Fred Armisen talks about the inspiration he draws from dictators and Wicker Park on ‘Sound Opinions’

Fred Armisen talks about the inspiration he draws from dictators and Wicker Park on ‘Sound Opinions’

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Fred Armisen talks about playing dictators on Saturday Night Live.

This week on Sound Opinions Fred Armisen sits down with Jim and Greg to talk about his unlikely path to comedy superstardom. The interview covers a lot of ground: from his days in Chicago playing in the band Trenchmouth to his satirical SXSW documentary that landed him on Saturday Night Live.

One of the most interesting parts of the discussion was when he mused about his connection to the dictators he portrays on-screen. He draws out the parallels between rock stars and despots and reveals a surprising amount of disdain reserved specifically for deceased North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.

In another segment Armisen claims he drew on his time living in Chicago in the ’90s when creating the world of Portlandia. He specifically references Wicker Park, Steve Albini, Tortoise and Thrill Jockey label head, Bettina Richards.


Fred Armisen talks about his inspiration for Portlandia.