With Bush back in office, Will can keep doing his forte
George Bush wasn’t the only one experiencing the thrill of victory on Election Day. “Saturday Night Live” cast member Will Forte came out looking like a big winner as well.
Forte began playing Bush late last season, assuming the prized role after another Will – Will Ferrell – left the show.
It’s a big step up for Forte, who joined “SNL” in the 2002-03 season. During the run-up to the election, he and castmate Seth Meyers, who played John Kerry, appeared on talk shows such as “Today” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.”
Q. So, how happy are you that Bush got re-elected?
A. From a comedy standpoint, I was OK either way because I also do John Edwards. And in some ways, Edwards is easier for me to do. My voice goes to his voice easier.
Q. Ah, but Bush is the top dog. What has the experience been like – impersonating the commander in chief?
A. It’s been a lot of fun, and also pretty scary.
Q. Scary? In what way?
A. Well, Will Ferrell’s portrayal of Bush was so amazing. To be the guy who steps in for him is really a daunting task. He was just so good at it. But each time I do it, I seem to get a little more comfortable with it and stress out less.
Q. How did you go about preparing for the role?
A. I’ve never done much in the way of impersonations, so it was a challenge. I just started by watching a bunch of tapes and trying to get his voice down. And I had a lot of trouble with that. There’s a rasp to his voice that I just can’t seem to get. So I tried concentrating more on his speaking patterns, his mannerisms, the spacing of his breaths. … It’s definitely a work in progress. Every week, I do a little more fine-tuning.
Q. Many actors and impersonators have said that the voice isn’t the most essential element anyway – that it’s more important to project a vivid sense of the person.
A. That’s absolutely right. Sometimes I get it in my head that I have to get so close to his voice. But you look back at those old sketches where Chevy Chase was doing President Ford. He didn’t even try to sound like Ford, yet the performances were priceless.
Q. So what traits of Bush did you immediately try to seize upon?
A. While watching him in that first debate, like everybody else, I was struck by the way he was constantly fumbling and searching for words. He was a bit whiny and irritable and that was fun to play. Now that he’s been re-elected, you get the sense that he’s a little cockier. It’s going to be fun keeping up with the evolution.
Q. Obviously the show is past the president’s bedtime, but have you gotten an indication from anyone in the White House – or even Bush himself – regarding their reactions to your work?
A. It would be fun to think he’d seen it, but no, I haven’t heard from anyone in the White House. I guess they’re pretty busy. I would hope that his reaction would be: “Hey, no hard feelings. Feel free to take Air Force One anywhere in the world on me!” But for some reason, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
The birthday bunch
Actor James Avery (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) is 56. TV personality Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”) is 49. Actress Robin Givens is 40. Actor Michael Vartan (“Alias”) is 36. Actor Jaleel White (“Family Matters”) is 28.