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"Peter Funt takes an entertaining and probing look at how comedic impressions of U.S. presidents evolved from Kennedy to Biden-and their impact on real-life politics. Beginning with Vaughn Meader's record album ""The First Family"" in 1962, the genre has grown during a dozen administrations. From Meader's portrayal of JFK as a debonair leader who cherished his rub-uh swan, to Alec Baldwin's depiction of Donald Trump as an orange-tinted buffoon, Americans at times seem more familiar with the screen versions of chief executives than the politicians themselves. With Joe Biden, impersonators have been challenged by a divided nation with a fragile sense of humor. Playing POTUS connects the dots between those in power and those speaking shtick to power, uncovering intriguing details about presidential mimics. Over 50 interviews include insights from Dana Carvey, Al Franken, Darrell Hammond, Jay Pharoah, Rich Little, Harry Shearer, along with comedy writers and producers. Upon the release of Meader's landmark album, the anthropologist Margaret Mead observed, ""This making fun of people in authority is very healthy. It is the difference between democracy and tyranny."""

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9781737626732

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"Peter Funt's passions are journalism, television and making people smile. His opinion columns appear regularly in major newspapers. Since taking over for his dad, Allen Funt, Peter has produced and hosted over 250 episodes of the landmark TV series ""Candid Camera.""His adventures in media are recounted in the 2021 book ""Self-Amused: A Tell-Some Memoir."" Friend and colleague, TV actress Mayim Bialik, has described it as ""insightful, hilarious and just plain fun."" Peter first wrote about actors portraying U.S. presidents in a 2008 Washington Post article about the fictional character Matt Santos, played by Jimmy Smits on ""The West Wing."" During the 2020 campaign he wrote in USA Today about a controversy caused by Jim Carrey's impersonation of Joe Biden on ""Saturday Night Live."" In 2023 he described in a Wall Street Journal essay how comics and impressionists were struggling with Biden portrayals. New research has led to this book and its wealth of fascinating tales."

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