From spot-on impressions to hilarious caricatures, join us as we count down the most gut-busting political parodies in SNL history! Our list features comedic legends who've mastered the art of political satire, from Tina Fey's iconic Sarah Palin to Alec Baldwin's memorable Donald Trump. Which impression had you rolling on the floor? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00:00Want to go again?
00:00:01I'd love to, but you're too tired.
00:00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most gut-busting SNL
00:00:08depictions of real-life political figures.
00:00:11We're not going to get it perfect, you know, but we are firing the non-essential employees,
00:00:17like air traffic controllers.
00:00:20Number 50, Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff.
00:00:23Tis I, Doug, the second gentlemanch.
00:00:30Also known as Charlie Brown, if he was a grown-up.
00:00:34Guys, how amazing is Kamala?
00:00:36I mean, look at her!
00:00:38Don't worry, we'll be getting to Maya Rudolph's now-iconic impression of the former VP and
00:00:42senator from California in a bit.
00:00:44For now.
00:00:45We're zooming in on one of the more unsung heroes of Kamala Harris's ill-fated 2024 presidential
00:00:50campaign.
00:00:51Or at least Samberg's doofy impression of him.
00:00:53Well, you know what?
00:00:54If helping Kamala, who we call Mamala and my family, not sure if I mentioned that, become
00:00:59president, being a little spooned, and you can cut my little butt.
00:01:06Because I am proud to join the esteemed list of presidential spouses throughout history.
00:01:13Women and men, but all women.
00:01:15The former SNL cast member perfectly channels the real Emhoff's sweet, sometimes over-the-top
00:01:21sincerity, as well as his unabashed wife-guy status.
00:01:24Recurring throughout the early months of season 50 up to the November election, Samberg's
00:01:29easily excitable caricature, a perfect match of subject and performer, has been sorely
00:01:34missed.
00:01:34Look, if anyone on the right tries to come for my wife, just remember, I'm from L.A., bust-up.
00:01:41Okay?
00:01:41You better raise up before I smack the taste out, your nephew.
00:01:46Yeah, this is West Side Connect.
00:01:47Me and Kay is L.A. to the Bay trick.
00:01:50Don't start no stuff won't be no stuff, Donald.
00:01:52Okay, bop, bop, bop.
00:01:54Dougie, Dougie, Dougie.
00:01:55We're not going to do that tonight, all right?
00:01:56We need those middle states, okay?
00:01:58All right?
00:01:58Number 49, Alec Baldwin as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
00:02:03Hey, I don't mean to interrupt you.
00:02:06I just wanted to tell you again, I'm so honored to be the head of the Health and Human Services.
00:02:15Department of Americans need someone to teach them how to be healthy, someone like me, a
00:02:2170-year-old man with movie star looks and a worm in his brain.
00:02:24Speaking of actors who perfectly match the political impression they were tasked with,
00:02:28we'd be hard-pressed not to mention SNL mainstay Alec Baldwin's RFK Jr.
00:02:32The lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and Secretary of Health and Human Services was the subject
00:02:37of controversy following his nomination to the post by President Donald Trump.
00:02:41This owed to his widely publicized stances about vaccinations, which served as cannon fodder
00:02:47for SNL's parody of the Kennedy family member.
00:02:49Baldwin's RFK manages to make fun of the cabinet officials' public-facing actions and bizarre
00:02:54past scandals without mocking the spasmodic dysphonia that Kennedy has struggled with since
00:02:58his 40s.
00:02:59I care deeply about a woman's right to choose to give her child polio.
00:03:05I just wish people would take my appointment more seriously.
00:03:09All right, I gotta go.
00:03:11I got a dead dolphin in my car.
00:03:13Number 48, Scarlett Johansson as Katie Britt.
00:03:16Pretty mean America, my name is Katie Britt, and I have the honor of serving the great people
00:03:25of Alabama.
00:03:27But tonight, I'll be auditioning for the part of Scary Mom.
00:03:32Since marrying Weekend Update host Colin Jost in 2020, multiple Oscar nominee Johansson
00:03:37has appeared with increasing frequency on SNL, often assisting the show in spoofing topical
00:03:42events.
00:03:42One such example was her pitch-perfect roasting of Alabama Senator Katie Britt, following the
00:03:47politician's answer to then-President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address.
00:03:52You see, I'm not just a senator.
00:03:54I'm a wife, a mother, and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot.
00:04:01I'm worried about the future of our children.
00:04:05And this is why I've invited you into this strange, empty kitchen.
00:04:10Britt's response was roundly criticized as, quote, bizarre, quote, lurid and banal, and
00:04:16quote, creepy.
00:04:17Ouch.
00:04:18Adding insult to injury, Johansson's SNL parody went viral, with online commentators endorsing
00:04:24her performance as nailing Britt's awkward delivery and misplaced, well, let's call it
00:04:28passion.
00:04:29My husband, Wesley, and I just watched President Biden's speech, and what I saw was the performance
00:04:36of a permanent politician.
00:04:39But me, I'm not performing.
00:04:42I'm not.
00:04:43Number 47, Bill Hader as Anthony Scaramucci.
00:04:46Yo, it's me, Anthony Scaramucci, the booch.
00:04:53I heard you two nutless liberal ass-weepes mention my name earlier, and when I hear my
00:04:58name three times, I appear like a Goomba Beetlejuice.
00:05:02Oh yeah, remember Anthony Scaramucci?
00:05:05Donald Trump's former communications director for all of 10 days in July of 2017?
00:05:09Well, either way, you'd be forgiven.
00:05:11But at least one aspect of Scaramucci's shockingly brief tenure has aged well.
00:05:15That would be former SNL cast member Bill Hader's hilarious Scaramucci impression.
00:05:20Were you surprised he only lasted 11 days on the job?
00:05:24Hell no!
00:05:27Not after what I said to that ass-weep-ay from the New Yorker, which was all off the record,
00:05:33by the way.
00:05:33But I guess people didn't like it when I said that, and let me see if I can clean this
00:05:39up for prime time, that Steve Bannon was trying to S his own C.
00:05:44Appearing on the fourth season premiere of Weekend Update Thursday, Hader's unapologetic
00:05:49Scaramucci, or the Mooch if you'd prefer, was crass, brash, and outspoken.
00:05:54Quite a lot like the real Scaramucci, which makes sense.
00:05:57Poking fun at Scaramucci's brief tenure and the little, if any, good that had come from
00:06:02it, perhaps Mooch's greatest accomplishment was making everyone realize how sorely missed
00:06:06Bill Hader is on Saturday Night Live.
00:06:08Everybody loves the Mooch.
00:06:10You know how you miss me.
00:06:12I'm like human cocaine.
00:06:14You got a little bump on me.
00:06:15I made you feel excited.
00:06:16But I was out of your system too quick.
00:06:18And now that I'm gone, you're all depressed and edgy, and you're trying to figure out how
00:06:23to score some more Scaramucci!
00:06:25Number 46.
00:06:26John Goodman as Linda Tripp.
00:06:28You betrayed your friend by taping private phone conversations.
00:06:32I don't want to talk about that.
00:06:37Not because I think it was a horrible, gutless, soulless thing to do.
00:06:43But apparently it's against the law in the state of Maryland, and they want to prosecute
00:06:48me for it.
00:06:50Big time.
00:06:51We're going way back into the archives for this one.
00:06:54For the uninitiated, Tripp was a public servant in Bill Clinton's White House who, upon recording
00:06:59and leaking private conversations with Monica Lewinsky, yes, that Monica Lewinsky, became
00:07:04the subject of intense media scrutiny.
00:07:06I did what I did because I'm a patriot.
00:07:11As a New England patriot, I'm the new starting outside linebacker.
00:07:16Throughout the duration of Tripp's time in the spotlight, she was portrayed by frequent
00:07:20SNL host John Goodman in a series of cameos.
00:07:23And it wasn't pretty.
