President Obama on "Between Two Ferns".

[IvoryTowerDenizen]

@levdrakon

“You know what I would do if I was president? Make same sex *divorce *illegal, and see how bad they want it.”

That one killed me. I thought Obama was terrific.

[AlsoNamedBort]

@HMS_Irruncible

Am I the only one who thinks this looks like a hoax? The camera kept cutting from Obama to Galli/whatever, never portraying them both onscreen together while they were “zinging” each other. It came off as very staged/stilted/weird to me.

Uh… it is very staged and scripted. It’s kind of the point. Or are you saying that there’s stock footage of Obama out there taking about the Hangover that got re-edited?

[bobot]

Very good!

[silenus]

[Burns voice]Excellent![/bv]

“I’m not letting Michelle anywhere near you.”

[Elendil_s_Heir]

Mostly meh, although it got funnier at the end. This is still my favorite Obama gag: Steven Spielberg's "Obama" - 2013 Correspondents' Dinner Comedy Video - YouTube

What’s the white thing on the President’s right lapel?

[HMS_Irruncible]

@AlsoNamedBort

Uh… it is very staged and scripted. It’s kind of the point.

Uh… well, no, that’s not the point, actually. A talk show is two people, y’know, talking to each other. In the same room. Maybe even spontaneously! This segment looks mostly like each party taped their piece alone and it was pieced together in post-production… no spontaneity whatsoever, and most of the camera shots are of one party or the other as if they were completely alone.

[Red_Stilettos]

@Elendil_s_Heir

What’s the white thing on the President’s right lapel?

I’m pretty sure that’s tape holding on his microphone.

[El_Kabong]

Another one chiming in to say that was high-larious.

[Wolf333]

@HMS_Irruncible

Uh… well, no, that’s not the point, actually. A talk show is two people, y’know, talking to each other. In the same room. Maybe even spontaneously! This segment looks mostly like each party taped their piece alone and it was pieced together in post-production… no spontaneity whatsoever, and most of the camera shots are of one party or the other as if they were completely alone.

It’s not a real talk show.

[SaharaTea]

It was certainly smart of Obama to do it. The video’s been a huge success and is currently the top referrer for healthcare.gov.

[Fubaya]

@HMS_Irruncible

Uh… well, no, that’s not the point, actually. A talk show is two people, y’know, talking to each other. In the same room. Maybe even spontaneously! This segment looks mostly like each party taped their piece alone and it was pieced together in post-production… no spontaneity whatsoever, and most of the camera shots are of one party or the other as if they were completely alone.

And when they shook hands?

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@HMS_Irruncible

Am I the only one who thinks this looks like a hoax? The camera kept cutting from Obama to Galli/whatever, never portraying them both onscreen together while they were “zinging” each other. It came off as very staged/stilted/weird to me.

Wait, are you trying to tell me that Zach Galifianakis isn’t actually secretly hosting a talk show from the diplomatic room in the White House? Naw!

[Simplicio]

I liked it. In this and other things, Obama is weirdly good with comedic delivery. At a few of the WH Correspondant Dinners, he’s been better at reading his lines then the professional comedian speakers.

@HMS_Irruncible

Am I the only one who thinks this looks like a hoax? The camera kept cutting from Obama to Galli/whatever, never portraying them both onscreen together while they were “zinging” each other. It came off as very staged/stilted/weird to me.

It was weirdly edited. I suspect someone (presumably Obama) had trouble keeping a straight face. Since the whole gimmick relies at making it look like he’s really serious, they kept having to edit out the bits between lines.

[GrandWino]

That’s just the style of these things. They’re directed by Scott Aukerman (of Comedy Bang Bang and Mr. Show) and he and Zach share a love of absurd humor.

[silenus]

@Simplicio

It was weirdly edited. I suspect someone (presumably Obama) had trouble keeping a straight face. Since the whole gimmick relies at making it look like he’s really serious, they kept having to edit out the bits between lines.

That is confirmed. Obama kept cracking up, so they had to edit that part out.

39000. Wheee.

[gaffa]

@Simplicio

It was weirdly edited. I suspect someone (presumably Obama) had trouble keeping a straight face. Since the whole gimmick relies at making it look like he’s really serious, they kept having to edit out the bits between lines.

It’s supposed to look cheesy like a cable access show, viz the huge blocky lettering.

Very amusing.

[Frylock]

@silenus

That is confirmed. Obama kept cracking up, so they had to edit that part out.

That sounds like something it’d be very interesting to read about, if only there were something in your post I could click on that might take me there…

[Frylock]

Is this completely scripted line by line, or just staged with the two participants able to ad lib a lot?

If that was Obama ad libbing, then serious, serious props!

[Rick_Kitchen]

And of course, the Republicans are having conniptions. Because, Benghazi.

[Voyager]

Funniest presidential bit since Richard Nixon said “Sock it to me?” on Laugh-In. (Before he became president, of course.)

Obama was on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me before he announced, and he was great, so he does have the comic chops.