Top 50 Funniest SNL Political Impressions of All Time

Don’t worry — we’ll be getting to Maya Rudolph’s now iconic impression of the former VP and senator from California in a bit. For now, we’re zooming in on one of the more unsung heroes of Kamala Harris’ ill-fated 2024 presidential campaign — or, at least, Samberg’s doofy impression of him. The former “SNL” cast member perfectly channels the real Emhoff’s sweet, sometimes over-the-top sincerity, as well as his unabashed “wife guy” status. Recurring throughout the early months of season 50 up to the November election, Samberg’s easily excitable caricature, a perfect match of subject and performer, has been sorely missed.

Speaking of actors who perfectly matched the political impression they were tasked with, we’d be hard-pressed not to mention “SNL” mainstay Alec Baldwin’s RFK Jr. The lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and Secretary of Health and Human Services was the subject of controversy following his nomination to the post by President Donald Trump. This owed to his widely publicized stances about vaccinations, which served as cannon fodder for “SNL’s” parody of the Kennedy family member. Baldwin’s RFK manages to make fun of the Cabinet official’s public-facing actions and bizarre past scandals, without mocking the spasmodic dysphonia that Kennedy has struggled with since his 40s.

Since marrying “Weekend Update” host Colin Jost in 2020, multiple Oscar nominee Johansson has appeared with increasing frequency on “SNL”, often assisting the show in spoofing topical events. One such example was her pitch-perfect roasting of Alabama senator Katie Britt, following the politician’s answer to then-president Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address. Britt’s response was roundly criticized as “bizarre”, “lurid and banal”, and “creepy” (ouch). Adding insult to injury, Johansson’s “SNL” parody went viral, with online commentators endorsing her performance as nailing Britt’s awkward delivery and misplaced… well… let’s call it “passion”.

Oh, yeah… remember Anthony Scaramucci? Donald Trump’s former communications director for all of 10 days in July of 2017? Well, either way you’d be forgiven, but at least one aspect of Scaramucci’s shockingly brief tenure has aged well: that would be former “SNL” cast member Bill Hader’s hilarious Scaramucci impression. Appearing on the fourth season premiere of “Weekend Update Thursday”, Hader’s unapologetic Scaramucci (or, “the Mooch”, if you’d prefer) was crass, brash, and outspoken… quite a lot like the real Scaramucci (which makes sense). Poking fun at Scaramucci’s brief tenure and the little, if any, good that had come from it, perhaps Mooch's greatest accomplishment was making everyone realize how sorely missed Bill Hader is on “Saturday Night Live”.

We’re going waaay back into the archives for this one. For the uninitiated, Tripp was a public servant in Bill Clinton’s White House who, upon recording and leaking private conversations with Monica Lewinsky (yes, that Monica Lewinsky), became the subject of intense media scrutiny. Throughout the duration of Tripp’s time in the spotlight, she was portrayed by frequent “SNL” host John Goodman in a series of cameos — and it wasn’t pretty. Blasted by the show for her betrayal of Lewinsky and the unlawful nature of her actions, Goodman’s Tripp is glib, obnoxious, and generally hard to take… which speaks volumes about the immensely likeable Goodman’s acting skills.

Here’s another first-term Trump ally you may have forgotten about. The president’s personal attorney from 2006 to 2018, Cohen also served as the vice president of the Trump Organization, even being described as its founder’s personal, quote-unquote “fixer”. That was, of course, until the middle of Trump’s first presidency, when Cohen found himself as the center of the Stormy Daniels scandal. Making several guest appearances as the beleaguered lawyer, Stiller nailed the real-life Cohen’s jittery, nervous, almost hapless energy. Stiller’s Cohen was a perfect foil for Alec Baldwin’s classic Trump impression, pulling from his history of portraying down-on-their-luck nerds in crisis mode to portray… well, a down-on-his-luck nerd in crisis mode.

