From political figures to pop stars, SNL has given us some of the most memorable impressions in comedy history. Join us as we count down the impressions that not only made us laugh but became cultural touchstones. These performances captured the essence of their subjects while adding a hilarious twist that kept audiences coming back for more.
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00:00What's this I hear about you not shaking your constituents' hands? You can't do that!
00:04No, no, you don't understand, Jeff. She gave me a cough and shake.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most unforgettable,
00:13culturally resonant, and or well-regarded SNL impersonations.
00:18I'm afraid that might be a bit offensive to some people.
00:21Number 10. Bill Hader as Keith Morrison
00:24An interview with the face of evil. I sit down with convicted murderer Carl Collins.
00:31Who can't Bill Hader impersonate? In his impressive run on SNL,
00:36the comedian turned ordinary people into wacky characters.
00:40This includes transforming Keith Morrison from Dateline into a certifiable freak.
00:48Did he slap you five?
00:51No, it was a dead arm from a dead body.
00:54Oh, that's terrible.
00:58Hader's version loves to hear the juicy details of awful crimes,
01:02pestering witnesses and perpetrators in interviews.
01:06The actor's wide-eyed intensity and big reactions only serve to make this funnier.
01:11Next, we talk to the coroner.
01:15I did the autopsy.
01:16Ooh, the scribe stuff.
01:20It's clear the performer has a genuine affection for the real man,
01:23but he's not afraid to poke fun at the TV personality either.
01:27The long-running skit attracted raves from fans and even mention from the target himself.
01:37Diego confessed, but let's ignore that.
01:41Because this is an hour show, so we've got to stretch this out.
01:45Number 9. Kate McKinnon as Justin Bieber
01:49Um, yeah.
01:53What's up, Steve? I don't know if you heard, but I'm not bad no more.
01:58Throwing herself into every scene, Kate McKinnon is nothing short of dedicated.
02:03Her take on Justin Bieber remains one of her defining roles.
02:06It's an unlikely casting choice that she absolutely earns through every goofy moment.
02:12Uh, Justin, what you bring to a party?
02:14Um, Steve, I don't, uh, party as much because I'm a man now.
02:18I got like five little mustache hairs, and I'm bringing them all for you, girl.
02:24With a new hairstyle and specific body movements,
02:27the actress completely turns into a pop star.
02:30It's an entertaining way to critique the celebrity without being too mean.
02:35She even spoofs the vocalist's Calvin Klein ads,
02:38playing the singer with a childlike energy.
02:41I won't wear this underwear no more.
02:44My Calvin's.
02:45Calvin's.
02:45Calvin's.
02:46Calvin's.
02:47My Calvin's.
02:48McKinnon brings the part back for multiple sketches,
02:51including Family Feud and Celebrity Jeopardy.
02:54In both cases, the performer shows that the versatile impression
02:58is the source of endless material.
03:00You think that I, a grown adult man, am a girl?
03:04Yeah, um, no, I don't know.
03:07Number 8. Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer
03:11Now I'd like to begin today by apologizing on behalf of you to me.
03:18This is yet another case of SNL taking bold steps that have huge returns.
03:23Melissa McCarthy takes command of the screen as Sean Spicer.
03:27It's an extraordinary and physical performance,
03:30taking the White House press secretary into wonderfully absurd territory.
03:35McCarthy doesn't hold back as she uses props or goes off on other characters.
03:40Here's how it's gonna go down.
03:42You've got your TSA agent right here, okay?
03:45And first you got Barbie coming in.
03:48Nice American girl back from a dream vacation.
03:51We know she's okay because she's blonde.
03:54This version of Spicer openly lets the press know how he feels,
03:58even attacking them at a few points.
04:01The entire premise lets the actress show off her comedic abilities
04:04throughout multiple scenes.
04:06It's clear the audience loves the recurring role,
04:09with the star earning laughs in one of her signature parts.
04:12Yeah, uh, just mentally though. Are you okay?
04:17Are you kidding me?
04:20Number 7. Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris
04:24Over several years, Maya Rudolph developed a nuanced impression of Kamala Harris.
