- 6 months ago
Saturday Night Live has been roasting celebrities for decades—but how do the stars really feel about it? 😂
In this video, we’re counting down the Top 20 Celeb Reactions to SNL Impressions. From celebs who laughed along to those who got a little offended, these moments show just how hilarious (and sometimes awkward) it can be when stars watch comedians poke fun at them.
Expect reactions from actors, musicians, politicians, and more as they respond to SNL’s legendary cast of impersonators.
👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more celebrity reactions, comedy highlights, and Top 10 entertainment lists!
In this video, we’re counting down the Top 20 Celeb Reactions to SNL Impressions. From celebs who laughed along to those who got a little offended, these moments show just how hilarious (and sometimes awkward) it can be when stars watch comedians poke fun at them.
Expect reactions from actors, musicians, politicians, and more as they respond to SNL’s legendary cast of impersonators.
👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more celebrity reactions, comedy highlights, and Top 10 entertainment lists!
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00:00Send me half your chick, because I'm the half the reason you here.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at real-life celebrities who had something to say
00:08about how they were portrayed on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live.
00:20Number 20. Sarah Sherman as Amy Lou Wood.
00:23Like the ones before it, the third season of HBO's The White Lotus sparked major online reaction,
00:28making it ripe for SNL to jump in with a parody.
00:31Enter The White POTUS, a sketch that reimagines Donald Trump,
00:35his family, and cabinet members as the ones vacationing in Thailand.
00:41You would never let our economy go to pieces. Right, hon?
00:47Despite the clever concept, Sarah Sherman's portrayal of Chelsea, played by actress Amy Lou Wood,
00:52drew backlash for its use of exaggerated prosthetic teeth.
00:55You all right? Looks fine.
00:58The strongest reaction came from Wood herself, who called the impression, quote,
01:10mean and unfunny in an Instagram story. While she clarified that she's not against being parodied,
01:15she had hoped for something, quote, less cheap.
01:18Hey, people like me, right?
01:19Yeah, you're great, Marco. We love ya.
01:21Hey, we're gonna go take a walk over there for a second.
01:26Number 19. Bowen Yang as Fran Leibovitz.
01:29Multi-time Emmy nominee Bowen Yang has earned plenty of praise for his impressions on SNL over the years,
01:35including from pop star Charlie XCX.
01:37Whatever, whatever. Hi, it's me. 365 Party Girl, Charlie XCX.
01:43This is my talk show where we talk, talk about whatever I'm on about.
01:47But not everyone has been a fan.
01:49In a 2021 Weekend Update segment, Yang took aim at iconic author and public speaker Fran Leibovitz with a deadpan parody.
01:56I've been so bored at home. I was about to get married to my cufflinks.
02:01Initially, Leibovitz claimed she had not seen the sketch,
02:04but Fran later insinuated she did by remarking that, quote,
02:07only people who've never been impersonated would find that kind of caricature enjoyable.
02:11And the people who went to these talks, they were children.
02:13They'd ask me, should I be a writer? Should I be a filmmaker?
02:16I say, no, you should be something useful.
02:19Be a piece of melon wrapped in prosciutto.
02:22Ironically, Yang took her icy response as a badge of honor,
02:25calling it the highest praise she could have given him.
02:27In true Leibovitz fashion, her indifference only added to the impression's legacy.
02:32I wear it as a badge of honor that she did not like my portrayal of her.
02:36Number 18, Kate McKinnon as Kellyanne Conway.
02:39From spotlight-hogging cameos to an uproarious It-inspired sewer sketch,
02:44Kate McKinnon transformed Kellyanne Conway into a full-blown political horror comedy icon.
02:49It's me, Kellyanne Conway.
02:52But you can call me Kellyanne.
02:53Yes, Kellyanne is the dancing clown.
02:56Oh, it's Kellyanne.
02:58McKinnon's over-the-top impressions became a recurring SNL highlight
03:02during Donald Trump's first presidential gig.
03:04Conway, however, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017
03:07that McKinnon's frequent parodies were proof that, quote,
03:10the road to the future runs through her and not Hillary Clinton.
