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From political powerhouses to pop icons, some of the most famous figures have taken “Saturday Night Live” impressions in stride — even loving the hilarious caricatures of themselves. Join us as we highlight unforgettable moments where celebrities and politicians alike showed major appreciation for the talented cast members who made them laugh, admire, and occasionally, embrace their TV doppelgängers.
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00:00I don't want to drink the coffee. I don't. Two percent. What's two percent?
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:05And today, we're counting down our picks for the public figures
00:07who took their Saturday Night Live skewering in good humor.
00:11I don't really laugh like that, do I?
00:13I don't know. A little bit.
00:17Number 30. Miley Cyrus as Michelle Bachman.
00:21At the height of her bangers era, Miley hosted SNL,
00:24delivering one of the season's more memorable political parodies.
00:27If you're not ready for health care, can I get a hell note?
00:33Because we're going to keep it shut down, DC is a close town, all right.
00:38The sketch was a high-energy parody of her own We Can't Stop music video,
00:42timed during the U.S. government shutdown occurring at the time.
00:45Cyrus as Bachman apparently fooled a few viewers,
00:48who reportedly called the congresswoman's office in the aftermath.
00:51And we desire, the government, and we desire, shut that down.
00:57Can't you see it's where you are the right?
01:00Can't you see it's where you are the right?
01:03Bachman herself proved she could take a joke,
01:05admitting she found the whole thing harmless fun,
01:08though you will not find her twerking under any circumstances.
01:11Plus, then 57, she didn't exactly hate being mistaken for someone in their 20s either.
01:17I don't know if you noticed on your program right now,
01:20Miley Cyrus was supposed to be up here speaking,
01:24and they made me the substitute, so I hope that's okay for you.
01:28Number 29, Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey.
01:32It's a classic hate-to-love situation.
01:34And then you marry her, and now y'all both here together.
01:38Oh, damn!
01:41The heart wants what it wants, Steve.
01:43That ain't the heart, player.
01:44At first, Harvey wasn't exactly thrilled to see his signature mustache
01:48and booming voice lampooned on national TV,
01:51but over time, he embraced the parody as a rite of passage.
01:54These days, Harvey seems to be a fan of the bit,
01:57even inviting Kenan onto his own talk shows
02:00and riffing on their faux rivalry with tongue firmly in cheek.
02:03He did that on the show?
02:04Yeah.
02:05I ought to knock your ass out.
02:08Faux bias.
02:09Damn sure what I would say, though.
02:11He's even joked that Kenan owes him a cut of his paycheck
02:14for keeping his career, quote, alive and well.
02:16Their history actually stretches back to the Steve Harvey show in the 90s,
02:20so any on-screen beef is almost entirely performative.
02:24Well, once again, Hillary getting that Hollywood money.
02:27We're gonna go to commercial,
02:29during which time I stay in my shoes and I don't talk to nobody.
02:33Number 28, Bill Hader as Keith Morrison.
02:36Morrison has been famously good-natured
02:38and even flattered by Hader's impression of him.
02:40And I saw something floating on the surface.
02:43Ah.
02:45Was it Wilson the volleyball?
02:47No, it was an arm.
02:49Ah.
02:51Even if it tends to emphasize dramatic pauses
02:53and an oddly enthusiastic fascination with the macabre details of true crime,
02:58still, no matter how ridiculous it gets,
03:01Morrison has remained a good sport about it.
03:03He admits he was a little bit startled the first time he saw Hader play him,
03:06but quickly recognized it as the ultimate compliment.
03:09It does a wonderful thing, actually, for a person's sense of him or herself.
03:14I think so, too.
03:15It's a, you know, it's an amazing thing.
03:17It feels you, makes you feel good.
03:19The two finally met in 2019,
03:22when Morrison surprised Hader in a recording booth.
03:24And the mutual admiration was sweet.
03:26Hader, a self-confessed superfan, was visibly starstruck,
03:30while Morrison seemed delighted to meet the man behind the send-up.
03:33What have you thought about Bill's impersonation over the years?
03:36As I said, it probably extended my career.
03:39Number 27.
03:40Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.
03:42When it comes to SNL parodies,
03:44few have left a mark quite like Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.
03:47I believe global warming is caused by man,
03:50and I believe it's just God hugging us closer.
03:57I don't agree with the Bush Doctrine.
04:00I don't know what that means.
04:02Publicly, Palin played along,
04:04famously saying that even with the sound off,
04:06Fey's look was, quote, spot on.
04:08She even reportedly dressed up as Fey for Halloween once,
04:11and made a memorable cameo on the show,
04:14gamely poking fun at herself.
04:15She goes against everything we stand for.
04:18I mean, good Lord, Lorne.
04:20They call her, what's that name?
04:21They call her Kara, Kara.
04:23What do they call her again, Tina?
04:24Oh, that'd be Caribou Barbie.
04:26Caribou Barbie.
04:27Thank you, Tina.
04:28The then-governor even joked that some of her real-world gaps
04:31were practically gifts to the writers.
04:33Still, in the years since,
04:35she's reflected on how Fey's razor-sharp impression
04:38may have shaped public perception of her,
04:40and perhaps even skewed her political fortunes
04:42in what has been coined the Fey effect.
04:44One in five jobs being created today
04:47under the umbrella of job creation,
04:49that, you know, also...
04:54Number 26.
04:55Chloe Fineman as Jennifer Coolidge.
04:58Fineman has quickly become SNL's resident chameleon,
05:01and her Jennifer Coolidge impression
05:02is a bona fide showstopper.
05:04Oh, look at this.
