Alabama impressionist wows comedy legends and wins $10,000

(Video above: Meet Rusty Sarhan)

A Mobile resident recently appeared on a national comedy show in front of comedy legends Steve Carell and Dana Carvey and promptly won $10,000 for his talent.

Rusty Sarhan, a native of Mobile, Alabama, appeared on the inaugural episode of USA’s “First Impressions” this week. The show brings in contestants to compete in challenges that incorporate celebrity impressions, something that Sarhan has been perfecting since middle school. He quickly created a catalogue of celebrities that includes Sharon Osborne, Daniel Radcliffe, John C. Reilly, George W. Bush, Morgan Freeman, and Jennifer Coolidge.

Sarhan knew is talent was something special when his friends would ask him to record voicemail messages as a particular celebrity. He started at the University of South Alabama as a business major but quickly changed to communications with a minor in theater. During college, Sarhan wheedled his way into an internship at 95 KSJ on “KSJ’s Breakfast Club” with Dan Brennan and Shelby Mitchell and “The Uncle Henry Show.”

“Dan, in particular, would laugh his face off,” Sarhan said. “[Dan and Shelby] both said I was good.”

Sarhan moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to take his shot in the entertainment industry. While working at a running store in Santa Monica, he saved money and went to as many auditions as possible. Running was something that kept him sane, and working full-time at the running store allowed him to test the waters of Hollywood slowly.

Discovering “First Impressions” was almost an accident, but once he knew about the show, he sent dozens of emails to get an interview and audition to show off his talents. He was selected to appear in the show’s pilot episode in front of in-house comedy expert Dana Carvey (SNL), guest mentor Steve Carell (The Office), and host Freddie Prinze, Jr. After years of laughing at Carell and Carvey, having the two of them laugh at his impressions was almost too much for Sarhan to handle. But the experience is one he’ll never forget.

“Doing impressions is something that brings out happiness in me and anyone who’s around to hear it,” he said. “And I got to do it in front of two great people, two great mentors, and a room full of people.”

Now, Sarhan hopes to create a demo reel to send to “Saturday Night Live.” Carvey suggested giving stand-up comedy a try, but based on his one attempt in Mobile – which he called “terrifying” – Sarhan is better off shooting for the big leagues.

But as for the immediate future? “I’m a little hungry right now,” Sarhan said in his post-win interview. “I might go get some food.”

(Video below: Rusty discusses his win)