03:13She also insisted she was, quote,
03:15much more happy than maybe the character sometimes is.
03:18When it's in good humor, I think it's really funny.
03:20But I noticed once President Trump won the election,
03:23which none of them were expecting, it got a little meaner.
03:27But McKinnon did not back down.
03:29In fact, she leaned in harder,
03:30with each sketch getting more and more unhinged to the audience's delight.
03:34And when they Google just a K,
03:38my name will come up before Kanye.
03:42Kelly and Conway.
03:46Number 17.
03:47Chloe Fineman as Drew Barrymore.
03:49Thank you for allowing me to be on your show.
03:53Drew, this is your show.
03:55Oh my God, thank you.
03:57When Chloe Fineman debuted her breathy,
03:59whimsical impression of Drew Barrymore on SNL,
04:02it was impressively spot on.
04:04Fineman nailed everything from Barrymore's endless stream
04:06of effusive compliments to her ethereal sunshine and roses energy.
04:10I am just like you.
04:13A boho free spirit, mommy, mother, movie star,
04:17since I was sick.
04:18However, the real magic happened when Fineman appeared
04:21on the Drew Barrymore show.
04:23Drew showered her with praise,
04:25proving she could take a joke and laugh right along with it.
04:27I'm really nervous to meet you.
04:29I'm so excited.
04:30I'm such a fan.
04:31I'm your biggest fan.
04:32Are you going to make me cry?
04:33Viewers clearly loved Barrymore's good-natured response
04:36just as much as Fineman's uncanny mimicry.
04:38Heck, the daytime talk show host even bowed to her impersonator.
04:42If that's not the ultimate stamp of approval,
04:44we're not sure what is.
04:46Number 16.
04:47Fred Armisen as David Patterson.
04:49Fred Armisen's portrayal of former New York governor
04:51David Patterson stirred up controversy from the get-go.
04:54The person I select must be prepared to help this state face a grave economic crisis.
04:59And it's bad out there, Seth.
05:01I mean, if you don't believe me, take a look at this graph that I got here.
05:04Now, as you can see...
05:07Playing the then-governor as bumbling and confused,
05:09with heavy reliance on visual gags about his blindness,
05:13Armisen drew backlash from advocacy groups and the public alike.
05:16The governor's communications director, Risa B. Heller, told the New York Times,
05:20quote,
05:21The governor is sure that Saturday Night Live, with all of its talent,
05:24can find a way to be funny without being offensive.
05:27The show responded to the criticism by inviting Patterson to appear,
05:30and surprisingly, he accepted.
05:32In his cameo, Patterson poked fun at the show's writers
05:35and even made self-deprecating jabs at himself.
05:37So it's true that your other senses are heightened?
05:39Oh, absolutely.
05:40For example,
05:41my sense of smell
05:43tells me that there are 15 people in the audience that are from New Jersey.
05:48Number 15.
05:50Kenan Thompson as Neil deGrasse Tyson
05:51Kenan Thompson may have given his impression of Neil deGrasse Tyson a nerdy flair,
05:55but the famed astrophysicist wasn't exactly over the moon about it.
05:59Yeah, this report actually represents the consensus of the vast majority of scientists.
06:03It is an indisputable fact that the Earth is getting warmer.
06:07Warmer?
06:08Tell that to the polar vortex.
06:10Portrayed in a Fox and Friends parody,
06:12Neil deGrasse Tyson felt Thompson's take ultimately fell flat.
06:15He admitted to finding the portrayal underwhelming,
06:17especially considering SNL's track record for nailing other impersonations.
06:21Look, addressing this problem should be a goal that we should all share.
06:25I mean, no one wants to see the extinction of the polar bears.
06:28He wasn't entirely critical, however.
06:31He appreciated the accurate detail of his signature planetary neckties
06:34and saw the impression as a win for science.
06:37Taking it as a sign that scientific voices are entering the cultural mainstream,
06:41he noted this is something he can definitely get behind.