This won’t be the last time you see the Giuliani family on our list today. However, we’re pulling focus away from Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and lawyer to Donald Trump. In this instance, we’re looking at “SNL” legend Chris Farley’s hilarious send-up of an infamous, early-‘90s Giuliani speech. Shortly after being sworn into office as mayor in 1994, Giuliani’s acceptance speech was upended by his young son Andrew… or, should we say, upstaged. “SNL” pounced on the awkward press conference, with Farley portraying Andrew as being more than a little overbearing and attention-hungry, putting his knack for physical comedy to very good use.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic may seem like a bad, distant memory now, there were a few glimmers of hope and hilarity to be found. Case in point: Brad Pitt’s wholly unexpected “SNL” impression found the Oscar winner taking on the immunologist/former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Pitt’s Fauci reflects the real-life physician-scientist’s role as a sort of beacon of hope during those dark times, taking care to “translate” President Trump’s statements on the U.S. government’s response to the pandemic. Pitt’s parody is the rare “SNL” sketch that takes a sentimental turn, with the actor removing his get-up to deliver a sincere “thank-you” message to the real Fauci, as well as healthcare workers everywhere.

Nominated to replace outgoing associate justice Thurgood Marshall, George H.W. Bush’s candidate for the Supreme Court brought with him a tidal wave of scandal and controversy. Outrage erupted over Thomas’ stances on issues like abortion, and spilled over once disturbing assault allegations came forth against him, courtesy of law professor Anita Hill. Of course, “Saturday Night Live” was right there to follow (and make fun of) the proceedings. In an early highlight for the eternally underrated Tim Meadows, Thomas is portrayed as a blithely ignorant creep — much like Kevin Nealon’s Joe Biden and Phil Hartman’s Ted Kennedy.

Cross-gender impressions are hardly anything new at “Saturday Night Live”. Just look at Kate McKinnon’s Jeff Sessions, Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer, or Sarah Sherman’s Matt Gaetz. However, one of the show’s earliest examples of political gender-swapping was one of its funniest. Here, Amy Poehler took a stab at impersonating congressman Dennis Kucinich, a longtime representative from Ohio and frequent political hopeful. Kucinich is skewered here at a “fringe candidates” debate, a lone Democratic hopeful amidst a sea of Looney Tunes. Reflecting the real Kucinich’s lost-cause 2008 presidential run, host Dan Rather (played here by Darrell Hammond) struggles to place poor Dennis. Ultimately, Kucinich withdrew from the race in January 2008, endorsing Barack Obama. The rest, of course, is history.

Is there anything this “SNL” maestro can’t do when it comes to impersonating well-known American political figures? On the face of it, it may seem like a tall order to differentiate impressions of Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren, both competent, but relatively vanilla, politicians. But McKinnon always pulled it off with aplomb — take her Warren, for example. McKinnon’s parody of the progressive Massachusetts senator plays on the calm and collected Warren’s desperate wishes to appear “hip” in the face of her uncoolness. McKinnon also captures Warren’s world-weariness — especially when faced with President Trump’s antics.

This former New York governor seemed to have everything going for him — until it all came crashing down. Initially praised for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuomo’s nationwide support and admiration came to a screeching halt once allegations of grave misconduct came out against him in late 2020. Becoming a frequent target for the NYC-based sketch show, Cuomo was portrayed by Davidson as the scandal unfolded. Although the longtime cast member was hardly known for his impressions, his clueless Cuomo is a sharp reflection of the real-life governor’s stumbling through his multiple missteps.

Despite his open disdain for publicity and famous tightlippedness in interviews, two-time Oscar winner de Niro seemingly loves appearing on “SNL”. Having hosted multiple times, the steely, no-nonsense acting legend was a natural fit to play Mueller, the former FBI director turned Trump arch-nemesis. Over a series of cameos during Trump’s first presidency, de Niro played Mueller as a stern variation of the intimidating authority figures he’s based his career on. One particularly memorable instance featured de Niro reuniting with his “Meet the Parents” costar Ben Stiller — and recreating an iconic scene from that film. In character, of course.

