Is That REALLY You?

Impressionists have held a prominent place in the entertainment industry for a while. Before you go thinking about the several terrible Elvis impersonators you’ve seen in your lifetime, let me remind you, there is more to this life than Elvis. If you search yourself deeply, you might be surprised to discovered you actually enjoy watching someone become someone else.

Of course there has never been the PERFECT impression. Each person has unique quirks that make them different from anyone else. But people with the extraordinary talent of picking up on the subtleties of a person can create a fairly accurate representation of that person.

Vocal impressionists are people who dedicate their time and energy to sounding exactly like specific people. If you are any good at it, you may even make a living off of this skill.

Here’s a question. No matter how entertaining it may be to watch someone become somebody else, how healthy is it for that person? If they dedicate all their time and energy to becoming somebody else, couldn’t there be a possibility of them forgetting who they are?

I may seem extreme, but if someone becomes somebody else for a long period of time, it seems possible that they could forget themselves in the shuffle.

In a recent Netflix documentary entitled Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond, Jim Carrey reveals some disturbing truths about his journey to portray Andy Kaufman in his movie Man on the Moon. He conveyed that after time alone and borderline channeling Andy Kaufman, he and those around him felt as if he had become Andy. Those who knew Andy personally admitted how incredible the similarities were between the two.

Jim Carrey was so wrapped up in his character, he literally became his character.

Is this healthy?

Is losing yourself in your portrayal of someone else ok?