BOY, VAUGHN MEADER IS REALLY SCREWED: Okay, sure, one more: favorite presidential impressionist, or comedic skit involving a President (a/k/a my excuse for invoking Bob Newhart's Abe Lincoln v. Madison Avenue yet again).
On the former, I was always fond of Jim Morris' Ronald Reagan, and Dana Carney's George H.W. Bush managed to define its subject while growing increasingly bizarre (Na gah dah?). Dan Aykroyd's Ask President Carter is a great skit, mediocre impression, but of course Phil Hartman's Ronald Reagan: Mastermind ticks off both boxes at one.
Does this count? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ZKpq5QfDE
ReplyDelete"He's a former President, Tom. What are you saying -- he's not delicious?"
ReplyDeleteThere's also the Hans Petersen Jimmy Carter Trust Me Parody. Those Vox links no longer work, though I did find a guy who has them in youtube. Follow this one for what I believe was the inspiration for Letterman's Oprah/Uma routine.
ReplyDeleteActually, I think this guy just copied the audio I'd put up on the vox account. He also has the The Watergate Comedy Power and he lifted the description from my blog. While this is loaded with comedy talent, also not that funny.
He did not copy my copy of Elect Slappy White for Vice President.
As far as Newhart talking about Presidents, I've always been partial to "Nutty George."
ReplyDeleteEr, "A Private in Washington's Army"
ReplyDeleteIneligible but still funny: Bill Clinton on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me answering questions about My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
ReplyDeleteYou want Dana Carvey and bizarre? Winner has to be his Bill Clinton from the Taco Bell Dana Carvey Show.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm gonna be honest with you. I didn't see as much Star Trek as we would have liked when it was first on. You see, Star Trek was on during a very difficult time in my marriage. But since then, Hillary and I have worked things out and seen most of the episodes in syndication. I've made no secret about that.
ReplyDeleteHammond as Clinton at Sinai:
ReplyDeletehttp://js-kit.com/avatar/gxpA99f0jKlohF_DgthroT-48x48.png
Hartman as Clinton in a McDonalds is a gold standard to me.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clinton-at-mcdonalds/2871
My favorite, too.
DeleteHammond as Clinton reviewing "Independence Day": "I love this movie."
ReplyDeleteTopped by Hammond as Clinton reviewing The American President.
ReplyDeleteAlso known as the funniest show there ever was, ever.
ReplyDeleteSeconded.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think the crown goes to Joseph's recommendation, my favorite presidential moment on SNL was Will Ferrell's interruption of Darrel Hammond's concession speech:
ReplyDelete<span>I was boogying down to the Marshall Tucker Band, when someone saw </span>you<span> on TV and said, "Hey, look! There's the President!" And I said, "Hey, guys, how's it going?" And they were like, "No, you Turd-Head. The </span>real <span>President, on TV." And I said, "But I </span>am<span> the real President." Then everybody laughed, which really </span>steamed<span> me, so here I am. [ to the camera ] Hello, America. I'm your President. And, keep in mind, that's for a whole year.</span>
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It was the only time I smiled throughout that whole election.
I think Will Ferrell's GWB, batting a ball of yarn, was strangely influential in his depiction of a hapless president. And "lockbox" and "strategery" were influential and telling, though they were about candidates at the time.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Never heard of this. Will most definitely listen to it tonight.
ReplyDeleteChevy Chase as Gerald Ford during a debate: "I was told that there would be no math."
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