Arguably the impression that kicked off “SNL’s” golden era of political comedy, it’s no surprise that master impressionist Hartman was the man for the job. Later nicknamed “Glue” in reference to his ability to hold a sketch together, Hartman’s Reagan poked fun at the doddering president’s penchant for cluelessness. Of course, in the world of “SNL”, this was all a front for President Reagan’s dastardly plans for world domination, painting him as a conniving “Bond” villain. Hartman expertly switches between the absent-minded, grandfatherly Reagan, and the coherent, master strategist — almost like they’re two different characters entirely.

This star-studded Trump-era cold open features a veritable smorgasbord of heavy hitters, from Martin Short as the president’s eccentric physician Harold Bornstein[d], to Stormy Daniels as, y’know, herself. However, while everyone brought their A-game to this sketch, we have to single out guest stars Johansson and Fallon for their hilarious performances. Johansson makes for an ideal straight woman to Fallon’s cartoonish, Mickey Mouse-voiced Kushner, whose pleas to be taken seriously go painfully unheeded. Although brief, the cameos go a long way in capturing the couple’s public dynamic… as well as making us realize just how much they remind us of Tom and Shiv from “Succession”.

Yet another wildly talented impressionist who “SNL” never quite figured out what to do with, Pharoah portrayed several major figures in pop culture to a shocking degree of accuracy. One of his finest “SNL” roles was a uniquely low-energy challenge: that of former neurosurgeon and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson. Pharoah’s Carson successfully depicts the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as a sleepy but sinister Trump ally. From his awkwardly clasped hands to his unnerving demeanor, Darrell Hammond’s Trump describes Carson as looking like “he drives a hollowed out ice cream truck”. Come for the roasts, stay for the impression that had one YouTube commenter claiming that “This Ben Carson has WAY too much energy.”

Is it weird that this “SNL” parody feels less like a roast and more like… a show of support for brotherly love? Well, maybe that’s just us, but such is the success of Day and Moffat’s respective impressions. Appearing several times on “Weekend Update”, Day’s braggadocious Don Jr. quickly takes a backseat to Moffat’s simple, childlike Eric. While Don pontificates about his and his family’s awesomeness, all eyes are on Eric as he dopily copies his brother’s grandiose hand gestures. When we said that Moffat’s Eric is childlike, we weren’t kidding — a particularly gut-busting appearance from the two sees him housing a bag of Cheerios and a Capri-Sun packet. Is anyone else feeling nostalgic?

An indisputable master of impressions, this long-serving “SNL” cast member delivered perhaps the Trump impression, even managing to improve on the venerated Phil Hartman. Hammond is one of a very small handful of comedians to do his Trump impression right to Trump’s face — and live to tell the tale. And not just once, but a number of times, including Trump’s infamously bad 2015 hosting gig. Although Hammond was usurped by Alec Baldwin once Trump won the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, it’s important to remember that Baldwin’s Emmy-winning impression wouldn’t have been possible if not for Hammond paving the way.

Sometimes, an impression isn’t just about nailing how someone sounds, but about how well you can embody their whole being. For a lesson in getting that right, look no further than “SNL” alumni Myers’ scathing Musk impression. The billionaire, who became increasingly prominent in the public eye due to his association with President Trump, is well-known for his idiosyncrasies — perfect material for a king of cartoony impressions like Myers. Myers’ Musk finds the comedian going all-out cringe, spoofing the SpaceX CEO’s penchant for dancing at inopportune times, as well as his seeming discomfort in his own skin.

Okay, admittedly, this one’s a bit of a cheat. Viral standup comic Gillis has had more of a chance to show off his scary-good Trump impression through his standup and podcasting appearances. To his credit, Gillis definitely made a meal of his sole shot at playing Trump on “SNL”. In a fake commercial for Trump’s actual golden sneakers (not a bit for the show), Gillis portrayed an ordinary man who, in a “Like Mike”-style twist of fate, dons the shoes and essentially transforms into Trump. Although the sketch makes you wonder what could’ve been had Gillis made it onto the show, it at least grants viewers the pleasure of seeing his and James Austin Johnson’s dueling Trumps.

