Reggie Brown (impersonator)
Encyclopedia
Reginald B. "Reggie" Brown (born September 28, 1980) is an American
voice actor
, model
, writer
and impersonator
best known for his portrayal of U.S. President
Barack Obama
. Brown has appeared as President Obama on several national television shows in the United States, and has also performed for various political conventions and corporate events.
A native of Chicago
, Illinois
, Brown is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he took voiceover and acting classes. He was a professional model
for several years, travelling the United States, before becoming a professional impressionist of President Obama. He also worked as a writer for WMAQ-TV
, an NBC-affiliate in Chicago, and went on to win a local Emmy Award for his work.
In June 2011, Brown caused controversy when he appeared at the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference
in New Orleans, Louisiana
, and delivered what were perceived as "racially insensitive jokes" about President Obama, as well as for criticizing several of the Republican Party's presidential candidates for 2012, which resulted in him being pulled from the stage by convention organizers. Brown defended his remarks, and has since become a viral sensation on video sites like YouTube
.
, and was born in the village of Maywood, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago. Similar to Obama, Brown was born to a white
mother, and black
father. While growing up, Brown took care of his younger brothers and sister, along with his mother, Jane. While in high school, Brown began performing various impressions of celebrities, including impressions of actor Sean Connery
, comedian Bill Cosby
and fictional character Tony Soprano
of The Sopranos
. After high school, Brown attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. While attending, Brown decided to drop out of college, and pursue a career in modeling instead, travelling the country for seven years as a professional model
. Brown returned to college soon after, however, in order to take voiceover and acting classes.
street team, an NBC
-affiliate in Chicago, winning a 2008 Chicago/Midwest Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement in New Media Interactivity" for his coverage of the city's second annual Looptopia
event.
Brown first learned of his resemblance to President Barack Obama after his brother, Lawrence, told him of the likeness when he was 21. He first gained national attention when he appeared on the Fox Business Network
series Stossel
, where Brown, as Obama, debated 2012 presidential candidate Representative Ron Paul
of Texas
. Soon after, Brown returned to Stossel and also debated presidential candidate Governor Gary Johnson
of New Mexico
. He returned for the July 14 episode for a mock debate against Herman Cain in which Brown used actual remarks from the President.
In June 2011, Brown provided entertainment at the Republican Leadership Conference
with jokes about President Obama. However, when Brown told jokes about potential Republican 2012 Presidential candidates, his microphone was disconnected and he was escorted off stage as he was starting his sequence about Michele Bachmann
. Charlie Davis, President of the Republican Leadership Conference, released a statement regarding the act, saying, "The RLC is designed to showcase the top Republican leaders and ideas in the country - to talk about limited government, fiscal responsibility and rebuilding the American economy. Had I been in the room I would have pulled him sooner. We have zero tolerance for racially insensitive jokes. As soon as I realized what was going on I rushed backstage and had him pulled." Brown disputed these claims at first, simply stating that he had "went over time," and that event organizers had praised his act following his performance.
Following his performance at the Republican Leadership Conference, Brown went on to impersonate Obama at the WWE Capitol Punishment
pay-per-view
event on June 19, 2011. Brown was also invited by comedian Bill Maher
to finish his act on his HBO television series Real Time with Bill Maher
, with the remaining jokes aimed at candidates Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain
, Mitt Romney
and Jon Huntsman
, as well as Brown joking that Obama was secretly a Muslim
.
, California
. When asked about his political affiliation by NewsOne, Brown refused to comment as to whether he is a Democrat
or Republican
, noting that he is simply an "entertainer."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
voice actor
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and impersonator
Impersonator
An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
best known for his portrayal of U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Brown has appeared as President Obama on several national television shows in the United States, and has also performed for various political conventions and corporate events.
A native of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Brown is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he took voiceover and acting classes. He was a professional model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
for several years, travelling the United States, before becoming a professional impressionist of President Obama. He also worked as a writer for WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
, an NBC-affiliate in Chicago, and went on to win a local Emmy Award for his work.
In June 2011, Brown caused controversy when he appeared at the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference
Republican Leadership Conference
The Republican Leadership Conference is a political event held in the Southern United States before each presidential election. The event is attended by Republican Party activists, elected officials, and candidates for office. It was formerly known as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and delivered what were perceived as "racially insensitive jokes" about President Obama, as well as for criticizing several of the Republican Party's presidential candidates for 2012, which resulted in him being pulled from the stage by convention organizers. Brown defended his remarks, and has since become a viral sensation on video sites like YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Early life and education
Brown is a native of ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and was born in the village of Maywood, Illinois
Maywood, Illinois
Maywood is a village in Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census.-Overview:...
, a suburb of Chicago. Similar to Obama, Brown was born to a white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
mother, and black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
father. While growing up, Brown took care of his younger brothers and sister, along with his mother, Jane. While in high school, Brown began performing various impressions of celebrities, including impressions of actor Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, comedian Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
and fictional character Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. After high school, Brown attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. While attending, Brown decided to drop out of college, and pursue a career in modeling instead, travelling the country for seven years as a professional model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. Brown returned to college soon after, however, in order to take voiceover and acting classes.
