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| Palin mimic gets US public's vote | Palin mimic gets US public's vote |
| (1 day later) | |
| Advertisement | |
| Sara Benincasa posts a Sarah Palin video blog | |
| By Rajini Vaidyanathan BBC News, Washington | |
| At a campaign rally in Florida, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin shouts out to the crowd: "I love her, she's a hoot and she's so talented." | At a campaign rally in Florida, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin shouts out to the crowd: "I love her, she's a hoot and she's so talented." |
| She is referring to Tina Fey, who, along with the Alaskan governor, has become one of the most talked about women in this election campaign. | She is referring to Tina Fey, who, along with the Alaskan governor, has become one of the most talked about women in this election campaign. |
| Tina Fey's impersonations of Mrs Palin have generated millions of viewers, website clicks and water cooler conversations. | Tina Fey's impersonations of Mrs Palin have generated millions of viewers, website clicks and water cooler conversations. |
| It is on the hit US comedy show Saturday Night Live that Fey parodies Governor Palin. | It is on the hit US comedy show Saturday Night Live that Fey parodies Governor Palin. |
| The resemblance is uncanny, as are the mannerisms and the accent. | The resemblance is uncanny, as are the mannerisms and the accent. |
| Most of the sketches are direct spoofs of Mrs Palin's television appearances. | Most of the sketches are direct spoofs of Mrs Palin's television appearances. |
| In one, Fey sends up the governor's interview with American newsreader Katie Couric in which she was quizzed about foreign policy. | In one, Fey sends up the governor's interview with American newsreader Katie Couric in which she was quizzed about foreign policy. |
| Sarah Palin's supporters say she likes Tina Fey's mimicry | Sarah Palin's supporters say she likes Tina Fey's mimicry |
| Tina Fey as Mrs Palin: "Every morning, when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do, is look outside to see if there are any Russians hanging around. | Tina Fey as Mrs Palin: "Every morning, when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do, is look outside to see if there are any Russians hanging around. |
| "And if there are, you gotta go up to them and ask: 'What are you doing here?' And if they can't give you a good reason, it's our responsibility to say, you know, 'Shoo! Get back over there!'" | "And if there are, you gotta go up to them and ask: 'What are you doing here?' And if they can't give you a good reason, it's our responsibility to say, you know, 'Shoo! Get back over there!'" |
| The fake interview has received rave reviews, but in the real one, Sarah Palin was criticised by many, even from within her own party, for her performance. | The fake interview has received rave reviews, but in the real one, Sarah Palin was criticised by many, even from within her own party, for her performance. |
| Later she admitted she had been "less than successful", but joked there was a reason. | Later she admitted she had been "less than successful", but joked there was a reason. |
| "In response to critics after that interview what I should have told them is, I was trying to keep Tina Fey in business⦠just giving her more information⦠job security for SNL (Saturday Night Live) characters." | "In response to critics after that interview what I should have told them is, I was trying to keep Tina Fey in business⦠just giving her more information⦠job security for SNL (Saturday Night Live) characters." |
| Guest star | Guest star |
| The spoof Sarah Palin has certainly done wonders for the show. | The spoof Sarah Palin has certainly done wonders for the show. |
| Ratings for Saturday Night Live have gone up, averaging 8.3 million viewers, and the sketches are drawing as many as 9.3 million hits online. | Ratings for Saturday Night Live have gone up, averaging 8.3 million viewers, and the sketches are drawing as many as 9.3 million hits online. |
| In fact, Mrs Palin herself has said she would like to guest star. | In fact, Mrs Palin herself has said she would like to guest star. |
| "It would be fun to meet her, imitate her and keep on giving her new material," she said. | "It would be fun to meet her, imitate her and keep on giving her new material," she said. |
| That may even become a reality. | That may even become a reality. |
| There has been talk that the pair could appear on the show together before November's election. | There has been talk that the pair could appear on the show together before November's election. |
| Lorne Michaels, executive producer of Saturday Night Live, has not ruled it out. | Lorne Michaels, executive producer of Saturday Night Live, has not ruled it out. |
| Tina Fey has enjoyed great success in acting and writing | Tina Fey has enjoyed great success in acting and writing |
| He said that the McCain campaign called after the first sketch to say they enjoyed Tina Fey's take on their candidate. | He said that the McCain campaign called after the first sketch to say they enjoyed Tina Fey's take on their candidate. |
| Tina Fey is a huge star in her own right. | Tina Fey is a huge star in her own right. |
| An Emmy award winning comedy actor and writer, she is best known in America for her appearances on the hit comedy 30 Rock as well as Saturday Night Live. | An Emmy award winning comedy actor and writer, she is best known in America for her appearances on the hit comedy 30 Rock as well as Saturday Night Live. |
| She bears a striking resemblance to Mrs Palin, and it seems that the mimicry is mutual. | She bears a striking resemblance to Mrs Palin, and it seems that the mimicry is mutual. |