When coming up against Dana Carvey’s George H. W. Bush, Jon Lovitz decided to compete with his co-star by using subtlety. His underrated take on the presidential candidate doesn’t steal the spotlight, but he does have an enjoyable way of staying cool. This comes out in a funny debate and the entertaining “Dukakis After Dark” sketch. He also gets to deliver the occasional one-liner that’s both accurate and hilarious. When he’s not revealing his amazing language skills, Lovitz also employs some killer eyebrows. While this actor usually plays broad comedy, this version of Governor Dukakis lets him show off his subdued acting abilities.

Some might have argued that Al Gore wasn’t an easy impression, but Darrell Hammond easily defied the odds with this performance. He practically disappears into the Vice President with his Southern accent. After watching his take on Gore at the first debate, you might come away laughing and muttering the word “lockbox” to yourself. He combines these catchphrases with crazy and outlandish sketches. Competing with Will Ferrell’s George W. Bush, Hammond delivers the goods as a long-winded version of the politician. The comedian battles Ferrell with a surprisingly goofy presence of his own as he even sings with his co-star.

In the hands of a versatile comedian like Cecily Strong, this political figure really comes alive. Marjorie Taylor Greene is not exactly the most guarded individual and the performer really makes that known. You could even call this impersonation crazy, down to everything from her love of guns to her hilarious sneezes. Strong’s take on Green delves into scientific issues and hot topics with a funny twist. You could also call her a fighter, getting aggressive about almost anything in an entertaining way. She even visits “Sesame Street” armed to the teeth in one skit. The impression doesn’t let up, with memorable and opinionated rants that’ll have you laughing.

Even if this senator isn’t the most obvious target, he has a few qualities that Chris Redd utilizes for comedic effect. The actor leads with his eyes in order to steal the debate spotlight. Trying to stay hip, this Cory Booker works through his desperation in increasingly funny ways. Redd’s take on Booker looks like a deer in the headlights as he tries to make his limited time count. Capturing the comedy of a politician who can’t win, the comedian does an impressive job of earning laughs in only a few lines. The performer also plays him at committee hearings as he hopes to impress people. If this leader runs for president again, “SNL” should invite the actor back to talk about Rosario Dawson.

As one of the best impressionists in “SNL” history, Bill Hader is more than prepared to take on Jim Jordan. The congressman tries to question Michael Cohen without completely losing his mind. While turning up the volume, Hader makes this politician into a hilarious and hot-headed caricature. They even find time to make fun of the target’s wardrobe. With the other committee members giving him more time, Jordan keeps digging a hole for himself in amusing rants. The frequent mistakes and dead-end questioning allow the comedian to shine. Opposite Ben Stiller’s Cohen, the performer turns up the heat as the buffoonish character that can’t catch a break.

Leading up to the 2008 election season, Amy Poehler found the comedy in Hillary Clinton. Her concept for the character revolves around her failed attempts to become president. Poehler also dials up Clinton’s passive-aggression for some amazing confrontations, the latter of which includes an amazing sketch with Tina Fey. Whether she’s talking to the Alaska governor or debating Obama, this character has some hilarious reactions to her defeats. The comedian plays the politician’s emotions like a high-wire act of hilarity. You don’t know whether this Clinton will laugh, scream, or cry at any moment. This all adds up to a wonderful piece of comedic acting, giving the actress one of her best impersonations.

When the great Chris Farley did anything, he never gave anything less than 100%. This is especially true in the case of his off-the-wall Newt Gingrich impression. Infusing his explosive energy into every line, Farley couldn’t help but make the politician more hyper. His performance as the Speaker of the House features some brilliant comic timing and lots of gavel-banging. The comedian even plays Gingrich against his mother, seeing his more personal side with surprising results. It’s a funny and manic twist on the 1990s political figure. Through it all, the legendary performer never lets up with his wildly entertaining spin.

