Host Will Ferrell returns as George W. Bush for ‘SNL’ cold open

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The comedic star returned to NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ to tackle controversial issues and to everyone’s delight, bring back his impersonation of President George W. Bush.
USA TODAY

No, it’s not 2007. And no, that’s not a bad thing either.

Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell returned to the hosting game on this week’s episode, but before he hit the stage, he took a seat behind the Oval Office desk to reprise his role as former President George W. Bush.

Ferrell’s return addressed the sentiments many Americans have held in the past year: maybe things weren’t so bad under President Bush. To put it in fake-Bush’s own words, “I’m suddenly popular AF.”

Even USA TODAY’s editorial board released a piece at the end of December addressing some of President Trump’s more unsavory comments.

A president who would all but call Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand a whore is not fit to clean the toilets in the Barack Obama Presidential Library or to shine the shoes of George W. Bush. 

Ferrell’s Bush didn’t hold back, pointing out some of his un-greatest hits, including the two wars he started, the “cool 8K” that the Dow plummeted to under his command and, in the most iconic line, “What has two thumbs and created ISIS? This guy.”

Then there was that famous time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the former president. “Shoe me once, shoe’s on you,” Ferrell said. “Shoe me twice, I’m keeping those shoes.”

He didn’t miss out on a chance to target former Vice President Dick Cheney, either. Comparing Cheney to Vice President Mike Pence, Ferrell’s Bush says, “If you knew half the stuff Cheney was up to, you’d take No Cakes for Gays in a heartbeat.”

The skit was rounded out with a version of Those Were the Days with Leslie Jones stepping in as Condoleezza Rice. We’re not saying it should win a Grammy, but we’d download it for another listen.

With three years remaining, Trump has his fair share of time to catch the flying shoes of Iraqi (or American) journalists, but the fact still stands: Bush is gone. As for how he’s spending his time?

”I’ve been too busy doing oil paintings. Actually been too busy getting my MFA from University of Phoenix online.”

Paint on, W.

More: Will Trump’s lows ever hit rock bottom?

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President George W. Bush spoke about the growing political discord in U.S. at a forum on “freedom, free markets, and security,” which was organized by the Bush Institute.
USA TODAY

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