Top 20 Celeb Reactions to SNL Impressions

#20: Sarah Sherman as Aimee Lou Wood

Like the ones before it, the third season of HBO’s “The White Lotus” sparked major online reaction, making it ripe for “SNL” to jump in with a parody. Enter “The White POTUS” - a sketch that reimagines Donald Trump, his family, and cabinet members as the ones vacationing in Thailand. Despite the clever concept, Sarah Sherman’s portrayal of Chelsea, played by actress Aimee Lou Wood, drew backlash for its use of exaggerated prosthetic teeth. The strongest reaction came from Wood herself, who called the impression “mean and unfunny” in an Instagram story. While she clarified that she’s not against being parodied, she had hoped for something “less cheap.”

#19: Bowen Yang as Fran Lebowitz

Multi-time Emmy nominee Bowen Yang has earned plenty of praise for his impressions on “SNL” over the years – including from pop star Charli XCX. But not everyone has been a fan. In a 2021 “Weekend Update” segment, Yang took aim at iconic author and public speaker Fran Lebowitz with a deadpan parody. Initially, Lebowitz claimed she had not seen the sketch. But, Fran later insinuated she did by remarking that “only people who’ve never been impersonated would find that kind of caricature enjoyable.” Ironically, Yang took her icy response as a badge of honor, calling it the highest praise she could have given him. In true Lebowitz fashion, her indifference only added to the impression’s legacy.

#18: Kate McKinnon as Kellyanne Conway

From spotlight-hogging cameos to an uproarious “It” inspired sewer sketch, Kate McKinnon transformed Kellyanne Conway into a full-blown political horror-comedy icon. McKinnon’s over-the-top impressions became a recurring “SNL” highlight during Donald Trump’s first presidential gig. Conway, however, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that McKinnon’s frequent parodies were proof that “the road to the future runs through (her) and not Hillary Clinton.” She also insisted she was “much more happy than maybe the character sometimes is.” But McKinnon didn’t back down. In fact, she leaned in harder, with each sketch getting more and more unhinged – to the audience’s delight.

#17: Chloe Fineman as Drew Barrymore

When Chloe Fineman debuted her breathy, whimsical impression of Drew Barrymore on “SNL,” it was impressively spot-on. Fineman nailed everything from Barrymore’s endless stream of effusive compliments to her ethereal, sunshine-and-roses energy. However, the real magic happened when Fineman appeared on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” Drew showered her with praise, proving she could take a joke and laugh right along with it. Viewers clearly loved Barrymore’s good-natured response just as much as Fineman’s uncanny mimicry. Heck, the daytime talk show host even bowed to her impersonator. If that’s not the ultimate stamp of approval, we’re not sure what is?

#16: Fred Armisen as David Paterson

Fred Armisen’s portrayal of former New York Governor David Paterson stirred up controversy from the get-go. Playing the then-governor as bumbling and confused, with heavy reliance on visual gags about his blindness, Armisen drew backlash from advocacy groups and the public alike. The governor's communications director, Risa B. Heller, told The New York Times "The governor is sure that Saturday Night Live, with all of its talent, can find a way to be funny without being offensive." The show responded to the criticism by inviting Paterson to appear — and surprisingly, he accepted. In his cameo, Paterson poked fun at the show’s writers and even made self-deprecating jabs at himself.

#15: Kenan Thompson as Neil deGrasse Tyson

Kenan Thompson may have given his impression of Neil deGrasse Tyson a nerdy flair, but the famed astrophysicist wasn’t exactly over the moon about it. Portrayed in a “Fox & Friends” parody, Neil deGrasse Tyson felt Thompson’s take ultimately fell flat. He admitted to finding the portrayal underwhelming - especially considering “SNL's” track record for nailing other impersonations. He wasn’t entirely critical, however. He appreciated the accurate detail of his signature planetary neckties and saw the impression as a win for science. Taking it as a sign that scientific voices are entering the cultural mainstream, he noted this is something he can definitely get behind.

