ADVERTISEMENT

Modern technology helps impersonators, impressionists, mimics, and actors wield their craft in ways never before imagined! A perfect example of this is none other than well-known actor Jim Meskimen, who recently went viral for an interesting and slightly disturbing video.

In it, Meskimen recites the poem ‘Pity the Poor Impressionist’ using the voices of 20 celebrities. All while being deepfaked with the help of SHAM00K. Scroll on because you’re about to see how weird living in the 21st century can be.

More info: JimMeskimen.com | IMDb | YouTube (Jim Meskimen) | Twitter (Jim Meskimen) | YouTube (SHAM00K) | Twitter (SHAM00K)

RELATED:

    You can watch the full video right here!

    60-year-old Meskimen has acted in Parks & Recreation as Martin Housely, starred in the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and even voiced characters in cartoons like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Johnny Bravo (he voiced a whiny man and a waiter, hoo ha hooah).

    Jim Meskimen – Impressionist

    ADVERTISEMENT

    John Malkovich

    Colin Firth

    Robert Deniro

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Tommy Lee Jones

    ADVERTISEMENT

    If you’re a video game fan, then you’ll be awed to learn that Meskimen has loaned out his voice to such legendary series like Baldur’s Gate, Call of Duty, Diablo, Hitman, Kingdom Hearts, various LEGO games, as well as The Lord of the Rings. The man is a well-oiled, hard-working, efficient, and talented machine who loves his craft.

    Nick Offerman

    George Clooney

    Christopher Walken

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Anthony Hopkins

    Dr. Phil

    Deepfakes are getting faker the deeper we go into this century. New Scientist draws attention to the fact that artificial intelligence and deepfakes are already being used by Israeli tech firm Canny AI and other companies to dub advertisements or messages from celebrities into different languages. Which sounds wonderful until you consider all the possible applications. I’ve got a feeling that the fake news we see now will seem like a drop in the ocean compared to what’s coming.

    Nicholas Cage

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Arnold Schwarzenegger

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Morgan Freeman

    Bryan Cranston

    Christoph Waltz

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Dear readers, what do you think of Meskimen’s impersonations? Do you think that actors who are able to mimic others will be able to do one-man movies in the future with the help of technology? Do you think deepfakes are a force of good, evil, or just another tool? I can’t wait to read what you think, so drop a comment below the post.

    Joe Pesci

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Jack Nicholson

    George W. Bush

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Sir Ian McKellen

    Ron Howard

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Robin Williams

    Here are the poem’s words if you want to recite it in celebrity voices yourself

    Pity The Poor Impressionist
    By Jim Meskimen ©2016

    Is anything more sad and lame
    contemptible, beneath disdain,
    In short, provoking of disgust
    than being an impressionist?

    A third rate, even fourth rate skill,
    the definition of “cheap thrill.”
    Like watching farm equipment rust
    is watching an impressionist.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    A relic from a distant day
    that long since should died away,
    dishonorably mentioned is
    the pitiful impressionist.

    Weird, and somewhat ostentacious
    tired debris from old Las Vegas,
    whose former fans have all dismissed
    allegiance to impressionists.

    How many opportunities
    passed up and wasted because he’s
    Hell-bound to follow what he must?
    Pity the poor impressionist.

    Doomed to live an abject failure
    dogged by his own echolalia.
    Better to crumble into dust
    than live as an impressionist.

    His borrowed voices can’t deflect
    a life of well-deserved neglect.
    His name’s on simply no one’s lips;
    forgotten, vain impressionist.

    That sound–did anybody moan?
    That creature at the microphone
    is last on everybody’s list;
    forgettable impressionist.

    When Peter at that shiny gate
    condemns those souls who imitate
    he will but shake a heavenly fist
    and curse condemned impressionists.

    But ’til that time we’ll tolerate
    the good for nothing reprobate,
    and hide the truth: that we’re just pissed
    that WE can’t be impressionists!