Comical caricatures of political figures such as Kamala Harris and Joseph R. Biden Jr. often see their professional trajectory intertwined with that of their subjects. A typical case in point was Allison Reese who quickly gained popularity performing comical skits as Vice President Kamala Harris only for her star to dim when Harris lost the 2024 presidential race to Donald J. Trump.
Surprising encounters with strangers started to occur after Trump’s triumph in the 2024 Presidential election. Reese recounts unusual experiences at her local coffee shop. ‘People would stare and approach me as though mourning my demise. It amused me to some extent actually,’ said Reese, a 32-year-old comedian living in Los Angeles. This was a grim symbol of change, although Reese was indeed very much alive.
Rewind a few years, and you would find Reese rapidly skyrocketing to internet fame thanks to her impersonation of Kamala Harris. This imitation won her several hundred thousand fans on TikTok and even national media coverage. The portrayal even earned her a role in a film.
But with Harris failing to secure the presidency against Trump, Reese saw her opportunities dwindle down a declining path. The comic laments, ‘Had she won, numerous doors could have opened for me.’ A future involving appearances on popular late-night shows or the iconic ‘Saturday Night Live’ looked bleak.
Reese’s potential gig at ‘Saturday Night Live’ had its roots back in 2019, where she performed as Harris for a show that essentially functioned as an audition. Now, with Harris not in office, these opportunities seemed increasingly unlikely. This is a true testament to the volatile career of political imitators, where their success is inherently tied to individuals they mimic.
Post the November elections, those who ridiculed Harris and the former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. found the market for their imitations shrinking. The irony here is that their comedic influence waned as their sources of inspiration began to lose relevance.
Life being a political impersonator thus is like a roller-coaster ride, driven by the unpredictable nature of the political landscape. The ups and downs of the political impressionist’s life are seemingly pegged to the triumphs and losses of the political figures they personify.
This correlation could be seen as an indicator of how tied our entertainment is to political figures occupying positions of power. When the political player is no longer in the spotlight, by default the need for their impersonation diminishes, dropping the entertainer out of the limelight as well.
The tale of their professional downturn is a stark testament of the fleeting nature of this particular branch of comedy. While impersonators are able to capitalize on the popularity of the politicians during their reign, their fortunes too nosedive when the politicians they mimic are ousted from power.
Admittedly, an amusing comment on how the socio-political climate can influence the entertainment business, and perhaps an important signpost to comedians planning to make a career of impersonating political figures.
However, it’s worth noting how this reliance exposes the entertainers to a level of risk. Their short-lived fame appears to mirror the transient nature of political power, often leading to an abrupt end in their career just as the political figures they spoof step out of the limelight.
Nevertheless, these impersonators run the risk of becoming irrelevant if the leaders they mimic are not in the spotlight. This story is a perfect illustration of how professional fortunes can dwindle when the politician being mimicked loses their significance on the political stage.
Concluding, while these entertainers may have provided the public with laughter through their antics, their career paths vividly portray how a tie to political figures can both elevate their fame yet inversely bring about their professional decline.