Who does the best impersonation of **?

[ck4829]

I say Jon Stewart.

"Riggy, what kind of monstorous storm would do this to you? RIGGY! RIGGY!" He then added, "Heh heh heh."

[rkc3]

1. Frank Caliendo.

[sui generis]

15. no contest - Frank Caliendo IS the shrub -

[helderheid]

26. I've never heard of him - any videos online?

[sui generis]

27. he's the little zaftig guy on MadTV

absolutely indistinguishable from dumbya - check out MadTV; I think he first started doing bush in the 2003-2004 season.

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. He is a master impersonator. Does a lot of famous people very well

HAve nto seen him on MAD but I have seen his stand up on Com Cent.

[helderheid]

42. I've not watched it. Will have to keep my eyes open for him. Thanks!

[wicket]

2. Stewart is great

I love Will Ferrell's impersonation too :)

[Brundle_Fly]

7. Strategery!

one word summation in 2000 debates.

[wicket]

19. LOL!

Such a classic moment on SNL :D

[Brundle_Fly]

8. Strategery!

one word summation in 2000 debates.

[StellaBlue]

37. LOCK BOX!!!

bwhahaha

just saw a rerun of that a couple of weeks ago... hilarious

[Brundle_Fly]

48. ;)

[noahmijo]

9. When Jon Stewart impersonates Bush I think of Silvio (Stevie

Van Zandt) impersonating Pacino.

"Just When I thought I was out"


LMAO

[wicket]

20. They pull me back in!

:rofl:

[noahmijo]

21. Yea see you get it! as Little Stevie himself says he does a

BAD impersonation on purpose for comic effect as I think despite what Jon says about his inability to do good impersonations it's just so much funnier when he knowingly does bad impersonations.

"hehehehhe got me a budget man!"

[wicket]

47. EXACTLY!

It's so bad that it's hilarious! :D Jon's impersonation of Bush cackling "heheheheheh" kills me never time! :rofl:

[Avalux]

3. Stephanie Miller's sidekick

I don't know his name, but he nails * and others - the guy makes me laugh my ass off.

[AspenRose]

23. Jim Ward, "Voice Guy Extraordinaire"

He's good. I think Frank is the best...I'd put Jim second place. Like to hear him on the bicycle. :D Also like his Kim Jong Il...."Kim OUT!"

[11 Bravo]

38. I love Jim's "heh, heh". n/t

[gizmonic]

39. Jim Ward is pretty fabulous, isn't he? n/t

[zippy890]

41. Jim Ward's bush imitation is the best

he cracks me up

[Skittles]

4. Will Ferrell nailed the idiot look in the eyes

he was very good

[Deep13]

5. That guy on the Stephie show who does the voices.

That is, the Stephanie Miller (radio) Show. Very funny. I download episodes and listen to them on an I-pod, I process I call "restephanation."

[noahmijo]

6. Wil Ferrell NO CONTEST

"Ever since this country was founded.....a thousand years ago.."

[Deep13]

10. 'Strah-tee-jury'

Darrel Hammond as Gore and Ferrell as Dubya are asked to discribe their campaigns in one word.

Gore says "lock box"

Bush says "stratergery"

[Stand and Fight]

12. Bosh!

Watch MadTV and see Frank Caliendo -- he's got the gestures down, the sound of his voice, his walk... Everything. Will Ferrell -- yeah right!

[noahmijo]

13. You know I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a

fellar to a duel!!!

[AspenRose]

25. Zell Miller, is that you?

Bwahahahahaha. ;-)

[Wetzelbill]

14. Ferrell said that if he was still doing it he'd always wear......

the "Mission Accomplished" flight suit and cod piece. Never take it off for any sketch. hahaha that just cracks me up.

[ComerPerro]

22. I used to think Will Ferrell's Bush was lame and poorly done

This was during the 2000 campaign and up to 9/11/01.

Here was my complaint:

Ferrell's portrayal seemed to require no acting (or horrible acting), and was just pathetic. He spoke slowly, the lines were just forced, and he sounded like he didn't really give a shit.

It was only after living through this nightmare of a Bush Presidency that I came to appareciate Ferrell's impressions.

I watch those sketches now and think:

Damn. He nailed it. Right on the head.

The awkward pauses, the slow and deliberate manner of speaking, the blank and confused stares, the made up words, all of it.

Ferrell does the best. No contest.

[Lisa]

30. he used to watch Bush on TV and imitate him at home for practice ...

His wife said it would freak her out, walking into a darkened room and seeing Will hunched in front of the TV, talking like Dubya.

[helderheid]

24. Will Ferrell is fab-o VIDEO >>

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2645941?htv=12&htv=12

[Stand and Fight]

11. Frank Caliendo from MadTV... No Contest.

Hands down he does the best impersonation. Will Ferral may be better known, but he SUCKS in comparison to Caliendo.

[NightOwwl]

16. Another vote for Frank Caliendo.

He's so good it's scary. Close your eyes and you'll think Chimpy is right there in the room with you.

[Deep13]

17. Will Forte

"It's ha-a-a-ard being president."

He also does a hysterical Zell Miller.

[phusion]

32. his Zell Miller

was spot on!

Had me in tears I was laughing so hard.

