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Will Forte Calls His Bush Impression a ‘Letdown’ on Podcast

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Will Forte Saturday Night Live Impression

LOS ANGELES, CA — Will Forte opened up about the challenges of impersonating former President George W. Bush during a recent episode of Amy Poehler‘s podcast, ‘Good Hang.’ The discussion took place on June 17, 2025, where Forte reflected on his time on ‘Saturday Night Live‘ (SNL) and the heavy expectations that came after Will Ferrell‘s iconic portrayal.

Joining the cast in 2002 after Ferrell’s final season, Forte described the competitive environment among the 17 cast members. ‘It was a huge cast, you’re trying to get your stuff on, you’re trying to get noticed,’ he said. ‘And then I got, somehow, the George Bush role.’

Despite the opportunity, Forte admitted that impressions were not his strong suit, describing his fit for the role as ‘a match not made in heaven.’ He acknowledged the challenge of filling Ferrell’s shoes, saying, ‘Will Ferrell was George Bush! He was so good at it. It’s like trying to replace the Church Lady,’ referring to another famous SNL character played by Dana Carvey.

Forte revealed that he felt his take on Bush was a ‘letdown.’ He performed as the president 22 times from 2004 to 2006 before Jason Sudeikis took over. ‘But of course you can’t retire the sitting president on SNL,’ Forte added, highlighting the pressures faced by impersonators on the show.

Though Ferrell’s portrayal remains definitive, he occasionally reprised the role in later years, including a Broadway play and various SNL sketches. Ferrell’s Bush impressions resonate as a significant part of SNL’s comedic legacy, which has influenced how political figures are viewed in comedy.