' Gov Palin said, 'but I do wanna take this opportunity to say 'Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!' - the show's trademark opening line.
Later Gov Palin appeared on the show's Weekend Update mock news segment and watched a song and dance routine during which a large moose danced onto the set, followed by the sound of gunshots as the moose fell to the stage, a joke on Gov Palin's fondness for hunting.
Throughout the piece, Gov Palin rocked back and forth in her anchor seat, pumping her arms in the air in time with the music.
Gov Palin, clad in a black suit and boots, also appeared on stage for the finale with the cast.
She was a surprise pick by Republican presidential candidate John McCain in August as his running mate, and has been a big hit with conservative Christians who admire her no-nonsense, folksy style.
But the choice has been derided by supporters of Democratic candidate Barack Obama, thanks in part to Ms Fey's skits.
Gov Palin's standing among Republicans is largely unscathed by all the satire. A poll last week by HCD Research and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion found that her favourability rating with Republicans dropped only one percentage point to 79% after seeing Ms Fey's latest skit.
Gov Palin's favourability rating among independent voters fell to 33% from 37%, according to the poll.
