Will Ferrell Regrets Janet Reno ‘SNL’ Impersonation: “That’s Something I Wouldn’t Choose To Do Now”
Will Ferrell is reflecting on his Saturday Night Live impersonations and has some regrets.
The Anchorman star famously impersonated Janet Reno on SNL, dressing up as her for some laughs.
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“That’s something I wouldn’t choose to do now,” Ferrell said during an interview with The New York Times podcast alongside former SNL head writer Harper Steele.
The comedic actor said the character “hits a false note now,” with Steele adding, “This kind of bums me out. I understand the laugh is a drag laugh. It’s, ‘Hey, look at this guy in a dress, and that’s funny.’ It’s absolutely not funny.”
Steele continued, “It’s absolutely a way that we should be able to live in the world. However, with performers and actors, I do like a sense of play.”
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Steele came out as transgender and openly talks about it in the documentary Will & Harper.
Ferrell also said there’s “a fair amount” of sketches “where you’d lament the choice.”
“I mean, in a way, the cast — you’re kind of given this assignment. So I’m going to blame the writers,” he later said.
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Steele added, “Yeah, he’s not culpable at all.”
“I wrote Monica Lewinsky stuff I wasn’t proud of. I wrote some good Britney Spears stuff and some stuff that I’m not as proud of,” Steele said. “I wrote some Clinton things I wasn’t proud of. I’m just moving on. I have to.”
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