00:07:24Blasted by the show for her betrayal of Lewinsky and the unlawful nature of her actions.
00:07:29Goodman's trip is glib, obnoxious, and generally hard to take, which speaks volumes about the
00:07:35immensely likable Goodman's acting skills.
00:07:37What is your reaction to John Goodman's impression of you on Saturday Night Live?
00:07:42I think he's a great actor.
00:07:47I can't believe he didn't get nominated for his part in The Big Lebowski.
00:07:51Number 45.
00:07:52Ben Stiller as Michael Cohen.
00:07:54Yellow is Donald Trump.
00:07:55Who dis?
00:07:57It's Michael Cohen.
00:07:58God, I miss you so much.
00:08:01Oh, hey, what's up, amigo?
00:08:02How are you holding up in prison?
00:08:04I'm not in prison.
00:08:05Oh, well, give it a couple of weeks.
00:08:07Here's another first-term Trump ally you may have forgotten about.
00:08:10The president's personal attorney from 2006 to 2018, Cohen also served as the vice president
00:08:16of the Trump organization, even being described as its founder's personal, quote-unquote, fixer.
00:08:21That was, of course, until the middle of Trump's first presidency, when Cohen found himself
00:08:25at the center of the Stormy Daniels scandal.
00:08:27Mr. Trump, we're in big trouble.
00:08:30I think they know about our illusion, Kay, and obstruction of justice, Jay.
00:08:35Sorry, I don't speak Spanish.
00:08:37Making several guest appearances as the beleaguered lawyer, Stiller nailed the real-life Cohen's
00:08:42jittery, nervous, almost hapless energy.
00:08:45Stiller's Cohen was a perfect foil for Alec Baldwin's classic Trump impression, pulling
00:08:49from his history of portraying down-on-their-luck nerds in crisis mode to portray, well, a down-on-his-luck
00:08:55nerd in crisis mode.
00:08:56Number 44.
00:08:57Chris Farley as Andrew Giuliani.
00:08:59Today, New York looks to the future.
00:09:03A braver, better future.
00:09:09I guess Andrew is joining me here.
00:09:12Today, we put our differences aside.
00:09:15I was the law and order candidate, but today, I am the people's mayor.
00:09:20This won't be the last time you see the Giuliani family on our list today.
00:09:24However, we're pulling focus away from Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and
00:09:28lawyer to Donald Trump.
00:09:30In this instance, we're looking at SNL legend Chris Farley's hilarious send-up of an infamous
00:09:34early 90s Giuliani speech.
00:09:36Today, I ask you to dream of a city that can be better than it is now.
00:09:46Everyone wants to come to New York.
00:09:50Our artistic, theatrical, fashion, and cultural institutions are the best in the world.
00:09:55My dad's mayor!
00:09:55Shortly after being sworn into office as mayor in 1994, Giuliani's acceptance speech was upended
00:10:01by his young son, Andrew.
00:10:03Or should we say, upstaged?
00:10:05SNL pounced on the awkward press conference, with Farley portraying Andrew as being more
00:10:10than a little overbearing and attention-hungry, putting his knack for physical comedy to very
00:10:14good use.
00:10:15I look forward to a better, a framer, a brighter city so that one day, one day, we can all say,
00:10:25Live from New York, it's Saturday night!
00:10:28Number 43, Brad Pitt as Anthony Fauci.
00:10:31Good evening, I'm Dr. Anthony Fauci.
00:10:35First, I'd like to thank all the older women in America who have sent me supportive, inspiring,
00:10:41and sometimes graphic emails.
00:10:43Although the COVID-19 pandemic may seem like a bad, distant memory now, there were a few
00:10:48glimmers of hope and hilarity to be found.
00:10:50Case in point, Brad Pitt's wholly unexpected SNL impression found the Oscar winner taking
00:10:55on the immunologist-slash-former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
00:11:00They're gonna have vaccines, I think, relatively soon.
00:11:03Relatively soon is an interesting phrase.
00:11:06Relative to the entire history of Earth, sure, the vaccine's gonna come real fast.
00:11:12But if you were to tell a friend, I'll be over relatively soon, and then showed up a
00:11:18year and a half later, well, your friend may be relatively pissed off.
00:11:22Pitt's Fauci reflects the real-life physician scientist's role as a sort of beacon of hope
00:11:27during those dark times, taking care to translate President Trump's statements on the U.S.
00:11:31government's response to the pandemic.
00:11:33Pitt's parody is the rare SNL sketch that takes a sentimental turn, with the actor removing
00:11:38his get-up to deliver a sincere thank-you message to the real Fauci, as well as healthcare
00:11:42workers everywhere.
00:11:43It's going to disappear.
00:11:45One day, it's like a miracle.
00:11:46It will disappear.
00:11:47A miracle would be great.
00:11:48Who doesn't love miracles?
00:11:50But miracles shouldn't be plan A.
00:11:52Even Sully tried to land at the airport first.
00:11:55Number 42, Tim Meadows as Clarence Thomas.
00:11:58How did you go about asking her out for this date?
00:12:02I'm not sure I know what you mean, Senator.
00:12:05Well, did you just go right up and ask her, or did you have one of her friends tell her that
00:12:12you thought she was cute?
00:12:13I just walked right up and asked her.
00:12:21Nominated to replace outgoing Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall, George H.W. Bush's candidate
00:12:26for the Supreme Court brought with him a tidal wave of scandal and controversy.
00:12:30Outrage erupted over Thomas' stances on issues like abortion, and spilled over once disturbing
00:12:35assault allegations came forth against him, courtesy of law professor Anita Hill.
00:12:39Were you drunk at the time?
00:12:46No, I was not.
00:12:47Of course, Saturday Night Live was right there to follow and make fun of the proceedings.
00:13:01In an early highlight for the eternally underrated Tim Meadows, Thomas is portrayed as a blithely
00:13:06ignorant creep, much like Kevin Nealon's Joe Biden and Phil Hartman's Ted Kennedy.
00:13:11The one at the big circular desk, right there in the center there.
00:13:17Oh, yes, Sandy.
00:13:19Yeah, Sandy.
00:13:20Um, do you think she'd go out with me?
00:13:27Well, Senator Simon, not knowing your technique, I feel it would be unfair for me to prejudge your
00:13:32chances with her.
00:13:33Number 41.
00:13:34Amy Poehler as Dennis Kucinich.
00:13:36From the Democratic Party.
00:13:37Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
00:13:47Cross-gender impressions are hardly anything new at Saturday Night Live.
00:13:51Just look at Kate McKinnon's Jeff Sessions, Melissa McCarthy's Sean Spicer, or Sarah Sherman's
00:13:55Matt Gaetz.
00:13:56However, one of the show's earliest examples of political gender swapping was one of its
00:14:00funniest.
00:14:01Here, Amy Poehler took a stab at impersonating Congressman Dennis Kucinich, a longtime representative
00:14:06from Ohio and frequent political hopeful.
00:14:08Iraq continues to be a hot-button topic in these debates.
00:14:12Congressman Kucinich, where do you stand?
00:14:15Well, as you know, Dan, I laid out my Iraq position very clearly in last month's Democratic
00:14:20debate.
00:14:21You were at the Democratic debate?
00:14:24Yes, Dan, I was.
00:14:26Were you in the audience?
00:14:27No, I was participating.
00:14:31Kucinich is skewered here at a fringe candidates debate, a lone Democratic hopeful amidst a
00:14:36sea of looney tunes.
00:14:37Reflecting the real Kucinich's Lost Cause 2008 presidential run, host Dan Rather, played
00:14:42here by Daryl Hammond, struggles to place poor Dennis.
00:14:46Ultimately, Kucinich withdrew from the race in January 2008, endorsing Barack Obama.
00:14:51The rest, of course, is history.
00:14:53You sure you weren't there as a prank or some kind of mascot?
00:14:55Dan, I'm a congressman.
00:15:00I'm sorry, I'd assume the congressman was your first name.