05:05A big sock full of gifts.
05:08You know, the ultimate stocking stuffer
05:11is a foot.
05:13In 2022,
05:15Feynman delivered a pitch-perfect
05:16Jennifer Coolidge is impressed by Christmas stuff sketch,
05:19capturing every quirky nuance of the beloved actress.
05:22Oh, that's really good.
05:25Did you write this song?
05:28Did I write Jingle Bells?
05:31Yeah.
05:31Coolidge herself was so delighted
05:33that she shared the sketch on her own social media,
05:36showering Feynman with praise and sealing her approval.
05:38That, of course,
05:39wasn't the only time Feynman impersonated the White Lotus actress.
05:43By that point,
05:44Feynman,
05:44and even her scene partner Ariana Grande,
05:47had clearly earned Coolidge's blessing.
05:49Although we have yet to hear
05:50what she made of Dana Carvey's impression.
05:52Hey, maybe we need more
05:54long-wear liquid lip color,
05:56long-lasting mouth magic.
05:58Yeah.
05:59Yeah.
06:00Yeah.
06:01Number 25.
06:02Anna Gasteyer as Celine Dion.
06:04When Celine Dion invites you to parody her
06:06in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden,
06:09you know you've made it.
06:10Don't be jealous of me.
06:12I wasn't always this lucky.
06:14I was born in Quebec.
06:17I come from a family of 36 kids.
06:20Anna Gasteyer's impression of the pop diva
06:23was so beloved
06:23that Dion herself brought her on stage,
06:26turning this playful bit
06:27into a full-blown concert spectacle.
06:30And Dion was clearly loving every moment.
06:32For SNL's 50th anniversary,
06:34Dion shared a throwback photo with Gasteyer,
06:37calling the impression spot-on
06:38and saying she was genuinely touched.
06:41My life is much better
06:42than I ever imagined it would be.
06:44For sure better than yours anyway, eh?
06:47But don't be jealous of me.
06:49Gasteyer's knack for capturing icons
06:51didn't stop there.
06:52Her Martha Stewart send-up
06:54also earned rave reviews
06:55from Stewart herself,
06:56who responded with plenty of good humor
06:58and, of course, chutzpah.
07:00Well, Anna Gasteyer once said
07:02that you send her a thank-you note via email.
07:05But that's a baseless lie.
07:06Oh, it is?
07:08Terrible, terrible.
07:09You would never send an email thank-you note.
07:11You would only do it handwritten, usually.
07:14Number 24.
07:15Chris Farley is Newt Gingrich.
07:17Newt Gingrich famously loved
07:19Chris Farley's impersonation of him.
07:21Those fellas are looking good.
07:22A bunch of good guys out there.
07:24You think they're good?
07:25I mean, bad.
07:26Those guys suck.
07:27A bunch of idiots.
07:28While some politicians bristle
07:30at their late-night caricatures,
07:32Gingrich embraced Farley's wild energy
07:34as a sign he truly arrived
07:36in the pop culture zeitgeist.
07:37The bromance peaked in 1995,
07:40when Farley crashed
07:41a House Republican conference meeting,
07:43sending the room and Gingrich
07:45into fits of laughter.
07:46I have three points to make here today,
07:49or five points.
07:52First, I want to thank ESPN2
07:53for carrying my speech.
07:55Gingrich later called the impression
07:58quote, revealing,
07:59but always spoke of Farley's work
08:01with admiration.
08:02After Farley's untimely passing,
08:04Gingrich paid tribute
08:05to the comic's legacy,
08:06reminding everyone just how much joy
08:08and irreverence Farley brought
08:10to Congress and beyond.
08:11And finally, most important of all,
08:13I promise to go see Tommy Boy,
08:14new hit movie starring Chris Farley.
08:17Number 23.
08:18Sherry Oteri as Judge Judy.
08:20When Judge Judy Scheindlin showed up,
08:22she didn't just pop in
08:23for a cute cameo in Call It A Day.
08:25Get your bony ass out of my chair.
08:28Get up.
08:29Watch and listen.
08:31Judge Judy's ready to rule.
08:33She committed.
08:35Fully.
08:36She stayed in full Judge Judy mode,
08:38coolly shutting down
08:39Sherry Oteri's impression
08:40like she was presiding
08:41over her own courtroom.
08:43That dry, no-nonsense delivery
08:45made it feel like Oteri
08:46was about to get fined
08:47for contempt of court mid-sketch.
08:49Listen, don't pee on my leg
08:51and tell me it's raining.
08:56Court rules in favor of the plaintiff.
08:58Now, Sherry,
08:59let's go talk about those eyebrows.
09:01However, the reality
09:02couldn't be further from it.
09:03In truth, Oteri revealed
09:05that Scheindlin actually reached out
09:06to her team to give them
09:07her verdict on the impression.
09:09And let's just say
09:10it most definitely swung in her favor.
09:12Judge Judy.
09:13Judge Judy confronted you.
09:16Yeah, she called my manager
09:17and said, you tell Sherry,
09:18your client,
09:19she's almost got me.
09:20Number 22.
09:21Jimmy Fallon as Barry Gibb.
09:23Gibb has been a remarkably good sport
09:25about Jimmy Fallon's
09:26over-the-top impression of him,
09:28proving he's got a sense of humor
09:29as legendary as his falsetto.
09:31I grew up on the streets of Sydney.
09:34And no matter where I am,
09:35in the city,
09:36like many others,
09:37he's acknowledged how, quote,
09:38bizarre it feels to be parodied,
09:40but sees it as, quote,
09:42all in good fun,
09:43adding, quote,
09:44at this time of my life,
09:45I love laughing at myself,
09:46so I don't have an issue over it.