As a go-to impressionist from his era, Darrell Hammond strikes again with one of his signature roles. Hammond had huge shoes to fill taking on the US president for the 1990s and early 2000s. His interpretation allowed him to be playful, mischievous, and charismatic all at the same time. The result was a fabulous sendup of Bill Clinton’s highs and lows, giving the commander-in-chief a humorous edge. Hammond’s performance plays with the charisma of the politician as well as the scandals of his later presidency. Even with all of the serious topics surrounding him, this Clinton flashes his smile and trademark mannerisms to get audiences laughing.

In a long history of great Donald Trump impressions, James Austin Johnson might just be the most accurate. His vocal impersonation is so spot-on that it’s both scary and funny in equal measure. Along with getting the voice right, Johnson can also go on a trademark ramble as the politician. The stream-of-consciousness delivery makes for some truly hilarious segments that reference pop culture. The performer plays up the real man’s complexities, while also creating a character that’s completely absurd in every way. Thankfully, the impressionist finds enough comedy here to poke fun at the headlines and create his own stamp on the man.

With the bubbly energy of Maya Rudolph, this Kamala Harris impression truly comes alive. It’s arguably the closest anyone has come to nailing the essence of the Vice President. The key to this impersonation is the leader’s insistence on being relevant. Using memes and internet slang, Rudolph’s version tries desperately to play with the younger crowds. It’s also impressive to see a new take on a much newer public figure that goes beyond the usual vocals. From Harris’ family life to her debates with Mike Pence, Rudolph captures the politician with physical and verbal comedy. The comedian lights up any appearance as the VP, walking the line between authentic and wonderfully campy.

Sure, this may have been a once off impression. But Matt Damon surprised everyone with how well he nailed Judge Brett Kavanaugh's defensive demeanor during his high profile sexual misconduct hearing in 2018. The cold open sequence was certainly an ensemble piece, but the whole thing hinged upon how well Damon could deliver an impression of someone who was growing more and more irritated at a line of questioning. Eventually, the performance reached the crescendo of Damon shotgun-ing a beer before starting the show proper, kicking things off in note-perfect fashion.

You don't always have to be running at two hundred percent to deliver laughs on the SNL stage. Sometimes, a little bit of subtlety goes a long way. This was definitely the case when it came to Fred Armisen's portrayal of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Armisen’s low-energy delivery was on purpose and on point. His semi-mumbling inflection was perfectly paired with Bobby Moynihan's volatile Chris Christie during a sketch about Hurricane Sandy. Armisen's return to the character during the 2020 US Presidential Race was similarly spot on.

Consider this one something of a forgotten gem when it comes to “SNL” political impressions. Former Attorney General Janet Reno wasn't exactly known as the life of the party when she served under President Bill Clinton, but you wouldn't know that if you just paid attention to Will Ferrell's impersonation. It didn't matter that Ferrell wasn't spot on when it came to capturing her on a personal level. It was more about the idea of Reno in something as ridiculous as, say, a boxing match with Rudy Giuliani that made it funny. Plus, Ferrell's deadpan delivery and purse-lipped dialogue delivers giggles on their own.

Sometimes the easiest, most direct approach is best for comedic impersonations. Or, at least this seems to be the case when it comes to Beck Bennett, who absolutely nails his parody of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Bennett goes full tilt into James Bond villain mode here, portraying him as a devious, confident and self obsessed megalomaniac who never wears a shirt if he doesn't have to. Of course, it helps that Bennett has the look and facial expressions to pull it off - not to mention nailing Putin's manner-of-speech to hilarious effect.

Norm Macdonald is a comedian's comedian; a man who has earned both respect from his peers and laughs from the audience. “SNL” fans were certainly laughing back when Macdonald was playing former presidential candidate and Senator Bob Dole on the show. Norm made it a point to emphasize Dole's habit of referring to himself in the third person, while also capturing Dole's pencil-holding, deadpan delivery. Macdonald was surly and grumpy, yet remarkably charismatic in his performance as Dole, and it's something we're still laughing at today.