00:15:03Number 40, Kate McKinnon as Elizabeth Warren.
00:15:06Hello, it is good to be here.
00:15:09Look at me, I am in my natural habitat, public school on a weekend.
00:15:15I just housed a Nature Valley bar in the hallway, so I am jacked up and ready to pop off.
00:15:21Is there anything this SNL maestro can't do when it comes to impersonating well-known
00:15:25American political figures?
00:15:27On the face of it, it may seem like a tall order to differentiate impressions of Hillary
00:15:31Clinton and Elizabeth Warren, both competent but relatively vanilla politicians.
00:15:36But McKinnon always pulled it off with aplomb.
00:15:39Take her Warren, for example.
00:15:40Janet, hi, it's Elizabeth Warren.
00:15:44I wanted to thank you.
00:15:45Oh, it's a bad time?
00:15:46For the middle class.
00:15:48Oh, you're getting a pap smear.
00:15:49Okay, stay in this fight.
00:15:50Bye.
00:15:54That's Janet.
00:15:55Oh, that's, you mind if I quickly do a thousand more?
00:15:58A thousand?
00:15:58No, that's not, no, we don't have time for a thousand.
00:16:00I'm sorry.
00:16:01McKinnon's parody of the progressive Massachusetts senator plays on the calm and collected Warren's
00:16:05desperate wishes to appear hip in the face of her uncoolness.
00:16:08McKinnon also captures Warren's world weariness, especially when faced with President Trump's
00:16:14antics.
00:16:14Congratulations to Donald Trump for paying less taxes by moving to Florida, or as he calls
00:16:20it, bringing his talents to South Beach.
00:16:23You know where I pay my taxes?
00:16:26Every single state out of principle.
00:16:30So Donald, don't stand too close to an orange tree because someone might try to pick your
00:16:35head.
00:16:36I'm feeling stanky.
00:16:37Number 39, Pete Davidson as Andrew Cuomo.
00:16:41It's going to be more than okay.
00:16:43Take it from me, Governor-ish Andrew Cuomo.
00:16:48Us Democrats have had each other's backs no matter what.
00:16:52We're like one big Italian family.
00:16:54And you know what Italians like to do?
00:16:56Hug and kiss and run their fingers up each other's backs.
00:16:59This former New York governor seemed to have everything going for him, until it all came
00:17:04crashing down.
00:17:05Initially praised for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuomo's nationwide support and admiration
00:17:10came to a screeching halt once allegations of grave misconduct came out against him in
00:17:15late 2020.
00:17:15So let's all come together, bad choice of words there, and get this bill passed today.
00:17:22Just like me, it deserves a second chance, and a third chance, and up to at least 11 chances.
00:17:29Becoming a frequent target for the NYC-based sketch show, Cuomo was portrayed by Davidson
00:17:34as the scandal unfolded.
00:17:35Although the longtime cast member was hardly known for his impressions, his clueless Cuomo
00:17:40is a sharp reflection of the real-life governor stumbling through his multiple missteps.
00:17:44Oh, and I want to plug my new book.
00:17:46My first one was called Lessons in Leadership, and my new one is called Whoops!
00:17:51Number 38.
00:17:52Robert De Niro as Robert Mueller.
00:17:54Looking for something, Mr. Cohen?
00:17:56Robert Mueller?
00:17:58Why don't you have a seat, Mr. Cohen?
00:18:03Here.
00:18:04Put these on.
00:18:07Have you ever used a lie detector before?
00:18:10I feel like I have.
00:18:12Despite his open disdain for publicity and famous tight lipidness in interviews, two-time
00:18:17Oscar winner De Niro seemingly loves appearing on SNL.
00:18:20Having hosted multiple times, the steely, no-nonsense acting legend was a natural fit to play Mueller,
00:18:25the former FBI director-turned-Trump arch-nemesis.
00:18:28If you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about.
00:18:32I'll start with some easy ones.
00:18:34How'd you like that pee-pee tape?
00:18:40What?
00:18:40I'm kidding.
00:18:42Relax.
00:18:44We'll get to that later.
00:18:45Over a series of cameos during Trump's first presidency, De Niro played Mueller as a stern
00:18:50variation of the intimidating authority figures he's based his career on.
00:18:53One particularly memorable instance featured De Niro reuniting with his Meet the Parents
00:18:57co-star Ben Stiller, and recreating an iconic scene from that film.
00:19:01In character, of course.
00:19:02I don't have to take this from you.
00:19:04I have rights.
00:19:06Now, you listen to me, you little weasel.
00:19:08I don't know what rights you think you have.
00:19:11You broke the law.
00:19:12And now we're going to catch all of you little fuckers.
00:19:14Number 37, Phil Hartman as Ronald Reagan.
00:19:17Well, thank you, Mr. President.
00:19:19Well, I hope I've answered your questions as best I could, given the very little that I know.
00:19:25Goodbye, and God bless you.
00:19:28Thank you, Mr. President.
00:19:29Thank you very much.
00:19:34Okay, get back in here.
00:19:36Arguably the impression that kicked off SNL's golden era of political comedy,
00:19:40it's no surprise that master impressionist Hartman was the man for the job.
00:19:44Later nicknamed Glue in reference to his ability to hold a sketch together,
00:19:47Hartman's Reagan poked fun at the doddering president's penchant for cluelessness.
00:19:51Excuse me, Mr. President, sir?
00:19:52Yes.
00:19:52It's your 11.30 photo opportunity, the little girl who sold the most Girl Scout cookies.
00:19:57Damn!
00:19:58Okay, let's get it over with.
00:20:00Everybody else, come on, move, move.
00:20:04This is the part of the job I hate.
00:20:06Of course, in the world of SNL,
00:20:08this was all a front for President Reagan's dastardly plans for world domination,
00:20:13painting him as a conniving Bond villain.
00:20:15Hartman expertly switches between the absent-minded grandfatherly Reagan
00:20:19and the coherent master strategist,
00:20:21almost like they're two different characters entirely.
00:20:24You're that good as sales, lady.
00:20:26Maybe I could use you up on Capitol Hill.
00:20:30Well, it was nice meeting you.
00:20:31Come on, Lisa.
00:20:32Come on.
00:20:33Bye-bye.
00:20:34Bye.
00:20:39Back to her!
00:20:40Number 36, Scarlett Johansson and Jimmy Fallon as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
00:20:45Hello?
00:20:46Yes, this is Ivanka and Jared.
00:20:57Hi, hi, hello!
00:20:59This star-studded Trump-era cold open features a veritable smorgasbord of heavy hitters,
00:21:04from Martin Short as the president's eccentric physician Harold Bornstein
00:21:07to Stormy Daniels as, you know, herself.
00:21:09However, while everyone brought their A-game to this sketch,
00:21:13we have to single out guest stars Johansson and Fallon for their hilarious performances.
00:21:17Michael, did we hear Giuliani call Jared disposable on national television?
00:21:21Because Jared is furious.
00:21:22Yeah, I mean, I'm like, what the hell?
00:21:23I'm so mad right now!
00:21:25You don't even want to see me!
00:21:27I mean, I could cut a bitch!
00:21:28Johansson makes for an ideal straight woman to Fallon's cartoonish,
00:21:32Mickey Mouse-voiced Kushner,
00:21:33whose pleas to be taken seriously go painfully unheeded.
00:21:37Although brief, the cameos go a long way in capturing the couple's public dynamic,
00:21:41as well as making us realize just how much they remind us of Tom and Shiv from Succession.
00:21:47Listen, Ivanka, you know your dad would do anything to protect you,
00:21:50but if he needs to, he'd throw Jared under the bus in a heartbeat.
00:21:53What'd he say?
00:21:55He said you're fine.
00:21:57I'll talk to you later.
00:21:59Number 35, Jay Farrow as Ben Carson.
00:22:02I am so thrilled to be here today.
00:22:04I am positively turned.
00:22:08Yes, Donald and I are very different.
