It was inevitable that Chris Matthews, who is one of Darrell Hammond’s favorite comedic targets, would find his way back into Hammond’s act now that rumors have the “Hardball” host considering a Senate run in 2010.
So it was on Saturday night at the Larry King Cardiac Foundation Gala, for which the “Saturday Night Live” star provided the comedy. “I can’t see Matthews doing things other politicians do,” Hammond said, before lapsing into his letter-perfect Matthews impression: “That’s an ugly baby, lady. I’m not gonna kiss your kid.”
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| Darrell Hammond – Getty Images |
He had some new material for the presidential candidates, too. “Hillary Clinton would totally win in a bar fight [against Barack Obama],” he said, “because you know she’s got a knife hidden in that pantsuit.”
As for Obama, Hammond joked that “one time at NBC, he walked by me in the hall and my paper cut healed. … God just endorsed Obama, which upset John McCain because God went to school with McCain.”
Hammond soldiered on through his performance despite what we hear was a bad cold that caused him to leave the pre-event cocktail reception early. Not so Seal, who provided the musical entertainment. Seal took in the Kentucky Derby with King, his wife, Shawn Southwick King, and other VIPs, even teaching Mrs. King about the finer points of horse racing.
On hand for the event at the Ritz Carlton: Sandra Day O’Connor, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and new Redskins coach Jim Zorn, whom owner Dan Snyder couldn’t resist putting on the spot. “We’re going to win the division, right?” he asked Zorn, in front of the 500 well-heeled attendees.
Still, if Snyder was stingy with his positive reinforcement, he was generous with his wallet. He cut a $25,000 check from the Redskins to the charity on the spot and another $25,000 from Six Flags.
The auction item of the night? That would be a blue, pin-dotted blazer worn on stage by country crooner Kenny Rogers. The auction program suggested that the winner could don the garment next time he or she “rocks out” to Kenny’s vocal stylings. Now how much would you pay? Try $270, which is what it fetched. You gotta know when to hold ’em. …
