Nearly 30 years of one of American television's most storied and beloved traditions (i.e. portraying our presidents as moronic simpletons whose inability to tie their own shoes could send the country to Defcon 3) came to a glorious fountain of awesomeness at Funnyordie.com.
The website premiered a new public service announcement on federal finance laws directed by Ron Howard in the form of a very funny "Presidential Reunion" sketch that features the likes of Will Ferrell, Darrell Hammond, Dana Carvey, Dan Aykroyd and even Chevy Chase reviving their classic impressions of former presidents including (respectively) George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., Jimmy Carter and (the most hilarious in my opinion) Gerald Ford who come together to help the beleaguered Barack Obama, played by Fred Armisen. Jim Carrey also stepped in the room to play Ronald Reagan probably because Randy Quaid is nuttier than a Payday bar these days.
george w. bush-related stories
'SNL's' Presidential Reunion Video Hits Funny or Die
Don't count on Fox giving up Glee for Obama
The only way Fox will air President Obama's prime time address next Wednesday will be if he joins the glee club. No, seriously, if the Prez could sing or dance with the kids at McKinley High School on the new Fox series, Glee, he'd have a better chance of getting air time than he does as the Commander in Chief. Fox is not expected to show President Obama's address to Congress. Fox has already shown an unwillingness to interrupt prime time for President Obama. Back in March, the network chose not to air a press conference. To be honest, Obama has been on TV a lot more than President George W. Bush. All that prime time real estate is expensive, and the networks have squawked about how often Obama has requested the air time.
Continue reading Don't count on Fox giving up Glee for Obama
George W. Bush canceled Reading Rainbow
Did you watch Reading Rainbow yesterday? If you missed it, that's too bad, because PBS' third-longest running show (behind only Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood) ended its 26 year run on Friday.
According to NPR, the children's program is being cut from the PBS stable of educational programming because of ... wait for it ... the Bush administration.
Continue reading George W. Bush canceled Reading Rainbow
Will Ferrell's Broadway Bush - VIDEO
Who knew this was George W. Bush in reflection week? I must have missed the memo. But when I tuned in to watch the HBO debut of Will Ferrell: You're Welcome, America, his take on President Bush since the end of this presidency, I couldn't help but recall that just a couple of days ago on Hard Ball, MSNBC's Chris Matthews was going at Bush's former press secretary Ari Fleischer hammer and tongs as Fleischer defended his old boss. Don't these post-mortems usually take a few years to take place? But this post isn't about politics. It's about Will Ferrell, and my thoughts are mainly about Ferrell's show, which has a certain raunchy charm, which apparently offended quite a few people when it played on Broadway. All the raunch is still in place in the HBO version, so if you're curious about Bush's little George (allegedly), check it out.
Continue reading Will Ferrell's Broadway Bush - VIDEO
President Bush wants fifteen more minutes
President Bush has asked the networks to give him fifteen minutes of prime-time air on Thursday night to give a farewell address to the nation. The networks were non-committal at first, but the odds are in favor them granting the request. As a warning, this will likely delay the start of all your favorite Thursday shows.Great, now among his other failings Bush has to preempt the first Smallville since November. The series was finally getting interesting again with the departure of Lana as a steady character and now the President is delaying the very special Legion of Super Heroes episode written by Geoff Johns. How dare he!
Seriously, he is the President and even with only days left in his administration, the office does deserve respect. I admit some curiosity about what he'll say on Thursday. Perhaps he'll declare martial law or start a coup d'état. Or perhaps it's all a big promotional scheme by Will Ferrell.
On the 4th day of Festivus, TV gave to me... - VIDEOS
...Four impressions we'll be missingWhen John McCain and Barack Obama became the clear front runners, no one thought anyone could pull off a decent impression of either guy. They were both bland, articulate politicians who could speak in clear, concise sentences and didn't sound like someone had stepped on their larynx with a golf cleat.
But in the zero hour, we were saved ... and not just by Sarah Palin.
These are the impressions that we're sorry to have to say goodbye to, even if we're glad the people they poke fun at may not be coming back.
Continue reading On the 4th day of Festivus, TV gave to me... - VIDEOS
All Danny wants for Festivus
This is my first Festivus. So I hope you can allow me to be a little more wide-eyed and naive, much like the small child who believes a large fat man can break the space-time continuum to bring him presents on Christmas morning. My wishes are very simple. I want peace and happiness throughout the universe. I also want the entire movie and television industry to heed my warnings and follow my commands as if they have been written on stone tablets with a giant fiery pen from God's stationary set. I also want an army of obedient zombie knights to enforce these commands, and clean up my house, say around once a week.
Continue reading All Danny wants for Festivus
Will Ferrell to be on both Broadway and HBO
It looks like Will Ferrell will be returning to television. HBO has agreed to broadcast his upcoming Broadway one-man show You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush.Usually when I see actors play on Broadway, I think they're slumming it and I wonder if this is the case for Ferrell. His recent movie appearances weren't that great (I just rented Step Brothers and wasn't really impressed). It seems like his star is starting to fade (despite forward-thinking innovations such as Funny or Die).
