Will Ferrell says he would no longer have imitated Janet Reno on Saturday Night Live
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Will Ferrell says he looks back on his impersonation of the late Janet Reno on Saturday Night Live with regret.
The 57-year-old actor spoke Saturday with The New York Times podcast about his past impersonation on the NBC comedy show, saying, 'That's something I wouldn't choose to do now.'
The Irvine, California-born star, appearing alongside the show's ex-head writer Harper Steele (who came out as transgender in 2021), said that the impression of the late U.S. attorney general 'hits a false note now.'
Reno, who served under former President Bill Clinton, died at the age of 78 in November of 2016 from Parkinson’s disease complications.
In his impersonation of Reno, Ferrell would dress in drag in a regular bit titled Janet Reno’s Dance Party, performing in skits opposite former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and actor Kevin Spacey, who himself was in drag to portray one-time U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.
Will Ferrell, 57, says he looks back on his impersonation of the late Janet Reno on Saturday Night Live with regret
Reno, the first woman to serve in the position, appeared herself on the segment in the wake of her January 2001 exit from the Justice Department.
Steele said that in hindsight, the bit was 'absolutely not funny' and that the comedic value of the bit was cheap.
'This kind of bums me out - I understand the laugh is a drag laugh,' Steele said. 'It's, "Hey, look at this guy in a dress, and that's funny" - it's absolutely not funny.
'It's absolutely a way that we should be able to live in the world. However, with performers and actors, I do like a sense of play.'
On the podcast, the Anchorman actor said that there had been 'a fair amount' of segments 'where you'd lament the choice' to perform in them.
The Elf star added, 'I mean, in a way, the cast - you're kind of given this assignment - so I'm going to blame the writers,' to which Steele noted in jest, 'Yeah, he's not culpable at all.'
Ferrell said in a 1998 interview with The Washington Post magazine that he had aimed at bringing a 'broad and physical' presence to his portrayal of Reno, and was amused at the notion of a 'large woman manhandling people.'
Ferrell added, 'I originally wanted to do this thing where she was almost like a bodyguard for President Clinton and they'd be in Cabinet meetings and she wouldn't say anything, and then if Clinton didn't like the person she'd be like, "Bill, do you want me to get rid of him?"'
The Irvine, California-born star said that the impression of the late U.S. attorney general 'hits a false note now'
In his impersonation of Reno, Ferrell would dress in drag in a regular bit titled Janet Reno’s Dance Party
Ferrell performed opposite actor Kevin Spacey, who himself was in drag to portray one-time U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala
Ferrell appeared opposite former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a sketch
Reno and former President Bill Clinton pictured at a news conference in July of 1993
Ferrell, who developed the bit with former SNL writer Scott Wainio, told the publication, 'We just kind of created this, like, tough woman who lives in this make-believe world.'
According to the newspaper, Reno said of the sketches in 1998, 'I thought it was just kind of a spoof of this 6-foot-1 big old girl. I can't figure out why anybody's that interested in me.'
Ferrell told the newspaper that year of the impression: 'I just sound the way she looks ... I hate to break it down into something as simple as the fact that she's tall, but it's almost as simple as that.'
Ferrell and Steele appeared to promote their documentary Will & Harper, which will begin streaming on Netflix September 27.