06:43For science is truth indeterminate.
06:46And science allows us to detect when people's philosophies
06:49are interfering with the dissemination of those essential truths.
06:52Number 14.
06:53Tracy Morgan as Bobby Brown
06:55In the mid to late 90s,
06:57Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston were in the thick of their chaotic tabloid-dominating era.
07:02So naturally, SNL took aim.
07:04Oh, hey, Jimmy.
07:05It's Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown.
07:11Hi, Tina.
07:12Hi, Jimmy.
07:13In a memorable Weekend Update segment,
07:15Tracy Morgan and Maya Rudolph portrayed the volatile couple to big laughs from the live audience.
07:20I mean, you've seen our baby, Tina.
07:22Yes, I have.
07:23You have?
07:23Where is she?
07:24Yeah, where you been keeping her at?
07:26Oh, no, I meant I've seen her in the papers.
07:28Oh, of course she's in the papers.
07:30However, Bobby Brown was not laughing.
07:33Years later, in a 2022 interview with Atlanta Blackstar,
07:36Brown called the sketch, quote,
07:38admitting that while he doesn't regret his past,
07:41the parody struck a nerve.
07:43The My Prerogative singer revealed he was deeply offended by how he and Houston were portrayed,
07:47and has always held on to that resentment.
07:49This is what I've gone through in my life,
07:52from day one of my life,
07:55all the way to right now.
07:57He has also publicly cried foul over Aerie Spears' take on him on MADtv.
08:01Number 13.
08:02Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump.
08:05How do you like working at the White House?
08:06Are your parents proud?
08:08I tell them I work at Applebee's.
08:10That's good.
08:12As one of pop culture's most prominent figures,
08:15Donald Trump has been impersonated on SNL countless times over the years.
08:18But few performances got under his skin quite like Alec Baldwin's.
08:22Debuting during the 2016 presidential campaign,
08:25Baldwin's scathing take on Trump carried through much of his presidency,
08:28and even earned him an Emmy for his pursed-lipped efforts.
08:31Hey Donald, that's enough fun for tonight.
08:34Can I have my desk back?
08:35Yes, of course, Mr. President.
08:36I'll go sit at my desk.
08:39Trump, however, was furious.
08:41Frequently lashing out on social media by calling the portrayal, quote,
08:44terrible and claiming it, quote,
08:46just can't get any worse, while seeing the whole thing as a, quote, total hit job.
08:51He's portraying somebody who's very mean and nasty, and I'm not mean and nasty.
08:55I think I'm a much nicer person than he's portraying.
09:01Did we mention Donald's daughter Ivanka was allegedly also unhappy with her complicit portrayal?
09:06Complicit.
09:07The fragrance for the woman who could stop all this, but won't.
09:13Also available in a cologne for Jared.
09:15Number 12.
09:16Kristen Wiig as Kathy Lee Gifford.
09:18Kristen Wiig's Kathy Lee Gifford impression was part Broadway diva,
09:21part boozy brunch aunt, and all potty mouth, and audiences drank it up.
09:26Oh, that's an oldie but a goodie hoe cakes.
09:29Speaking of old goodies, check out these goodie bags right here.
09:31However, Gifford was not very amused by the unhinged portrayal.
09:35You got, I'm sorry.
09:36Yep.
09:37While viewers were at home giggling, the former Today Show host was said to be fuming.
09:42The impression irritated her so much, she delivered the ultimate blow to any comedian,
09:46saying on air that she simply didn't find it funny.
09:49First up on the scoop, and this card just says take a shot of tequila.
09:56Way ahead of you, Hody Hody.
09:57Regardless of her weariness, Wiig's impression remains a true fan favorite,
10:02as it captured Kathy Lee's many quirks and cranked them up to 11.
10:05She has a story, he has a story, Hoda has a story, and Hoda's story is boring.
10:20Number 11.
10:21Gilda Radner as Barbara Walters.
10:23From SNL's very first season, Barbara Walters had the distinction of being spoofed by Gilda Radner,
10:28who famously exaggerated her speech and dubbed the character Baba Wawa.
