One man, Rich Little, known for his spot-on celebrity impressions, thrilled the audience during an appearance on The Carol Burnett Show.
Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery. Who doesn’t want to try and replicate the actions and words of someone they admire? In that case, it probably would be the highest compliment that someone could give another.
However, there are other instances when that may not be the case. Instead, recreating someone’s mannerisms and words can and do provide a fair amount of laughs, especially when they come from a talented performer like Rich Little.
In a clip posted on YouTube, Rich Little, after being introduced by Carol Burnett, does several laugh-out-loud and dead-on impressions of well-known celebrities and politicians. Rich quickly has the entire studio audience roaring with laughter.
He does the impressions as celebrities pitching products they would likely never have used, adding even more hilarity to his already uproarious act. Included in the segment are Dean Martin pushing a product that removes stains and John Wayne doing a commercial for girdles.
Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew also make appearances in Rich’s hilarious act. Lyndon Johnson tried to sell audiences on vitamins, Spiro Agnew pushed a specific kind of golf ball and Nixon implored people to pick up stockings.
Rich, in the short clip, shows he is an incredibly talented and versatile performer. In a matter of seconds, he goes from being Dean Martin, John Wayne, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
He has all their voices and mannerisms down cold. Without telling the audience, everyone would have known who he was imitating. His impressions are also spot-on and hilarious without being mean and hateful. They are done to entertain, not to push an agenda or point of view.
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no fickleness, neither shadow of turning.”
