Moviegoers shouldn’t be shocked if they have flashbacks to the 2008 election while watching Will Ferrell’s new flick, “The Campaign.”
“I looked at a lot of John Edwards stuff in my performance. And in my hairstyle, a lot of John Edwards,” the “Saturday Night Live” alum told us at the film’s Washington premiere Tuesday at the Newseum.
Ferrell and fellow funnyman Zach Galifianakis play fictional political rivals vying for a House seat.
But Edwards, the disgraced Democratic presidential candidate known for his perfectly coifed hairstyle, wasn’t the only figure the comedic pair supposedly drew inspiration from.
Galifianakis, who stuck close to Ferrell’s side throughout the premiere, quickly chimed in, saying the two also studied former President William Howard Taft. Ferrell rapidly piped up again, adding former President Millard Fillmore to the mix.
The pair (who earlier in the day posed for a photo in front of the White House) then played a short game of word association, with “The Hangover” star saying they examined, “[Former President John] Quincy Adams. Quincy Jones.”
Ferrell offered, “Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.”
Jokes aside, the only place Ferrell plans on pulling for votes is at the box office, saying he has “no political aspirations whatsoever.”
A lack of real-life political ambition didn’t keep “The Campaign” actors from dipping their feet in current hot button issues.
“My political platform would be to turn every Chick-fil-A into a gay bar,” Galifianakis declared, drawing from recent comments the president of the fast food chain made that some critics called anti-gay.
Ferrell nodded, saying, “Ooh. That would actually be mine too, yeah.”
While no actual lawmakers were spotted at the screening, a few of the living, breathing journalists who cover them were there, including CNN’s Dana Bash and NBC correspondent Kelly O’Donnell.
When asked whether any politicians have reacted to the comedic portrayal of life on the campaign trail, Galifianakis replied, “Not yet. We’re hoping they talk about it.”
The chatter will surely begin soon — “The Campaign” hits theaters Aug. 10.
