Will Farrell as George W. Bush on Broadway
My latest Big Hollywood post on Will Farrell as George W. Bush on Broadway
Bashing Bush = Boffo Broadway Business!by Stage Right
I know that as the guy on the “Broadway Beat” I should have a take on the Will Ferrell one-man show due to start previews at the Cort on Inauguration Day, “You’re Welcome America, A Final Night with George Bush”, but, so far, I’m just bored with the idea.
Sure, it’s going to be a 90-minute SNL sketch, but instead of the opening sketch that always grabs you and pulls you in to watch through “Update”, I expect it’ll be like one of those sketches thrown in after the second song from the musical guest. And it will feel like they never quite figured out how to end it… you know, those excruciating sketches which force you to say “Why am I still up watching this?”
I like Will Ferrell… he almost always makes me laugh. But, there is something about his Bush impression that has gotten pretty mean. He always played W in that stereotype kind of dim, frat-boy kind of way. But when he looked into the camera and said “Strategery” during the mock debates against Darrell Hammond’s awesome Al Gore, he had an earnestness that made the caricature endearing. Now, his Bush has lost the charm and it’s just not as fun to watch.
Here’s a promotional video, see if you agree:
So he’ll run for his limited engagement. And the show will cost about a nickel because there’s no cast, and the crew will be minimal. The Cort is probably going for about $1.25 per week these days because there are so many new vacancies on Broadway and the Shuberts are probably just happy to have a booking in one of their lesser booked houses. So, I’m sure money will be made by all involved. In fact, HBO is going to broadcast one performance live so the fees for that probably cover expenses going in.
But, the whole thing is a bit pathetic. I’d hoped Will Ferrell would have gracefully left this behind, but he seems determined to milk the last drop from this impersonation. It feels a little like Tim Conway’s 17th “Dorf” video, I think it was “Dorf on Luge” or “Dorf on Curling” or something like that. It’s a far cry from the very classy Dana Carvey and his respectful admiration for Pres. George H. W. Bush.
His press office is sending out signals that there will be “surprises” in the show. If he is smart and if he wants to appeal to the other half of our country, he will re-inject some heart into the character he has created. Something is different when you see an actor live in the same room as you rather than on the screen in your living room. A mean joke at the President’s expense might be funny with a studio audience, but in a Broadway house, there is an intimacy that demands a modicum of pathos from an actor, especially when basically a one-joke bit is stretched to 90 minutes. I hope Mr. Ferrell rises to the challenge.
Stage Right is on Facebook.
Bashing Bush = Boffo Broadway Business!by Stage Right
I know that as the guy on the “Broadway Beat” I should have a take on the Will Ferrell one-man show due to start previews at the Cort on Inauguration Day, “You’re Welcome America, A Final Night with George Bush”, but, so far, I’m just bored with the idea.
Sure, it’s going to be a 90-minute SNL sketch, but instead of the opening sketch that always grabs you and pulls you in to watch through “Update”, I expect it’ll be like one of those sketches thrown in after the second song from the musical guest. And it will feel like they never quite figured out how to end it… you know, those excruciating sketches which force you to say “Why am I still up watching this?”
I like Will Ferrell… he almost always makes me laugh. But, there is something about his Bush impression that has gotten pretty mean. He always played W in that stereotype kind of dim, frat-boy kind of way. But when he looked into the camera and said “Strategery” during the mock debates against Darrell Hammond’s awesome Al Gore, he had an earnestness that made the caricature endearing. Now, his Bush has lost the charm and it’s just not as fun to watch.
Here’s a promotional video, see if you agree:
So he’ll run for his limited engagement. And the show will cost about a nickel because there’s no cast, and the crew will be minimal. The Cort is probably going for about $1.25 per week these days because there are so many new vacancies on Broadway and the Shuberts are probably just happy to have a booking in one of their lesser booked houses. So, I’m sure money will be made by all involved. In fact, HBO is going to broadcast one performance live so the fees for that probably cover expenses going in.
But, the whole thing is a bit pathetic. I’d hoped Will Ferrell would have gracefully left this behind, but he seems determined to milk the last drop from this impersonation. It feels a little like Tim Conway’s 17th “Dorf” video, I think it was “Dorf on Luge” or “Dorf on Curling” or something like that. It’s a far cry from the very classy Dana Carvey and his respectful admiration for Pres. George H. W. Bush.
His press office is sending out signals that there will be “surprises” in the show. If he is smart and if he wants to appeal to the other half of our country, he will re-inject some heart into the character he has created. Something is different when you see an actor live in the same room as you rather than on the screen in your living room. A mean joke at the President’s expense might be funny with a studio audience, but in a Broadway house, there is an intimacy that demands a modicum of pathos from an actor, especially when basically a one-joke bit is stretched to 90 minutes. I hope Mr. Ferrell rises to the challenge.
Stage Right is on Facebook.
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