00:22:11We're like night and day, ebony and orangey.
00:22:13Yet another wildly talented impressionist who SNL never quite figured out what to do with,
00:22:18Farrow portrayed several major figures in pop culture to a shocking degree of accuracy.
00:22:23One of his finest SNL roles was a uniquely low-energy challenge,
00:22:27that of former neurosurgeon and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson.
00:22:32Well, my point is, I have learned there are two Donald Trumps.
00:22:37There's the man you've seen every night on stage for eight months,
00:22:40guy who calls people losers and brags about his penis.
00:22:43But there's also the friendly man I had breakfast with earlier today for 10 minutes.
00:22:49He gave me a muffin.
00:22:50Farrow's Carson successfully depicts the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as
00:22:55a sleepy but sinister Trump ally.
00:22:57From his awkwardly clasped hands to his unnerving demeanor,
00:23:00Daryl Hammond's Trump describes Carson as looking like he drives a hollowed-out ice cream truck.
00:23:05Come for the roasts.
00:23:06Stay for the impression that had one YouTube commenter claiming that, quote,
00:23:10this Ben Carson has way too much energy.
00:23:13Okay, that's enough for now.
00:23:15Let's get this guy a juice box and a nap.
00:23:19Bye, America.
00:23:20It's been weird.
00:23:21Number 34.
00:23:22Mikey Day and Alex Moffitt as Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
00:23:26You gotta work on your short game, pal.
00:23:28I know.
00:23:30But Eric and I did have a blast.
00:23:32I drove the golf car!
00:23:35Yeah, sure did, Eric.
00:23:37Remember I told you this, pal, man.
00:23:39Remember?
00:23:40It's golf cart.
00:23:41Golf cart, not car.
00:23:42Cart with a T.
00:23:43Tuh.
00:23:44There you go.
00:23:44Is it weird that this SNL parody feels less like a roast and more like a show of support for brotherly love?
00:23:51Well, maybe that's just us, but such is the success of Day and Moffitt's respective impressions.
00:23:55Appearing several times on Weekend Update, Day's braggadocious Don Jr. quickly takes a backseat to Moffitt's simple, childlike Eric.
00:24:03The chef we got in Vancouver is absolutely amazing.
00:24:07He crushed the menu.
00:24:09The food is next level.
00:24:10I had a funny face pancake.
00:24:14He had whipped cream's hair.
00:24:15Yeah, and he ate the whole thing.
00:24:17I'm hungry.
00:24:18All right.
00:24:19I got some Cheerios for you, buddy.
00:24:21While Don pontificates about his and his family's awesomeness, all eyes are on Eric as he dopally copies his brother's grandiose hand gestures.
00:24:29When we said that Moffitt's Eric is childlike, we were not kidding.
00:24:32A particularly gut-busting appearance from the two sees him housing a bag of Cheerios and a Capri Sun packet.
00:24:38Is anyone else feeling nostalgic?
00:24:40The only people making decisions regarding the Trump organization are Eric and myself.
00:24:45Dad.
00:24:46No, no.
00:24:49Remember.
00:24:55No, no.
00:24:56Remember Eric?
00:24:57Dad does not tell us what to do anymore.
00:24:58Yeah, he does.
00:24:59Number 33.
00:25:00Daryl Hammond as Donald Trump.
00:25:02We really have to crank this thing out Speedy Gonzalez style.
00:25:06Because tonight, Melania and I are going to be photographed semi-nude in a bubble bath for Women's World magazine.
00:25:13It's great, Mr. Trump.
00:25:15An indisputable master of impressions, this long-serving SNL cast member delivered perhaps the Trump impression,
00:25:21even managing to improve on the venerated Phil Hartman.
00:25:24Hammond is one of a very small handful of comedians to do his Trump impression right to Trump's face
00:25:29and live to tell the tale.
00:25:31And not just once, but a number of times, including Trump's infamously bad 2015 hosting gig.
00:25:37You're being very naive and quite frankly, you're fired.
00:25:41Although Hammond was usurped by Alec Baldwin once Trump won the 2016 Republican presidential nomination,
00:25:59it's important to remember that Baldwin's Emmy-winning impression wouldn't have been possible if not for Hammond paving the way.
00:26:05The minute I mentioned cheeseburger pizza on The Apprentice, sales went through the roof.
00:26:10I'm talking millions and millions of dollars.
00:26:13Personally, I think it's the highest quality pizza.
00:26:16Number 32, Mike Myers as Elon Musk.
00:26:19We love your outfit.
00:26:20Very official and respectful.
00:26:22And I love when he gets that chainsaw right next to my head.
00:26:26Oh, thanks.
00:26:28Donald, what are you doing in my office?
00:26:31You know I'm the president now, right?
00:26:36I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
00:26:39Okay, maybe not.
00:26:41Sometimes an impression isn't just about nailing how someone sounds,
00:26:45but about how well you can embody their whole being.
00:26:47For a lesson in getting that right, look no further than SNL alumni Myers' scathing Musk impression.
00:26:53Legalize comedy, come on, legalize it.
00:26:56I'm so comfortable with all of that.
00:27:03I really enjoy everything you're doing with Doge, Elon.
00:27:07Well, they're saying I'm firing people with no cause, but I do have cause.
00:27:13It's cause I feel like it.
00:27:16The billionaire, who became increasingly prominent in the public eye due to his association with President Trump,
00:27:21is well known for his idiosyncrasies,
00:27:23perfect material for a king of cartoony impressions like Myers.
00:27:27Myers' Musk finds the comedian going all-out cringe,
00:27:31spoofing the SpaceX CEO's penchant for dancing at inopportune times,
00:27:34as well as his seeming discomfort in his own skin.
00:27:37Phase one of my plan is complete.
00:27:40Ingratiate yourself to the president and take over the media.
00:27:43But was taking this job a bad idea?
00:27:46A lot of people seem to really hate me.
00:27:48My Tesla stock is crashing and my personal net worth just dropped by $100 billion.
00:27:56Number 31.
00:27:57Shane Gillis as Donald Trump.
00:27:58I didn't miss.
00:28:00It went in.
00:28:01Oh.
00:28:03All right.
00:28:04From Newsmax Studios and the writer of Like Mike,
00:28:08comes another magical sneaker movie for white people.
00:28:12Okay, admittedly, this one's a bit of a cheat.
00:28:15Viral stand-up comic Gillis has had more of a chance to show off his scary good Trump impression
00:28:20through his stand-up and podcasting appearances.
00:28:22To his credit, Gillis definitely made a meal of his sole shot at playing Trump on SNL.
00:28:27Mr. Mitchell.
00:28:28Everybody's saying I should have your office because my cubicle is a disaster right now.
00:28:33What, can I have a minute to gather my things?
00:28:36Bye-bye.
00:28:36He gets whoever he wants.
00:28:38Wow.
00:28:39That was the most fantastic lovemaking you've ever had.
00:28:42Not really.
00:28:42It only lasted...
00:28:43Two hours.
00:28:44That was a two-hour love sesh.
00:28:45You had a big O in there.
00:28:47A very big O.
00:28:47In a fake commercial for Trump's actual golden sneakers,
00:28:51not a bit for the show,
00:28:52Gillis portrayed an ordinary man who,
00:28:54in a Like Mike-style twist of fate,
00:28:56dons the shoes and essentially transforms into Trump.
00:28:59Although the sketch makes you wonder what could have been had Gillis made it onto the show,
00:29:03it at least grants viewers the pleasure of seeing his and James Austin Johnson's dueling Trumps.
00:29:08The real magic has been inside of you all alone.
00:29:17Wrong.
00:29:18It comes from the shoes and you're coming off as very stupid and frankly quite rude walking in here like this.
00:29:24Number 30.
00:29:25John Lovitz as Michael Dukakis.
00:29:27When coming up against Dana Carvey's George H.W. Bush,
00:29:30John Lovitz decided to compete with his co-star by using subtlety.
