'SNL' 'Presidential Reunion' Aims for Funny But Fails

By Sam Brand Posted Mar 5th 2010 11:00AM

'Presidential Reunion' is the hottest viral video of the moment -- and the most star-studded thing this side of the 'We Are the World' remake -- but does the Funny or Die exclusive get its point across? Is it even funny? While we're not sure it's anything more than a mangled A-list mishap, it's become must-see Internet TV.

But we'll let you decide for yourself.

Sponsored by a group called Americans for Financial Reform, the six-minute video has racked up over 1.5 million views since it was posted on Funny or Die on Wednesday.

Directed by Ron Howard, the short gathers all of 'Saturday Night Live's' Presidents in the same skit for the first time ever.

Will Ferrell, part owner of FunnyOrDie.com, plays George W. Bush. Darrell Hammond takes on Bill Clinton. Dana Carvey nails George H. W. Bush. Dan Aykroyd portrays Jimmy Carter. And Chevy Chase, the first 'SNL' player to ever parody a Commander in Chief, tackles Gerald Ford.

Jim Carrey, who rose to fame on 'SNL' rival 'In Living Color,' stands in for the deceased Phil Hartman to portray Ronald Reagan.

The former Presidents storm into the bedroom of President Obama and his wife Michelle, played by Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph, each idiosyncratically harping on the financial pitfalls the American public faces today.

It's not exactly subject matter ripe for comedic exploitation. But the Presidents try to squeeze it out.

"Dude, it was the '90s," Hammond's Clinton says when asked why he supported policies deregulating the financial industry. "People did all sorts of crazy things."

"When I put the Iraq war on my credit card, I never dreamed I would pay 28 percent in interest rates," Ferrell's George W. laments.

The video's main intention, according to Howard and writer Adam McKay, is to convince the American public of the need for an independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Hilarious, no?

If there's any comedic highlight here, it's Carrey's caricatured take on Reagan.

His face frozen in a leathery scowl, Carrey tells Armisen, "I've come back from the dead to tell Mr. Reach-Across-The-Aisle here to grow a pair."

"It's a bitch. It's a bitch," he continues. "But as George Washington once said to John Adams: 'Tag. You're it.'"

Tags: barack obama, bill clinton, chevy chase, dan akroyd, dana carvey, darrell hammond, george bush, jim carrey, michelle obama, obama, presidents, saturday night live, will ferrell

Comments

(12)

Friday 05 March

By David

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Pretty funny to me, esp. Clinton

By Debbie

It was all pretty funny. Love seeing all those guys together and no sign of a fake "Reality" creep anywhere in the skit. I hope they do more with legit performers such as these. Thanks!!!!!

By Ben

Jim Carey actually played Ronald Reagan pretty well in my opinion. lol

By tinaspops

It's like Scrooge being visited by ghosts. Except he woke up and changed for the better. That idiot Owebama will never change anything for the better because he thinks he's right. The skit was pretty funny though.

By Gretchen

SNL is one of the dumbest programs I have ever seen.

By KickIt

It's not funny to you Sam Brand because it's missing a laugh track to tell you when to laugh.

Tuesday 09 March

By IAKC

That was great! Very funny, especially Chevy Chase. They should have had Akroyd do Nixon too, though. Good for Ron Howard, dabbling in politics but still making it entertaining.

By john mcdaniel

very very funny

expand this into saturday nights

By Selena

I really miss Dana Carvey. He was so funny- especially when he played Bob Dole and the Church lady.

Sunday 07 March

By Jim

Dana didn't play Bob Dole, he was hilarious as Ross Perot.

By Diane

VERY FUNNY

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