Impersonating The President...A Ha-Ha Away From Power

By Elizabeth L. Bland and Lina Lofaro

VAUGHN MEADER JOHN F. KENNEDY

His Presidential Experience It was more a characterization than an impression. I didn't buffoon it. It was authentic and responding to the news and social events as [much as to] the President.

The White House Response I heard that Arthur Schlesinger heard a press conference I was doing on the radio and thought it was J.F.K. He panicked, and after that the White House was a little cool to what I was doing. But it took off, so J.F.K. portrayed himself as a good-natured, self-deprecating kind of guy. He put up a good front...[But] Jackie really did not care for it.

RICH LITTLE RICHARD M. NIXON

His Presidential Experience Any child of five could do Nixon. He was the most visual of the Presidents...He had definite arm movements, a definite way of walking, he was very uncoordinated, very flat-footed, walked like he never took the hanger out of the coat...Nixon, like Clinton, wrote itself from the headlines: the more trouble they got themselves into--the more controversy--the more comedy.

The White House Response I once sat next to a gentleman on a plane who knew Nixon well. He swore that Nixon thought my routines were funny, got a kick out of them. Once I did Nixon in front of him and [Nixon] didn't realize it was him.

CHEVY CHASE GERALD R. FORD

His Presidential Experience The issue isn't how you look doing the impression; it's the writing. It's easy to get cheap laughs, but I like laughs on the political front that might have an effect.

The White House Response Ford was very remarkable in the way he treated me; he never once complained. I remember thinking, "I ought to be somewhat more gentle." But I was a liberal Democrat at the time. I cared very much about getting Ford out and Carter in.

DANA CARVEY GEORGE BUSH

His Presidential Experience The trick is to exaggerate and extend it to a complete acidhead rendition and then have people say, "Yeah, he really says that." Once I convinced the audience that Bush really sounded like that, I knew I could do anything. Most of what I did was completely made up--so go figure.

The White House Response President Bush was always a big fan. He invited me to the White House after he was defeated. He said, "Why don't you do that for me, right here, right now." I was nervous, I said, "Well, it's really not very good." He said, "Do it. Do it now." So I had to do it; it was kind of humiliating. Every time I saw him, he would say, "Wouldn't be prudent." It is hilarious that the President of the United States was doing his impression back to me.

--Reported by Elizabeth L. Bland and Lina Lofaro