You can read it yourself by clicking here. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'd love to see people's take on what's said in it. The article really does interview a number of great comedians and get them to explain how they break down the process of doing an impression.
I think it would be a cool personal exercise, if I had the time, to select someone and try to do the same thing. One great thing for anyone who wants to do an impression these days is that there is so much material that is so easily accessible - on places like YouTube - that you can watch and study to work on it.
I don't think Philly does a ton of impressions. I've seen Secret Pants do Bush once, and I know the Rick Horner went through a phase a while back where he was doing Bush well (and a lot). Brandon Libby also does a terrifyingly good Nixon. I'd like to see the community do more, but only if they do them well. One nice thing about an impression is that you don't have to write it like a sketch, you can just work it and then bust it out in an improv set if the timing seems appropriate. And it can really wow an audience.
Anyone reading this have any impressions they do?
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2 comments:
I totally lost my post!
It's funny you post this. I don't usually do impressions in improv but I guess they can be good to have in your toolbelt. Two obama impressions came up both before and during mr lizard practice yesterday. All Jay and I really have is the "well look" that the article mentions but still...
I have done Bush. My girlfriend and I have sat and done Palin endlessly. And coworkers, professors, and family members have always been targets of impressions for me. I usually start with a voice and then work on the physical. Then I try to heighten everything to make up for any defects.
As I wrote this last night I realized that impressions of regular people (not celebrities) can be really useful to create real characters. I should try more of that.
John
i do a crappy Katharine Hepburn, and an equally terrible Liza.
I think good impressions are valuable (Steve Roney does a kick-ass Walken; on par with Jay Mohr or what's that other guy, Kevin something), but commitment to a bad impression can be just as entertaining. just look at CosbyProv (which I would watch over Frank TV any day)
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