Watch Jay Pharoah Impersonate Steve Harvey and 8 More Celebrities in Two Minutes
The Saturday Night Live alum told Fallon he developed his impressions while working at a Burlington Coat Factory.
Nobody does impressions like Jay Pharoah, but maybe that's because no one else developed the skill while working at Burlington Coat Factory.
The Saturday Night Live alum sat down on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, June 24, and he didn't even need the Wheel of Impressions to show off his talents. In honor of the New York City heatwave, he played eight different celebrities describing about how hot it is, from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Mike Tyson.
Some of Pharoah's voices, such as Pharrell's, were so good he barely had to say anything at all to get Fallon and multiple members of The Roots to lose it. His Steve Harvey warranted an entire monologue, and his impression of Donald Trump was almost alarmingly accurate.
Fallon asked about the origin of Pharoah's comedy, and his answer was unexpected.
"I used to work out my comedy chops at Burlington Coat Factory," he said. "I was in the layaway department because I was a fast cashier, and when you're fast at cashier, they put you over there. It's a trap. Don't do it! You need to ring slow," he advised.
"I was on the loudspeaker and doing impressions and just making people laugh, because it's Burlington Coat Factory, but there was no air conditioning," he continued. "I said how ironic it is that you sell coats and it's hot in here. Turn on the snow. What is going on? So I'd get on the loudspeaker, I'd be doing Bernie Mac, and people would love it. I would try to take the stress away because I saw people's faces. I was just trying to make the most pleasant experience ever."
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Jay Pharoah did uncanny Donald Trump, Steve Harvey, and Family Guy voices for Jimmy Fallon
Pharoah is known for his ability to transform into other people, but as for the person who does the best Jay Pharoah impression: That would be his 8-year-old nephew, Parker.
"He ain't got the depth yet of the vocals...but he's good. He's got the cadence and everything," Pharoah said. "He does impressions, he does accents, everything. So when he gets in the game, I'm leaving. I'm not scared of anybody but that little guy."
While we wait for Parker's day to come, Pharoah has over 200 impressions in his comedy arsenal, and there are nearly endless clips online. In 2022, he appeared on The Tonight Show to see how many celebs he could fit into one minute, and his Pete Davidson is unexpectedly spot on. Watch below.