You can always count on Kate McKinnon to deliver a great impression. The gifted comedian just seems to have honed her talent at commanding accents, as well as her subject's personal idiosyncrasies. McKinnon is also just as accomplished at transformation, as evidenced by her multiple political impressions of subjects as varied as Kellyanne Conway, Rudy Giuliani and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It's her take on former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that had us rolling, however, thanks to the exaggerated Southern accent as well as Sessions' reportedly sycophantic relationship with President Trump. It didn't matter whether McKinnon was portraying Sessions on "Weekend Update" or parodying "Forrest Gump," her impression was always solid gold.

What can we say? Joe Biden just seemed tailor made for an SNL political impression, as evidenced by the numerous cast members and guest hosts who tried their hand at the former Vice President. Jason Sudeikis, Woody Harrelson and John Mulaney all did killer jobs with their respective impersonations. But our pick here is Jim Carrey, who’s portrayed Biden in a recurring role. Although not everyone saw the real Biden in Carrey’s energetic interpretation, we’ve got to give it up for Carrey's inner monologue during debate sketches with Baldwin's Trump. We love the machismo Joe; the exasperated candidate who's down for push up contests, name calling, and tagging in Kamala Harris to intervene on his behalf.

Former President Gerald Ford was always athletic, but all it took was one stumble out of Air Force One to earn a reputation for clumsiness. This served as a perfect opportunity for SNL to cement their very first iconic political impression with Chevy Chase's classic, fan favorite portrayal. Chase took his physical comedy to the very limit, utilizing elaborate pratfalls to the point of actual injury, all to get a laugh. It worked, to the point where even the President himself was a fan, appearing on the show and even inviting Chase out to play golf!

Darrell Hammond is a master of impressions, and has successfully tried his luck impersonating a number of political figures during his tenure at “SNL.” However, it's Hammond's take on former Vice President Dick Cheney that stands alongside his Bill Clinton as one of the comedian's most well-known parodies. Hammond hams it up and does his best to play with Cheney's public persona as the evil puppet mastermind behind the George W. Bush administration, while getting a lot of laughs in the process. That sneaky snarl, those side-eye glances, it's all part of Hammond's hilarious take on a polarizing man.

It was Fred Armisen who first took aim at Barack Obama with his unique and slightly strange impression. But that performance was certainly improved upon once Jay Pharoah took over the role. Pharoah easily ticks all of the boxes when it comes to capturing Obama's cadence, phrasing and manner of speech, while at the same time capturing that certain level of political swagger the former president has. Jay Pharoah is a skilled comedian and impressionist, but this might be some of his best work.

With his recurring impersonation of Donald Trump, guest star Alec Baldwin became a sort of de-facto cast member. Alec Baldwin earned rave reviews and laughs when he parodied The Donald on the campaign trail, so it made sense that the award-winning actor would return to the role once Trump took office. Baldwin nails a funny and exaggerated take on many of Trump's well known personal quirks and mannerisms, and never shies away from tackling the more controversial topics that were at the center of news outlets during the president's campaign.

Don’t worry, we’ll get to Bush Senior later in the list. Will Ferrell first introduced his Dubya impersonation in 1999, to wild reviews. Presenting Bush Junior as naive, simple, and in over his head, Ferrell lampooned the President while also nailing his accent, squint, and … difficulties … with grammar. Once Ferrell left the cast, others tried to take on the mantle, but no one quite measured up to Ferrell. In fact, his impersonation was so good, he adapted it into the Broadway play “You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush”. Ferrell reprised the role a few times on SNL too, including in 2018, with an important message: [“I wanted to remind you guys that I was REALLY bad!”]

