How to Look Stupefied Like George W. Bush

Whether you love or hate George W. Bush, humorous impressions of the two-term United States president have entertained the nation and the world for years and will continue to do so. If you are a comedian or just want to have a little fun with your friends, a George W. Bush impression is essential for political humor, and his often clueless or confused facial expression is a key ingredient.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Use photographs and videos of George W. Bush to get an idea of what facial expressions he uses. Any single facial expression (such as looking stupefied) will be more effective if you know a few others you can use in conjunction with it to react in conversation.
2. Watch other comedians doing George W. Bush impressions. Look for three main components to imitate: voice, facial expression and conversational content. Use comedians like Frank Caliendo and Will Ferrell to start.
3. Practice your Bush impersonation in front of a mirror. Start your stupefied expression by staring blankly into the mirror, then experiment with manipulating your eyebrows and mouth.
4. Wrinkle your eyebrows and forehead as much as possible. George W. Bush is well known for his characteristic eyebrow wrinkles, and you may want to use makeup to enhance your own brow wrinkles if you're making a costume or performing on stage.
5. Raise one side of your upper lip slightly for a confused version of George W. Bush's well-known smirk. The asymmetrical crooked lip is typical of many of Bush's facial expression and useful to practice for a variety of Bush looks. Again, if you're using makeup, accentuate the lines that go from your nostrils down to the corners of your mouth.
6. Incorporate other commonly befuddled mannerisms of Bush like scratching your head, reading a book upside down or misspeaking or mispronouncing your words. Use some key Bush verbal phrases or mix-ups to make sure you're identified as a Bush impersonator.

Tips & Warnings

• Pair your Bush facial expression with props, a costume and other Bush mannerisms to create a complete and recognizable Bush impression for a costume, performance or just for fun.