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title: Bill Hader&#x27;s Lorne Michaels Impression on Conan is Perfect
description: Bill Hader showed off his uncanny ability to impersonate &#x27;Saturday Night Live&#x27; creator Lorne Michaels during an appearance on &#x27;Conan&#x27;
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author: Cady Lang
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article:published_time: 2019-01-25T18:31:37.000Z
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og:title: Bill Hader&#x27;s Lorne Michaels Impression on &#x27;Conan&#x27; is Perfect
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9c09e415d0509523/698943fc97cdff30796b73a1/bill-hader-lorne-michaels-impression.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Bill Hader's Lorne Michaels' Impression Is a Dark Delight

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![Cady Lang](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd534f2cb81c3b094/69894087e76ad2e66b633ad3/c_lang.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)


![Cady Lang](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd534f2cb81c3b094/69894087e76ad2e66b633ad3/c_lang.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Cady Lang


Jan 25, 2019 6:31 PM UTC

![19th Annual AFI Awards - Arrivals](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9c09e415d0509523/698943fc97cdff30796b73a1/bill-hader-lorne-michaels-impression.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 04: Actor-producer Bill Hader attends the 19th Annual AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 4, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 04: Actor-producer Bill Hader attends the 19th Annual AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 4, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images) Matt Winkelmeyer—Getty Images

![Cady Lang](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd534f2cb81c3b094/69894087e76ad2e66b633ad3/c_lang.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)


![Cady Lang](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd534f2cb81c3b094/69894087e76ad2e66b633ad3/c_lang.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Cady Lang


Jan 25, 2019 6:31 PM UTC

[Bill Hader](http://time.com/4896862/bill-hader-scaramucci-snl-weekend-update/) showed off not only an uncanny impression of [_Saturday Night Live_ creator Lorne Michaels](http://time.com/3822845/lorne-michaels-2015-time-100/) but a killer sense of humor during an appearance on _Conan_ on Thursday.

The comedian and [_Barry_ star](http://time.com/5210517/bill-hader-on-playing-a-hit-man-anxiety-and-avoiding-social-media/) and host Conan O’Brien shared a moment reminiscing on how most _SNL_ alumni have an impression of Michaels, however, Hader soon revealed that his impression lent itself to a darker humor.

After disclosing that Fred Armisen had noticed that Michaels rubs his eyebrow and eye area in faux nonchalance when name-dropping his many famous friends, Hader gave his hilarious and slightly morbid spin on an impression of Michaels. While rubbing away at his eyebrow, Hader casually named serial killers as Michael’s well-known associates, name-dropping notorious figures such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and the BTK Killer, whom Hader, in character as Michaels, chided friends telling them: “You know, his names’s Dennis.”

As might be expected, the results were side-splittingly funny. See Hader as Lorne Michaels in the clip below.

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