09:48Don't you talk to me like that!
09:50Do I look like Bill Maher to you?
09:52I am from the streets
09:53of Queensland, Australia.
09:54I once gave a kangaroo a heart attack
09:56just by staring at it.
09:57And just in case anyone wasn't convinced,
10:00he even made a surprise cameo
10:02in a sketch,
10:03sealing his approval with a wink.
10:05Gibb summed it up best
10:06when he said, quote,
10:07If you can't laugh at yourself,
10:09something's wrong with you.
10:16Number 21.
10:18Norm Macdonald as Bob Dole
10:19Bob Dole's rapport with Norm Macdonald
10:21was one of SNL's
10:22most unexpected delights.
10:24In order to give the American people
10:25the kind of presidential campaign
10:27they deserve,
10:28I can't do it like Bill Clinton
10:30as just a man.
10:31That's why I intend to undergo
10:33a series of medical procedures.
10:35Despite Macdonald's relentless ribbing,
10:37especially his running gag
10:38about Dole's third-person speech,
10:40Dole was a genuine fan.
10:42He even made a memorable appearance
10:44in 1996,
10:45just weeks after his presidential run,
10:48gamely confronting Macdonald
10:49in a cold open.
10:50You're really doing an impression
10:51of Dan Aykroyd
10:52when he does an impression of me.
10:54You know it,
10:55and I know it,
10:56and the American people know it.
10:57Macdonald, for his part,
10:59joked that Dole's continued
11:00political career
11:01gave him plenty of material.
11:02When Macdonald passed away,
11:04Dole was quick to pay tribute,
11:06a testament to the mutual respect
11:07between the two.
11:08Larry King,
11:09another Macdonald target,
11:11took it all in stride too,
11:12proving that the best impressions
11:14are all about good humor
11:15and good sport.
11:17World Series prediction,
11:19it will be the Diamondbacks in four.
11:22The more I think about it,
11:24the more I appreciate the equator.
11:28Number 20,
11:29Chloe Fineman as Alex Cooper.
11:31In October 2024,
11:33SNL nailed the chaos
11:34of doom-scrolling on TikTok
11:35with a sketch that parodied
11:37viral dance trends
11:38and popular creators.
11:39One of the highlights
11:40was Chloe Fineman's impression
11:42of Call Her Daddy host,
11:43Alex Cooper.
11:44In the bit,
11:45Fineman dons a green hoodie
11:46on a couch
11:47and playfully introduces
11:48her next guest
11:49in true Cooper fashion.
11:50What is up,
11:51Daddy Gang?
11:52It is your founding father.
11:53Today's topic is
11:55when to put a finger in.
11:56Our guest today
11:57is Secretary of Homeland Security,
11:59Alejandro Mayorkas.
12:01Cooper certainly found this amusing,
12:03as she responded
12:04by posting a perfect lip-sync
12:06of Fineman's impression,
12:07tagging her in the caption
12:08with the words,
12:09I love you.
12:10What is up, Daddy Gang?
12:11It is your founding father.
12:13Today's topic is
12:14when to put a finger in.
12:16Our guest today
12:16is Secretary of Homeland Security,
12:19Alejandro Mayorkas.
12:20Fineman responded in kind,
12:22calling Cooper an icon
12:23in the comments.
12:24Cooper wasn't the only one
12:25thrilled by the sketch.
12:27TikTokers Harry Daniels
12:28and Keith Lee also gave
12:29their impressions a thumbs up.
12:31All right.
12:32Fair and square.
12:33You got it.
12:34You win.
12:35Hands up.
12:36You got it.
12:37Number 19,
12:39Scarlett Johansson
12:40as Katie Britt.
12:41Alabama Senator Katie Britt
12:43gave the Republican response
12:44to President Joe Biden's
12:452024 State of the Union address,
12:47and it left everyone
12:49weirdly creeped out.
12:50President Biden's border policies
12:53are a disgrace.
12:56This crisis is despicable.
12:59And the truth is,
13:00it is almost entirely preventable.
13:03Britt's dramatic,
13:04almost theatrical delivery
13:06was practically begging
13:07to be spoofed.
13:08And SNL wasted no time.
13:10They brought in none other
13:11than Oscar-nominated actor
13:13Scarlett Johansson,
13:14who took Britt's intensity
13:15and dialed it up to 11.
13:17You see,
13:18I'm not just a senator.
13:20I'm a wife,
13:21a mother,
13:22and the craziest bitch
13:24in the Target parking lot.
13:27Strangely enough,
13:28Britt loved it.
13:29When she appeared on Verdict,
13:31the podcast hosted by
13:32fellow Republican Senator Ted Cruz,
13:34she said she fully expected
13:36to be parodied on SNL,
13:37but had no idea who'd play her.
13:39However,
13:40she was pretty pumped
13:41to learn that Johansson
13:42would be doing the job,
13:43and ended up actually
13:44enjoying the impression.
13:46We're inside your kitchen
13:48right now.
13:49looking through
13:50your fridge.
13:52And what's that
13:53on the top shelf?
13:55Migrants.
13:57Number 18.
13:59Mikey Day as Sean Evans.
14:01The wildly popular
14:02YouTube interview series
14:03Hot Ones
14:04got the full SNL treatment
14:05in 2021 and 2024,
14:08both during episodes
14:09hosted by Maya Rudolph.
14:10Beyoncé about to do
14:12something very human,
14:13so I need you to blur my face
14:16in 3, 2, 1.