This Not Ready for Primetime Player was notable for a couple of Presidential impersonations, including a memorable stint as Jimmy Carter during the early seasons of "Saturday Night Live." Dan Aykroyd also did a very successful impression of Richard Nixon, to boot, standing out amongst the myriad of other comics who were taking their shot at the infamous ex-President. Copying Nixon's idiosyncratic, hunched over gait and penchant for waving victory signs was the easy part. More challenging was trying to get laughs portraying a man who was so disliked and controversial. Aykroyd succeeded, however, going on to portray Nixon a total of ten times from 1976 to 1979.

If Baldwin's Trump was good, then Kate McKinnon's parody of Hillary Clinton was even better. McKinnon's place as one of “SNL’”s funniest faces was already secure before she took on this role, but if anything, Kate's impression of Hillary has made her even more popular. Maybe it's McKinnon's ability to tap into Clinton's awkward public persona, or perhaps it was the laughs she got portraying how badly Hillary wanted to win the election. Or, maybe it was that somber cold opening in the wake of a Trump victory, where, in character, McKinnon sang a stirring rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Honestly, it was all of that and more: this was a brilliant performance.

It seems as if “SNL” icon Dana Carvey can impersonate just about anyone, but it was the world of politics that gave us some of the cast member's most memorable bits. When it came to his impersonation of George H. W. Bush, Carvey had a lot of material to work with during the course of Bush’s Presidency. But it's the comedian's uncanny ability to mimic the former president's voice and mannerisms, especially during monologues and debates that are probably best remembered. Oh, and in case you’re worried … don’t worry, there’s more Carvey ahead in the list!

We return to another Trump-era “SNL” impersonation for our next entry. Melissa McCarthy surprised everyone in 2017 when she appeared on "Saturday Night Live" to impersonate former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. The comedian’s natural affinity for physical comedy and mimicry brought the house down, and it wasn't long before McCarthy was making regular appearances as Spicer. Her impression was loud, colorful, and boisterous… and we loved every minute of it! Even Sean Spicer admitted that it was “kinda funny”. Although he said his boss didn’t see it that way ...

If there was ever an “SNL” impersonation that left people wanting more, it was this one. Comedian and "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David seemed born to play Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, sliding into the role like a pair of old, comfortable shoes. Any “SNL” debate sketch was immediately enhanced by David's impression of Sanders' righteous indignation and anger, not to mention some good-natured ribbing about the senator's age. His loud and boisterous freakouts never failed to get the audience roaring. As it turns out, the two are actually distant cousins - so maybe David had a bit of a genetic advantage here!

Hillary's other half is up next on our list, this time portrayed by the much-missed Phil Hartman. The “SNL” legend had already impressed with his smart and satirical take on former President Reagan. Yet even that performance was eclipsed by his dead-on impression of William Jefferson Clinton. Hartman wasn't one-note in his work, and did his best to capture everything about Clinton: his affable charisma, his Arkansas accent, his taste for fast food, his relationship with Hillary, and his role as Commander in Chief. Above all else, though, it was just funny: a perfect impression from one of “SNL’”s greatest talents.

Former Presidential candidate Ross Perot may not exist front and center within the public consciousness much anymore. But there was a time where this self-made man was everywhere in the news. As a result, Perot's fiery third party campaign for the White House made for a perfect SNL parody from veteran cast member Dana Carvey. For starters, Carvey NAILS Perot's memorable laugh, as well as his quick manner of speech, strange non sequiturs and knack for sidebar colloquialisms. The impression also captures the zeitgeist of the time, this feeling that Perot might actually have a chance to lead a third party candidate to the highest seat in American public service. It doesn't matter that Perot wasn't successful in his bid, because Carvey's work here remains classic.

It's one of the most beloved and most well-known political parodies in “SNL” history: the time Tina Fey took a shot at vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin. Fey won a Primetime Emmy award in 2009 for her portrayal of the former Alaskan governor; a nuanced performance that both skewered Palin's political prowess, or lack thereof, and lightheartedly poked fun at her beauty queen appearance, accent, and use of colloquialisms. It was a smash hit, and Fey would return to the role a number of times for “SNL,” securing the character as a high point in the show's long history of political comedy.