Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Dan Akroyd, Dana Carvey Reprise Presidential Roles for AFR Video on Financial Reform

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post mistakenly attributed the video to MoveOn.org. The video is sponsored by Americans for Financial Reform and Funny or Die.

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Nothing funny about financial reform?

“Saturday Night Live” presidents, past and present, staged a grand reunion for a video co-sponsored by Americans for Financial Reform on that very topic. The piece was directed by Ron Howard for Funny or Die, “a comedy video website (duh) that combines user generated content with original, exclusive content,” according to its “About” page.

The video has its moments, especially Darrell Hammond’s lecherous take on Bill Clinton, and Jim Carrey’s dead-on, but over-the-top Ronald Reagan. (A separate video about the making of the AFR piece features an amusing bit in which Carrey displays the prosthetic he used to fill Reagan’s pants.)

From an artistic point of view, it really is fascinating to see the different interpretations of the various presidents up all in the same room — in the White House bedroom of Barack and Michelle Obama (played, respectively, by Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph). The exchange between Ferrell’s Bush 43 and Carvey’s Bush 41 over the virtues of a second term is priceless.

From the press release:

The video, which was directed by Ron Howard and written by Adam McKay and Al Jean, was shot in Van Nuys, California Sunday. The video brings together all the actors who portrayed “Presidents” on “Saturday Night Live,” including Will Ferrell (George W. Bush), Fred Armisen (Barack Obama), Darrell Hammond (Bill Clinton), Chevy Chase (Gerald Ford), Dan Aykroyd (Jimmy Carter), and Dana Carvey (George H. W. Bush). In addition, Jim Carrey rounds out the cast with his portrayal of Ronald Regan, and “SNL” alum Maya Rudolph (Michelle Obama) is also featured.