14:21Although Rudolph's
14:22Beyoncé was the star
14:23of the sketches,
14:24the real-life Hot Ones
14:26host Sean Evans
14:26was still very impressed
14:28with cast member
14:28Mikey Day's spot-on
14:30impersonation of him.
14:31Yeah, this one's
14:32one of my faves.
14:33So, I wanted to talk
14:35a little about the song
14:36Ya Ya.
14:38Beyoncé?
14:42In a chat with
14:43Today hosts Hoda Kotb
14:44and Jenna Bush Hager,
14:46Evans was asked about
14:47Day's impression
14:47and admitted to
14:48loving it.
14:49This is Mikey Day.
14:50Did he get it right?
14:51I think he does.
14:52I love his impression.
14:53And shout out to Maya,
14:55who's now done
14:55Hot Ones,
14:56fake Hot Ones,
14:57not once,
14:57not twice,
14:58but three times.
14:59But for him,
15:00the most impressive
15:01part of the sketch
15:01was the fact that
15:02someone in the show's
15:03costume department
15:04had to hunt down
15:05a perfectly average outfit
15:06just to make Day
15:07look believably like him.
15:09That alone
15:09had him completely sold.
15:11How do you choose
15:12which roles
15:13are worth
15:14taking a break from?
15:16And,
15:17uh,
15:17DeRafael?
15:18Look into the light, please.
15:22Number 17.
15:23Cecily Strong
15:24as Gretchen Whitmer.
15:25Might surprise you
15:26to be hearing from me
15:27some smoke show
15:28Midwestern governor
15:30nobody heard about
15:31till a couple weeks ago.
15:32But governors are
15:34kind of having a moment
15:35right now.
15:35The COVID-19 pandemic
15:36turned a few low-profile
15:38governors into
15:39national household names,
15:40none more so
15:41than Michigan's
15:42Gretchen Whitmer.
15:43In this SNL
15:44at home sketch,
15:45Cecily Strong
15:46played Whitmer
15:47delivering a video message
15:48to the people of Michigan
15:49from her backyard.
15:50Strong perfectly
15:51captured Whitmer's blend
15:53of firm resolve
15:53and Midwestern warmth,
15:55even offering
15:56some social
15:56distancing tips
15:57for the protesters
15:58opposing her
15:59stay-at-home orders.
16:00That means
16:00six feet apart
16:02at all times.
16:03So if the tip
16:04of your AK-47
16:05can touch the tip
16:06of your buddy's AK,
16:08back up!
16:09Whitmer appreciated
16:10the impression.
16:11Well,
16:12almost.
16:12In a later interview,
16:14she called out
16:15the fact that Strong
16:15was holding
16:16a Canadian beer
16:17and clarified
16:18that her loyalty
16:19lies with Michigan
16:20brews only.
16:21Regardless,
16:22she was delighted
16:23enough to send
16:23Strong a homemade
16:24care package,
16:25including mugs,
16:26a t-shirt,
16:27and, of course,
16:28plenty of Michigan beer.
16:30But my sole priority
16:31is my home state
16:33because we're not
16:34out of the woods.
16:35We never will be.
16:36We live in Michigan.
16:38Number 16,
16:39Brad Pitt
16:40as Dr. Anthony Fauci.
16:42Speaking of people
16:43who became national
16:43household names
16:44during the pandemic,
16:45Dr. Anthony Fauci
16:46sits comfortably
16:47at the top of that list.
16:49When asked who
16:50he'd want to play him
16:51on SNL,
16:52Fauci jokingly said,
16:53Brad Pitt.
16:54That might have
16:55seemed like a long shot,
16:56but lo and behold,
16:57Pitt made a guest appearance
16:58in the first
16:59SNL at Home episode,
17:01parodying Fauci's
17:02deadpan style
17:02with uncanny precision.
17:04It's like a miracle.
17:05It will disappear.
17:06A miracle would be great.
17:07Who doesn't love miracles?
17:08But miracles
17:09shouldn't be plan A.
17:11Even Soli tried
17:12to land at the airport first.
17:14Fauci was just as surprised
17:15as the rest of us
17:16that his joke wish
17:17came true,
17:18but he loved the impression,
17:20especially how Pitt
17:21captured the sheer chaos
17:22of the moment.
17:23I think he did great.
17:24I mean,
17:24I'm a great fan
17:25of Brad Pitt
17:26and that's the reason
17:27why when people
17:29asked me
17:29who I would like
17:30to play me,
17:31I mentioned Brad Pitt
17:32because he's one
17:33of my favorite actors.
17:34I think he did
17:35a great job.
17:36But what truly
17:37won Fauci over
17:37was the end of the sketch,
17:39when Pitt broke character
17:40to thank Fauci himself
17:41and all frontline workers.
17:43To the real Dr. Fauci,
17:46thank you for your calm
17:47and your clarity
17:48in this unnerving time.
17:50And thank you
17:51to the medical workers,
17:52first responders
17:52and their families
17:54for being on the front line.
17:55Number 15,
17:57Will Ferrell
17:57as James Lipton.
17:59In 1982,
18:00a film was produced,
18:02a film that made
18:03not a little amount
18:04of money,
18:05but in fact
18:06a great deal of money.
18:07Will Ferrell
18:08delivered several
18:09great impressions
18:10during his legendary
18:11SNL run,
18:12but his take
18:12on James Lipton
18:13remains one
18:14of the most underrated.
