In Search Of A Better Obama Impersonator

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ALEX CHADWICK, host:

With this election season over, TV critic Andrew Wallenstein sees a looming crisis. Where do we go to get the comics to impersonate whoever wins? You'd think "Saturday Night Live" has solved this, but, as Andy discovered, not all impressions work so well.

ANDREW WALLENSTEIN: Should Barack Obama lose his bid for the presidency, I could offer him one consolation. He wouldn't have to see Fred Armisen's horrible impersonation of him on "SNL."

(Soundbite of "Saturday Night Live")

Mr. FRED ARMISEN (Actor, "Saturday Night Live"): (As Barack Obama) Oh, look. I think there is a lot of truth in what Hillary says. I really do.

(Soundbite of laughter)

WALLENSTEIN: Painful, isn't it? Armisen labors so hard to capture the halting rhythms of Obama's speech that he misses its tone entirely. And while SNL's makeup department should get an award for even trying to turn a white comedian into a black politician, Armisen gets Obama's facial expression all wrong. He confuses the candidate's sober demeanor for something that looks like road rage.

Still, it's not like "SNL" is all bad in the impersonation dept. Stare long enough at these performances, and you start to understand what makes for good mimicry. Take Darrell Hammond, "SNL's" resident chameleon. He's been with the show for 14 years, longer than anyone in the cast's history. And no wonder. The guy is incapable of a bad impression. Though he can currently be seen playing John McCain, his masterwork is Bill Clinton.

(Soundbite of "Saturday Night Live")

Mr. DARRELL HAMMOND (Actor, "Saturday Night Live"): (As Bill Clinton) I belong to the Democratic Party. Barack Obama's also in the Democratic Party. And I'm not a party wrecker. I love parties.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. HAMMOND: (As Bill Clinton) A lot of times I'll show up at a party, people'll say, man, this party was beat until you got here. Yesterday, I asked somebody, hey, do you party? You can see where my support lies.

WALLENSTEIN: Hammond nails the southern lilt in his voice, that hint of frog-croak in his throat. But to really appreciate the genius here, you've got to see him catch little details, like the way Clinton purses his lips and nods when he's trying to convey with emotion. And then there's the other side of Clinton. Hammond alternates between oozing sincerity and sleaze, the perfect combination for a candidate who wanted to feel your pain and if you're female, maybe something else, too.

Now, the real Bill Clinton was never that cartoonish, but that's precisely the point. A good impression is a caricature, not a copy of an individual. Hammond always finds just a few of his subjects' more interesting idiosyncrasies and exaggerates them. In the process, he captures the essence of a person.

It may look like Tina Fey has it easy, given she's a dead ringer for Sarah Palin.

(Soundbite of "Saturday Night Live")

Ms. TINA FEY (Actress, "Saturday Night Live"): (As Sarah Palin) You know, John McCain and I have been so busy traveling around this great country of ours, talking about change and energy independence and William Ayers and doing a little shopping.

Unidentified Man: Good.

(Soundbite of laughter)

WALLENSTEIN: What really takes her impression over the top is pure delivery, from the accent to the catch phrases. You almost can't fault Armisen for fumbling Obama. The Democrat is so measured, he doesn't really have any traits to exaggerate. But Armisen would be wise to lay off his xerox approach. Counter-intuitive as it sounds, accuracy does not make for a good impersonation.

BRAND: Andrew Wallenstein is deputy editor of the Hollywood Reporter.

CHADWICK: Many of us have election-night rituals. We know because we've got some posted on the blog. Read all about it, and please, share your own plans for later today. You know where.

BRAND: Npr.org/daydreaming.

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