04:29She first wowed audiences in the Democratic debate sketches.
04:33Tulsi, I'm gonna be real with you, all right?
04:36You scare the hell out of me.
04:38You just gave me, oh my God, goosebumps.
04:43The earlier version caught attention for trying to become
04:45a viral sensation with social media jokes.
04:48As the vice president, the actress took the role even further
04:52as she built an even more accurate impersonation.
04:55I wish I had time to personally knock on the door of any of those women and say,
05:00girl, girl.
05:03Her work garnered an Emmy,
05:05partly for capturing the essence of Harris' public persona.
05:09Rudolph arguably got even better in the 2024 election,
05:13working with eclectic co-stars who helped bring out new facets of the character.
05:18She also starred alongside the leader in a skit full of entertaining surprises.
05:23Let me tell you something, I'm gonna vote for us.
05:27Great. Any chance you are registered in Pennsylvania.
05:31Number six, Gilda Radner as Barbara Walters.
05:34In one of her silliest roles,
05:36Gilda Radner makes fun of TV interviews as Barbara Walters.
05:40Well, Baba Wawa, but come on, we all know who she's impersonating.
05:45Good evening, and welcome to Not For Ladies Only.
05:50I'm Barbara Wawa.
05:51The key to this fun impression is the voice.
05:54It might not sound exactly like Walters,
05:56but it really turns comic exaggeration into an art form.
06:00Radner somehow keeps a straight face
06:02while having one of the more outrageous deliveries in SNL history.
06:06Please trust me, it's not sour grapes,
06:08but rather that another network recognizes in me a great talent
06:13for delivering relevant news stories with crystal clarity to millions of Americans.
06:19Talking to Henry Kissinger and Marlena Dietrich,
06:22the character pops off the screen with her funniest sides.
06:26You don't have to understand a word to laugh along at the comedian's performance.
06:30As one of the great showcases of her style,
06:32the cast members' retrospectives are incomplete without this role.
06:36There is one thing that really, really irritates me about you.
06:41After 40 years of being in this country,
06:44why do you still talk with that silly, silly accent?
06:47Number five, Daryl Hammond as Sean Connery.
06:51Sean Connery has set a new Jeopardy record
06:55with negative $230,000.
07:00You think you're pretty smart, don't you, Trebek?
07:03Of all the recurring sketches in the SNL canon,
07:06Celebrity Jeopardy remains one of the best.
07:08Daryl Hammond's impression of Sean Connery stands as an essential part of the series,
07:13bringing both hilarity and irreverence to every appearance.
07:17It's not catch the semen.
07:21Is that what the mustache is for, Trebek?
07:25It's an off-the-wall take on a film legend
07:27who constantly makes fun of Will Ferrell's Alex Trebek.
07:30Hammond's hilarious performance is one of his most popular roles,
07:34throwing the game show for a loop with every satisfying line.
07:38His broad impersonation turns the screen icon into a funny trickster.
07:43Without fail, this Connery always entertains
07:46as a man obsessed with bringing down the system.
07:49Well, I thought you could use it, friend.
07:54Thank you. Thank you, Sean.
07:59You're welcome, Alex.
08:01Let's see what my friend Sean wagered.
08:07Number 4. Eddie Murphy as James Brown.
08:10Please, please, I want so bad, give it up or turn it loose.
08:18It's hard to pin down Eddie Murphy's genius into one SNL role.
08:22His James Brown might be the best example of his versatility,
08:26with the part giving him a chance to sing and dance.
08:37It's one of several characters who show off his vocal skills,
08:41along with his classic riff on Stevie Wonder.
08:44That's good.
08:45Yeah, it goes deep.
08:50We're talking salt and pepper, Sammy and Dean.
08:54Putting the soul legend into a talk show setting,
08:57this wild skit is a comedy roller coaster ride.
09:01It might be the greatest impression of Brown that captures the man's essence
09:05and turns it into comedy gold.
09:07This version of the singer takes over the stage,
09:10worrying about the temperature of his hot tub.
09:14Will you make me sweat?
