You're Welcome America

{{Short description|Play written by Will Ferrell}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox play | name = You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush | image = Yourewelcomeamerica.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = Poster for ''You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush'' | writer = Will Ferrell | chorus = | characters = George W. Bush | mute = | setting = | premiere = {{Start date|2009|02|05}} | place = Cort Theatre<br>New York City | orig_lang = English | series = | subject = | genre = Comedy | web = }}

'''''You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush''''' is a comedic Broadway play written by and starring American comedian Will Ferrell as George W. Bush, which ran from February 5 to March 15, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/theater/reviews/06ferr.html|title=The Comedy of Ineptitude, Political Division|work=The New York Times |date=5 February 2009 |last1=Brantley |first1=Ben }}</ref> The play is directed by Ferrell's long-time comedy partner, Adam McKay, who previously worked with him on his comedy films ''Anchorman'' and ''Talladega Nights''. According to a review at ''The Improper.com'', "Combined with lewd humor and an uncanny cast of characters to help him drive home his alter ego's West Texas mannerisms, Ferrell’s showpiece is a true delight."<ref name="Improper">{{Cite web |url=http://www.theimproper.com/Template_Article.aspx?IssueId=12&ArticleId=3293 |title=The Improper.com |access-date=2009-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607100914/http://www.theimproper.com/Template_Article.aspx?IssueId=12&ArticleId=3293 |archive-date=2009-06-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The play is based on Ferrell's George W. Bush impression, which originated from the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The show's 26th season marked the first appearance of Ferrell's character, which took place during the controversial 2000 United States presidential election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgRRVpemLo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/zDgRRVpemLo |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=First Presidential Debate: Al Gore and George W. Bush - SNL|last=Saturday Night Live|date=12 September 2013|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The play carries over some qualities of Ferrell's character that replicates the same comedic element as seen on the popular late night show.

The play broke the house record at the Cort Theater, taking in $846,507.05 for the week that ended on February 15, 2009.<ref>Patrick Healy. [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/youre-welcome-broadway-ferrells-bush-breaks-house-record/?ref=theater "You’re Welcome Broadway: Ferrell’s ‘Bush’ Breaks House Record"], ''The New York Times'', February 17, 2009</ref> The show was broadcast live on the HBO cable channel,<ref name="Improper"/> as well as in Canada, on March 14, 2009, at 9:00{{spaces}}p.m. EST.<ref name="Toronto Star">Richard Ouzounian. "Will Ferrell's masterful and frightening portrayal of Bush." March 03, 2009, ''Toronto Star'' {{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/59548 |title=Archived copy |website=Toronto Star |access-date=March 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624063012/http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/59548 |archive-date=June 24, 2011 }} 2</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/40914727.html |title=Ohio.com - 'Breaking Bad' opener tonight |access-date=2009-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615161400/http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/40914727.html |archive-date=2011-06-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was released to DVD on November 3, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/40468/will-ferrell-youre-welcome-america-a-final-night-with-george-w-bush/|title=Will Ferrell: You're Welcome, America. A Final Night with George W. Bush}}</ref>

==Plot==

The play starts with President Bush (Ferrell) telling the audience that this is his final farewell to the country. He then makes jokes about his life, such as his college years at Yale, his nickname “Gin and Tonic,” being born in Connecticut, his business that went bankrupt, and the Texas legislation which he as Governor signed into law that designated a day as "Jesus Day." Some of Bush's stories are humorous but false, such as having a sexual relationship with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and being AWOL from the Air National Guard. Bush's Secret Service agent Jerry dances onstage (sometimes with Bush's pilot) while Ferrell is offstage changing costume. Bush confronts a heckler in the third row, who is part of the cast. The play also acknowledges the hard decisions Bush faced during his term, such as deciding to send troops to the Middle East.

== Production team == === Cast === * Will Ferrell as George W. Bush * Patrick Ferrell as Jerry, The Secret Service Agent * Pia Glenn as Condoleezza Rice * Adam Mucci as Pilot * Michael Delaney as Audience Heckler

===Staff=== * Louis Colaianni: Vocal coach

===DVD notes=== Husband and wife performers Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates are visible in the audience. Also visible in the audience are Edward Norton, Adam Levine, Common, and Serena Williams.

==Reception== The play, which took place less than a month after Bush left office,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/george-w-bush|title=George W. Bush - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com|website=HISTORY.com|date=7 June 2019 }}</ref> was meant as a final farewell not only to the former president himself but also to Ferrell's impression of the former president.

===Awards and nominations=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Award ! Category ! Nominee(s) ! Result |- | Gold Derby Awards | Best Variety Special | rowspan="2"| ''You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush'' | {{nom}} |- | Online Film & Television Association | Best Variety, Musical or Comedy Special | {{nom}} |- | rowspan="3"| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special | Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jessica Elbaum, Marty Callner and Randall Gladstein | {{nom}} |- | Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special | Marty Callner | {{nom}} |- | Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special | Will Ferrell | {{nom}} |- | Tony Awards | Best Special Theatrical Event | ''You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush'' | {{nom}} |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} * {{IMDb title|1386011|Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W Bush}} * {{IBDB title|481605}}

Category:Films about George W. Bush Category:2009 plays Category:Broadway plays Category:Cultural depictions of George W. Bush Category:HBO network specials Category:2000s American television specials Category:2009 television specials Category:American plays Category:Plays based on real people Category:Plays set in the United States Category:Works by Will Ferrell