18:15As the ultra-serious host
18:17of Inside the Actor's Studio,
18:19Lipton was right
18:20for parody,
18:21and Ferrell played him
18:22with such absurdity
18:23that it made people
18:24want to go see
18:24the actual show.
18:26If you haven't seen
18:27the scene
18:27where Drew screams
18:28at the E.T.,
18:29go right now
18:30to a place
18:31where videotapes of film
18:32are sold or rented
18:33and buy it
18:34or rent it
18:36and watch it.
18:39Rather than take offense,
18:41Lipton greatly appreciated
18:42Ferrell for boosting
18:43his popularity
18:44and even invited him
18:45to Inside the Actor's Studio.
18:47In a surreal
18:48full-circle moment,
18:49Ferrell once again
18:50put on the impression
18:51of Lipton
18:51to interview
18:52the real-life Lipton.
18:53I love it.
18:54I love it.
18:55It's very flattering.
18:56And besides,
18:57he came on my show
18:58and did it.
18:58He interviewed me
18:59as me.
19:00I was in one of his movies,
19:01Bewitched,
19:02at his request.
19:03We're good friends.
19:04And I think
19:06he's got me cold.
19:07The recurring SNL sketch
19:09ultimately sparked
19:10a genuine friendship
19:11between Lipton and Ferrell,
19:12one that lasted
19:13until Lipton passed away
19:14in 2020.
19:16Number 14.
19:17Vanessa Bayer
19:18as Miley Cyrus.
19:19Hello!
19:20It's Miley, y'all!
19:21So this is like
19:22my new show
19:23where I'm like
19:23sexy and adult now
19:25and I'll like
19:25talk to people
19:26who are pretty cool
19:26and we'll like
19:27talk about things
19:28I think are pretty cool
19:29and yeah,
19:29it's pretty cool!
19:30Part of the reason
19:31why Vanessa Bayer
19:32actually got the job
19:33at SNL
19:34was the Miley Cyrus
19:35impression she delivered
19:36at her audition.
19:36It was so good
19:38that an entire
19:39recurring sketch
19:40The Miley Cyrus Show
19:41was created around it.
19:42You may have heard
19:43some rumors
19:44that my boyfriend
19:45Liam and I
19:45already got married
19:46in a secret wedding
19:47which I cannot confirm
19:49or deny
19:49but did you want
19:50to see a clip?
19:51Oh my god,
19:52that'd be amazing!
19:53But it wasn't just
19:54the show's producers
19:55that loved the impression.
19:56Miley Cyrus herself
19:57was totally sold on it.
19:59She once ran into Bayer
20:01in public
20:01and told her
20:02she thought
20:02the impression was cool.
20:03When Cyrus made
20:04her SNL hosting debut
20:06in 2011,
20:06the show seized
20:07the golden opportunity
20:09to create the perfect
20:10meta-moment
20:10by putting the two
20:11side-by-side.
20:12They had Bayer
20:13play Cyrus
20:14interviewing Justin Bieber
20:15who was played
20:16by the actual
20:17Miley Cyrus.
20:18Now Justin,
20:19I knew you were
20:20going to be a big star
20:21ever since we met
20:22way back in 2006.
20:24We actually have a picture
20:26from that day.
20:26Can we show it?
20:30number 13.
20:32Various cast members
20:33as the co-hosts
20:34of The View.
20:35No, no, no, no.
20:36This is The View.
20:37I'm Whoopi Goldberg
20:39and I'm as surprised
20:40as you that this
20:41is a show
20:41is a fit for me.
20:44There was once
20:45a time when nearly
20:46every co-host
20:47on The View
20:47was portrayed
20:48by a man on SNL.
20:50Thankfully,
20:50things have since changed
20:51and no one's more
20:52thrilled to be played
20:53by women
20:54than the actual
20:54ladies of The View.
20:55In 2019,
20:57SNL poked fun
20:58at the show's
20:58famously fiery debates
20:59with a sketch
21:00about immigration
21:01and vaccines.
21:02This is the problem.
21:04You're demonizing
21:04entire countries
21:05full of nice people.
21:06Okay, I did not say that.
21:08What can you let me finish?
21:09What can you let me talk?
21:10What can you let me finish?
21:11What can you let me talk?
21:12Because it's actually
21:12your job to listen to me.
21:15It aired while The View
21:17was on hiatus
21:18and when the show returned,
21:20the hosts couldn't resist
21:21sharing the clip
21:22with their audience.
21:23They were not only relieved
21:24to see themselves
21:24played by women,
21:26but also genuinely impressed
21:27by the spot-on impressions
21:28and how well the sketch
21:30captured their
21:30clashing perspectives.
21:32They got it right
21:33in that we are all
21:34so incredibly different
21:35and you come out
21:36here every day
21:36and we disagree
21:37on almost everything.
21:39And so what we do
21:40every day,
21:41I get why they make fun of us.
21:43Well, everyone
21:43except Sonny Hostin,
21:44who was curiously left out.
21:46Number 12,
21:47Kate McKinnon
21:48as Ellen DeGeneres.
21:49Kate McKinnon debuted
21:50on SNL with a bang.
21:52Right out of the gate,
21:53she unleashed a series
21:55of impressions
21:55that would go on
21:56to become legendary,
21:57most notably one
21:58of Ellen DeGeneres.
22:00It's time for a commercial
22:01break now.
22:02When we come back,
22:03Johnny's gonna give me
22:04an Oscar makeover
22:05where he puts me
22:06in a gown and heels
22:07and it's gonna look
22:08real weird.
22:08From the relentless optimism
22:10to the non-stop dancing,
22:12McKinnon nailed DeGeneres
22:13so perfectly
22:14that the talk show host
22:15had to take notice.