10:32Dr. Kissinger, you once said that power is the greatest aphrodisiac, what exactly do you mean by this?
10:39But while the sketch became a show staple, Walters wasn't having it.
10:43The journalist disliked the over-the-top speech impediment and feared the parody would overshadow her professional reputation.
10:49You refer to yourself as a gun swinger, sort of a lone wanger of foreign policy.
10:55But everything shifted when she caught her daughter watching the show and was told to, quote, lighten up.
11:00As it turns out, that unexpected moment helped Walters embrace the impression,
11:04and gave her permission to laugh along with the rest of us.
11:07Thank you very much, this is Baba Wawa saying have a pleasant weekend.
11:11Number 10.
11:12Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek.
11:15Once you've been impersonated on SNL, you know you've made it.
11:18Or at least that's how the late Jeopardy host felt.
11:20We've got a real barn burner on our hands.
11:23In the lead, we have Kathie Lee Gifford.
11:26He shared that barely a Jeopardy taping went by without an audience member asking how he felt about Will Ferrell's impression.
11:32Tom Hanks, you managed to give yourself a pretty nasty welts there.
11:37Let's see what you wrote.
11:38He would always reply that he loved it.
11:41In fact, he was such a big fan that he even made a surprise cameo during Ferrell's final show as a series regular.
11:47What a ride it has been, from Burt Reynolds to Minnie Driver.
11:53But boy, oh boy, oh boy, those celebrities did not know the right answer to any of your questions.
12:00Trebek said that the parody was a sign that, quote,
12:02you've arrived, since the writers clearly thought that you were popular enough to be instantly recognizable.
12:08How do you feel about the Saturday Night Live takeoffs of Jeopardy?
12:11I love them.
12:12It means you've arrived.
12:14Still, he admitted that Ferrell was only his second favorite impressionist, the first being Eugene Levy.
12:21Number 9. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.
12:24I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.
12:30And I can see Russia from my house.
12:32Apparently, Tina Fey's Sarah Palin imitation was so good that it helped boost the show's ratings.
12:39Among its many fans was the actual Republican VP Hopeful herself.
12:43And now I'd like to entertain everybody with some fancy pageant walking.
12:51They had the voice and mannerisms down, and their physical likeness was almost uncanny.
12:57So much so that apparently Palin once dressed as Fey for Halloween.
13:01Why couldn't we have done the 30 Rock sketch that I wrote?
13:03Honestly, not enough people know that show.
13:05The conservative politician enjoyed Fey's performance for the most part, making a cameo alongside her once.
13:12She even joked that she was keeping Fey, quote, in business.
13:16However, the same could not be said for Fey, as reports later claimed that her Emmy-winning takeoff may have actually hurt John McClane's presidential campaign.
13:24Oh, you know, that was just my lame attempt at a joke, but, um, yes, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, California.
13:35Number 8. Vanessa Bayer as Miley Cyrus.
13:38Vanessa Bayer has had the joy of playing Miley Cyrus in front of Miley Cyrus twice.
13:44Oh. My. God. Who are you?
13:47What do you mean? I'm old you.
13:48And from what she shared, the singer has always been a great sport about it.
13:53So this is just, like, my show where I, like, talk to people who are pretty cool and we'll, like, talk about things that they got pretty cool and, yeah, it's pretty cool.
14:00Bayer told Conan that once she even advised the singer on how to nail a great Miley Cyrus impersonation.
14:07Move your mouth a lot.
14:07I think it's move your mouth a lot, um, southern accent and just kind of, like, go for it.
14:13Cyrus also played Justin Bieber on Bayer's recurring sketch, The Miley Cyrus Show.
14:18Now, it's one thing to perform in front of the person you're impersonating and have them love it.
14:23It's a whole other story when you have to do it in front of their mom as well.
14:27Luckily, Mama Cyrus loved it too.
14:29How do you like the show so far, Justin?
14:32It's okay.
14:33Would you say it's pretty cool?
14:36No, actually, I wouldn't say that.
