#When Will Ferrell returns to host “Saturday Night Live” these days, two questions promptly come to mind: How soon is he going to play President George W. Bush? And then what will he do?
In answer to the first question: Mr. Ferrell, the “S.N.L.” alumnus and star of films like “Anchorman,” “Step Brothers” and “Talladega Nights,” immediately broke out his trademark impersonation of a bumbling, tongue-tied Bush 43, in an opening sketch that satirically scrutinized the former president’s legacy while still taking a few shots at the current president, Donald J. Trump.
In the guise of his frat-boyish Mr. Bush, Mr. Ferrell reminded the audience, “You might remember, the W. stands for wassssup,” and said that he had lately been working on his oil paintings and earning an online M.F.A. from the University of Phoenix.
Pointing to a recent poll showing that Americans now give Mr. Bush a 61 percent favorability rating, Mr. Ferrell said: “That’s right. Donny Q. Trump came in, and suddenly I’m looking pretty sweet by comparison. At this rate, I might even end up on Mount Rushmore, right next to Washington, Lincoln and I want to say, uh, Kensington?”