There's been a lot of hubbub and hullabaloo about whether or not Barack Obama will appear on SNL this weekend - and, according to Lorne Michaels, nothing is signed, and if it was, he wouldn't tell us. But if Obama does appear, things between him and Fred Armisen might be only slightly more cozy than that Palin/Fey hugfest. Barack apparently doesn't think Fred Armisen's impression of him is all that funny, saying

... compared to Tina Fey and what she's doing with Gov. Palin, my imitator isn't doing as great of a job. I do know that my ears have been getting bigger and bigger on that show each episode. I'm sure they'll get it right over time.

Well, yes, that's true, Mister future Television Critic-In-Chief - Armisen's impression isn't very good, which is too bad, because Fred Armisen is funny. But his voice isn't nearly deep enough, and his comedic wheelhouse is more confused, earnest, and goofy than confident, eloquent, and cool. Also, he overdoes Obama's staccato delivery and somehow makes him sound a little bit like a Jewish retiree. Still, Senator, isn't your answer supposed to be a chuckle, or just a gracious "it's funny"? To be fair, this is the question, as posed by reporter Derek McGinty of WUSA9 in D.C.:  

Are you disappointed at all that the person who parodies you on Saturday Night Live just isn't very funny?

Well, isn't that a bit leading? Still, Derek McGinty and Barack Obama himself point out the great flaw of a potential Barack Obama presidency -- no one is doing a very good Barack Obama impression right now. And that is what we so desperately need, in a time like this? We are the Remote Island, and we approve this blog post.

-- Jake Kalish is the author of Santa vs. Satan: The Official Compendium of Imaginary Fights