22:16And she was all in
22:17on the joke.
22:18She even invited McKinnon
22:20onto the Ellen DeGeneres
22:21show in 2013,
22:22where the SNL star
22:23talked about how she
22:24perfected the impression
22:25over time.
22:26I've since memorized it,
22:28so I went back
22:28and I watched it
22:29and I made notes
22:30on the way that you say
22:31all the different letters.
22:32And it's the way
22:33that you say R
22:35that really sunk in.
22:37That was her first visit,
22:38but certainly not her last.
22:40To show how much
22:41DeGeneres enjoyed
22:42having McKinnon around,
22:43she kept inviting her back
22:45and even once allowed her
22:46to take over
22:47the host chair.
22:48Copies of my book.
22:49It comes in a little
22:51teeny tiny one.
22:52Teeny tiny book.
22:53Like a little
22:54little baby goat.
22:56It's so cute.
22:57Number 11.
22:58Dana Carvey
22:59as George H.W. Bush.
23:01Good evening.
23:02Happy holidays to y'all.
23:04Once again,
23:05it's that festive season.
23:07Tonight,
23:08our Jewish friends
23:09observe the fifth night
23:10of Hanukkah.
23:13Sandwiched between
23:14the magnetic Ronald Reagan
23:15and the effortlessly charming
23:16Bill Clinton,
23:17George H.W. Bush
23:19didn't exactly ooze star power.
23:21This made him a tough nut
23:22to crack on SNL,
23:23but Dana Carvey
23:24somehow found a way
23:25to impersonate him
23:26in a spectacularly hilarious way.
23:29If we do go to war,
23:30I can assure you
23:31it will not be another Vietnam
23:34because we have learned,
23:35well,
23:36the simple lesson of Vietnam.
23:38Stay out of Vietnam.
23:42Carvey's impression of Bush
23:43quickly became one of the show's
23:44most iconic bits,
23:46full of quirky catchphrases
23:47and exaggerated hand gestures.
23:50Surprisingly,
23:50the famously stoic Bush Sr.
23:52loved every second of it.
23:54He was such a fan,
23:55he even invited Carvey
23:56to perform at his final
23:57Christmas party in office.
23:59I was staying in the Lincoln
24:00bedroom last night
24:00and I couldn't resist
24:01getting on the phone
24:02and I called up the Secret Service
24:03as the president.
24:05Feel like gone jogging tonight.
24:09In the nude.
24:11The two kept in touch
24:12long after Bush's presidency ended
24:14and maintained a close friendship
24:16until his passing in 2018.
24:19Number 10.
24:19Bowen Yang as Charlie XCX.
24:22The long-running sketch show
24:23heralded its 50th season in style.
24:26One of the season premiere's
24:27biggest hits was the Talk Talk show,
24:29hosted by English music sensation
24:31Charlie XCX.
24:32Whatever, whatever.
24:34Hi, it's me.
24:35365 Party Girl Charlie XCX.
24:38This is my talk show
24:39when we talk, talk
24:40about whatever I'm on about.
24:42Actually, it was cast member
24:44Bowen Yang in drag.
24:45Yang's take on the
24:46Brat Summer trailblazer
24:48got a lot of laughs
24:49from the studio audience,
24:50but was it brat?
24:52According to the pop star herself,
24:54Yang's impression
24:54was incredibly brat.
24:56Amy Adams in Night Bitch.
24:58Brat.
24:59Eric Adams in Dightment.
25:03Not only did she appreciate
25:04the performance,
25:05but the texture of Yang's wig
25:07was a particular highlight for her.
25:09I was very impressed
25:09with the hair texture, actually.
25:12I thought it was a really good wig.
25:13Yang would revive the character
25:15later in the season,
25:16right next to host
25:17Charlie XCX herself,
25:19who was in character
25:20as Troye Sivan.
25:21Can I call you Elfie?
25:23No!
25:24Number 9.
25:25Maya Rudolph as Oprah Winfrey.
25:27You get an impression.
25:29You get an impression.
25:30Everybody gets an impression.
25:32Everyone knows
25:33it's my birthday!
25:37Maya Rudolph's
25:38Oprah Winfrey sketch
25:39is legendary.
25:40Spoofing the TV host's
25:42love of giving her
25:43hysterical audience
25:44free stuff,
25:45Rudolph absolutely nails
25:47Winfrey's enthusiasm
25:48for things like
25:48macaroons and Ugg boots.
25:50I wore these
25:52on John Travolta's plane.
25:55Ugg boots!
25:58The memorable segment
25:59is also inspired
26:01by the very real audience
26:02who got a little too excited
26:04about one of
26:04Winfrey's giveaways.
26:05According to Rudolph,
26:07Winfrey was thrilled
26:08with the sketch.
26:08She was especially pleased
26:10that a woman on the show
26:11was playing her,
26:12as only male cast members
26:14had impersonated her
26:15on the program
26:15to that point.
26:16Like, it was always played
26:17by, you know,
26:17Tim Meadows
26:18and Tracy did her?
26:19So she was just
26:20like, thank God
26:23you're not a dude!
26:25Number 8.
26:26Jay Farrow
26:27as Denzel Washington.
26:28Former cast member
26:29Jay Farrow's
26:30Denzel Washington
26:31is one of the most
26:32spot-on impersonations
26:33ever heard on the show.
26:35I knew it!
26:36I knew it!
26:37He nails the beloved
26:38actor's cadence
26:39and tone
26:39almost exactly.
