‘Saturday Night Live’ elects a new Obama; Jay Pharoah to take over role from Fred Armisen

[trailmonkee]

Source: Washington Post

NEW YORK — “Saturday Night Live” has elected a new Barack Obama: Jay Pharoah will take over the plum role of impersonating the president.

“SNL” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels announced the casting switch in an interview with The New York Times posted Wednesday. Michaels said it was time “to shake it up.”

Veteran cast member Fred Armisen has played Obama since 2008. Pharoah joined the show in 2010, and has since stood out for his impressions of Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy and Will Smith.

Michaels also said that Jason Sudeikis will remain with the show at least until January, and will continue to play Obama’s Republican opponent, Mitt Romney.

The 38th season of “SNL” premieres Saturday with host Seth MacFarlane, creator of “Family Guy,” and musical guest Frank Ocean.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/saturday-night-live-elects-a-new-obama-jay-pharoah-to-take-over-role-from-fred-armisen/2012/09/12/a8c36362-fd51-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html

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best news of the day!! love Armisen's other stuff... but his Obama totally blows...

[alp227]

1. Pharaoh is actually African American, unlike Armisen.

I like Pharaoh in SNL and can't wait to see him as Obama. (Probably also less awkwardness in the dressing room too.)

[JenniferJuniper]

2. Neither is bi-racial though

Not that I'm upset about the switch. I love Fred, but his Obama never did much for me.

[TheDebbieDee]

3. I've never seen Pharoah, but Armisen played a HORRIBLE Obama..............

[JI7]

4. armisen's Obama never felt like Obama

it's too bad they didn't have a good Obama for the 2008 campaign and for his first term.

[mzmolly]

5. Here he is impersonating the President.

&feature=related

[FrenchieCat]

6. He's got the voice down......

but the mannerism and carriage in the video is ridiculously wayyyy off! Hope that he's been working on that,
cause it would seem that SNL could do better after all of this time. Now, it just looks like they are going from one extreme to another.....

[juajen]

7. I don't like him for Obama at all. Where's Obama's dignity and really distinctive look? Perhaps

Obama is going to be one President that no one can imitate; the same for Michelle. Can't see this at all. They would probably do better with empty chairs.

[mzmolly]

9. I'll give him a chance

to improve. I think he has potential.

[mzmolly]

8. I agree.

I hope he's tweaked his impression a bit.

[slampoet]

10. Armisen's entire range of characters make fun of diversity and liberalism.

and he doesn't seem to have anything else. I liked his work before I realized there really wasn't a second half or finish to any of his characters.

Good for Pharoah, and LONG overdue, maybe he will become the second Phil Hartman the show needs.

[booksenkatz]

11. My fav Obama impressionist--->

Iman Crosson. He's got quite a YouTube following and he has begun producing new videos for this election season. I fell in love with this one first:

&list=PL76FA5183DFF3E43D&index=10&feature=plpp_video

then loved this one:

&list=PL76FA5183DFF3E43D&index=6&feature=plpp_video

He had several videos that I'd bookmarked that were not musical -- Obama snaps at the DNC convention (my fav), prepares for a debate, etc., that were terribly funny, but he's now got them marked as private. In those videos, he was so spot-on with Obama's mannerisms, it was great to watch! But the musical stuff is enjoyable, too.

[underpants]

12. Will that make the show funny or watchable?

[maratmuradyan]

13. Spam deleted by Paulie (MIR Team)