No gimmick here. Just a guy - who I know, but have no vested interest in this - who actually sounds exactly like Arnold.
Try clicking this with your eyes closed but the sound up. It’s astounding. It might actually be the most dead-on accurate impression I’ve ever heard of anyone, by anyone.
Very impressive. The key that makes it work is the effortlessness of it. He doesn’t have to concentrate too hard on the signature elements (the cadence, the timbre, the “almost about to burst into laughter” feel) and can instead just speak naturally.
The weird thing about Schwarzenegger impressions is also what point in his career you’re doing. This guy is doing what Arnold basically sounds like now, which is also tougher. Clearly his accent was much thicker before the whole “living in the US for 45 years” thing.
In fact, there are even times now where it seems (in crappy later movies at least) like Arnold is doing his own bad Arnold impression because he seems to be forcing his accent.
He’s doing Governor Schwartzenegger, not an imitation of the “Pump You Up” guys from SNL. Including plenty of Arnold’s lexicon, like “fantastic” and “bring to the table” is a nice touch, and the whole bit is funny.