Phil Donahue was greater than a trailblazing speak present host, he was additionally a mainstay of Saturday Night Live.

Donahue was one of many few non-political celebrities to be impersonated by three totally different SNL solid members.

The first was Joe Piscopo, who embodied the host throughout a sketch that aired on Oct. 2, 1982. In the scene, Donahue negotiates peace within the Middle East between Israel’s Menachem Begin (performed by Tim Kazurinsky) and Palestine’s Yasser Arafat (performed by Gary Kroeger). Though topical, the sketch solely generated minor laughs. Still, it established a components for Donahue as a personality, and his speak present set proved to be a fertile floor for comedy in future episodes.

Phil Hartman’s ‘Genius’ Donahue Run

Arguably essentially the most memorable Donahue impression got here courtesy of Phil Hartman. The Canadian funnyman joined SNL in October 1986 and debuted his model of Donahue in his second episode. This time, the situation was a lot nearer to the silver-haired host’s actual speak present: Donahue (Hartman) interviews two ladies (Victoria Jackson and Jan Hooks) who’re in exploitative relationships. Hartman’s timing and cadence are performed to perfection, expertly mimicking each one in all Donahue’s mannerisms.

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The sketch’s kicker additionally lands beautifully: A pleasant man within the crowd (Jon Lovitz) takes the mic to speak about how ladies must be adored, solely to have onstage women brush him apart to allow them to ogle a jerk within the crowd (Kevin Nealon).

Watch Phil Hartman as Phil Donahue on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Accurate, with out taking itself critically, absurd, with out turning into ridiculous, Hartman’s model of Donahue turned one in all his hottest impressions. Years later, Entertainment Weekly would describe it as “a work of minor genius.” Even the person himself was a fan. When Hartman’s mother and father got here to New York for the primary time to sightsee, the true Phil Donahue insisted he be part of them.

Then, in 1989, issues escalated even additional. During a episode of Donahue, targeted on Saturday Night Live‘s fifteenth anniversary, Hartman confirmed up and flawlessly impersonated the speak present host on his personal set.

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“Oh my word, you made me famous,” the true Donahue proclaimed after Hartman delivered the present’s opening monologue in character. “Every time I see [the impersonation], I don’t laugh the first time. I watch it and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And the second time, I laugh. And always laugh.”

Watch Phil Hartman as Phil Donahue on ‘Donahue’

Darrell Hammond Was ‘Saturday Night Live”s Longest Running Donahue

Hartman performed Donahue a complete of 5 occasions throughout his SNL tenure, one lower than the final man to don the silver wig, Darrell Hammond.

While Hammond didn’t fairly command the position the identical manner Hartman did, his voice matched the true Donahue’s completely. Unlike earlier variations of the host, Hammond’s Donahue was extra more likely to seem in a random location than on a chat present set. Appearances on “Celebrity Jeopardy” sketches and “Weekend Update” segments spotlight Hammond’s historical past with the impression. His closing look in character — and, because it stands, the ultimate impersonation of Donahue on SNL — aired Feb. 21, 2004 in a sketch that includes Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and the episode’s host, Christina Aguilera.

See Darrell Hammond as Phil Donahue on ‘Weekend Update’