- Title: Field of fake Trumps yields one terrific winner
- Date: 27th April 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRUMP IMPERSONATOR FROM NEW ZEALAND, ALEXANDER SPARROW, SAYING: "I think the most important thing is the material. That's hugely important. It's more than just saying his catchphrases, it's working out how to copy his mannerisms and then just make sure you're always chucking out outrageous stuff." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRUMP IMPERSONATOR FROM TEXAS, PHILLIP WILBURN, SAYING: "Well I think you have two things that everybody has to have. You have to be orange and you have to have some kind of hair situation because immediately you know who he is if you're doing that." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRUMP IMPERSONATOR FROM LAS VEGAS, JOHN DI DOMENICO, SAYING: "With him, there's the throat placement, the nasal placement, the very unusual pronunciation and vocal production that he has and so much of it is attitude. I'm tremendous, I'm fantastic, I'm incredible." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRUMP IMPERSONATOR FROM TEXAS, PHILLIP WILBURN, SAYING: "For me, I squint my eyes a little bit and I scrunch my lips but I don't want to give away all my secrets. I can't do that." VARIOUS OF TRUMP IMPERSONATORS BEFORE COMPETITION EX-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE CAST MEMBER AND TRUMP IMPERSONATOR DARRELL HAMMOND ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EX-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE TRUMP IMPERSONATOR, DARRELL HAMMOND, SAYING: "He's not like others. He's utterly himself and it's funny. The people who are the greatest orators and the most effective orators of all time would have failed an oral interpretation class in college. They're being themselves utterly and you can't take your eyes off them."
- Embargoed: 11th May 2017 03:18
- Keywords: U.S. President Laugh Factory politics Hollywood competition impersonations Donald Trump
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES;
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES;
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036E6ADEH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:There were ten times the Trump in Los Angeles on Wednesday (April 26) when impersonators gathered at comedy club the Laugh Factory to compete against one other to see who could best embody the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Comedians from as far away as New Zealand put on their orange faces and swept back hair to try and capture Trump from behind a mocked-up presidential podium.
There were ten performances of two minutes each and the contestants, including one woman, riffed on topics such as Obamacare, the recent bombing in Syria, the border wall and China.
The competition was presided over by four comedians, including 'Saturday Night Live's former Trump impersonator Darrell Hammond, who explained why the 45th President is ripe for impersonation.
"He's not like others. He's utterly himself," said Hammond, adding "The people who are the greatest orators and the most effective orators of all time would have failed an oral interpretation class in college. They're being themselves utterly and you can't take your eyes off them."
The winner of the competition was John Di Domenico, a Trump impersonator from Las Vegas, who got over a childhood speech impediment by doing impressions. He's been impersonating Trump, and making money on it, since 2004.
When announced on stage as the winner, Di Domenico told the judges and the audience "This is the best decision you could possibly make. Believe me, believe me. Tremendous decision, I have to tell you."
Di Domenico's prize is to host a weekly topical show on the comedy club's website called "Fake News/Real News" and he will be invited to headline at all of the Laughing Factory's chain of clubs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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