will ferrellMore cowbell! Thanks to Will Ferrell playing King of Bacchus in the 2012 Krewe of Bacchus Parade in New Orleans on Sunday, Mardi Gras will forever be associated with king cake, doubloons, strings of shiny beads ... and tiny cowbells. Yes, of course Ferrell tossed miniature cowbells out to the crowd! That's just one of the many reasons why he made quite possibly the best Bacchus ever.

Naturally Ferrell is far from the first famous man to help the Big Easy greet Fat Tuesday with royal flair: King Bacchus has previously been played by celebs ranging from Bob Hope to Hulk Hogan.

None of whom, I daresay, inhabited the role as fully as Ferrell ...

Even though this was apparently the 44-year-old comedian's first Mardi Gras -- ever! Said Ferrell:

“This is such an honor for me. This is my first Mardi Gras. To be, not only here, but to be part of the Bacchus organization. To be King. The King. Hail me."

Damn, I only wish Ferrell was still on SNL so King Bacchus could become a recurring character! As it happens, he's in New Orleans working on another project -- filming the movie The Campaign, in which he stars as congressman Cam Brady.

Here's hoping Ferrell's first Mardi Gras won't be his last, at the very least!

I got a fever, and the only cure ... is more Will Ferrell!

Do you think Will Ferrell makes the best King Bacchus ever?

 

Image via Getty