Obama in Strangely Humorless “Funny or Die” Video to Promote Healthcare
It’s not funny but it’s on “Funny or Die.” President Barack Obama appears in a “Funny or Die” video with Zack Galifiankis for the comedian’s “Between Two Ferns” satirical talk show. The pair strident, antagonistic trade barbs that don’t work– they come off as hostile and satirical. Then there’s a pitch for Obamacare and its impending March 31st deadline. This is supposed to appeal to young people. But basically the two just insult each other. The whole comes off as less presidential than Richard Nixon saying “Sock it to me” on “Laugh In.” Obama should not quit his day job.
Galifiankis: “What is it like to be the last black president?”
Oy vey.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/18e820ec3f/between-two-ferns-with-zach-galifianakis-president-barack-obama
I thought it was hilarious! According to the voting buttons on the Funny or Die website, it appears about 85% thought it was funny. I was surprised that the author didn’t find this funny…well at least until I noticed it said that the author worked 10 years for Fox News. I’ve noticed any reporter associated with Fox will automatically oppose or spew their hatred about anything regarding President Obama. That’s why I quit watching Fox News. I finally realized how seriously they manipulate their viewers by repeating the same negative crap over and over across all of their shows. It is not a coincidence. It scary. Repeat something enough, no matter if it is false, and people will believe it and spread it around. Anyone who doesn’t fall for their brain washing is labeled “liberal” or “left wing”. It’s really scary that news isn’t objective anymore. News stations shouldn’t be associated with any political party.
How sad that you used to write for magazines and you are reduced to writing embittered meaningless tripe for your dying political party. Enjoy!
I think fans of Between Two Ferns would get it. It’s a very deadpan show and each interview with a celebrity becomes hostile in some way or another. It’s very populalr among young people and that’s who Obama was targeting.
humorless? you clearly aren’t in on the joke. one of the funniest and most well-played ferns yet.
[…] How important is it for the Obama administration and Democrats to get young people enrolled into a plan? It’s kind of obvious, just look at all of the marketing they are forking out millions to produce! I’m not seeing any ads targeting the 47 to 67 age group. That group doesn’t know what Funny or Die even is. […]
Apparently Roger Friedman is as clueless as they come. He refers to a video that went hyper-viral because it was hysterically funny as “strangely humorless”. Strange is right.
Actually it was absolutely hilarious. I was impressed at Obamas timing and the edginess of the “questions”. It was absolutely entertaining and brilliant. Guess you missed it.
I don’t know where precisely you were spawned, but to me personally that was one of the most frigg’n hilarious things I’ve seen.
Why don’t YOU go back to whatever YOU used to do…
It wasn’t humorless. It was dry humor. It was quite funny. Maybe not to you but then again not everyone has a grasp on dry wit. heh.
Humorless? Maybe it’s not supposed to appeal to the kind of people who say things like “This is supposed to appeal to young people.” It was hysterical.
I disagree. It’s as funny as Between Two Ferns usually is, which gets its humor more from being awkward, which Obama’s segment certainly was.
Strange….for an allegedly “humorless” video, I laughed a hell of a lot.
Let me see, let me see…ah, yes! Here it is! Something about “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!”
(I did think Obama was a bit harsh over the whole “Bradley Cooper” thing, re. Hangovers 1, 2 and 3, but Galifinakis recovered well enough.)
I feel really bad for people who don’t enjoy satire. It’s such a joy to me.
As you say, this is meant to appeal to young people. That would make you distinctly unqualified as the target audience. Clearly you’ve never seen “Between Two Ferns” until now… hostile and satirical is the whole shtick every episode. You even call it a “satirical talk show,” so I guess you’re already acknowledging it delivers on its intent. If that’s not your kind of humor, definitely don’t watch. Also, in the Internet Age, the president _should_ by reaching out in various forms of media to connect with different demographics than just those who watch the 7 o’clock news and read the (physical) newspaper every day.
[…] Obama in Strangely Humorless 'Funny or Die' Skit to Promote Healthcare… […]
There is no joy in Mudville, the mighty Casey has stuck out.
You shouldn’t quit your day either because you are probably best suited to sit alone, at a keyboard with a dim lamp illuminating your otherwise cloudy thoughts. Do you not think the finished product is what they intended or that the President would have yanked the content if he wasn’t satisfied with it? Do you think that type of content is even aimed at your demographic? What you call strangely humorless is actually a type of subtle humor. Would you prefer the President be slapped upside the face with a dead fish in a truly stupid, mindless SNL-type sketch? Perhaps you’d prefer the President be in a n’yuk n’yuk Three Stooges tribute complete with eye-gouging and collapsing bunk beds? Oh, wait a minute. I apologize. I was just rereading your article and saw your “About the Author” caption. I didn’t realize you worked for Fox News. I won’t waste my breath further trying to convince you. Signed, Fair and Balanced.
Actually, these are the questions that would be asked IF we had a news media instead of a bunch of boot licking groupies.
the third term sounds like the end of america…. people are blind he is mocking the presidency.
Its a yawner. Nice propaganda film for the low information voter though.
This was almost painful. While the president did get his plug in, it was mocked every step of the way. The message and messenger lost all dignity.
Clinton reduced the presidency to the level of populist national mayor (appealing to the unwashed masses). G.W. Bush tried to walk a thin line between populist mayor (speeches and photo ops every 47 minutes) and leader of the free world. Obama wants to be populist national mayor on steroids, but it stopped working for him. Americans are realizing there’s a world out there we have to deal with.
Actually he SHOULD quit his day job.
[…] […]
Are you kidding? The skit was hilarious. Yeah, the part about the ACA felt horribly forced, but Zack threw in some zingers that made even that monologue bearable. Have you ever seen an episode of Between Two Ferns? The humor is dangerously dry and probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is funny. The episode with Obama was no exception. I didn’t vote for Obama either time and I can’t stand most of his positions, but this was an enjoyable bit of propaganda. Well played, Mr. President.