Will Ferrell tells Letterman that Bill O'Reilly was 'a real sourpuss' at SNL's 40th bash

Will Ferrell does his best Bill O'Reilly impersonation
(Image credit: Late Show)

On Tuesday night's Late Show, Will Ferrell — dressed like a leprechaun — told David Letterman that he wasn't allowed to sit in the audience during the beginning of Saturday Night Live's big 40th anniversary special last month because he had to get in costume for the "Celebrity Jeopardy" skit. But he snuck out front once he was dressed as Alex Trebek, "and I look up, and there's Bill O'Reilly."

"Everyone's just clapping, and Bill O'Reilly's like this," Ferrell said, resting his frowning chin on his fist. "I don't know if he got a wrong seating assignment, or what. Just a real sourpuss." Letterman asked if Ferrell had ever met O'Reilly, and Ferrell said no, and he didn't understand the Fox News star's dour expression. "I don't know what he was doing there if he's wasn't a fan of Saturday Night Live," Ferrell said. Then he had a thought: "Maybe he's just really a student of comedy." Yeah, that's probably it. —Peter Weber

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Peter Weber

Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.