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Gov. David Paterson Pokes Fun at Himself on 'Saturday Night Live'

By DNAinfo Staff on September 26, 2010 11:19am  | Updated on September 27, 2010 6:54am

By Nina Mandell

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Governor David Paterson had the last laugh Saturday.

Months after firing back at "Saturday Night Live" for its controversial jokes surrounding his blindness, Gov. Paterson appeared on the show's season opener.

He slid onto the "Weekend Update" table next to Fred Armisen who, as he has for months, was impersonating the governor.

"This has gone on long enough," Paterson thundered, as Armisen, who had been commenting on the race between Andrew Cuomo and Carl Paladino for governor, tried to hold back his laughter.

Paterson defended his record in balancing the budget and took shots at New Jersey, and SNL itself.

"Working in Albany is a lot like watching Saturday Night Live," he said. "You watch it, it's funny for 10 minutes and then you just want it to go away."

Gov. David Paterson, who showed his sense of humor on Saturday Night Live.
Gov. David Paterson, who showed his sense of humor on Saturday Night Live.
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AP Photo/Robert Mecea

Armisen has portrayed Paterson on "SNL" as a lost blind man who wanders in front of the camera aimlessly and even holds up charts upside down in the middle of presentations.

Meyers and Poehler apologized for making fun of him, to which Paterson replied: "That's okay. You made so much fun of me for being blind, I forgot I was black."

At the end of the skit, the governor and Armisen jokingly wandered in the middle of the set, in front of Amy Poehler who pretended to be doing a serious story.

"Well I'll tell you one thing," he said. "My friend Gov. Chris Christie will like some of those New Jersey jokes."

Governor David Paterson, who appeared on Saturday Night Live.
Governor David Paterson, who appeared on Saturday Night Live.
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DNAinfo/Joshua Williams