09:14Yeah!
09:15Still in the hot tub?
09:16Yeah!
09:17Will you make me wet?
09:18Yeah!
09:18Well, well, well.
09:20It's such an enjoyable concept that it's lived on as one of Murphy's signature sketches.
09:26Number 3. Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush.
09:29By now tonight, the news I have to bring to you,
09:32it's not good, in fact, it's kind of bad.
09:36Maybe after you hear it, my approval rating will slip down to 75%.
09:43At first glance, you might not have imagined George H.W. Bush to be an easy man to play.
09:49Dana Carvey proved everyone wrong,
09:52turning it into a long-running part of the show's political skits.
09:56Well, Mr. Massachusetts, Mr. Harvard Yard Brainiac,
10:02you may prove yourself that it's impossible,
10:05but I think I'm like most Americans who'd rather see a time machine
10:08with an American flag on the side and not a hammer and a sickle.
10:12During the late 1980s and early 1990s,
10:16the performer perfected the impression with catchphrases and funny addresses.
10:20Well, sure, more has to be done, but the program is in place.
10:24Make no mistake, we are doing the job,
10:27so let's just stay the course and keep on track.
10:31Stay the course.
10:32He even returned to star opposite Will Ferrell's amazing impersonation of George W. Bush.
10:38The comedian managed to turn the politician into a goofball
10:41that was full of fun eccentricities.
10:44You're ahead in the polls, you look pretty good in those debates.
10:46I tell you, I think we really got a shot.
10:49I wish I'd shot that deer.
10:50Carvey continues to prove he's one of the finest impressionists in SNL history,
10:55with this character ranking high amongst his comedic catalog.
10:59Come on now, how about letting this one get away?
11:02What do you say, son?
11:03Sure, dad, I know what you're saying, but it ain't gonna happen.
11:06Nighty night, Bambi.
11:07Number 2.
11:09Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford
11:11It's the end of 1976, thank you.
11:14Hey.
11:18Uh-oh.
11:19Oh well, no problem.
11:21During the first season of SNL, Gerald Ford was President of the United States.
11:27Chevy Chase quickly asserted himself as one of the standout performers whilst
11:31impersonating this politician.
11:34Rather than trying to look or sound like Ford,
11:37the comedian decided to turn the target into a clumsy character.
11:40Which brings me to my first point.
11:44Let's take a look at the recent popularity polls, shall we?
11:50The role then became one of the highlights of Chase's brief tenure on the show.
11:54He earned national attention for his performances as the Commander-in-Chief,
11:59spilling water and falling over in recurring sketches.
12:02The actor took serious dives to earn laughs,
12:05becoming one of the first breakout stars of SNL for his dedicated impression.
12:10Final Christmas tree ornament on the tree.
12:16No problem.
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12:36Number 1. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin
12:39You know, that was just my lame attempt at a joke, but um,
12:44yes, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, California.
12:49Even with all of her work as a cast member,
12:52Tina Fey's most memorable role came after she left SNL.
12:56She was cast as Sarah Palin during the 2008 election season and quickly became a standout.
13:02Now I'd like to entertain everybody with some fancy pageant walking.
13:10Fey felt like a shoo-in to match the Governor's look,
13:13but she really impressed with her hilarious performance.
13:17She also nailed the voice and general personality traits of Palin.
13:21But one in five jobs being created today under the umbrella of job creation, that, you know, also...
13:33The power of her presence was undeniable, reminding everyone that Fey should never
13:37be counted out as a sketch performer. She fit the character so well that all of her dialogue
13:43and catchphrases felt natural. Many fans of the show likely think of this impression when
13:48they look back on the comedian's work.
13:50What an amazing time we live in. To think that just two years ago,
13:55I was a small town mayor of Alaska's crystal meth capital.
13:59Which iconic impression did we forget to mention? Let us know in the comments.
14:04Just remember you're a living organism on this planet, and you're very safe.
14:06You've just taken a heavy drug. Now just relax, stay inside, and listen to some music, okay?
14:11Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
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14:20And as always, thanks for watching.