14:38Number 7. Chloe Fineman as Carole Baskin.
14:41This big cat activist did not think that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery.
14:46Hail, you cool cats and kittens. Come bike with me.
14:50In fact, her response was incredibly catty.
14:53In an appearance on Dennis Quaid's podcast, The Pet Show, she said, quote,
14:57I could just slap that woman. Meow.
15:00I could just slap that woman.
15:02She also didn't appreciate that people had started to request that she imitate Chloe's impression either.
15:08And people wanted me to talk like that on the cameos.
15:11And I'm like, I had no idea how to talk like that.
15:14Luckily, her send-up did find fans in other celebs, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Mandy Moore, Emma Roberts, and more.
15:21Riding my bike on the big kitty lake around the kitty cat preserve, and I didn't kill my husband.
15:26Number 6. Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey.
15:29The Family Feud host had a generally good-spirited response to Kenan's take on him.
15:33You got your daytime show, then you got your radio show, then you got your book signing at Red Lobster.
15:38Woo! Yeah, you like it when I'm busy. Big daddy getting that money.
15:43However, he made sure to instill a little fear into the comedian, too, to ensure that he stays in line.
15:49While he believes there's some room for improvement, he generally finds Thompson quite funny.
15:53How do you think his impersonation is, by the way?
15:55I want to kick his ass, but it's pretty funny, though.
15:58The duo has known each other for quite a long time, and Thompson even played a recurring character on the Steve Harvey show in the 90s.
16:05Ain't no horse gonna steal my ring, Steve.
16:06Oh, come on now, player. It's just a stuff-
16:09Hold on.
16:12Wait, wait, I think I just saw that thing move.
16:14So he's definitely had plenty of time to nail his characteristics and quirks.
16:18Overall, there's no bad blood here, and Harvey has definitely taken it all in good humor.
16:23We all know that Kenan's career is alive and well because of me. His impression of me.
16:29Number 5. Larry David as Bernie Sanders
16:32Keeping it in the family, it seems like these distant cousins inherited a similar sense of humor from their shared ancestors.
16:39You coughed into your hand.
16:41I didn't shake it after I coughed.
16:42No, I didn't. Shake my hand.
16:44Oh, no.
16:45You specifically coughed into your hand. I saw it.
16:47The senator was fond of David's takeoff, even joking that he should appear at his next rally.
16:51In terms of Larry David, I think we're gonna put him up on the stage at our next rally. Let him do it, rather than me.
16:57He does it better than I do, so.
16:59Of course, it was brought up on many occasions throughout his campaign trail,
17:03and the presidential hopeful was happy enough to play along.
17:05Are you doing your Larry David right now?
17:07This is scoop.
17:08I am Larry David.
17:10We've seen him exchange banter with the comedian on the Today Show,
17:14as well as display his own Larry David imitation, too.
17:17David was worried about Sanders becoming president,
17:21because he wasn't sure he wanted to keep up the gig for four years.
17:24It'll be great for the country, and terrible for me.
17:27I'm getting you a good job for four years, and you're complaining.
17:30Number 4. Kate McKinnon as Ellen DeGeneres
17:33Kate McKinnon is the queen of impressions, and an SNL treasure.
17:38Among her very impressive arsenal of characters is a hilariously spot-on,
17:43if, at times, over-exaggerated impersonation of the talk show host.
17:48When I was there, I saw a great Dane.
17:50I also saw a so-so Dane.
17:53I'm just kidding. They were both great. I'm Ellen.
17:55Kate shared with Ellen that she studied her 2003 stand-up show,
17:58Ellen DeGeneres, here and now, to perfect the character.
18:01And, well, she certainly did her homework.
18:03Got some copies of my book.
18:06It comes in a little teeny tiny one.
18:09Teeny tiny book.
18:10Like a little baby goat.
18:12Considering that Ellen has invited her to do the impression on her talk show,
18:16on multiple occasions, no less, we think it's fair to assume that she's a fan.
18:19And it's the way that you say, are, that really sunk in.
18:24Some people say, are, but you say, are.