Career
Brown began taking acting and voiceover lessons at the Acting Studios Chicago, and soon began as a contributor for Fearless Radio, an on-line station, and as a host of Akira TV. Brown also emceed fashion and runway shows at local venues in Chicago, including the Galleria Marchetti and House of Blues. He also worked as a member of the WMAQ-TVWMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
street team, an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
-affiliate in Chicago, winning a 2008 Chicago/Midwest Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement in New Media Interactivity" for his coverage of the city's second annual Looptopia
Looptopia
Looptopia was a dusk-to-dawn cultural event that was held in 2007 and 2008 in the city of Chicago. Billed as "Chicago's White Night", Looptopia was modeled after Nuit Blanche held annually in Paris. It premiered on the evening of May 11 through the morning May 12, 2007 in Chicago's central business...
event.
Brown first learned of his resemblance to President Barack Obama after his brother, Lawrence, told him of the likeness when he was 21. He first gained national attention when he appeared on the Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
series Stossel
Stossel (TV series)
Stossel is a weekly American talk show, hosted by John Stossel, highlighting current consumer issues with a libertarian viewpoint. The television program debuted on December 10, 2009 on the Fox Business Network and airs every Thursday...
, where Brown, as Obama, debated 2012 presidential candidate Representative Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Soon after, Brown returned to Stossel and also debated presidential candidate Governor Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson may refer to:*Gary Johnson , former Governor of New Mexico and candidate for President in 2012*Gary Johnson , American politician, Wisconsin State Assembly...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. He returned for the July 14 episode for a mock debate against Herman Cain in which Brown used actual remarks from the President.
In June 2011, Brown provided entertainment at the Republican Leadership Conference
Republican Leadership Conference
The Republican Leadership Conference is a political event held in the Southern United States before each presidential election. The event is attended by Republican Party activists, elected officials, and candidates for office. It was formerly known as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference...
with jokes about President Obama. However, when Brown told jokes about potential Republican 2012 Presidential candidates, his microphone was disconnected and he was escorted off stage as he was starting his sequence about Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann
Michele Marie Bachmann is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing , a post she has held since 2007. The district includes several of the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, such as Woodbury, and Blaine as well as Stillwater and St. Cloud.She is currently a...
. Charlie Davis, President of the Republican Leadership Conference, released a statement regarding the act, saying, "The RLC is designed to showcase the top Republican leaders and ideas in the country - to talk about limited government, fiscal responsibility and rebuilding the American economy. Had I been in the room I would have pulled him sooner. We have zero tolerance for racially insensitive jokes. As soon as I realized what was going on I rushed backstage and had him pulled." Brown disputed these claims at first, simply stating that he had "went over time," and that event organizers had praised his act following his performance.
Following his performance at the Republican Leadership Conference, Brown went on to impersonate Obama at the WWE Capitol Punishment
WWE Capitol Punishment
Capitol Punishment was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE, which took place on June 19, 2011 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C....
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event on June 19, 2011. Brown was also invited by comedian Bill Maher
Bill Maher
William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and...
to finish his act on his HBO television series Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher is a talk show that airs weekly on HBO, hosted by comedian and political satirist Bill Maher. Much like his previous show, Politically Incorrect on ABC , Real Time features a panel of guests that discuss current events in politics and the media...
, with the remaining jokes aimed at candidates Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain
Herman Cain
Herman Cain is a candidate for the 2012 U.S. Republican Party presidential nomination.Cain has a background as a business executive, syndicated columnist, and radio host from Georgia. He served as chairman and CEO of Godfather's Pizza from 1986 to 1996...
, Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
and Jon Huntsman
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
, as well as Brown joking that Obama was secretly a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Obama Effect | Barack Obama | |
| 2010 | Hannah Montana Hannah Montana Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real... |
Barack Obama | |
| Huckabee Huckabee Huckabee is a TV political commentary program on Fox News hosted by former Republican Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. It premiered September 27, 2008, at 8 PM EDT.- Schedule :... |
Barack Obama | 4 episodes | |
| Lopez Tonight Lopez Tonight Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The... |
Barack Obama | ||
| Piscopo After Dark | Barack Obama | ||
| 2011 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Barack Obama | |
| Real Time with Bill Maher Real Time with Bill Maher Real Time with Bill Maher is a talk show that airs weekly on HBO, hosted by comedian and political satirist Bill Maher. Much like his previous show, Politically Incorrect on ABC , Real Time features a panel of guests that discuss current events in politics and the media... |
Barack Obama | ||
| Stossel Stossel (TV series) Stossel is a weekly American talk show, hosted by John Stossel, highlighting current consumer issues with a libertarian viewpoint. The television program debuted on December 10, 2009 on the Fox Business Network and airs every Thursday... |
Barack Obama | 3 episodes | |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno The Tonight Show with Jay Leno The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny... |
Barack Obama | ||
| Workaholics | Barack Obama | ||
| WWE Capitol Punishment WWE Capitol Punishment Capitol Punishment was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE, which took place on June 19, 2011 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.... |
Barack Obama | ||
Personal life
Brown currently resides in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. When asked about his political affiliation by NewsOne, Brown refused to comment as to whether he is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
or Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, noting that he is simply an "entertainer."