00:29:34Do you think you have the necessary passion to lead this country?
00:29:39Sam, that kind of aspersion on my character quite frankly makes me,
00:29:45well, there's no other word for it, enraged.
00:29:51His underrated take on the presidential candidate doesn't steal the spotlight,
00:29:54but he does have an enjoyable way of staying cool.
00:29:57This comes out in a funny debate and the entertaining Dukakis after dark sketch.
00:30:02You were going to raise taxes, weren't you?
00:30:05Well, you bet I was.
00:30:08Through the roof.
00:30:11He also gets to deliver the occasional one-liner that's both accurate and hilarious.
00:30:16When he's not revealing his amazing language skills,
00:30:19Lovitz also employs some killer eyebrows.
00:30:21While this actor usually plays broad comedy,
00:30:24this version of Governor Dukakis lets him show off his subdued acting abilities.
00:30:28Ladies and gentlemen, I think the choice is obvious.
00:30:32Thank you very much.
00:30:34Number 29.
00:30:35Daryl Hammond as Al Gore.
00:30:37Some might have argued that Al Gore wasn't an easy impression,
00:30:40but Daryl Hammond easily defied the odds with this performance.
00:30:43In his plan,
00:30:45the wealthiest 1% of Americans would receive nearly 50% of the benefits.
00:30:57He practically disappears into the vice president with his southern accent.
00:31:01After watching his take on Gore at the first debate,
00:31:04you might come away laughing and muttering the word lockbox to yourself.
00:31:08Jim, could I just say that in my plan,
00:31:12the lockbox would be used only for social security and Medicare.
00:31:19It would have two different locks.
00:31:22He combines these catchphrases with crazy and outlandish sketches.
00:31:26Competing with Will Ferrell's George W. Bush,
00:31:28Hammond delivers the goods as a long-winded version of the politician.
00:31:32The comedian battles Ferrell with a surprisingly goofy presence of his own,
00:31:36as he even sings with his co-star.
00:31:39Babe.
00:31:41I got you, babe.
00:31:44I got you, babe.
00:31:47Number 28.
00:31:48Cecily Strong as Marjorie Taylor Greene.
00:31:51In the hands of a versatile comedian like Cecily Strong,
00:31:54this political figure really comes alive.
00:31:57I know, you know what?
00:31:57They're calling me Congress's new it girl.
00:32:00Oh, it like the new thing?
00:32:02No, it like the evil clown that preys on children.
00:32:05Marjorie Taylor Greene is not exactly the most guarded individual,
00:32:09and the performer really makes that known.
00:32:12You could even call this impersonation crazy,
00:32:14down to everything from her love of guns to her hilarious sneezes.
00:32:18Sorry, Colin.
00:32:19I just, these...
00:32:20Sorry.
00:32:23Strong's take on Greene delves into scientific issues and hot topics with a funny twist.
00:32:28You could also call her a fighter, getting aggressive about almost anything in an entertaining
00:32:33way.
00:32:33She even visits Sesame Street armed to the teeth in one sketch.
00:32:38Today's episode is brought to you by Q, not the letter of the man.
00:32:41He will tell us when JFK Jr., who is alive,
00:32:44will reveal himself and help President Trump reclaim his rightful throne.
00:32:47The impression doesn't let up,
00:32:49with memorable and opinionated rants that'll have you laughing.
00:32:52Number 27.
00:32:54Chris Redd as Cory Booker.
00:32:55Even if this senator isn't the most obvious target,
00:32:58he has a few qualities that Chris Redd utilizes for comedic effect.
00:33:02I'm blessed to be here.
00:33:04The actor leads with his eyes in order to steal the debate spotlight.
00:33:07Trying to stay hip,
00:33:09this Cory Booker works through his desperation in increasingly funny ways.
00:33:13Redd's take on Booker looks like a deer in the headlights as he tries to make his limited time count.
00:33:17And I should point out that we're limiting the amount of time you can speak
00:33:21based on how well you're doing in the polls,
00:33:23so Cory, you get five words.
00:33:26Um, impeach Trump now because trouble?
00:33:29Capturing the comedy of a politician who can't win,
00:33:32the comedian does an impressive job of earning laughs in only a few lines.
00:33:36The performer also plays him at committee hearings as he hopes to impress people.
00:33:40If this leader runs for president again,
00:33:43SNL should invite the actor back to talk about Rosario Dawson.
00:33:46Rosario and I were discussing this very issue just the other day.
00:33:50Rosario Dawson.
00:33:51Number 26.
00:33:52Bill Hader as Jim Jordan.
00:33:54As one of the best impressionists in SNL history,
00:33:57Bill Hader is more than prepared to take on Jim Jordan.
00:34:00Mr. Chairman, good afternoon to you, you lying piece of human trash!
00:34:06The congressman tries to question Michael Cohen without completely losing his mind.
00:34:10While turning up the volume,
00:34:11Hader makes this politician into a hilarious and hot-headed caricature.
00:34:15They even find time to make fun of the target's wardrobe.
00:34:18I'm so angry I couldn't even wear a jacket today!
00:34:22With the other committee members giving him more time,
00:34:25Jordan keeps digging a hole for himself in amusing rants.
00:34:28The frequent mistakes and dead-end questioning allow the comedian to shine.
00:34:33Opposite Ben Stiller's Cohen,
00:34:34the performer turns up the heat as the buffoonish character that can't catch a break.
00:34:39Mr. Cohen has pled guilty to a smorgasbord of fraudulent activity.
00:34:45Yeah, and then right after that it says,
00:34:46at the direction of President Trump.
00:34:48It does?
00:34:49Oh, damn it!
00:34:50Number 25, Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton.
00:34:54Leading up to the 2008 election season,
00:34:57Amy Poehler found the comedy in Hillary Clinton.
00:34:59Her concept for the character revolves around her failed attempts to become president.
00:35:04A few nights ago, you lost badly to Senator Obama in Wisconsin.
00:35:07In theory, isn't that a state you should have won?
00:35:10Not at all, John.
00:35:11Poehler also dials up Clinton's passive aggression for some amazing confrontations,
00:35:17the latter of which includes an amazing sketch with Tina Fey.
00:35:21Can you believe it, Hillary?
00:35:28I cannot!
00:35:29Whether she's talking to the Alaska governor or debating Barack Obama,
00:35:33this character has some hilarious reactions to her defeats.
00:35:36The comedian plays the politician's emotions like a high-wire act of hilarity.
00:35:40You don't know whether this Clinton will laugh, scream, or cry at any moment.
00:35:45This all adds up to a wonderful piece of comedic acting,
00:35:49giving the actress one of her best impersonations.
00:35:54Number 24, Chris Farley as Newt Gingrich.
00:36:02When the great Chris Farley did anything, he never gave anything less than 100%.
00:36:08This is especially true in the case of his off-the-wall Newt Gingrich impression.
00:36:13Mr. Speaker!
00:36:14Mr. Delay of Texas!
00:36:15I propose that the Democrats only be allowed to speak for eight seconds at a time.
00:36:19Fine, all in favor?
00:36:20Aye!
00:36:21Motion passes!
00:36:22Infusing his explosive energy into every line,
00:36:26Farley couldn't help but make the politician more hyper.
00:36:28His performance as the Speaker of the House features some brilliant comic timing
00:36:32and lots of gavel-banging.
00:36:34The comedian even plays Gingrich against his mother,
00:36:37seeing his more personal side with surprising results.
00:36:40Do you understand?
00:36:41Yes, nerdy.
00:36:42All right.
00:36:43I love you, Mom!
00:36:45It's a funny and manic twist on the 1990s political figure.
00:36:49Through it all, the legendary performer never lets up with his wildly entertaining spin.
00:36:54Okay!
00:36:56H.R. 590, the proposal that lie from New York,
00:37:00it's Saturday night!
00:37:01Number 23, Daryl Hammond as Bill Clinton.
00:37:05As a go-to impressionist from his era,
00:37:07Daryl Hammond strikes again with one of his signature roles.
