Darrell Hammond TOPICS: Arts / Music / Drama Humor Celebrity Comedian FEE CATEGORY:* 50.0k to 75.0k TRAVELS FROM: New York Profile Request This Speaker

Darrell Hammond: Profile

Darrell Hammond, now entering his record-setting eleventh season on "Saturday Night Live", is the longest-running cast member in the show's history. His impressions have been applauded by television critics and viewers alike for their uncanny accuracy and range.

After playing President Bill Clinton for most of his time in office, Hammond has taken over playing practically the entire Bush Administration from Vice President Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge -- sometimes in the same sketch. Hammond impersonated Vice President Al Gore in a performance so telling that it was used as a reference in preparation for the 2000 Presidential debates. Other political highlights include Jesse Jackson, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Hammond also played media figures including Dan Rather, Ted Koppel, Geraldo Rivera, Sam Donaldson, Bob Costas, Bill Kurtis, Tim Russert, Phil Donahue, Aaron Brown and Chris Matthews of MSNBC's "Hardball" as well as celebrities such as Donald Trump, Regis Philbin (for which he won a "Relly Award from Regis himself), Sean Connerry and Jay Leno.

In April 1997, Hammond was applauded in the media for his dead-on impression of President Clinton during a surprise appearance with the President himself at an event before thousands of government officials and members of the Washington Press Corps. He returned to DC to perform as himself for newly elected President George W. Bush at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2001. He's also performed for Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld and countless Senators.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Florida, Hammond began doing impressions as a child, but his pursuit of a career in performing only began after graduating from the University of Florida at Gainesville. After college, Hammond lived in New York for several years and appeared in off- and off-off-Broadway productions, in both dramatic and comedic roles. Later, he returned to Florida and honed his skills as an impressionist, performing on local and national radio programs.

For the last several years, Hammond has been performing stand-up comedy and impressions in New York and throughout the country. On film, he has been seen in the feature films "Scary Movie 3", "New York Minute", and "Agent Cody Banks". He has also lent his vocal talents to the animated version of "The King and I".

On television, Hammond has guest starred on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit", "Las Vegas" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent", as well as "Starved" and is a regular guest on NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "The Tonight show with Jay Leno", as well as the "Late Show with David Letterman".

Hammond lives in New York.

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