Comments on: Impressionist Jim Meskimen does Shakespeare in celebrity voices http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 16:44:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jim Ross Meskimen http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1193006 Jim Ross Meskimen Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1193006 I'm delighted you all could find something, at least, to like in this video of mine.  For more, visit my YouTube channel. I’m delighted you all could find something, at least, to like in this video of mine.  For more, visit my YouTube channel.

]]> By: L_Mariachi http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192812 L_Mariachi Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192812 He's picking pretty easy targets. Anyone can do a passable-enough Peter Lorre or Christopher Walken to be recognizable as such. Edward G. Robinson, Jimmy Cagney, etc.  The reaction is generally "Hey, I know who that is!" Where this guy adds a level is in attaching prosaic impersonations to particularly appropriate segments of the monologue, as per Iscah. Nyah! Nyah! See? He’s picking pretty easy targets. Anyone can do a passable-enough Peter Lorre or Christopher Walken to be recognizable as such. Edward G. Robinson, Jimmy Cagney, etc.  The reaction is generally “Hey, I know who that is!” Where this guy adds a level is in attaching prosaic impersonations to particularly appropriate segments of the monologue, as per Iscah.

Nyah! Nyah! See?

]]> By: Darwindr http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192781 Darwindr Fri, 19 Aug 2011 07:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192781 Pretty good impressions.  Even more impressive to me is the fact that Jim was on the original Who's Line Is It Anyway? and designed secondary characters for the original Thundercats.  (oh, and his real mom is Mrs. Cunningham, Marion Ross) That's one cool cat. Pretty good impressions.  Even more impressive to me is the fact that Jim was on the original Who’s Line Is It Anyway? and designed secondary characters for the original Thundercats.  (oh, and his real mom is Mrs. Cunningham, Marion Ross)

That’s one cool cat.

]]> By: Gulliver http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192749 Gulliver Fri, 19 Aug 2011 06:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192749 This guy rocks. I'd even maybe watch Letterman if he was on it. This guy rocks. I’d even maybe watch Letterman if he was on it.

]]> By: Pete Allen http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192733 Pete Allen Fri, 19 Aug 2011 06:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192733 that just made my week. thanks for sharing! that just made my week. thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Lola Rogers http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192666 Lola Rogers Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192666 Very clever. It's better the second time, once you get the hang of noticing who is speaking and what they're saying at the same time. I like the way he chose the voice to fit the passage (Ron Howard, Jimmy Stewart, Simon Cowell). And it seems to me his impressions are very good. The Johnny Carson is uncanny. Very clever. It’s better the second time, once you get the hang of noticing who is speaking and what they’re saying at the same time. I like the way he chose the voice to fit the passage (Ron Howard, Jimmy Stewart, Simon Cowell). And it seems to me his impressions are very good. The Johnny Carson is uncanny.

]]> By: Smash Martian http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192573 Smash Martian Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192573 For more of this sort of thing, there's the one-man play MacHomer (Simpsons do Macbeth) and the utter genius that was Peter Sellers doing "A Hard Day's Night" in the style of Laurence Olivier's Richard III http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLEMncv140s For more of this sort of thing, there’s the one-man play MacHomer (Simpsons do Macbeth) and the utter genius that was Peter Sellers doing “A Hard Day’s Night” in the style of Laurence Olivier’s Richard III
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLEMncv140s

]]> By: A. J. H. http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192405 A. J. H. Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192405 Impressions aren't meant to be carbon copies, they're mostly meant to be satirical. Some voices are hit or miss, but I nearly jumped out of my seat when I heard his Morgan Freeman voice it was so spot on. His Peter Lorre, Burgess Meredith, and Tommy Lee Jones impressions were scarily accurate as well. (From the second video linked to near the end.) Impressions aren’t meant to be carbon copies, they’re mostly meant to be satirical. Some voices are hit or miss, but I nearly jumped out of my seat when I heard his Morgan Freeman voice it was so spot on.

His Peter Lorre, Burgess Meredith, and Tommy Lee Jones impressions were scarily accurate as well. (From the second video linked to near the end.)