00:37:11Now, once again, I don't know what my position is.
00:37:14And then I thought about it, and I remembered my position.
00:37:19I don't have one.
00:37:21Hammond had huge shoes to fill taking on the U.S. president for the 1990s and early 2000s.
00:37:26His interpretation allowed him to be playful, mischievous, and charismatic all at the same time.
00:37:32The result was a fabulous send-up of Bill Clinton's highs and lows,
00:37:36giving the commander-in-chief a humorous edge.
00:37:39What?
00:37:39Yeah.
00:37:40I just put my lip and did the thumb thing.
00:37:42How'd you learn?
00:37:43Hammond's performance plays with the charisma of the politician,
00:37:46as well as the scandals of his later presidency.
00:37:49Even with all of the serious topics surrounding him,
00:37:52this Clinton flashes his smile and trademark mannerisms to get audiences laughing.
00:37:57God bless you, America, and Colin, thank you.
00:37:59Number 22, James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump.
00:38:03In a long history of great Donald Trump impressions,
00:38:06James Austin Johnson might just be the most accurate.
00:38:09You know what? Sleepy Joe Biden is such a disaster.
00:38:11We're coming back. We're coming back in 2024.
00:38:14We're doing the reboot, okay?
00:38:15Everyone loves reboots.
00:38:17People loved it before. They're gonna like it again.
00:38:19His vocal impersonation is so spot-on that it's both scary and funny in equal measure.
00:38:24Along with getting the voice right,
00:38:26Johnson can also go on a trademark ramble as the politician.
00:38:29The stream-of-consciousness delivery makes for some truly hilarious segments that reference pop culture.
00:38:35Speaking of white people, John Mayer.
00:38:37The performer plays up the real man's complexities
00:38:40while also creating a character that's completely absurd in every way.
00:38:44Thankfully, the impressionist finds enough comedy here to poke fun at the headlines
00:38:48and create his own stamp on the man.
00:38:51And Grinch was very bad when he stole Christmas.
00:38:54But I got it back.
00:38:55I brokered a historic deal with Grinch and Netanyahu.
00:38:59And we decided that no Christmas would ever be stolen again.
00:39:03Number 21, Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris.
00:39:06With the bubbly energy of Maya Rudolph, this Kamala Harris impression truly comes alive.
00:39:11The font is back, baby!
00:39:14America's fun aunt!
00:39:16I'm also America's cool aunt.
00:39:18The ca-
00:39:19You know what?
00:39:20It's arguably the closest anyone has come to nailing the essence of the vice president.
00:39:25The key to this impersonation is the leader's insistence on being relevant.
00:39:29Using memes and internet slang, Rudolph's version tries desperately to play with the younger crowds.
00:39:34There have been two black women elected to the Senate.
00:39:38And that second black woman, it me.
00:39:45It's also impressive to see a new take on a much newer public figure that goes beyond the usual vocals.
00:39:51From Harris' family life to her debates with Mike Pence,
00:39:54Rudolph captures the politician with physical and verbal comedy.
00:39:57The comedian lights up any appearance as the VP,
00:40:00walking the line between authentic and wonderfully campy.
00:40:04And I'm just, I'm just gonna play a quick song on my phone.
00:40:10Number 20, Matt Damon as Brett Kavanaugh.
00:40:13Sure, this may have been a one-off impression.
00:40:15What?
00:40:17But Matt Damon surprised everyone with how well he nailed Judge Brett Kavanaugh's defense demeanor
00:40:22during his high-profile misconduct hearing in 2018.
00:40:25I'm gonna start at an 11.
00:40:28I'm gonna take it to about a 15 real quick!
00:40:32The cold open sequence was certainly an ensemble piece,
00:40:35but the whole thing hinged upon how well Damon could deliver an impression of someone
00:40:38who was growing more and more irritated at a line of questioning.
00:40:41Did you ever drink too many beers?
00:40:45You mean was I cool?
00:40:46Yeah.
00:40:46Eventually, the performance reached the crescendo of Damon shotgunning a beer
00:40:52before starting the show proper,
00:40:54kicking things off in note-perfect fashion.
00:41:03Number 19, Fred Armisen as Michael Bloomberg.
00:41:06You don't always have to be running at 200% to deliver laughs on the SNL stage.
00:41:11Sometimes a little bit of subtlety goes a long way.
00:41:13Hello, I'm Michael Bloomberg.
00:41:16This was definitely the case when it came to Fred Armisen's portrayal
00:41:19of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
00:41:22There's one person America's gun owners will listen to.
00:41:25It's a Northeastern Jewish billionaire.
00:41:29Armisen's low-energy delivery was on purpose and on point.
00:41:32His semi-mumbling inflection was perfectly paired with Bobby Moynihan's volatile Chris Christie
00:41:37during a sketch about Hurricane Sandy.
00:41:38Armisen's return to the character during the 2020 U.S. presidential race
00:41:51was similarly spot-on.
00:41:52How'd you get past security?
00:41:54Well, I just walked in coughing and everybody got out of my way.
00:41:59Number 18, Will Ferrell as Janet Reno.
00:42:02Consider this one something of a forgotten gem
00:42:04when it comes to SNL political impressions.
00:42:06That one. I want to dance to that one again.
00:42:13Former Attorney General Janet Reno wasn't exactly known as the life of the party
00:42:17when she served under President Bill Clinton.
00:42:19But you would not know that if you just paid attention to Will Ferrell's impersonation.
00:42:23I've selected Songbird by Kenny G.
00:42:25That's wonderful.
00:42:27That's wonderful, Donna, but there's no chance in hell we're going to hear it.
00:42:30Play my song!
00:42:31It didn't matter that Ferrell wasn't spot-on when it came to capturing her on a personal level.
00:42:37It was more about the idea of Reno in something as ridiculous as, say,
00:42:41a boxing match with Rudy Giuliani that made it funny.
00:42:44You box dirty!
00:42:45Then how come my conscience is so clean?
00:42:50Plus, Ferrell's deadpan delivery and purse-lipped dialogue delivers giggles on their own.
00:42:56Number 17, Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin.
00:42:59Sometimes, the easiest, most direct approach is best for comedic impersonations.
00:43:03Or at least this seems to be the case when it comes to Beck Bennett,
00:43:06who absolutely nails his parody of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
00:43:10Wait, but if we have no blackmail, why President Trump says such nice things about you?
00:43:15I don't know! I think he just likes me.
00:43:18Bennett goes full tilt into James Bond villain mode here,
00:43:21portraying him as a devious, confident, and self-obsessed megalomaniac
00:43:26who never wears a shirt if he doesn't have to.
00:43:28You are worried that your country is in the hands of this unpredictable man.
00:43:33But don't worry, it's not.
00:43:37Of course, it helps that Bennett has the look and facial expressions to pull it off,
00:43:41not to mention nailing Putin's manner of speech to hilarious effect.
00:43:45We think you are the best candidate.
00:43:47Sure.
00:43:47The smartest candidate.
00:43:49No doubt.
00:43:49The Manchurian candidate.
00:43:51I don't know what that means, but it sounds tremendous.
00:43:54Number 16, Norm MacDonald as Bob Dole.
00:43:57Norm MacDonald was a comedian's comedian,
00:44:00a man who earned both respect from his peers and laughs from the audience.
00:44:04SNL fans were certainly laughing back when MacDonald was playing former presidential candidate
00:44:08and Senator Bob Dole on the show.
00:44:10Next time ask.
00:44:12Nobody eats Bob Dole's peanut butter without asking.
00:44:15Whatever.
00:44:16Norm made it a point to emphasize Dole's habit of referring to himself in the third person,
00:44:20while also capturing Dole's pencil-holding, deadpan delivery.
00:44:24I'm President Bob Dole, President of the United States.
00:44:26Nice to meet you, Ambassador.
00:44:28This must be your lovely wife.
00:44:30Assistant, sorry.