#14: Tracy Morgan as Bobby Brown

In the mid-to-late ’90s, Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston were in the thick of their chaotic, tabloid-dominating era. So, naturally, “SNL” took aim. In a memorable “Weekend Update” segment, Tracy Morgan and Maya Rudolph portrayed the volatile couple to big laughs from the live audience. However, Bobby Brown wasn’t laughing. Years later, in a 2022 interview with Atlanta Black Star, Brown called the sketch “hateful,” admitting that while he doesn’t regret his past, the parody struck a nerve. The “My Prerogative” singer revealed he was deeply offended by how he and Houston were portrayed and has always held onto that resentment. He has also publicly cried foul over Arie Spears’ take on him on “Mad TV.”

#13: Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump

As one of pop culture’s most prominent figures, Donald Trump has been impersonated on “SNL” countless times over the years - but few performances got under his skin quite like Alec Baldwin’s. Debuting during the 2016 presidential campaign, Baldwin’s scathing take on Trump carried through much of his presidency and even earned him an Emmy for his pursed-lipped efforts. Trump, however, was furious - frequently lashing out on social media by calling the portrayal “terrible” and claiming it “just can’t get any worse” while seeing the whole thing as a “total hit job.” Did we mention Donald’s daughter, Ivanka, was allegedly also unhappy with her “Complicit” portrayal?

#12: Kristen Wiig as Kathie Lee Gifford

Kristen Wiig’s Kathie Lee Gifford impression was part Broadway diva, part boozy brunch aunt, and all potty mouth - and audiences drank it up. However, Gifford wasn’t very amused by the unhinged portrayal. Yep, while viewers were at home giggling, the former “Today” show host was said to be fuming. The impression irritated her so much, she delivered the ultimate blow to any comedian - saying on air that she simply didn’t find it funny. Regardless of her weariness, Wiig’s impression remains a true fan favorite, as it captured Kathie Lee’s many quirks and cranked them up to eleven.

#11: Gilda Radner as Barbara Walters

From SNL’s very first season, Barbara Walters had the distinction of being spoofed by Gilda Radner, who famously exaggerated her speech and dubbed the character “Bawa Wawa.” But, while the sketch became a show staple, Walters wasn’t having it. The journalist disliked the over-the-top speech impediment and feared the parody would overshadow her professional reputation. But, everything shifted when she caught her daughter watching the show and was told to “lighten up.” As it turns out, that unexpected moment helped Walters embrace the impression and gave her permission to laugh along with the rest of us.

#10: Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek

Once you’ve been impersonated on “SNL,” you know you’ve made it. Or at least that’s how the late “Jeopardy!” host felt. He shared that barely a “Jeopardy!” taping went by without an audience member asking how he felt about Will Ferrell’s impression. He would always reply that he loved it. In fact, he was such a big fan that he even made a surprise cameo during Ferrell’s final show as a series regular. Trebek said that the parody was a sign that “you’ve arrived” since the writers clearly thought that you were popular enough to be instantly recognizable. Still, he admitted that Ferrell was only his second favorite impressionist, the first being Eugene Levy.

#9: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

Apparently, Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin imitation was so good that it helped boost the show’s ratings. Among its many fans, was the actual Republican VP hopeful herself. Fey had the voice and mannerisms down and their physical likeness was almost uncanny. So much so that apparently Palin once dressed as Fey for Halloween. The conservative politician enjoyed Fey’s performance, for the most part, making a cameo alongside her once. She even joked that she was keeping Fey “in business.” However, not the same could be said for Fey as reports later claimed that her Emmy-winning takeoff may have actually hurt McCain’s Presidential campaign.

#8: Vanessa Bayer as Miley Cyrus

Vanessa Bayer has had the joy of playing Miley Cyrus in front of Miley Cyrus twice. And from what she’s shared, the singer has always been a great sport about it. Bayer told Conan that once she even advised the singer on how to nail a great Miley Cyrus impersonation. Cyrus also played Justin Bieber on Bayer’s recurring sketch, “The Miley Cyrus Show.” Now, it’s one thing to perform in front of the person you're impersonating and, have them love it. It’s a whole other story when you have to do it in front of their mom as well. Luckily, mama Cyrus loved it too.