Continue reading Will Ferrell to be on both Broadway and HBO
Ellen Burstyn to guest on Law & Order SVU
Recently, we told you about James Brolin appearing in a guest role on Law & Order: SVU, as a man from Elliot's past. Now, there'll be even more development for Christopher Meloni's character when Ellen Burstyn shows up on SVU to play Stabler's mother. Oh, and she's not your button-downed, upright all together mom. She's bipolar, which is to say that she has a serious psychological disorder.
TVGuide.com reported that it learned that Ms. Burstyn's guest role will be very dramatic -- "explosive" -- and is slated for one episode. Thinking about what's been happening on SVU, the major storyline for Elliot has been revolving around his wife Kathy having another child.
The baby has brought the Stablers back together after a separation. Could Elliot's mother be coming to New York to see her new grandchild and something else go wrong? Hmm...
Continue reading Ellen Burstyn to guest on Law & Order SVU
Will Bush at the Olympics really help NBC?
Amid controversy and the threat of certain world leaders boycotting the upcoming Beijing Olympics, the word came out yesterday that President George W. Bush would attend the opening ceremonies. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this is good news for NBC, and the companies that have bought advertising for the Games. While I can see how a boycott based on human rights abuses in China and Tibet would be a serious problem for the network -- and it still may lose viewers who choose to individually tune out rather than give positive sanction to China's misdeeds by watching -- I don't see how NBC can think a Bush appearance will bolster ratings.
Continue reading Will Bush at the Olympics really help NBC?
Six other politicians who have had their ways paved by TV actors
Dennis Haysbert recently claimed that his role as President Palmer on 24 may have helped pave the way for a viable African American presidential candidate. He went on to claim that his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the movie Goodbye Bafana ended apartheid and that his role as Jonas Blane in The Unit cured polio. Haysbert was then wrestled to the ground by his handlers and is now "recuperating" at the Clay Aiken Home for Delusional Celebrities.My first thought upon hearing this news was that Dennis Haysbert is obviously insane. Since I've been criticized in this space for not having an open mind about insane things, I decided to take Mr. Haysbert at his word. I then went even further and went to work putting together a list of other politicians who exist mainly due to the hard work done for them by TV actors. After researching Wikipedia for almost a full fifteen minutes, this is the list I've managed to put together...
Continue reading Six other politicians who have had their ways paved by TV actors
HBO's Recount: A review
After the first 15 minutes of the HBO movie Recount, I was so upset, so filled with rage that I wondered if I wanted to watch the rest of the movie. Did I want to relive the events of November 7, 2000? Did I want to watch what happened, the craziest election fiasco in the last 25 years? I was compelled to stick with it because I had lived through it and I was dying to know what I didn't know when it unfolded in real time. I thought the HBO movie might teach me something, and, in fact, it did. For those who don't want to know what happened in Recount, I won't reveal any spoilers until after the jump. Of course, if you don't already know how the election turned out, you've either been in a coma or are woefully out of touch. Suffice to say that Recount doesn't rewrite history. The ending is exactly as it was in 2000.
Gallery: Recount - HBO
Continue reading HBO's Recount: A review
President Bush to make appearance on Deal Or No Deal
President George W. Bush will make a surprise appearance on the NBC game show Deal Or No Deal to thank an Iraqi war veteran contestant for his service to his country. The episode will be airing this coming Monday (Bob breifly mentioned this in his Blogosphere post).The President's segment was pre-taped at the White House. The contestant, Captain Joseph Kobes, was on the program to try and win enough money to pay off his parents' home. He is a Purple Heart and Bronze Start recipient who completed three tours of duty in Iraq.
Continue reading President Bush to make appearance on Deal Or No Deal
Frank TV impresses 2.9 million
Following the strong ratings figures for Tyler Perry's House of Payne, which received that order for 10,000 episodes right off the bat, give or take 9,000, and the solid premiere of The Bill Engvall Show, TBS struck comedy gold again with Frank Caliendo's Frank TV. The late-night sketch/impression show scored an impressive 2.9 million viewers, according to Variety, with a not-surprising-at-all 64% of those in the coveted 18-49 demographic.
Caliendo, whose impressions include George W. Bush, the entire main cast of Seinfeld, Robin Williams and his signature John Madden, plays virtually every character on the show. His Bush is so dead-on, if the strike continues, he can just stand their and make Bush's classic expressions for thirty minutes. His half-smiles, smirks and squinchy eyebrows are enough to bring audiences to tears.
Continue reading Frank TV impresses 2.9 million
Kitty Kelley to write Oprah bio
Kitty's got claws, and she likes to scratch. The first lady of unauthorized biography is back. Kitty Kelley has a new book in the works, and her target this time out is none other than Oprah Winfrey.For those of you unfamiliar with Kelley, her methods are best described as tabloid. She's published unflattering biographies on the Bush family, the British royals, Nancy Reagan and Frank Sinatra. She unearthed the coke-snorting habits of George W., Jackie O's battle with depression and Nancy Reagan's supposed affair with Sinatra.
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