Who is Sarah Cooper? Viral Trump impersonator appears at DNC, bags TV specials
During her appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, social media sensation Sarah Cooper did something you won't see in any of her viral Twitter videos: She spoke.
"Let me put this in my own words," Cooper said, after lip-syncing to President Donald Trump's comments about mail-in voting. "I've heard Donald Trump say some pretty unhinged things. I've heard them over and over and over again. But nothing is more dangerous to our democracy than his attacks on mail-in voting during a pandemic."
She continued: "Donald Trump doesn't want any of us to vote because he knows he can't win fair and square. So whether you plan to vote by mail or in person wearing a mask, it is your vote, and it's your right. Don't let Donald Trump take that away from you."
In addition to a spot at the DNC, Cooper's viral impressions of Trump have landed her late-night talk show appearances and an upcoming Netflix special. But who is she?
Since the start of the White House's coronavirus press briefings, the New York-based writer-comedian has made a series of viral videos in which she lip syncs to some of Trump's most memorable quotes.
In a Vanity Fair article published July 20, Cooper, 42, opened up about her viral Trump impressions, plans for the future and what she says she's gleaned about the president's psyche from memorizing his speech patterns.
Cooper originally began posting her impressions to TikTok, where she's garnered over half a million followers and over 4 million likes on her videos. One of her videos on Twitter, where she spoofs Trump bragging about his cognitive abilities, has more than 12 million views. Another of her lip-syncing to the president's comments on ultraviolet light and disinfectant has over 22 million views on Twitter.
“I like the idea that I’m inspiring the next generation to make fun of our president,” she said.
According to Cooper's website, she began her comedy career while working for companies like Yahoo! and Google. Her Trump impressions have landed her spots on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." On Aug. 11, Cooper even guest-hosted "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
Her videos have also earned praise from celebs like Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Halle Berry, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chrissy Teigen, Cher, Jane Lynch, Seth Meyers and Bette Midler. Cooper told Vanity Fair not all her fans are liberal and that Trump supporters also find her videos entertaining.
“I really thought I was going to get a ton of hate mail," she said. "That hasn’t happened because, on some level, they’re entertaining to his supporters as well. I don’t know how to feel about that.”
Cooper added she suspects even Trump may be a secret viewer, despite his blocking her on Twitter for calling him "unfit for office" in 2017.
“I think he thinks I like what he’s saying,” she said. “Maybe! If you’re a sociopath, you don’t get emotional cues.”
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Cooper told the magazine that memorizing and filming a video can take up to four hours. During this process, she claims to have gained insight into the president's inner life.
“Any time he had to talk about grief, or loss of life, he stumbled," Cooper said. "He’s not comfortable with empathy. He’s not comfortable with grief. He’s not comfortable with anything that makes him feel bad or look bad.”
But she does have her limits regarding what she considers appropriate to parody.
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"He messed up several words at a Memorial Day speech and people were like, ‘You should do that!’ " Cooper offered as an example. "But no. It’s still a sacred day."
In the interview, Cooper said she hopes to expand her talents beyond social media and make her way into television. She's currently writing and pitching an original series about an overly confident boss who “(screws) up all over the place and still somehow fails up.”
Cooper seems to have gotten her wish, announcing on Twitter on Aug. 12 that she'll be getting her own Netflix special this fall
"It's true! I couldn’t have done it without all your support, THANK YOU SO MUCH," she wrote to her 2.1 million followers.
According to a press release from Netflix, the special, called "Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine," will feature vignettes about politics, race, gender, class and other subjects. Special guests will also join Cooper on the show for short interviews and sketches.
"Russian Doll" star Natasha Lyonne is slated to direct, and former "Saturday Night Live" star and Kamala Harris impersonator Maya Rudolph will serve as an executive producer.
Earlier Thursday, Cooper made headlines once more when her second book, "How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings," was picked up as a comedy for CBS.
The sitcom will follow "three women at different stages in their careers at a male-dominated company help each other navigate modern gender politics in their careers and in their personal lives," according to a release.
The project hails from Cooper, Cindy Chupack ("Sex and the City"), CBS Television Studios and PatMa Productions.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sarah Cooper: Viral Trump lip-sync star hits DNC, bags TV specials