#7: Chloe Fineman as Carole Baskin

This big cat activist did not think that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. In fact, her response was incredibly catty. In an appearance on Dennis Quaid’s podcast “The Pet Show,” she said, “I could just slap that woman!” Me-ow! She also didn’t appreciate that people had started to request that she imitate Chloe’s impression either. Luckily, her sendup found fans in other celebs including Gwyneth Paltrow, Mandy Moore, Emma Roberts, and more.

#6: Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey

The “Family Feud” host had a generally good-spirited response to Kenan’s take on him. However, he made sure to instill a little fear into the comedian too to ensure that he stays in line. While he believes there’s some room for improvement, he generally finds Thompson quite funny. The duo has known each other for quite a long time and Thompson even played a recurring character on “The Steve Harvey Show” in the 90s. So he’s definitely had plenty of time to nail his characteristics and quirks. Overall, there’s no bad blood here and Harvey has definitely taken it all in good humor.

#5: Larry David as Bernie Sanders

Keeping it in the family, it seems like these distant cousins inherited a similar sense of humor from their shared ancestors. The senator was fond of David’s takeoff, even joking that he should appear at his next rally. Of course, it was brought up on many occasions throughout his campaign trail and the presidential hopeful was happy enough to play along. We’ve seen him exchange banter with the comedian on the “Today” show, as well as display his own Larry David imitation too. David was worried about Sanders becoming president because he wasn’t sure he wanted to keep the gig up for four years.

#4: Kate McKinnon as Ellen DeGeneres

Kate McKinnon is the queen of impressions and an “SNL” treasure. Among her very impressive arsenal of characters is a hilariously spot-on, if at times over-exaggerated, impersonation of the talk show host. Kate shared with Ellen that she studied her 2003 stand-up show “Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now” to perfect the character. And well, she certainly did her homework. Considering that Ellen has invited her to do the impression on her talk show, on multiple occasions no less, we think it’s fair to assume that she’s a fan. In fact, she responded with, “I didn't like it. I'm just kidding—I'm Ellen!”

#3: Kate McKinnon as Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Another unforgettable impression from Kate McKinnon was that of larger-than-life and highly accomplished Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In the 2018 biographical documentary, “RBG”, Ginsburg said that McKinnon was “marvelously funny” even if the impression didn’t resemble her “not one bit.” Later at the Sundance Festival, she complimented Kate again saying, “I liked the actress who portrayed me” and revealing that she occasionally enjoyed saying “Ginsburned” to her colleagues. The pair even had a chance meeting while watching a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” When she sadly passed away in 2020, Kate and “SNL” gave RBG a fitting and incredibly touching send-off.

#2: Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci

How many people get to choose who plays them on “SNL?” Well, when Dr. Fauci joked that he’d like to see one of his favorite actors, Brad Pitt, in the role, “SNL” and the actor were only too willing to oblige. So did Pitt live up to Fauci’s expectations? Yes, it seems so. He called it “surrealistic,” but overall seemed quite happy saying, “I think he did great.” He especially liked how he broke character to thank everyone who’d been working tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci’s dream casting earned Pitt an Emmy nomination but don’t worry, he won’t let that go to his head.

#1: Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush

Dana Carvey certainly had an impeccable talent for capturing this president’s unique qualities. In fact, it remains one of the best “SNL” political satires of all time. And it seems like his number one fan might have been the man himself. After losing the election in 1992, President Bush invited the comedian to help raise staff morale over Christmas. He told his staffers just how much Dana Carvey had made him laugh over the years. This also marked the beginning of their friendship, which continued up until Bush’s death in 2018. It just goes to show how impactful a good sense of humor can be.

Which celebrity reaction to their “SNL” impression surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below.