# Creepy unchanging smile of Barak Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 3, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482 "2009-10-03T21:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/1 "2009-10-03T21:10:34Z")
Look at this, and how Obama’s smile never varies at all. > **[Barack Obama's Eerie, Frozen Grimace Will Haunt Your Dreams](https://www.gawker.com/5367858/barack-obamas-eerie-frozen-grimace-will-haunt-your-dreams)** > > This video from Eric Spiegelman compresses 130 sequentially taken photographs of Barack Obama with visiting foreign dignitaries Wednesday during the U.N. meeting into 20 seconds. His smile is immobile and identical in each one. It is creepy. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/2 "2009-10-03T21:15:48Z")
Pointless, certainly. Mundane, probably. Don’t really see the point of your sharing it, though. Or did Rush send you out to evangelize instead of going to spelling class today? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/3 "2009-10-03T21:32:59Z")
It’s Barack. (I really don’t know why this bugs me so much) ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/4 "2009-10-03T21:42:09Z")
Well _I_ found it funny at least, Palo Verde. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/5 "2009-10-03T21:45:16Z")
I thought most people’s smiles didn’t vary much at all. So Barack is like most people. ETA: In fact I think I’d be more creeped out if his smile DID vary from photo to photo. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/6 "2009-10-03T21:50:38Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Look at this, and how Obama’s smile never varies at all. > > [http://gawker.com/5367858/barack-obamas-eerie-frozen-grimace-will-haunt-your-dreams](http://gawker.com/5367858/barack-obamas-eerie-frozen-grimace-will-haunt-your-dreams) Really? Because [THIS guy](http://images.google.com/images?q=obama+bumper+cars&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=X8LHSq7JCoul8AbG37jhCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1) know how to have fun. (Sorry for the repeats in the Google image search, but I’m in a hurry.) Next, ponder what it must be like to take over 100 official pictures in the space of at most a few hours. Might it be within the universe of possibility that anyone would have the same smile in such a series of pictures? I mean ANYONE - even (fill in your favorite comic actor). Even your peerless leader George Double You Best-President-In-History Bush. If you don’t like current politicians, ask yourself whether this sort of pointless yet endless criticism of every single tiny thing politicians do, or fail to do, keeps otherwise capable people out of politics. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/7 "2009-10-03T22:03:51Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I thought most people’s smiles didn’t vary much at all. So Barack is like most people. > > ETA: In fact I think I’d be more creeped out if his smile DID vary from photo to photo. Yeah, but his smile didn’t even widen or close a little bit, most people smile MOSTLY the same, but not EXACTLY the same between photos. It was a little odd. > [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > Really? Because [THIS guy](http://images.google.com/images?q=obama+bumper+cars&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=X8LHSq7JCoul8AbG37jhCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1) know how to have fun. (Sorry for the repeats in the Google image search, but I’m in a hurry.) > > Next, ponder what it must be like to take over 100 official pictures in the space of at most a few hours. Might it be within the universe of possibility that anyone would have the same smile in such a series of pictures? I mean ANYONE - even (fill in your favorite comic actor). Even your peerless leader George Double You Best-President-In-History Bush. > > If you don’t like current politicians, ask yourself whether this sort of pointless yet endless criticism of every single tiny thing politicians do, or fail to do, keeps otherwise capable people out of politics. Is Palo Verde a known “gotcha Obama!” person around here? If so I’ll back off, but I can hardly read this as a slam on Obama, regardless of whether the same-ness was justified or not it’s a funny montage (or not funny, taste and all that) but I can’t see in what universe it can be labeled as a CRITICISM of him. I think people are getting a wee bit sensitive around here. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/8 "2009-10-03T23:20:14Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Yeah, but his smile didn’t even widen or close a little bit, most people smile MOSTLY the same, but not EXACTLY the same between photos. It was a little odd. Uh, it’s photoshopped. One picture of his head/smile, many pictures of him with various people. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/9 "2009-10-03T23:41:59Z")
**picker** , come, come now. The thread’s about pictures, not politics. Let’s keep it pleasant, please! Ellen ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/10 "2009-10-03T23:53:32Z")
my apologies. won’t happen again. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/11 "2009-10-03T23:54:13Z")
C’mon, photoshop or not it’s fun a creepy ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/12 "2009-10-04T00:04:47Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > Really? Because [THIS guy](http://images.google.com/images?q=obama+bumper+cars&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=X8LHSq7JCoul8AbG37jhCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1) know how to have fun. (Sorry for the repeats in the Google image search, but I’m in a hurry.) Those pictures look even creepier than the video. It looks like Obama hired an Obama-impersonator for Sasha’s birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/13 "2009-10-04T00:48:26Z")
I think that actually happens to a lot of people who have to fake a polite smile for their day-job. Your brain ends up with a sort of pre-programmed muscle response so that you can instantly turn it on and off without thinking about it, and it ends up being the exact same facial expression every time. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/14 "2009-10-04T00:59:04Z")
Wow, it is pretty similar from one image to the next. Good thing the man has an amazing smile. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/15 "2009-10-04T03:14:37Z")
> [@picker](#): > > Pointless, certainly. Mundane, probably. Don’t really see the point of your sharing it, though. > > Or did Rush send you out to evangelize instead of going to spelling class today? ??? I voted for Obama and I’ve never listened to Rush a day in my life. It’s still a creepy smile though. Have we gotten to the point that any comment that isn’t ravenously positive towards Obama must be by a mouth-breathing Rush-loving moron? Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/16 "2009-10-04T03:35:42Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Is Palo Verde a known “gotcha Obama!” person around here? If so I’ll back off, but I can hardly read this as a slam on Obama, regardless of whether the same-ness was justified or not it’s a funny montage (or not funny, taste and all that) but I can’t see in what universe it can be labeled as a CRITICISM of him. I think people are getting a wee bit sensitive around here. **Jragon** , you are absolutely right. I went off half-cocked there. I was wrong. > [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > ??? > > I voted for Obama and I’ve never listened to Rush a day in my life. It’s still a creepy smile though. > > Have we gotten to the point that any comment that isn’t ravenously positive towards Obama must be by a mouth-breathing Rush-loving moron? > > Weird. **Palo Verde** , again, I was wrong and I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/17 "2009-10-04T03:41:05Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Have we gotten to the point that any comment that isn’t ravenously positive towards Obama must be by a mouth-breathing Rush-loving moron? To be honest, I thought that you were one of those for a minute because of the way you spelled Obama’s name. Thought it was kind of like the people who will only write Amerika. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/18 "2009-10-04T03:45:39Z")
Nope, just a poor speller. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/19 "2009-10-04T03:57:43Z")
I’m a huge fan of the guy, volunteered for him for a month, have a collection of t-shirts bearing his image - total fan. And I can agree that yes, this is his “professional” smile, the one he has for meeting people. And he is _very_ good at it. And I’ll admit that the fact that he has a dazzling smile might have had some influence on people who _don’t_ choose Presidential candidates based on their views on public policy, or their ability to make a compelling speech. Remember what [the Democrats were offering in 2004](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-5-2003/democrats-2004--race-from-the-white-house---creepy-smile-off)? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482/20 "2009-10-04T04:13:37Z")
Barack Obama is clearly a trained actor, whether as an autodidact or with lessons I don’t know, but he clearly studied acting. That we think this is a bad thing is a sad commentary. President can control his emotions and the way they are displayed, what a scoundrel! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-unchanging-smile-of-barak-obama/512482.md?page=2)