26:41The most famous sketch
26:42finds Farrow's version
26:43of Denzel working
26:44at a department store
26:45to research a new movie.
26:46Come on, darling,
26:47let's see what you got.
26:48Okay, well,
26:49I wanted to, uh,
26:50just wanted to return
26:50this bag.
26:51Oh, okay, alright,
26:53let's take a look, okay?
26:57Oh, look at this here.
26:59Parodying the playfully
27:00terrifying mannerisms
27:01Washington uses
27:02in some of his
27:03most famous roles,
27:04Farrow harangues
27:05a customer
27:05trying to return
27:06a handbag.
27:07Excuse me,
27:08speak up!
27:09You're at Macy's,
27:11there are rules
27:11and regulations.
27:12If you gotta complain,
27:13I wanna hear it.
27:14When Farrow finally
27:15met Washington
27:16at the Star's
27:17AFI tribute,
27:18not only did the actor
27:19know exactly who he was,
27:21but he told the comedian
27:22he owed him
27:22a lot of money.
27:23And then he goes,
27:24oh, you're a lot taller
27:25than I thought you were.
27:26I thought you were
27:27a short guy.
27:27You ain't short, huh?
27:28You got an arm
27:28on you too, Farrow.
27:29Yeah, okay.
27:30All right.
27:33Clearly,
27:34he took it in stride.
27:35In fact,
27:36Washington publicly
27:37praised the performance.
27:39Number seven,
27:40Maya Rudolph
27:40as Donatella Versace.
27:42Some impressions
27:43are so good
27:43they keep coming back.
27:45Check it out.
27:46I've done it again.
27:48New Versace pockets.
27:50Maya Rudolph's
27:51dazed and confused
27:52version of Italian
27:53fashion designer
27:54and businesswoman
27:55Donatella Versace
27:56was a recurring highlight
27:57of her time on the show.
27:59Versace pockets
28:00come in three
28:01exciting flavors.
28:03Monterrey chicken,
28:05champagne,
28:06and my personal favorite,
28:08cheesy chili cheeseburger.
28:10The sketches would find
28:11Rudolph holding a drink
28:12in one hand
28:13and a cigarette
28:14in the other,
28:15hawking products
28:15and flaunting
28:16her celebrity lifestyle.
28:18So quit eating
28:19that crap
28:20you usually eat
28:21and eat this crap.
28:23Despite playing her
28:24in what we'll call
28:25a slightly elevated manner,
28:27the real Donatella Versace
28:28apparently thought
28:29it was hilarious.
28:30Having said that,
28:31Versace did have
28:32a few pointers for Rudolph,
28:34which she imparted
28:35to the performer
28:35during a phone call.
28:36If he had to impersonate me,
28:38you know,
28:39do it better.
28:45The former Friends star
28:46has been imitated
28:47plenty of times on SNL.
28:49An entire 2013 sketch
28:51centered around
28:52a Jennifer Aniston
28:53look-alike contest
28:53had several cast members
28:55trying their hand.
28:56But Aniston had
28:57a clear favorite.
28:58Oh, oh, oh.
28:59Did you know that
29:00Ross and I
29:01used to, uh, uh,
29:03date?
29:03Oh, oh.
29:04According to her,
29:06Vanessa Bear's
29:06permanently confused
29:07Rachel Green
29:08really has the sauce.
29:09And now why do you think
29:11people are so nostalgic
29:12for the 90s?
29:12Oh, yeah, you know,
29:13the 90s are great.
29:15You know, you go to work,
29:16uh, you go on dates,
29:17and you go to cafes
29:19with your friends,
29:20and you all sit
29:20facing camera.
29:22The two finally got
29:23to talk about it
29:23while co-starring
29:24in the workplace comedy
29:25Office Christmas Party.
29:26The studio audience
29:27cheered when Aniston
29:28made a surprise appearance
29:30during a 2016
29:31Weekend Update segment,
29:32where the two played out
29:33an argument over
29:34the faithfulness
29:35of the impression.
29:36Vanessa!
29:37Yeah!
29:37What?
29:38No, I don't do that!
29:39Come on,
29:40Phoebs!
29:41What?
29:41Come on!
29:42Come on!
29:43Come on!
29:44Come on!
29:45Number 5.
29:47Chloe Fineman
29:47as Drew Barrymore
29:48The actress-turned-daytime
29:50talk show host
29:51usually has nothing
29:52but glowing things
29:53to say about her guests,
29:54and Chloe Fineman
29:55was no exception.
29:56I am just like you,
29:59a boho, free-spirit,
30:01mommy-mother movie star
30:02since I was six.
30:04SNL's season 46 premiere
30:06lovingly skewered
30:07Barrymore's elementary school
30:09art teacher energy.
30:10Fineman dug right into
30:11her effusive compliments,
30:13sunshine and roses mentality,
30:14and spacey personality
30:16in a way that was
30:17almost too real.
30:19Thank you for allowing me
30:20to be on your show.
30:22Drew, this is your show.
30:24Oh my god, thank you.
30:27When Barrymore had Fineman
30:28on her actual show,
30:29Life imitated art,
30:31as the host offered up
30:32compliment after compliment.
30:34I'm really nervous to meet you.
30:36I'm so excited.
30:37I'm such a fan.
30:38I'm your biggest fan.
30:39Are you going to make me cry?
30:40She literally bowed
30:41to her impersonator
30:42at the end of the segment.
30:43If that's not a ringing endorsement,
30:46what is?
30:50In the run-up to the 2016 election,
30:52comedian and Seinfeld co-creator
30:54Larry David's take on Bernie Sanders
30:56was a runaway hit.