]]> By: Iscah http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192256 Iscah Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192256 If you can't appreciate the difference between Richard III and Lorem Ipsum text, it's hard to know where to start in pitying you.   I loved that he chose different sections of the speech that were perfect for the characterizations of the men he was doing impressions of, especially Woody Allen. If you can’t appreciate the difference between Richard III and Lorem Ipsum text, it’s hard to know where to start in pitying you.  

I loved that he chose different sections of the speech that were perfect for the characterizations of the men he was doing impressions of, especially Woody Allen.

]]> By: Kenneth http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192212 Kenneth Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192212 tough crowd tough crowd

]]> By: simonbarsinister http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1192030 simonbarsinister Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1192030 Uncanny impressions + scathing satire of the famous personality = win. Good impressions reading the equivalent of "Ipsum Lorem"... not so much... Uncanny impressions + scathing satire of the famous personality = win.

Good impressions reading the equivalent of “Ipsum Lorem”… not so much…

]]> By: jackrabbitslim http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191937 jackrabbitslim Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191937 Oh, I don't know. The dose makes the poison and, in this case, the juxtaposition of impressions and the coordination with the visual imagery of Clarence's dream really worked for me. Also, this dude was on the second season of Parks and Recreation and was mocked really hard for his impressions. So, +1 for him Oh, I don’t know. The dose makes the poison and, in this case, the juxtaposition of impressions and the coordination with the visual imagery of Clarence’s dream really worked for me. Also, this dude was on the second season of Parks and Recreation and was mocked really hard for his impressions. So, +1 for him

]]> By: Luke Butcher http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191934 Luke Butcher Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191934 I'm not particularly impressed. None of the voices were spot-on, and only the really distinctive ones (Walken, Stewart, Bush) were even that recognisable without the names coming up. I can do a better Woody Allen... and Ricky Gervais sounds nothing like that. Sorry to be so critical, but impressions aren't very entertaining unless they're really good, or you have something funny to say. I’m not particularly impressed. None of the voices were spot-on, and only the really distinctive ones (Walken, Stewart, Bush) were even that recognisable without the names coming up. I can do a better Woody Allen… and Ricky Gervais sounds nothing like that. Sorry to be so critical, but impressions aren’t very entertaining unless they’re really good, or you have something funny to say.

]]> By: herrnichte http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191929 herrnichte Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191929 There's what BoingBoing has been lacking!  Entertaining commercials. There’s what BoingBoing has been lacking!  Entertaining commercials.

]]> By: Dave Faris http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191924 Dave Faris Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191924 I used to have XM radio and they'd play Frank Caliendo on their stand-up comedy channels all the time. I'd say his biggest problem is timing. He'd switch back and forth between voices and characters so fast, it was too hard to follow. But he does a mean John Madden. I used to have XM radio and they’d play Frank Caliendo on their stand-up comedy channels all the time. I’d say his biggest problem is timing. He’d switch back and forth between voices and characters so fast, it was too hard to follow. But he does a mean John Madden.

]]> By: bcsizemo http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191853 bcsizemo Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191853 You just about wouldn't need anyone else to do a Pixar movie...  (possibly a female equivalent?) You just about wouldn’t need anyone else to do a Pixar movie…  (possibly a female equivalent?)

]]> By: wrybread http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191832 wrybread Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191832 Interesting how the first thing he does when he enters each character is make his mouth look like theirs. Interesting how the first thing he does when he enters each character is make his mouth look like theirs.

]]> By: tightlines http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191829 tightlines Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191829 Most impressionists, while good at mimicking others, have one glaring weakness: they are not funny. At all. See Caliendo, Frank. Most impressionists, while good at mimicking others, have one glaring weakness: they are not funny. At all. See Caliendo, Frank.

]]> By: Virgil McGee http://boingboing.net/2011/08/18/impressionist-jim-meskimen-does-shakespeare-in-celebrity-voices.html#comment-1191811 Virgil McGee Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=114170#comment-1191811 I'm not quite clear on what this guy does. I’m not quite clear on what this guy does.

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