Everyone’s got one, haven’t they? That impression you’re secretly pretty proud of, wheeled out after two glasses of wine and peaking at four, egged on by friends and practised in the shower? I’m no Rob Brydon, perhaps you say, but I can nail Ian from East Enders. Hagrid from Harry Potter. That annoying woman who’s on reception every other Wednesday. How about yourself…? Katy Perry, for one, does a Great/Terrible Katy Perry.
Such was the conceit of Radio One’s game this week, judged by celebrity guest Orlando Bloom. So: host Nick Grimshaw explains to Orlando that they’ve lined up a few callers, each with a self-professed knack for impersonating someone famous. Some good clean primetime fun! First up is Scott From Plymouth, who has a crack at Tom-Hardy-As-Bane. Orlando is diplomatic, but he can see we’re starting off with a comedy entry (sorry, Scott) and suggests he ‘[tries] going down a couple of octaves’.
‘Bane does Shakespeare, a bit, there!’ comments Nick, before moving us swiftly on. Next up, James From Milton Keynes breaks out a mean David Attenborough (can an impression be better than the original?) and Nick and Orlando are both impressed with the silky RP delivery. Fine! Yes! Fun! And now?
Well, now it’s time for Gemma, on line three. Gemma’s from Hertfordshire, and she can do a cracking Katy Perry – who, may I remind you, happens to be Orlando Bloom’s fiancée. As Gemma begins warbling, leaving expertly uncomfortable pauses between each line of I Kissed A Girl’s chorus, Orlando’s face is a picture. Not a patch on my girl, he thinks – and gently says as much. ‘Gemma that was great, really well done’, he begins. Admitting he’s ‘not convinced’, Orlando makes allowances – ‘hard for me because I do live with that voice’, he offers, before Nick Grimshaw swoops in: ‘Hi Katy Perry!’
THAT’S RIGHT, IT WAS KATY ALL ALONG! There exist circles within circles! ‘Babes, is that you, babes?’ says Bloom, as Katy and Nick giggle away. ‘Honey, I thought you knew me better than that!’ says Perry. It’s all a bit reminiscent of those myths about Charlie Chaplin entering a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and losing dismally, isn’t it? Certainly, something very satisfying about the meta-ness of a successfully unsuccessful performance, a purposefully unconvincing self-impersonation.
I, for one, am working on my Me impression. Tippy tip tap.
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