Matt Friend hosted a new episode of CNN on Thursday, giving his take on the role of goofy father Tim Walz.
“I’m the best coach you’ve ever seen – Ted Lasso is head and shoulders above me,” Friend, the Democratic vice presidential candidate and governor of Minnesota, said on CNN. “I feel good about it and think our chances are great – Bill Belichick could take that as an example.”
Friend made his portrayal of the good-humored potential vice president clear by taking full credit for the coach, telling anchor Jim Acosta, “We’re in the fourth quarter, Jim. There’s still a few minutes left in the game. But I gotta tell you – you gotta mind your own damn business. Do what you want, but let the government stay out of your own body.”
He also gave an outlook on how Harris and Walz could celebrate a victory in the presidential election.
“And I have to tell you one last thing – if we win this damn thing, Kamala Harris is going to take a big load of Gatorade and pour it all over my face,” Friend said in his Walz imitation.
Friend noted that he had been working on his waltz, adding, “I think the waltz is getting better” – CNN’s Acosta agreed, praising the Minnesota touch the comedian had added.
“I can’t wait to debate JD Vance. Just get up off the couch, JD, and debate with me,” Friend added after delivering a bit of his Trump impersonation.
A young master impersonator, Friend, only 26 years old, has made a name for himself with an extensive collection of impersonations, including his appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner earlier this year. He has also just launched a podcast called “Friend in High Places,” with “Real Time” host Bill Maher as his first guest. In it, Maher cited the day Trump was shot as one of his favorite days of the year.
At one point, Friend used his Maher imitation to announce a “new rule” — that DNC speakers must make sure their speeches are not an hour long. When Acosta mentioned that Bill Clinton might have needed that suggestion on Wednesday night, Friend did a little Clinton imitation, but then turned self-deprecating.
“I’m like a glorified parrot. I’m just happy to be here, CNN,” Friend said.
The comedian managed to showcase some of his celebrity impersonations to the celebrities themselves as well as the people associated with the impersonations, such as his Barack Obama impersonation of Kamala Harris, his Bill Maher impersonation of Maher himself, and his Trump impersonation of both Alec Baldwin and Michael Cohen.
“It’s getting a little too meta now,” Friend admitted. “It’s kind of weird.”
Friend shared some impressions of CNN staffers he has worked alongside, including David Axelrod, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper’s drunken New Year’s Eve giggles.
You can watch Matt Friend’s entire interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta in the video above.
