TIM WATTERS: (Imitating Bill Clinton) My name is Bill Clinton. I was the 42nd president of the United States, and I am married to my lovely wife and fantastic woman, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for 41 years now.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The voice you just heard is not actually President Bill Clinton. It's Tim Watters. In 1992, Watters was a real estate agent living in Tampa, Fla., when Bill Clinton ran for president.
WATTERS: People started staring at me at the supermarket and restaurants and whatnot. And I knew that I looked just like Bill Clinton.
CHANG: Family and friends mailed Watters newspaper clippings of Clinton. Even Watters' 2-year-old son got confused.
WATTERS: Unsolicited, he just pointed to the picture of Bill Clinton and said da-da (ph).
CHANG: That's when Watters decided he might be able to make a living impersonating the president.
WATTERS: Right after Inauguration Day, I was on the "Maury Povich Show." I was on "The Geraldo Show." I got some local television here in Tampa, and the money started rolling in.
CHANG: A lot of money - in his best year, Tim Watters says he grossed over a million dollars impersonating Bill Clinton. But as time went on, he realized people were getting tired of hearing the same old material. So in 2016, he decided to take on a new role, Donald Trump.
WATTERS: (Imitating Donald Trump) You know, folks, I'm going to make America great again. Honestly, I'm going to make America great again.
CHANG: He says the transition wasn't that hard.
WATTERS: It's funny. When you put a wig on and do a little orange makeup, it does wonders for you.
CHANG: That was Tim Watters, professional Donald Trump impersonator.
WATTERS: (Imitating Donald Trump) Folks, I want to thank you for your support in my landslide victory as the 45th president of the United States. So have a very Happy New Year. And come January 20, I am going to make America great again, guaranteed. That I can tell you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
