Posted in: NBC, TV | Tagged: Harper Steele, Janet Reno, nbc, saturday night live, snl, Will & Harper, will ferrell

SNL: Will Ferrell on Why Playing Janet Reno "Hits a False Note Now"

Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell explains his regret over playing former Attorney General Janet Reno and going for the "drag laugh."

As grateful as Will Ferrell is for his time at Saturday Night Live, not everything hits as intended, or things might not feel the same way years later. The Despicable Me 4 star, who also made a memorable run as a fictionalized version of himself for the Prime Video series The Boys, was an SNL cast member from 1995-2002 before achieving even greater success in films. Whether it's lampooning former president George Bush or the late Chicago Cubs broadcast icon Harry Carey, the actor spoke out on his impression of late Attorney General Janet Reno and his regrets about crossdressing for the sketch "Janet Reno's Fantasies."

SNL: Will Ferrell on How "Janet Reno's Fantasies" Hits Different Now

"That's something I wouldn't choose to do now," Ferrell told former SNL head writer Harper Steele for The New York Times (via Variety), noting the character "hits a false note now." Ferrell and Steele's relationship is the subject of a Netflix documentary called Will & Harper, which follows the two comedians on a road trip across America to rediscover their friendship following Steele's transition as transgender.

"This kind of bums me out," Steele said in response. "I understand the laugh is a drag laugh. It's, 'Hey, look at this guy in a dress, and that's funny.' It's absolutely not funny. It's absolutely a way that we should be able to live in the world. However, with performers and actors, I do like a sense of play." As a send-off to Ferrell's incarnation, the actor had a recurring sketch called "Janet Reno's Dance Party," and the January 2001 episode marked its final with the Attorney General making an appearance herself, busting a move in the process. It's traditional for the actual celebrities to appear along with the cast member doing the impression, like when Mark Wahlberg confronted Andy Samberg, Jennifer Aniston confronting Vanessa Bayer, and when Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek confronted Ferrell on his final "Celebrity Jeopardy" sketch as a cast member. For more between the two, including other regrets and their situation on SNL at the time, you can check out the interview. Will & Harper is available to stream on Netflix.

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