Hard to believe but in two years, “Saturday Night Live” will be officially over the hill when it celebrates its 40th anniversary. In that time, we’ve seen countless cast members impersonating celebrities and political figures. This gave me the idea to compile my personal Top 50 Best SNL Impressions. I’ll roll them out in five parts starting with numbers 50-41 and so on. If you’re an SNL fan, I hope you enjoy these posts and please feel free to tell me where I’m wrong, where I’m right, and who I left off. Without further adieu:
50. Kevin Nealon as Brent Musberger
Sometimes a simple little touch can make an impression hilarious. And Kevin Nealon taking his fingers to make his eyes smaller makes his take on sports analyst Brent Musberger genius.
49. Fred Armisen as Queen Elizabeth
Armisen, who leaves SNL after this season, did a brilliant take on the Queen. She’s the delicate and proper lady you would expect while at official functions, but a little different behind the scenes. She sounds more like a Sex Pistols band member behind the curtain. Great stuff.
48. Abby Elliot as Angelina Jolie
Elliot nails her Angelina impression, portraying her as someone whose curious nature goes into overdrive at the mention of the word “baby”.
47. Phil Hartman as Admiral James Stockdale
The incomparable Hartman makes his debut on the list with his unforgettable take on Ross Perot’s 1992 running mate. Funny thing is, Hartman’s performance as Stockdale wasn’t much more exaggerated than the actual guy in the debate.
46. Darrell Hammond as Chris Matthews
First time you’re seeing Hammond’s name, but it certainly won’t be the last. We’ll start with his spot-on impression of the “Hardball” host.
45. Jon Lovitz as Harvey Fierstein
Lovitz’s nailed the flamboyant actor and playwright and started a catchphrase at the time: “Is that so wroooooooong?!?!?”
44. Fred Armisen as Penny Marshall
I think the versatile Armisen only did the Hollywood director and “Laverne&Shirley” star a couple of times, but it was a riot.
43. Jay Pharoah as Will Smith
Pharoah is a newer cast member to the show and his specialty seems to be impressions. He’s got great takes on Denzel Washington, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, and others. His best so far is Will Smith.
42. Jan Hooks as Tammy Faye Bakker
Hooks is one of the most talented female cast members in the show’s history and her impersonation of disgraced evangelist Jim Bakker’s wife is perfect.
41. Kate McKinnon as Ellen DeGeneres
Another new cast member, McKinnon also seems to have a knack for impressions. Her Ellen DeGeneres is remarkable.
Coming next: Part Two, covering numbers 40-31!
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