Actor and comedian Chevy Chase recounted his days as a political satirist on Saturday Night Live (SNL) and commented on present-day political leaders to a packed audience as part of an Institute of Politics (IOP)-sponsored forum last Friday.

Students crowded into the Science Center to hear Chase talk about his satirical portrayal of former president Gerald Ford on SNL and his successful acting career. The forum began with a clip of Chase as President Ford on SNL in the late 1970s. Chase worked on the show during Ford's bid for the presidency against former president Jimmy Carter.

"I did comedy and parody television in the '70s. I was a liberal Democrat, and it was a very heady year," Chase said. "I just wanted to prevent [Ford] from being president."

Chase's work on SNL was among the first political satire on public television, and was reputed to have influenced voters' perception of Ford and eventually, the outcome of the election itself.

"SNL doesn't have that kind of power anymore," Chase said. "The show stuck with its opinionated side. It still has effects but there are many, many other forums for others to do [political humor]."

Chase discussed many aspects of his past works, sharing humorous anecdotes about his time at SNL and about dinners with President Ford, and gave some tips on how to approach a political humor piece.

"[When I write a piece] I take the stories of various newspapers and work with them. But the impression could get in the way of what you're trying to say. It's the writing that counts," he said.

Chase also touched upon current political issues, giving his candid assessment of President Bush and his campaign.