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As you may know if you’ve read my column recently (and if you haven’t, what’s wrong with you?? Well, don’t worry – you can always catch up here), I’ve declared it Interview Central, following on my time at Awesome Con DC. There, I interviewed the amazing voice actors Phil Lamarr and Billy West. Both were delightful, so if you haven’t gotten a chance to check out those columns (and/or audio recordings) yet, scoot on over to those links and do so!

While at Awesome Con, I was also happy to be able to catch up with the very talented cartoonist Nick Galifianakis (and to obtain this cartoon for my wall. Hah! I love it!). If you’re not already familiar with Nick’s work, you really should check it out, pronto, because it is wonderful stuff. Both insightful and hilarious, and sometimes hitting uncomfortably close to home,...

A good Chaplin impersonation is all about the details. This week's clips zoom in on five wannabe Charlies

It's not hard to see why people like impersonating Charlie Chaplin. Who wouldn't want to borrow that split-second comic timing, the subtle wit, the mastery of the tiny gesture – a raised eyebrow, a slumped shoulder – that said everything while he said nothing at all?

Chaplin was a global celebrity before the age of mass media (though it has been reported he once came third in a Charlie Chaplin lookalike competition, so unassuming was he). His screen persona, a well-meaning but clumsy vagrant with social aspirations – wasn't showy, or imitable in an obvious way. This makes impersonating Chaplin tricky, because charisma, wit and vulnerability can't be thrown on like a tatty bowler hat.

Here's five Chaplain copycats giving it their best, and doing their damnedest to make a right Charlie of themselves:

1) Hong...