30:57Hello, hello, hello.
31:00Enough with the hellos.
31:01Let's do this.
31:02He honed in on the Vermont senator's
31:04dislike of billionaires,
31:06claiming to only own
31:07one pair of underwear,
31:08unlike the rich bigwigs
31:09in Washington, D.C.
31:11I own one pair of underwear.
31:13That's it.
31:14Some of these billionaires,
31:16they got three, four pairs.
31:18He returned to host the show
31:19later in the season,
31:20merging his on-screen persona
31:22with Democratic candidate
31:23Bernie Sanders
31:24in an incredible sketch.
31:26You coughed into your hand.
31:28You didn't shake it after a cough.
31:30No, I didn't.
31:30Shake my hand.
31:31No, I was specifically
31:32coughed into your hand.
31:33I saw it.
31:34The senator suggested
31:35they should put David up
31:36in his place at the next rally,
31:38saying the comedian
31:39does him better
31:39than he does himself.
31:41I'm getting you a good job
31:42for four years
31:43and you're complaining.
31:45Number three,
31:46Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris.
31:48In the weeks leading up
31:49to the 2024 election,
31:51the first few episodes
31:52of the 50th season
31:53mined candidates Kamala Harris
31:55and Donald Trump
31:56for all they could.
31:57Former player
31:58and frequent guest
31:59Maya Rudolph
31:59earned a lot of praise
32:01as Harris.
32:02You see,
32:02my campaign
32:03is like the
32:04Sabrina Carpenter song
32:06Espresso.
32:07The lyrics are vague,
32:09but the vibe slaps.
32:11She took on
32:12the vice president's
32:13mannerisms,
32:13sense of humor,
32:14and articulate
32:15but sometimes roundabout
32:17way of making a point
32:18and milked them for comedy.
32:19Name something
32:20that you keep
32:21in your glove compartment.
32:22Oh, BP Harris.
32:23Steve, look.
32:26I was raised
32:27in a middle-class family.
32:28All right.
32:29Oh, here we go.
32:30Her fans included
32:31the vice president herself.
32:32Harris laughed hysterically
32:34when presented
32:34with footage
32:35of the impression
32:36on The View,
32:36praising Maya Rudolph's talent.
32:38Maya Rudolph,
32:39I mean, she's so good.
32:40A few weeks later,
32:41she appeared
32:42on a pre-election episode
32:43alongside her imitator.
32:45We know each other
32:46so well,
32:46we even finish
32:47each other's belief
32:48in the promise
32:49of America.
32:51Number two,
32:52Ariana Grande
32:53as Celine Dion.
32:54The Thank You Next singer
32:55has been doing
32:56her exaggerated impression
32:57of the French-Canadian
32:58powerhouse for a few years.
33:00There is another sport
33:01whose timeless emotions
33:03ignite the bittersweet memories
33:04that live inside my soul
33:05and in the octagon.
33:10UFC fighting.
33:13Showing her heart!
33:14It was probably
33:15Ariana Grande's appearances
33:16on Jimmy Fallon
33:17that cemented her status
33:18as a foremost Dion impersonator.
33:23But she's brought her skills
33:25to SNL a few times
33:26since then.
33:26In a 2016 sketch
33:28spoofing the title
33:29streaming service,
33:30Grande cycled through
33:31her retinue
33:32of pop singer impressions.
33:33But audiences
33:34were most excited
33:35to hear her do
33:36Celine Dion again.
33:41In an interview
33:42with Elvis Duran,
33:44Grande said that
33:44when she met the singer,
33:45she said her impression
33:46made her laugh
33:47until she peed.
33:48When I met Celine,
33:49she told me,
33:50she was like,
33:51um,
33:51when I saw you,
33:52I peed.
33:53Sounds like a rave to us.
33:57If you love games,
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34:00WatchMojo's new game,
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34:05Terrible Influence
34:06is a satirical board game
34:07about the dark side of fame
34:08from the writer
34:09of the most popular girls
34:10in school and us,
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34:13I can make an apology video.
34:15Oh, you so would.
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34:18and be the first
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34:23Number 1.
34:24Kate McKinnon
34:25as Hillary Clinton.
34:26The 2016 election
34:27inspired a year
34:28of banner impressions
34:30on the show.
34:30I strive to be
34:32a positive role model
34:34for all children.
34:34Children like
34:35my daughter Chelsea
34:36and my granddaughter
34:37Chelsea Jr.
34:39Much of the fun
34:40McKinnon poked
34:40at former Senator
34:41and Secretary of State
34:42Hillary Clinton
34:43was born out of the idea
34:44that Clinton was hiding
34:45a lot of her true feelings
34:47about her opponents.
34:47I think you're really
34:49going to like
34:49the Hillary Clinton
34:50that my team and I
34:51have created
34:52for this debate.
34:53She's warm
34:54but strong.
34:56Flawed
34:56yet perfect.
34:58The performer
34:58found a lot of wicked
34:59and hilarious commentary
35:01in Clinton's inability
35:02to swear
35:03and lose her composure
35:04on the campaign trail
35:05like some of the male
35:06candidates in the race.
35:15Clinton was so pleased
35:16and genuinely moved
35:17by McKinnon's work
35:18that she wrote about it
35:20in her memoir.
35:21I wish I had her talent.
35:24She's just an amazing person.
35:26If you could have
35:27any cast member
35:27past or present
35:29impersonate you
35:29who would you want it to be?
35:31Let us know
35:32in the comments.
35:36Let us know
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