[Deep13]

35. Did you see the vein in his forehead...

...when he was explaining how to deal with a Tsunami? (Hit it, then shoot it.)

[FranzFerdinand]

18. depends what era

pre-2000, Ferrell had it locked up with the coke-snorting role. Caliendo does a great job of lately.

[Seen the light]

28. I watched Will Ferrell film a scene for "Ricky and Bobby" where he was *

Filmed it in NC. He dons a sombrero on a ranch there that I presume is supposed to be in Crawford. War protesters led by a Cindy Sheehan somehow manage to elude security and confront him. He puts that sombrero on and pretends not to speak English in the funniest thing I've ever seen and then...just runs away. People, you must see this movie when it comes out, it was just a great great scene.

[Lisa]

29. Smirking Bush? Whining Bush?

A bunch of people have managed to pick up on various traits, so it depends on the situation.

Jon Stewart does an excellent Arrogant/Snickering Bush, as various people have already noted. I especially like how he can drop into the impersonation in a split-second, without makeup.

Will Sasso (formerly of MADtv) did a good job of Blustering Bush. He's got a stockier build and so he didn't have Bush's walk or motions down, but he did a number of priceless moments where a riled-up Dubya blurts out ridiculous threats. (I think he's the best Canadian imitator -- even better than Roger Abbott on the Air Farce, who's been imitating politicians for decades. Abbott has the jaw motion/lip-licking part down though, which I haven't seen anyone else do.) Frank Caliendo, Sasso's replacement on the show, also does a good solid performance.

Will Ferrel did a terrific Verge-of-Panic Bush. It was truly exceptional, how he made Dubya appear baffled, with fear occasionally showing through. Also he puts a mean edge on his version of Bush, which is something that a lot of imitators (especially those who like him, or think he is a harmless buffoon, tend to overlook). Ferrel has done his homework, for sure.

Will Forte, his replacement on SNL, does a nice Pitiful Bush ("it's hard work!), but doesn't have Ferrel's range.

Breaking up the parade of guys named "Will" here -- I'll mention Brent Mendenhall, who's a professional impersonator. He actually bears a closer physical resemblance to Bush than anybody else I've seen. He's a building contractor, and does this as a part-time gig.
http://www.gwbushimpersonator.com/

Steve Bridges replaced Mendenhall as the impersonator on Leno's show. He actually doesn't look much like Bush at all -- he has to go through an elaborate Hollywood makeup procedure (latex prosthetics, hairpiece, etc.). Bridges probably has more money behind him than any of the others, even SNL -- his talent company allegedly put thousands of dollars into the makeup, wardrobe, even script and backgrounds (just like Dubya himself!).
http://www.ppi.cc/ppi_players/kevin_haney2.htm
Bridges is a big-time supporter of Bush (not just because it means he can get more work). Bush even wanted to meet him.
http://www.stevebridges.com/photo_gallery.html
Bridges has played Bush on other TV shows (NCIS and the Whoopi Goldberg show -- but he tends to pull back from showing Bush's more negative traits, portraying him as dumb/lazy but affable. And while he has some of Bush's way of moving, it seems somehow grafted on (like the up-and-down shoulder movement when he's chortling). It doesn't seem a natural part of the character, like Stewart's version.

Timothy Bottoms has shown Bush as both stubborn and inert (not exactly a charismatic combination!) -- he's probably got the most experience in dramatic acting of any of the people mentioned so far, and he mentioned that he found Bush's accent kind of suspicious (how it comes and goes, and doesn't seem to match the Texas accents he already knows).

Honorable mention to Chris Cooper -- who started out doing Bush impressions to annoy his wife, and ended up using the character in the film "Silver City". Dickie Pilager IS Dubya. I haven't seen any others (except for Jon Stewart) portraying Bush without makeup -- just the tone of voice, gestures, and walk. Quite good.

[KittyWampus]

31. Jon Stewart, mainly cause he makes him sound like Beavis & Butthead

hehehehehehehehe

[phusion]

33. Sort of on topic -- Bush Sr. by Dana Carvey

I would have to say the best Bush Sr. impersonator was Dana Carvey hands down.

[StellaBlue]

36. That guy on Leno

My dad thinks it's * having fun in his ample spare time.

[guajira]

50. That was my Choice too - the guy on Jay Leno! n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

40. What do Americans think of Rory Bremner?

British impressionist. A clip here: http://www.zippyvideos.com/2865311751624826/bremnerbushrice/

He does an excellent Blair (probably better than his Bush).

[SalmonChantedEvening]

43. Jim Ward and "I like toast"

"Gonna put cards on my bicycle spokes ... rat-a-tat-tat"

:rofl:

[Roland99]

44. Will Ferrell hands down! "Is that a puma?" "Get Dick Cheney on the phone!"

And that bit on the SNL DVD where he plays with the antlers.


:rofl:

[Catchawave]

45. That guy on Mad TV....

sorry, don't know my MAD personalities, but caught him one night, and it made me forget Will Ferrell !

[Stand and Fight]

49. Frank Caliendo! n/t

[Catchawave]

51. Yes, he's great !!!!!

[DefenseLawyer]

46. I bet Rich Little is doing a terrible Bush impression

in Reno or Branson or a cruiseship somewhere at this very moment.