By Camille Cannon

(This article originally appeared in Vegas Seven magazine on March 30, 2016.)

The comedian and SNL alum on performing with his sons, the trick to a Trump impression and why the Church Lady will never retire.

You’re well known for impressions. Was there a moment when you first realized you were good?

It was 1964. [My family] had a set of encyclopedias that came with LPs. At the end of 1963, it said, “The Beatles are making a big splash in Europe,” and it had them talking. Within a couple of days, I was able to do a Liverpudlian accent. I said to my mother [in accent], “Mom, do you think I could get me some pancakes?” [Laughs.] So that was the first one.

What impressions can we expect in your act?

My latest voice is Bernie Sanders. I also do Trump. Of course, everyone does Trump. [Mimics Donald Trump’s voice] Vegas is a fabulous place. Viva Las Vegas. Elvis. Sammy. Dean. He does this funny thing with his mouth. It’s a pursed lips thing; a pouty look. I’m working on my Hillary. I assume that with her, Bill has a microphone behind the scenes. [Mimics Bill Clinton] Now say that you didn’t know nothing about those emails. [Mimics Hillary Clinton] I knew nothing about the emails. [Bill] Yeah, just tell them there’s nothing in there, baby. I just thought of that, actually. [Laughs.] That would be funny if she had an earpiece. [Bill] Don’t answer that question, baby. [Hillary] I don’t think I should have to answer that question.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Dana Carvey Show. Have you considered revisiting it?

It was sort of a fluke. It just didn’t belong on network TV. I’ve had people approach me recently about doing a documentary about the history of it because we had such an A-team. Steve Carell was just doing a show and was very sweet about it. And [Stephen] Colbert. They had been passed over many times and were feeling kind of down when they got picked up for that show. According to them, not me, the stuff that they did on my show leveraged them into The Daily Show, and that’s what launched them. Of course, Louis [C.K.] was my head writer. That was his first job as a head writer. He was only 29. We had Charlie Kaufman, Robert Smigel. It was just a thing in time.

What other projects are you working on?

I just did a show [First Impressions] for USA Network. It’s a half-hour impressionist competition show. I turned it down over a couple of years. I said, “I don’t want to be a judge.” And they said, “Well you can just be off to the side and be a mentor and chime in and play games.” That’ll be out in spring. My sons and I have been developing an idea for a show, the three of us. We might bring that out next year. It’s a scripted reality show where we play ourselves.

Has the Church Lady retired?

Oh, no. I recently did the Church Lady in full regalia with Bill Gates at a Microsoft convention. I wasn’t doing George H.W. Bush, but I’ve brought him back because of how Trump dismantles Jeb. I understand that these are what I’m most known for. It’s incredibly flattering, and I’m happy to do it. I just do a lot of new stuff, too. I like when I can get the new stuff to kill as hard or harder than the old stuff.

What inspires you to keep writing?

I don’t always know why I try. I’ll ask my wife (we’ve been married since 1983), “Did I ever talk about being famous and rich?” And she said no. It wasn’t in my brain. I’d see Robin Williams, who was my idol, and he would levitate the room. I would just think, “I gotta get better.” And that’s just what drives me. I’m always thinking, how can I get better? In fact, I’ll be writing right after we hang up.

Dana Carvey

April 1-2, 8 p.m., $55, Orleans Showroom, OrleansCasino.com.