Dana Carvey reflects on 'real challenge' of playing Joe Biden on “SNL”: 'I knew that he was compromised mentally'

Dana Carvey is reflecting on the "real challenge" of playing Joe Biden properly on Saturday Night Live.

During a recent episode of his Fly on the Wall podcast, the 70-year-old comedian was asked by Modern Family alum Julie Bowen if he had any regrets about his take on the politician for the late-night sketch comedy show, suggesting “now that you know that Biden is severely diminished.” Her comment appears to be in reference to reports of the former president’s alleged cognitive decline while in office, which Biden has strongly denied.

“I knew that he was compromised mentally,” Carvey claimed. “I mean, it was obvious. But it was a delicate thing in the comedy world. There were a lot of people who did not want to do anything that would kind of ding him in an awkward way.”

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Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden on 'Saturday Night Live' on Nov. 16, 2024

“But it’s comedy!” Bowen exclaimed, to which Carvey responded, “That’s the key. If I can do Biden, if I can make Biden funny to everybody, then I am where I want to be. And to make it funny, it had to be recognizable.”

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The Wayne’s World actor, who starred on SNL for seven seasons from 1986 until 1993, explained that he worked to create a respectful, yet still identifiable impression of the politician by adopting several key Biden-isms like “I’m not kidding around here” and “I’m being serious.”

Carvey’s podcast cohost David Spade, who served as an SNL cast member between 1990 and 1996, also jumped in to note that he believed it was “easier to make fun” of Biden because he was the president than it would be if he was "just a 90-whatever-year-old man and just [going], ‘Look at this a--hole.’”

He continued, “Once he’s president, then he’s more fair game. But no one made fun of him forever.”

Carvey explained that it took him two years to nail his Biden impression,which he debuted during the cold open of SNL’s season 50 premiere last year, after the sitting president dropped out of the election and Kamala Harris became the Democrats' new nominee.

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“The first six months, it was just sweet Joe…. and I thought, ‘Well, it doesn’t have the pop or energy of Trump or even Obama or [George W. Bush],’” he recalled. “And then I heard him whisper and yell, and I thought, ‘Oh, here we go.’”

He would go on to impersonate the Democratic president on the show in the lead-up and the immediate aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. During that run, Carvey said Biden quickly became his “favorite” person to portray because of his many unique phrasings.

And, as it turns out, Biden's own staff were big fans of his impression.

“His staff came to one of the parties, middle of the night, ‘Hey we just gotta say… We love your Biden. Joe probably loved it too. Why don’t you come down to the White House and have lunch?’” Carvey recalled, before jokingly adding that their meal “never happened” because Biden wasn’t aware of lunch.

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Still, he has nothing but positive memories from his time playing Biden on the show —even if it was a fine line to walk. “I loved it. It was entering and exiting, but it was a real challenge to make it acceptable,” he admitted. “And I read comments: ‘Hey man, I hate Trump and whatever, but this is really f---ing funny.’ So that’s the main thing —it was funny.”

Listen to Carvey discuss his Biden impression in the clip above.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly