Day 91 – Ronald Reagan Impression

Before I get to my Ronald Reagan impression, I want to give you the backstory.

In 1980, I was in first grade.  I actually remember talking to the other first graders at the lunch table about the presidential election.  Some of our parents were voting for Carter, some were voting for Reagan, and one kid said his parents were voting for independent John Anderson.   We didn’t understand the issues, the candidates, or the election process, but that didn’t stop us from arguing about it.  Thirty-five years later, not much has changed in that regard.

1980 was also the year that my parents got me a Jimmy Carter mask for Halloween.  They gave me tips on how to act “Presidential” and fed me phrases I could say for maximum comedic impact with the teachers.  It was the first time I remember wearing a shirt and tie.  That said, my household was pretty bi-partisan.  I remember having a Reagan mask at home too.

About this same time, impressionist Rich Little started appearing on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  He blew up doing his Ronald Reagan impression – so I probably picked up on something there.  I don’t remember exactly when I started doing Ronald Reagan impressions, but he was probably one of my first (and pre-puberty, definitely not great).

I’ve had Ronald Reagan on my list of intended voices since I started the 100 Voices project on March 1st, but I kept moving him down the list.  Today seemed like a good day to present it.