Impersonator

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For the concept of impersonation in security, see Token (Windows NT architecture)

For the concept of impersonation in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Doppelganger account

Image:ChappelleRkelly.JPG

An example of a legal impersonation: comedian Dave Chappelle impersonating singer R. Kelly for purposes of entertainment. In this particular sketch, Chappelle is making fun of Kelly's sex scandals.

An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an Impersonator, the most common could be:

Legally: An entertainer impersonates a celebrity, generally for entertainment, and makes fun of their recent scandals or known behavior patterns. Entertainers who impersonate multiple celebrities as part of their act are typically called impressionists.

Illegally: As part of a criminal act such as identity theft. This is usually where the criminal is trying to assume the identity of another in order to commit fraud such as accessing confidential information or to gain property not belonging to them. Also known as social engineering.

Political decoy, used as a form of protection for political and military figures. This involves an impersonator who is employed (or forced) to perform during public appearances, to mislead observers.

Lip Sync International in 1981 produced contests across the country looking for the very best impersonators who lip synced the words of a popular recording artistor group. Randy Wood the creator of the concept licensed over 1000 of these contests with the very best impersonators touring the United States and Mexico as entertainment. What resulted was the hit television series Puttin' On The Hits which featured dozens of Lip Sinc International lip syncing impersonators.