00:44:31MacDonald was surly and grumpy, yet remarkably charismatic in his performance as Dole.
00:44:36And it's something we're still laughing about today.
00:44:40Number 15, Kate McKinnon as Jeff Sessions.
00:44:42You can always count on Kate McKinnon to deliver a great impression.
00:44:46This is my best good friend, Kelly M.
00:44:47She ain't got no legs.
00:44:52The gifted comedian just seems to have honed her talent to commanding accents,
00:44:56as well as her subjects' personal idiosyncrasies.
00:44:59George Conway, do not subtweet me at the dinner table, please.
00:45:03McKinnon is also just as accomplished a transformation,
00:45:06as evidenced by her multiple political impressions of subjects as varied as Kellyanne Conway,
00:45:11Rudy Giuliani, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
00:45:14So you have no plans to leave the Supreme Court?
00:45:17Colin, the bench is now my porch.
00:45:20I'm going to sit on it all day and scream,
00:45:23No! Get out of my yard!
00:45:26It's her take on former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that had us rolling, however,
00:45:31thanks to the exaggerated Southern accent,
00:45:33as well as Sessions' reportedly sycophantic relationship with President Trump.
00:45:36Hello!
00:45:38I'm Jeff Sessions, and I love you, Mr. Trump.
00:45:42When you fired me, did I write some nasty tell-all book?
00:45:46No.
00:45:46It didn't matter whether McKinnon was portraying Sessions on Weekend Update or parodying Forrest Gump.
00:45:51Her impression was always solid gold.
00:45:53I was on the cover of the New York Times, you want to see?
00:45:58This says you might have committed perjury.
00:46:00Yeah, I had a bad week.
00:46:04Number 14, Jim Carrey as Joe Biden.
00:46:07Just one second, Chris.
00:46:08What can we say?
00:46:17Joe Biden just seemed tailor-made for an SNL political impression,
00:46:21as evidenced by the numerous cast members and guest hosts who tried their hand at the former vice president.
00:46:26Large and in charge.
00:46:28The president's away, and Joe will play.
00:46:31Jason Sudeikis, Woody Harrelson, and John Mulaney all did killer jobs with their respective impersonations.
00:46:36The year was 19 rikki-tikki-tabby, and me and Nelson Mandela were palling around South Africa.
00:46:43But our pick here is Jim Carrey, who's portrayed Biden in a recurring role.
00:46:47But I think we all needed a break.
00:46:50Isn't that satisfying?
00:46:52Although not everyone saw the real Biden in Carrey's energetic interpretation,
00:46:56we've got to give it up for Carrey's inner monologue during debate sketches with Alec Baldwin's Trump.
00:47:01I said two words, you son of a no!
00:47:03Don't do it, Joe.
00:47:08We love the machismo Joe, the exasperated candidate who's down for push-up contests,
00:47:14name-calling, and tagging in Kamala Harris to intervene on his behalf.
00:47:18He's a nice boy.
00:47:20Kamala, I got this.
00:47:21Uh-uh, Joe.
00:47:23Let Kamala go to work.
00:47:26Number 13.
00:47:27Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford.
00:47:28Former President Gerald Ford was always athletic,
00:47:38but all it took was one stumble out of Air Force One to earn a reputation for clumsiness.
00:47:44Hello.
00:47:46Hello.
00:47:46This served as a perfect opportunity for SNL to cement their very first iconic political impression
00:47:52with Chevy Chase's classic fan-favorite portrayal.
00:47:56Yes, well, on that point, Mr. K, K, K, K, then, Krause, Mr. Krause.
00:48:03Chase took his physical comedy to the very limit,
00:48:06utilizing elaborate pratfalls to the point of actual injury,
00:48:09all to get a laugh.
00:48:10Now, as we can see, the Ford popularity is certainly on a sharp rise, hear?
00:48:19It worked, to the point where even the president himself was a fan,
00:48:23appearing on the show, and even inviting Chase out to play golf.
00:48:26Number 12.
00:48:27Daryl Hammond as Dick Cheney.
00:48:29Daryl Hammond is a master of impressions,
00:48:31and has successfully tried his luck impersonating a number of political figures during his tenure at SNL.
00:48:36However, it's Hammond's take on former Vice President Dick Cheney that stands alongside his Bill Clinton
00:48:42as one of the comedian's most well-known parodies.
00:48:45If you shoot another friend, will you keep it a secret?
00:48:48Hammond hams it up and does his best to play with Cheney's public persona
00:48:52as the evil puppet mastermind behind the George W. Bush administration,
00:48:57while getting a lot of laughs in the process.
00:48:59Happy Valentines, Mr. Cheney.
00:49:01It's hot here in Iraq.
00:49:03I can't wait for you to get here, so you can suck.
00:49:07I don't think I need to finish that.
00:49:09That sneaky snarl, those side-eye glances,
00:49:12it's all part of Hammond's hilarious take on a polarizing man.
00:49:16Number 11.
00:49:17Jay Farrow as Barack Obama.
00:49:19It was Fred Armisen who first took aim at Barack Obama
00:49:21with his unique and slightly strange impression,
00:49:24but that performance was certainly improved upon once Jay Farrow took over the role.
00:49:28Questions like, is this the first step towards war?
00:49:32What can the United States do?
00:49:35And hold up, what's crime man?
00:49:38Farrow easily ticks all of the boxes when it comes to capturing Obama's well-known cadence,
00:49:43phrasing, and manner of speech,
00:49:45while at the same time capturing that certain level of political swagger the former president has.
00:49:50Desperate times call for desperate measures.
00:49:53So, I bought in a friend.
00:49:54Liam, come in here.
00:49:56Jay Farrow is a skilled comedian and impressionist,
00:49:59but this might be some of his best work.
00:50:02Number 10.
00:50:03Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump.
00:50:05How are you both doing this week?
00:50:06Really, really great, Aaron.
00:50:09They're all still buying it.
00:50:10With his recurring impersonation of Donald Trump,
00:50:13guest star Alec Baldwin has become a sort of de facto cast member.
00:50:16Alec Baldwin earned rave reviews and laughs when he parodied the Donald on the campaign trail,
00:50:21so it made sense that the award-winning actor would return to the role once Trump took office.
00:50:26You must have known the optics on that would be terrible.
00:50:29Come on, do you think I care about optics?
00:50:31Look at me.
00:50:32I sit on every chair like it's a toilet, okay?
00:50:34Baldwin nails a funny and exaggerated take on many of Trump's well-known personal quirks and mannerisms
00:50:40and never shies away from tackling the more controversial topics
00:50:43that were at the center of news outlets during the president's campaign.
00:50:46Ma'am, I don't know if you know this, but you're in an island in the water.
00:50:52The ocean water, big ocean, with fishes and bubbles and turtles that bite.
00:50:56Number 9.
00:50:57Will Ferrell as George W. Bush.
00:50:59Al, listen.
00:51:00We got a lot of work here.
00:51:01Don't worry, we'll get to Bush Sr. later on the list.
00:51:04Will Ferrell first introduced his W impersonation in 1999 to wild reviews.
00:51:09McCain wasn't afraid to tell people his honest opinion, straightforward.
00:51:15What a nut.
00:51:17Presenting Bush Jr. as naive, simple and in over his head,
00:51:21Ferrell lampooned the president while also nailing his accent, squint and difficulties with grammar.
00:51:27I believe that some of his figures may be inaccurate.
00:51:31Once Ferrell left the cast, others tried to take on the mantle, but no one quite measured up to Ferrell.
00:51:38In fact, his impersonation was so good, he adapted it into the Broadway play You're Welcome, America,
00:51:44a final night with George W. Bush.
00:51:46Ferrell reprised his role a few times on SNL, too, including in 2018, with an important message.
00:51:52So I just wanted to address my fellow Americans tonight and remind you guys that I was really bad.
00:52:01Number 8.