| Kristan Cole, who has known the Alaskan governor for 38 years, said Sarah Palin had in fact dressed up as Tina Fey a few years ago for Halloween. | Kristan Cole, who has known the Alaskan governor for 38 years, said Sarah Palin had in fact dressed up as Tina Fey a few years ago for Halloween. |
| She said the reaction back in Mrs Palin's home town of Wasilla to the sketches had been positive. | She said the reaction back in Mrs Palin's home town of Wasilla to the sketches had been positive. |
| "Anybody I talk to thinks they're funny, nobody is upset by them," she added. | "Anybody I talk to thinks they're funny, nobody is upset by them," she added. |
| She also said that Sarah Palin wasn't worried about being sent up and had told her that she thought Tina Fey had her mannerisms dead on. | She also said that Sarah Palin wasn't worried about being sent up and had told her that she thought Tina Fey had her mannerisms dead on. |
| Credibility 'damaged' | Credibility 'damaged' |
| "As someone who is very close to her, I don't like unfair criticism of her but the SNL sketch is not in that category whatsoever. | "As someone who is very close to her, I don't like unfair criticism of her but the SNL sketch is not in that category whatsoever. |
| "This thing is just funny⦠I think everyone expects SNL to poke some fun. I don't think anyone foresees it as negative." | "This thing is just funny⦠I think everyone expects SNL to poke some fun. I don't think anyone foresees it as negative." |
| However, others disagree saying the sketches have damaged Mrs Palin's credibility. | However, others disagree saying the sketches have damaged Mrs Palin's credibility. |
| In some sketches Fey get laughs just by directly repeating the governors own words. | In some sketches Fey get laughs just by directly repeating the governors own words. |
| Palin has been lampoonable because of those terrible disastrous interviews Professor Larry Sabato | Palin has been lampoonable because of those terrible disastrous interviews Professor Larry Sabato |
| Some commentators go as far as to dub the "Tina Fey Factor" one of the biggest challenges the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate faces. | Some commentators go as far as to dub the "Tina Fey Factor" one of the biggest challenges the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate faces. |
| A study from the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion concluded that Sarah Palin's favourability rating dropped after people watched the Saturday Night Live sketches. | A study from the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion concluded that Sarah Palin's favourability rating dropped after people watched the Saturday Night Live sketches. |
| It asked 314 Democrats, Republicans and independents how they viewed her before and after the sketches. | It asked 314 Democrats, Republicans and independents how they viewed her before and after the sketches. |
| All groups said they saw her in a worse light. | All groups said they saw her in a worse light. |
| But that sample is small, and political analyst Professor Larry Sabato does not believe Tina Fey has hurt Mrs Palin's image, but that the candidate herself has. | But that sample is small, and political analyst Professor Larry Sabato does not believe Tina Fey has hurt Mrs Palin's image, but that the candidate herself has. |
| "Palin has been lampoonable because of those terrible disastrous interviews. | "Palin has been lampoonable because of those terrible disastrous interviews. |
| "She opened herself up to this. It's reinforced the damage that Palin herself did." | "She opened herself up to this. It's reinforced the damage that Palin herself did." |
| Internet copycats | Internet copycats |
| Mr Sabato strongly rejects suggestions that the sketches will have an impact on the election itself. | Mr Sabato strongly rejects suggestions that the sketches will have an impact on the election itself. |
| "It's interesting, it's fun, but it has nothing to do with how people are voting," he said. | "It's interesting, it's fun, but it has nothing to do with how people are voting," he said. |
| One thing the Fey impressions have done, is prompt a whole host of copycats on the internet. | One thing the Fey impressions have done, is prompt a whole host of copycats on the internet. |
| A search on YouTube brings up a whole host of impersonators - a singing Sarah Palin, a gangsta rapping governor and even a man in drag attempting a spoof. | A search on YouTube brings up a whole host of impersonators - a singing Sarah Palin, a gangsta rapping governor and even a man in drag attempting a spoof. |
| Sara Benincasa, a liberal comedian from New York, stars as Sarah Palin in a video blog, which she started in September. | Sara Benincasa, a liberal comedian from New York, stars as Sarah Palin in a video blog, which she started in September. |
| "Her life is filled with drama and we are satirising that drama," she said. | "Her life is filled with drama and we are satirising that drama," she said. |
| "She has a pregnant teenage daughter and five kids. She's really into promoting herself as a hockey mom and a conservative Christian. | "She has a pregnant teenage daughter and five kids. She's really into promoting herself as a hockey mom and a conservative Christian. |
| "We thought all of those things were ripe for lampooning." | "We thought all of those things were ripe for lampooning." |
| Benincasa explained why she felt Sarah Palin was such a popular subject of parody. | Benincasa explained why she felt Sarah Palin was such a popular subject of parody. |
| "This person was trying to promote herself as an average gal while running for one of the highest offices of the land. The job of a court jester is to make fun of the king." | "This person was trying to promote herself as an average gal while running for one of the highest offices of the land. The job of a court jester is to make fun of the king." |