Will Ferrell surprises at Samantha Bee's rival Correspondents' Dinner

WASHINGTON — President Trump may be skipping the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, but a different Republican president managed to make to Samantha Bee's rival event across town. Sort of.

In a surprise appearance on Full Frontal With Samantha Bee's "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner" event, Will Ferrell brought his impersonation of President George W. Bush from his Saturday Night Live heyday to the stage (after a cable-news skewering gag counting down to his appearance).

"How do you like me now?" Ferrell's Bush said to loud applause from the audience before launching into a standup routine in which he skewered Trump. "The prodigal son has returned. I don't know what that means but I know it's positive. It's very prodigal. Quick presidential update, I'm doing quite well, thank you. History has proven to be kinder to me than many of you thought ... For the longest time, I was considered the worst president of all time. That has changed. And it only took 100 days."

He added, "I needed eight years, a catastrophic flood, a war built on a lie, an economic disaster. The new guy needed 100 days. He is widely considered the worst president of all time. I came in second. I'm fine with that. No one remembers second place ... I'm the Martin Van Buren of the 21st century!"

Ferrell did poke a little fun at Bush's relationship with the press when he was in office.

"I'll be honest," he said." I've never liked you guys in the press, our relationship was sometimes strained ... One might say it was prodigal. You guys would always sneak up on me with gotcha questions like 'why are we going to war? Gotcha.' 'Why did you not respond to Hurricane Katrina? Gotcha.' I just wish someone had told me that all you have to do is say 'fake news' over and over and over again."

After ribbing Bush's new book and painting hobby, Ferrell ended with some sobering advice on the office of president.

"The job of the presidency is difficult, you know looking back at my eight years as president and my time away ... if I could come up with three words for the  (president), it would be this: Eat a salad."

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee's "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner" airs on TBS Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.