00:52:02Dan Aykroyd as Richard Nixon
00:52:04This not-ready-for-prime-time player was notable for a couple of presidential impersonations,
00:52:08including a memorable stint as Jimmy Carter during the early seasons of Saturday Night Live.
00:52:13Peter, what did the acid look like?
00:52:15Dan Aykroyd also did a very successful impression of Richard Nixon to boot,
00:52:19standing out among the myriad of other comics who were taking their shot at the infamous ex-president.
00:52:23Now, when I was president, I did some bad things.
00:52:29Copying Nixon's idiosyncratic hunched-over gait and penchant for waving victory signs was the easy part.
00:52:34You don't have to read it, although I originally wrote it to be read.
00:52:38More challenging was trying to get laughs portraying a man who was so disliked and controversial.
00:52:44Aykroyd succeeded, however, going on to portray Nixon a total of 10 times from 1976 to 1979.
00:52:50If Baldwin's Trump was good, then Kate McKinnon's parody of Hillary Clinton was even better.
00:53:03I'm angry, too, because the top 10% of the top 1% control 90% of the wealth in this country.
00:53:12And I've always said that.
00:53:14McKinnon's place as one of SNL's funniest faces was already secure before she took on this role.
00:53:19But if anything, Kate's impression of Hillary has made her even more popular.
00:53:23Gosh, New York has been cold this week, hasn't it?
00:53:26In fact, my head is getting a little chilly.
00:53:28I better put on my favorite hat that I've worn so many times over the years.
00:53:34Maybe it's McKinnon's ability to tap into Clinton's awkward public persona,
00:53:38or perhaps it was the laugh she got portraying how badly Hillary wanted to win the election.
00:53:42I cannot wait to be your next president, if I'm elected, of course.
00:53:46Not getting ahead of myself in public.
00:53:48In private, I've been president for 15 years.
00:53:51Or maybe it was that somber cold opening in the wake of a Trump victory,
00:53:54where, in character, McKinnon sang a stirring rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.
00:53:59Honestly, it was all of that and more.
00:54:08This was a brilliant performance.
00:54:11Number 6. Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush
00:54:14It seems as if SNL icon Dana Carvey can impersonate just about anyone.
00:54:25But it was the world of politics that gave us some of the cast members' most memorable bits.
00:54:29When it came to his impersonation of George H.W. Bush,
00:54:32Carvey had a lot of material to work with during the course of Bush's presidency.
00:54:35You see this election's about who can take the heat?
00:54:38It's hot in there, very hot.
00:54:41But it's the comedian's uncanny ability to mimic the former president's voice and mannerisms,
00:54:46especially during monologues and debates that are probably best remembered.
00:54:51Oh, and in case you're worried, don't worry.
00:54:53There's more Carvey ahead on the list.
00:54:55Kind of short down in this area down here.
00:54:58Would love to be up here, but I'm down here.
00:55:02Number 5. Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer.
00:55:04Uh, I'll accept one last question, and I'll take this loser.
00:55:08Melissa McCarthy surprised everyone in 2017
00:55:11when she appeared on Saturday Night Live
00:55:13to impersonate former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
00:55:17Because I'm not here to be your buddy.
00:55:19I'm here to swallow gum, and I'm here to take Nate.
00:55:24The comedian's natural affinity for physical comedy and mimicry brought the house down.
00:55:30And it wasn't long before McCarthy was making regular appearances as Spicer.
00:55:33Her impression was loud, colorful, and boisterous.
00:55:37And we loved every minute of it.
00:55:39Wall Street Journal, are you okay?
00:55:42Don't you have to come in?
00:55:43Even Sean Spicer admitted that it was, quote,
00:55:46kind of funny, although he said his boss didn't see it that way.
00:55:50Number 4. Larry David as Bernie Sanders.
00:55:52If there was ever an SNL impersonation that left people wanting more,
00:55:56it was this one.
00:56:02Comedian and Seinfeld co-creator Larry David seemed born to play Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders,
00:56:07sliding into the role like a pair of old, comfortable shoes.
00:56:10Millions of people on the streets!
00:56:12And we gotta do something!
00:56:14And we gotta do it now!
00:56:18Any SNL debate sketch was immediately enhanced by David's impression of Sanders' righteous indignation and anger.
00:56:25Not to mention some good-natured ribbing about the senator's age.
00:56:28His loud and boisterous freak-outs never failed to get the audience roaring.
00:56:38As it turns out, the two were actually distant cousins.
00:56:41So maybe David had a bit of a genetic advantage here.
00:56:48Number 3. Phil Hartman as Bill Clinton.
00:56:51Hillary's other half is up next on our list,
00:56:53this time portrayed by the much-missed Phil Hartman.
00:56:56Bye-bye!
00:56:57Back to work!
00:57:01The SNL legend had already impressed with his smart and satirical take on former President Reagan.
00:57:07Yet even that performance was eclipsed by his dead-on impression of William Jefferson Clinton.
00:57:13Well, I just want to mingle with the American people,
00:57:15talk with some real folks, maybe get a Diet Coke or something.
00:57:18Alright, fine.
00:57:19But please, don't tell Mrs. Clinton.
00:57:22Jim, let me tell you something.
00:57:24There's going to be a whole bunch of things we don't tell Mrs. Clinton.
00:57:28Hartman wasn't one note in his work and did his best to capture everything about Clinton.
00:57:34His affable charisma, his Arkansas accent, his taste for fast food,
00:57:38his relationship with Hillary, and his role as commander-in-chief.
00:57:41Above all else, though, it was just funny.
00:57:44A perfect impression from one of SNL's greatest talents.
00:57:48This administration has been more open about its affairs than any previous administration.
00:57:53Number 2. Dana Carvey as Ross Perot
00:57:56Former presidential candidate Ross Perot may not exist front and center within the public consciousness much anymore.
00:58:02Live from New York, home with the Yankees, it's Saturday night!
00:58:06But there was a time when this self-made man was everywhere in the news.
00:58:10As a result, Perot's fiery third-party campaign for the White House
00:58:14made for a perfect SNL parody from veteran cast member Dana Carvey.
00:58:18Well, if I'm a quitter, why am I back in the race? See? Case closed.
00:58:21For starters, Carvey nails Perot's memorable laugh,
00:58:25as well as his quick manner of speech, strange non-sequiturs, and knack for sidebar colloquialisms.
00:58:31Who told you that the Republican Party is involved in trying to teach dogs to talk?
00:58:36Well, you know, now we're just playing games here, huh? Just playing football.
00:58:41The impression also captures the zeitgeist of the time,
00:58:44this feeling that Perot might actually have a chance to lead a third-party candidate
00:58:48to the highest seat in American public service.
00:58:51Tomorrow, you can interview Superman, Dean Cain, he'll be here.
00:58:54But tonight, you must focus, please, I beg you.
00:58:57It doesn't matter that Perot wasn't successful in his bid,
00:59:00because Carvey's work here remains classic.
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00:59:16It's one of the most beloved and most well-known political parodies in SNL history.
00:59:33The time Tina Fey took a shot at vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin.
00:59:37Are there parts of the country that you consider un-American?
00:59:40Oh, you know, that was just my lame attempt at a joke, but, um,
00:59:45yes, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, California.
00:59:51Fey won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2009 for her portrayal of the former Alaskan governor,
00:59:58a nuanced performance that both skewered Palin's political prowess, or lack thereof,
01:00:03and lightheartedly poked fun at her beauty queen appearance, accent, and use of colloquialisms.
01:00:08And now I'd like to entertain everybody with some fancy pageant walking.
01:00:14It was a smash hit, and Fey would return to the role a number of times for SNL,
01:00:20securing the character as a high point in the show's long-running history of political comedy.
01:00:25Thank you, Iowa! Oh, I wanted to take a break from my full-time career of writing things on Facebook.
01:00:32Which SNL impression made you laugh the hardest? Are there any we missed?
01:00:36Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
01:00:39Hello, hello, hello. Enough with the hellos. Let's do this.
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