Dana Carvey says he was “delicate” with his Joe Biden impression on SNL, admitting it was “obvious” the former president was mentally compromised.
Comedian Dana Carvey is known for his spot-on impressions, but when it came to portraying former President Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live, he admits he approached it with extra caution.
On a recent episode of his Fly on the Wall podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow SNL alum David Spade, Carvey got candid about how difficult it was to make fun of Biden in a way that felt funny—without being mean.
“I knew that he was compromised mentally, I mean, it was obvious,” Carvey said. “But it was a delicate thing in the comedy world.”
Carvey explained that many comedians were hesitant to mock Biden too harshly, especially given concerns about his age and perceived cognitive struggles.
“There were a lot of people who did not want to do anything that would kind of ding him in an awkward way,” he added.
Though it felt “surreal” and “bizarre” to impersonate Biden, Carvey said it was still “a lot of fun.” His goal, he shared, was to create a version of Biden that could make everyone laugh—regardless of their politics.
“That’s the key, if I can make Biden funny to everybody, then I am where I want to be,” he explained. “And to make it funny, it had to be recognizable. And so there were certain things I did not include in my package.”
David Spade also weighed in, saying that while Biden’s age made him a tricky target, the presidency changes the rules.
“I think it’s easier to make fun of him if he’s the president than if it’s just a 90-whatever-year-old man and just go, ‘Look at this a–hole,’” Spade said. “So once he’s president, he’s more fair game.”
Both comedians acknowledged the challenge of doing impressions that are respectful yet entertaining. Carvey’s take on Biden may have been gentle, but it still packed the punch of thoughtful comedy.
