NEW YORK, Oct 12: She was plucked from obscurity to become the most watched woman in America, but now vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin’s very image is at risk of being hijacked by a hugely successful impersonator.

In recent weeks, millions of television viewers in the United States and internet users around the globe have been treated to hilarious, spot-on portrayals of the Republican politician by comedian Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live (SNL), a weekly comedy show for NBC for more than 30 years.

“Can I call you Joe? ‘Cause I practised a couple of zingers where I call you Joe!” Fey’s grinning “Palin” character asked “Joseph Biden,” her Democratic rival, a week ago on the show’s parody of the vice-presidential debate.

Fey was only slightly expanding comments overheard at the start of the October 2 showdown.

Fey’s caricature catches the ultra-conservative politician – unknown to the vast majority of Americans just six weeks ago – in full and unvarnished blush.

The folksy midwestern accent, Ms Palin’s winks to the camera during the debate, the swept-up hairstyle, those rimless glasses, and the blunders on foreign affairs topics are not Fey inventions, but generally accurate plays on Ms Palin’s public persona.

And their looks are so similar it is striking.

Ms Palin seems to have been well aware of their uncanny resemblance long before Fey and the rest of Saturday Night Live’s cast even knew who she was.

Last month Ms Palin conceded to Fox News that she had once dressed up as Fey for Halloween.

Faced with the remarkable success of the caricature, the real candidate has been forced to respond. “I love her. She’s a hoot and she’s so talented and it would be fun to either imitate her or keep on giving her more material and keep her in business,” Fox News quoted Ms Palin as saying recently.—AFP