Darrell Hammond

A gifted comedian and impressionist, Darrell Hammond became the show's longest serving cast member. He holds the SNL record for the most impressions by a single cast member, and has made more SNL appearances than anyone else.

His expert portrayals of such media figures and celebrities as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Donald Trump, John Travolta and Chris Matthews have been called "genius" and "defining," and he continues to make cameo appearances on SNL- including the ever-popular Sean Connery in the recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! skits. He also appears in many of the notorious FUNNY OR DIE episodes.

Hammond's road to success is an unlikely one for sure. On academic probation during most of his college career, he was singled out for his inability to speak very well. Yet, in his late 20's he was working at a small radio station in Florida (where they did not let him do impressions on the air) and made it known that his dream was to be on SNL (you can imagine how that went over!). In spite of the impossible odds, he focused on his craft, committed to making one small, incremental improvement a week. Considered a late bloomer in the world of professional comedy, he was 39 years old when he was selected to join the cast of SNL. There, he continuously worked on improving his skills and soon became SNL's "go to guy" for performing under pressure.

Off the air, however, he was battling a severe drug and alcohol addiction and other issues stemming from a hellish and abusive childhood. The fact that he even survived long enough to achieve his goal is a testament to his tenacity and focus.

With poignant and hilarious turns, Hammond takes audiences from the set of Saturday Night Live to visits to the White House (with stops along the way in various Harlem crack houses, a Caribbean jail and more than a few psych wards). He is passionately committed to reducing the stigman of mental illness and addiction, and the story of his journey to sobriety and the final (correct) diagnosis of PTSD is inspiring audiences nationwide.

Hammond's surprising story resonates with anyone who shares a love of comedy, a desire to know how an artist can climb from the deepest despair to the very top of his profession, or simply with anyone wanting to find a way to make a living doing what they love.