Tina Fey

The September 2008 Saturday Night Live address with Amy Poehler’s Hillary Clinton gives Fey’s Sarah Palin a clear comic situation. Beyond the accent and visual resemblance, the performance uses the contrast between presentation and phrasing to keep the two characters distinct. Start with that opening sketch and watch the reactions between lines. The resemblance makes the premise immediately readable, but the acting sustains it. The dialogue belongs to the satire and should not be confused with a transcript of Palin’s public remarks.