18:26In fact, she responded with, quote,
18:28I didn't like it. I'm just kidding. I'm Ellen.
18:31I'm vegan. I'm just kidding. I'm Ellen.
18:34Number 3. Kate McKinnon as Ruth Bader Ginsburg
18:37Another unforgettable impression from Kate McKinnon was that of larger-than-life
18:42and highly accomplished Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
18:45The roof! The roof! The roof is on fire!
18:49In the 2018 biographical documentary, RBG,
18:52Ginsburg said that McKinnon was, quote,
18:54Marvelously funny, even if the impression didn't resemble her, quote,
18:58Not one bit.
18:59Her name, RBG, and she born in BK,
19:03running the Supreme Court, killing this is 33.
19:06Later, at the Sundance Film Festival,
19:08she complimented Kate again, saying, quote,
19:11I liked the actress who portrayed me,
19:13and revealed that she occasionally enjoyed saying
19:15Ginsburned to her colleagues.
19:17And I would like to say Ginsburned sometimes to my colleagues.
19:25The pair even had a chance meeting
19:27while watching a production of Fiddler on the Roof.
19:30When she sadly passed away in 2020,
19:32Kate and SNL gave RBG a fitting and incredibly touching send-off.
19:37Number 2. Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci
19:40How many people get to choose who plays them on SNL?
19:43Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt. Which one?
19:46Oh, Brad Pitt, of course.
19:49Well, when Dr. Fauci joked that he'd like to see
19:51one of his favorite actors, Brad Pitt, in the role,
19:54SNL and the actor were only too willing to oblige.
19:57They're going to have vaccines, I think, relatively soon.
20:00Relatively soon is an interesting phrase.
20:04Relative to the entire history of Earth, sure.
20:06So did Pitt live up to Fauci's expectations?
20:09Yes, it seems so.
20:10I don't know if I would describe the test as beautiful,
20:14unless your idea of beauty is having a cotton swab tickle your brain.
20:18He called it, quote, surrealistic, but overall seemed quite happy, saying, quote,
20:23I think he did great.
20:24He especially liked how he broke character to thank everyone
20:28who'd been working tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
20:31He took off his hair and thanked me and all the healthcare workers.
20:36So not only is he a really great actor, but he is actually a very classy person.
20:42Fauci's dream casting earned Pitt an Emmy nomination.
20:45But don't worry, he won't let that go to his head.
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21:01Number 1. Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush
21:07Dana Carvey certainly had an impeccable talent
21:10for capturing this president's unique qualities.
21:13Expenditures have continued to grow up here, right there.
21:17Those are expenditures right in that area.
21:20Revenues remain flat right down here.
21:23In fact, it remains one of the best SNL political satires of all time.
21:27And it seems like his number one fan might have been the man himself.
21:31Now to get the nomination, you successfully cozied up to the religious, right?
21:35Got cozy over there. I saw you.
21:38After losing the election in 1992,
21:41President Bush invited the comedian to help raise staff morale over Christmas.
21:44To start out with Mr. Rogers, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
21:49Then you add a little John Wayne.
21:51Here we go, let's go over the ridge.
21:52You put them together, you got George Herbert Walker Bush.
21:56He told his staffers just how much Dana Carvey had made him laugh over the years.
21:59He said, I hope I've never crossed the line.
22:02And I knew exactly what he meant.
22:04And as far as I'm concerned, he never has.
22:07And the fact that we can laugh at each other is a very fundamental thing.
22:11This also marked the beginning of their friendship,
22:14which continued up until Bush's death in 2018.
22:17It just goes to show how impactful a good sense of humor can be.
22:21Which celebrity reaction to their SNL impression surprised you the most?
22:24Let us know in the comments below.
22:26Would you ever go back to SNL?
22:27I heard rumors that you might go back.
22:28They want me to go back.
22:29No, I'm not interested in going back.
22:32No, I'd just like to have it.
22:33You know, look, I can speak my mind and I say it.
22:35I think they're making me out to be a very mean, bad kind of a guy.
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