# Who should play Tim Walz on SNL? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** talk-variety-show\ **Created:** [August 6, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355 "2024-08-06T23:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/61 "2024-08-13T20:17:02Z")
It will be the greatest cold opening of all time, and explain everything. Trump will unzip, and step out of his enormous fat suit. He’ll slowly peel off the obscene orange flab mask he’s been wearing to reveal none other than… Andy Kaufman! ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/62 "2024-08-13T21:25:16Z")
I know I suggested Gaffigan upthread, but I saw someone else suggest Andy Richter on twitter this weekend and I think he’d also make a great choice. Close enough in age, real mid-westerner. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/63 "2024-08-13T21:53:52Z")
With 21 regular cast members, why keep bringing extras in? The original cast was 7 members. I’m sure they could find someone from the cast they already have. I don’t think they could have a better Trump than James Austin Johnson, for example. His voice is perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/64 "2024-08-13T22:08:41Z")
I _think_ James Austin Johnson was hired partly because of his impression of Trump, so the need for a Walz impression might influence their hiring for the new season. For that matter, if Kamala Harris wins, they’ll need someone to impersonate her for four (or even eight) years and Maya Rudolph may not be willing to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/65 "2024-08-13T22:10:49Z")
Jim Gaffigan was the first name to pop into my head, but I like the idea of Andy Richter. Interesting that there’s no shortage of pudgy midwestern dudes out there to suggest. I’ve never liked James Austin Johnson’s Trump, though. He gets the cadence of Trump’s voice wrong. I don’t know who from the cast should replace him. They have way too many people who have no personality and they don’t ping any synapses in my brain. Nevertheless, I also don’t like referring back to the original cast. Which of those seven people would play Kamala Harris? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/66 "2024-08-13T22:14:03Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > With 21 regular cast members, why keep bringing extras in? The original cast was 7 members. I’m sure they could find someone from the cast they already have. I don’t think they could have a better Trump than James Austin Johnson, for example. His voice is perfect. Because stunt casting brings publicity. It took awhile for SNL to understand the power of social media. They used to remove any clips that were posted. Now they release their own clips and even release some things from dress rehearsal that don’t make the show. A clip with a famous actor being a candidate with get a lot of views. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/67 "2024-08-13T22:20:03Z")
Maya could sign on for just a year and then they could find a new person. They replaced Alec after all. But I’m not stuck on her or anything. I’m sure they’ll pick a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/68 "2024-08-14T16:55:05Z")
Just saw him on CNN talking about Walz, is a fellow Minnesotan, and is also an SNL alumni… I think Al Franken would be able to pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/69 "2024-08-14T22:07:12Z")
And he was a former cast member/writer from the early days. I like him, but he’s still got that polical baggage for which he apologized and resigned years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/70 "2024-08-15T01:29:02Z")
Actually, with his big rubbery face, he’d be better off played by a Henson- type puppet 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/71 "2024-08-15T02:26:36Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Nevertheless, I also don’t like referring back to the original cast. Which of those seven people would play Kamala Harris? I think Ego Nwodim is perfectly capable of playing Kamala for an entire eight years if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/72 "2024-08-15T02:44:33Z")
Ego is hilarious too. I pissed myself watching that one skit where she was with Pedro Pascal trying to cut steak at the table in the restaurant. . ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/73 "2024-09-29T05:09:38Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Jim Gaffigan should be in the running > [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > My vote is Jim Gaffigan too. You called it. > [@Hampshire](#): > > Dana Carvey did a great Ross Perot, George Bush, and Biden. I think he’d be able to nail Walz also. He was Joebiden. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/74 "2024-09-29T08:40:50Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > He was Joebiden. He was eerie too. He must have studied Biden carefully because he had his cadence and mannerisms down to a T. Carvey is famous for his Bush impression, but that was a crazy caricature that existed as its own wacky character and only bore a superficial resemblance to the real Bush. Carvey himself said he wasn’t trying to actually look or sound like Bush, but to find a few quirks and exaggerate them until they became funny (because the real Bush was an unamusing stick in the mud). His Biden though, it was uncanny how accurate it was, he looked a lot like him too. The voice wasn’t right, he just sounded like Dana Carvey, yet he spoke so similar that it came across very Biden. I told my wife that I hope we see more of both Carvey and Gaffigan in those roles, as they worked so well. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/75 "2024-09-29T10:25:25Z")
I just wanted to say that I am impressed with the skills of the people here. I am also impressed with myself for recognizing the actors. Usually I have to go to the internet to find out who the guest cameos were but I recognized Gaffigan and Carvey immediately. I did think that they were good choices and the Biden makeup was great. Whoever called Bowen as Vance deserves credit. I’m beginning to think he can play anything- Vance. Charli XCX, the baby hippo… ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/76 "2024-09-29T14:04:51Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Carvey himself said he wasn’t trying to actually look or sound like Bush, but to find a few quirks and exaggerate them until they became funny (because the real Bush was an unamusing stick in the mud). The story I heard was that Carvey was struggling to nail down his Bush I impersonation, when he had a revelation-- do a voice that was a cross between John Wayne and Mr. Rogers. And if you listen to Carvey’s Bush I impersonation with that in mind, you can totally hear it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/77 "2024-09-29T15:19:08Z")
They also had Andy Samberg playing Doug Emhoff. So three were played by SNL alumni. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/78 "2024-09-30T00:15:05Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > Tim Heidecker is my pick for JD Vance. This is the most Horrific Event I can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/79 "2024-09-30T06:12:55Z")
Haley Joel Osment did Vance better on whatever nighttime talk show that was. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355/80 "2024-09-30T19:44:02Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > I hope that they get Bowen Yang to play JD Vance. Slap a fake beard and some mascara on him and let him go to town. You win a prize! > [@Atamasama](#): > > He must have studied Biden carefully because he had his cadence and mannerisms down to a T. That shuffle walk was spot on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-tim-walz-on-snl/1005355.md?page=5)