BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) JAMES LIPTON
I could have gone with a dozen different choices here. The other stand outs include Alex Trebek, Janet Reno, and a few other awesome characterizations. James Lipton stands out a little more. His spots were always hilarious. He was a great over the top version of Lipton and I think this character was actually a little underrated.
(THREE) ROBERT GOULET
These little clips always seemed to come late in the show. Will would put on the swanky 70’s outfits and ramble out of his ass. His theories, sayings, and traits were hilarious. I remember the one where he had brothers who dressed and acted just like him the most. I’m pretty sure the real Robert Goulet would murder Will in between orgies though. Let’s just be happy he has a good sense of humor… or can’t afford a TV.
(TWO) HARRY CARAY
HOLY COW! Harry Caray is a Chicago baseball icon and many people have done their own impressions over the years. Ferrell’s version is easily the best. His long winded and incoherent rambles were hilarious mainly because it was close enough to the truth to make it uncomfortable. Will didn’t play him as a bad person or anything. More of a loveable goof-ball type. I would think the real Harry Caray would want to share a nice cold Budweiser with Will’s impersonation. I would have loved to be a hypothetical fly on that hypothetical wall.
(ONE) GEORGE W. BUSH
There were a lot of solid George W. Bush impressions out there. There was even a separate failed cartoon AND a separate failed sitcom on Comedy Central. The impressions were good, it just the shows weren’t. Will Ferrell’s “George W. Bush” was so great that it got its own Broadway special. I’m not hesitant to say that Ferrell’s Bush was not only cooler, but smarter, more likeable, and less harmful to the country than the real one. Like how Dana Carvey owned George Senior and Darrell Hammond owned Clinton, I’m always going to think of Will Ferrell any time Bush is mocked.
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