FRED ARMISEN OUT AS 'SNL'S' OBAMA IMPERSONATOR

Big Hollywood ^ | September 12, 2012

[SMGFan]

Fred Armisen will be back on "Saturday Night Live" this season. His woeful President Obama impersonation, on the other hand, is history. TheWrap.com is reporting the late night sketch show will use newer cast member Jay Pharoah, who is black, to portray Obama starting with this Saturday's season debut. That's great news for those hoping the signature series would return to its more fair and balanced approach to political humor. Not only was Armisen's Obama a dud, the comedian's unabashed affection for Obama clearly impacted the performance. Will Pharoah be an improvement? Here's a sample:

[SMGFan]

It is about time. We had a white guy for his white half...

[acapesket]

who is silly enough to watch SNL?

[The KG9 Kid]

Fred Armisen did a perfect Obama during the campaign season of 2008 in a skit pitting Obama against Hillary. Armisen had Obama's mannerisms down pat, his speaking style, tone of voice, everything. It was perfect.

After Obama was elected, Armisen quickly started sandbagging his Obama impersonation and holding back, using his own voice and not even trying to pull it off.

One of the reasons that Saturday Night Live sucks is because lame-ass comics like Fred Armisen are considered 'veteran' cast members.

[Political Junkie Too]

Maybe SNL will launch the new Obama with a cameo by Dan Aykroyd doing his Jimmy Carter with Obama.

-PJ

[Ditter]

Armisen has unabashed love for obama? That would mean he is a liberal and would a liberal play the lead in Portlandia, the TV show that makes huge fun of the liberals in Portland? Portlandia makes liberals out to be the fools that they are, it is hilarious and I hope it is back on again this fall.

[BallyBill]

Portlandia is one of the few Must See Shows in my house.

[relictele]

Those gullible enough to think it hip, humorous, or both.

And then there are the entirely laugh-free ‘comedies’ foisted on the public by various SNL alumni. Bill Murray gets a pass as he had the sense to leave after one year.

[ozzymandus]

SNL “fair and balanced”? I stopped reading there.

[hout8475]

I know for certain that Carrie Brownstein, Armesin’s coworker at the feminist bookstore, is a big lib. She is an open bisexual and big abortion activist and was a member of the feminist, Riot-grrrl band Sleater-Kinney.

[Tanniker Smith]

The number one thing about political impersonations is that they have to be FUNNY!

Otherwise, don't bother. I don't want "accurate", and I don't need mean put-downs. "Lame" is right out.
The best ones are when the target can fall off their chair laughing with them. (Nancy Reagan confessed to that, I believe.)

[IrishPennant]

Why the frick do we care about this right now???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[RegulatorCountry]

Who’s the SNL guy that does Joe Biden, Greek sounding surname. He plays it for laughs, his SloJo impersonation is hilariously clueless.

[Political Junkie Too]

Jason Sudeikis.

-PJ

[Ditter]

I get a huge kick out of Portlandia. Don't care about their politics as long as they keep showing libs for what they are. I have watched SNL ever since the first show and I never miss it. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's stupid. I do get a little tired of them bashing conservatives and never bashing liberals.

[CaptainK]

He’s gone. They’ll have to get a new Biden too.

[SeminoleCounty]

Thought Armisen was funny as Obama. Jay Pharoah may be too black to play Obama...at least Armisen is mixed race (White and Asian).

Sounds more like the move was done because Armisen is not black

Oh, and Portlandia is one funny show. Armisen and Carrie Brownstein are hilarious in all their different characters. Too bad Dish dropped IFC

[reg45]

Job opening! Is J. Fred Muggs still available?

[BunnySlippers]

‘m not changing my vote so I can watch this fool for 4 years!

[9YearLurker]

I didn’t think he was very good even when he was trying, and I agree-,most of the time he wasn’t trying—except to make Obama likable.

[GR_Jr.]

SNL will still softball 0bama. Don’t expect any satire or anything. They will have to portray 0bama in a good light. They don’t want any trouble from Axlerod and company