# Most-frequently done stand-up impersonations -- Walken? Shatner? Others? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716 "2004-06-10T21:42:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/1 "2004-06-10T21:42:31Z")
Excluding presidents\*, what figures have been the subjects of the most stand-up comic impersonators? (Off the top of my head, I’m guessing Christopher Walken and William Shatner – but Shatner could well have Walken edged if comedians started impersonating him back in the 60’s and 70’s.) Feel free to suggest more impersonation subjects, with whatever comics you can recall doing their shtick. I want this list to be as comprehensive as possible. If you can recall even just two comedians doing, say, Rod Serling or Marlon Brando back in the '60’s and '70’s, go ahead and post them, and I’ll add them to the list. (National Lampoon did bits on both of those guys, so that’s one for each right there…) Just because a given figure’s before my time doesn’t mean it shouldn’t count – and it might end up racking up more references than Walken, et al! \*because I’m hoping for a manageable list, and spoofing presidents is something of a no-brainer. I’m ambivalent on whether to include non-presidential politicians, First Wives, etc. for the same reason. For now, let’s include them and see what happens, 'k? I know that many others have done these, but this is all I can recall right now: Christopher Walken Jay Mohr Kevin Spacey ?? William Shatner Kevin Pollack Eddie Murphy? (I remember he’s talked about him, but did he also impersonate him?) ?? Elmer Fudd Robin Williams ?? ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/2 "2004-06-10T22:00:20Z")
Seems Jack nicholson is done by more than a few Stand-ups :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/3 "2004-06-10T22:16:14Z")
Colombo – done by tons of no-talent stand-up comics who deserve to be killed Rain Man – done by tons of no-talent stand-up comics who also deserve to be killed Stand-up comics doing both of these impersonations deserve to be killed twice. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/4 "2004-06-10T22:18:37Z")
Kevin Pollak does a great Shatner; Kevin Spacey does a great Walken. Many stand-ups do Robert DeNiro. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/5 "2004-06-10T22:20:01Z")
I guess that should be Columbo. YouknowwhatImean … Peter Falk! ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/6 "2004-06-10T22:32:28Z")
Do you know how many do Clint Eastwood? Well, do ya, **punk**? D ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/7 "2004-06-10T22:44:36Z")
Well, back in the day, Ed Sullivan, Jack Benny, Walter Brennan and Liberace were staples of the comic impressionist. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/8 "2004-06-10T22:45:51Z")
Wait, wait! I have the winner: **Arnold Schwarzenegger** ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/9 "2004-06-10T22:48:23Z")
From the [Hack Stand-Up Comedy FAQ](http://www.faqs.org/faqs/comedy-faq/hack/): > [@](#): > > Section 6: YOU FOLKS LIKE IMPRESSIONS? > > 6a Jack Nicholson > > Please, please, please, do not do Jack Nicholson. Jack Nicholson is done so > often and people have made fun of those comics who do him so much that even > poking fun of the Nicholson impression is now a cliche’. Just stay away if > you value your dignity. > > 6b Robert DeNiro > > “You talking to me?” Yes, I am and you’ve almost as over done as Jack. > > 6c William Shatner > > Every sketch show in the world does a Star Trek bit. Don’t rehash it on > stage. If a bit starts with the phrase “Captain’s Log…” then you’re > starting off already with a 99 on the hack meter. > > 6f. Elvis > > Hey, I can impersonate Elvis! Why don’t I put him in a wacky situation, > like bungi jumping, and sing the Flintstones song in his voice? > > 6e Christopher Lloyd as “Reverend Jim” from TAXI > > I’m not sure why this is done so much, but it is. Perhaps it’s an easy > impression. > > 6f Others to stay away from. > > Don Knotts, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Stewart, Ronald Reagan, Ross Perot. > 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/10 "2004-06-11T00:29:00Z")
I would’ve thought John Wayne would be up there somewhere. Certainly when I was growing up I saw and heard a lot of impressions of him. Or maybe it was just the same guy doing it over and over… I know Jonathan Winters, Rich Little, and Robin Williams all do him. ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/11 "2004-06-11T01:11:42Z")
Who _doesn’t_ do Arnold? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-frequently-done-stand-up-impersonations-walken-shatner-others/249716/12 "2004-06-11T04:25:10Z")
> [@xvxdarkknightxvx](#): > > Who _doesn’t_ do Arnold? Maria. They’re keeping together for the sake of kids. Anyhoo, historically I’ll bet Howard Cosell is way up there. He was extremely well-known and had a distinctive style that just begged for impersonation.