Comedians Shane Gillis and Adam Ray pulled off a pair of flawless and hilarious impersonations of President Joe Biden and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during a July taping of the “Kill Tony” comedy podcast.
Ray came out first as Biden, doing his best doddering grandpa impression and nailing Biden’s erratic facial expressions, stiff-walking gait and trademark inability to form coherent sentences.
“My fellow Americans, I want to thank you for nominating me to be the first black woman President to run this country,” Ray joked, parodying an unbelievable but real quote from Biden where he said he was proud to be “the first vice president — first black woman to serve with a black president.”
Joe Biden appears on Kill Tony 😅 pic.twitter.com/OHOiRIfG9W
— GhostRecon (@QuestionitQ) July 16, 2024
Ray, as Biden, continued to act bewildered and pretend he didn’t know where he was until the show stopped. A sizzle reel of President Trump then introduced one-time cancelled comedian Shane Gillis, caked in orange makeup, who emerged to a raucous round of applause.
“Kill Tony” tonight is insane pic.twitter.com/uyTzLQJ4bf
— Will Hayford (@HayfordWill) July 16, 2024
The show’s host Tony Hinchcliffe introduced Gillis’ Trump, saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, the real President of the United States is here.”
Gillis almost broke from his in-character performance when face to face with Ray’s Biden.
Shane Gillis as Trump On Kill Tony! As “Biden” cowers. I needed this pic.twitter.com/sVWSPrZisV
— TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) July 16, 2024
The pair spent the next two hours of the show getting extremely into character, shooting hilarious quips at each other and other comedians.
“Joe, you’ve never visited the Midwest. Everyone knows it. Illinois loves Donald Trump. I wish I had a joke there, but I’m getting into character too much,” Gillis joked with a wry smile. (RELATED: Tom Brady’s Netflix Roast Was Chock-Full Of Glorious Non-Woke Hilarity: Here Are The Top 11 Moments)
Ray, for his part, matched Gillis’ energy, stumbling on his words with his Biden response. “That’s who you want in the, that’s who the, that’s, that’s who you want?” Ray sputtered in response.
The pair went above and beyond, delivering lines so prescient and accurate you’d almost forget they weren’t the real candidates. “I can’t wait to smell her head,” Ray said at one point about a female comedian.
After the comedian, Brittany Martinez, performed and totally bombed, Gillis/Trump joked, “They’re sending their worst,” a line that prompted hearty belly laughs from the audience.
Hinchcliffe, who’s been hosting the show for over 10 years, could hardly contain himself. “This might be the first episode where I literally pass out in the middle of the show. The blood rushing to my head,” Hinchcliffe quipped. Without missing a beat, Ray/Biden chimed in, “Welcome to my world. I should be in bed right now with a melatonin and a book.”