SNL portrays Perry as fumbling, flip-flopper

Ever since Gov. Rick Perry said he was thinking about running for president earlier this year, many have been wondering how Saturday Night Live would portray him.

This weekend, viewers finally got their answer, though the show's depiction of the Texas Governor is likely to evolve over time.

There was no Texas swagger in the way Alec Baldwin played Perry in the show's cold open Saturday night. There was barely even a Texas accent. Rather than harnessing the image Perry has developed in the national media over the last two months, Baldwin focused entirely on Perry's lackluster debate performance from last week.

It's unclear if Baldwin, who was the show's guest host, will come back to play Perry in the future or if a cast member will take over the job.

Here's the clip:

-Aman Batheja

Comments

[Rudy Gonzales]

His portrayal was dead on! Perry's proclamation that Texas has freedom from taxation is Texas does not have and Income tax, but Texas makes up for this with the highest property taxes, the highest insurance rates on vehicles and homes. Texas' freedom from over-regulation and over-litigation is due to the "Conservative Legislature" in Austin where legislation is passed to appease the business community and some of Perry biggest contributors and donors! The recent TWIA(Texas Windstorm Insurance Association) fiasco hammers that point dead on! Kickbacks and under-hand payoffs were investigated and some lost their high appointments due to impropriety in office. These Perry appointees should have been arrested, but the Legislature changed the laws to help those caught with their hand in the cookie jar, while limiting litigation on behalf of the many insured. Perry has used tax incentives and subsidies to lure jobs which pales in contrast to the real job maker in Texas - Big Oil! Thursday night's fiasco in Florida highlighted Perry's inability to think on his feet as he wobbled and fell flat on his face. The look on Rick Perry's "Deer in the headlights look" on his face was priceless

[Keith]

The bit wasn't at all funny; par for SNL for the past decade. It wasn't the subject, but the writing and delivery. Pathetic.

[Hooha!]

Baldwin's characterization was pathetic. He didn't look like Perry, he didn't sound like Perry. He didn't parrot Perry well. The copy written for him didn't do a good job of lampooning Perry's positions. Yet another SNL FAIL.