Comments on: people actually watch this show?

people actually watch this show?

Potomac Avenue — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:39:24 -0800

Between Two Ferns [previously] welcomes President Barack Obama.

By: dogwalker

dogwalker — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:49:17 -0800

I mean, I'm exactly the target demo for this and I love it, so they got that part taken care of. But the majority of people will not like this and possibly hate it actively, I think.

By: zardoz

zardoz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:49:37 -0800

Nice surprise. Though after Obama did a reddit AMA, I shouldn't be surprised with him showing up just about anywhere. Too bad he can't act.

By: AlonzoMosleyFBI

AlonzoMosleyFBI — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:50:07 -0800

That's actually the first time I have watched a "Between Two Ferns" episode. It gave me very strong "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" flashbacks.

By: Optamystic

Optamystic — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:51:11 -0800

I'm Optamystic, and I approve of this episode.

By: k8t

k8t — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:51:16 -0800

It was pretty good. Obama held his own. And hey, I did watch the whole thing and learned a bit.

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:51:47 -0800

Obama may actually be too cool.

By: Ducks or monkeys

Ducks or monkeys — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:51:56 -0800

Until it happened, I never knew how deeply I wanted this.

By: painquale

painquale — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:52:25 -0800

That's... a pretty good get.

By: ouke

ouke — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:03:33 -0800

Europe needs a president like this.

By: Going To Maine

Going To Maine — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:04:15 -0800

Brilliant.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:07:33 -0800

Is that actually Obama? That's actually Obama.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:10:37 -0800

Why would you want another president? Stop wasting your time with elections. Extend his term indefinitely.

By: liquorice

liquorice — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:16:01 -0800

That felt incredibly surreal.

By: Riton

Riton — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:22:48 -0800

ZG + buddy: "You know who we should invite next to the show? Barack Obama" "Haha! actually you know what we should send him an email or something and publish the form letter that the White House sends us back, it might be worth a chuckle" *ZG sends joke email to the white house* 10 minutes later, BO + MO: "Hey Michelle you know that show 'between two ferns'?" "Yup, it's allright." "Well these guys sent the white house an email jokingly asking me to come on the show" "Haha! actually you know what you should say yes, it might be worth a chuckle" *BO accepts invitation* 5 minutes later, ZG + buddy: "uhm man you know that email I sent to the white house?"

By: mullacc

mullacc — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:27:24 -0800

holy shit

By: turbid dahlia

turbid dahlia — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:30:16 -0800

Ha. Pretty good.

By: Reasonably Everything Happens

Reasonably Everything Happens — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:30:42 -0800

Man, the overbite on that guy

By: fullerine

fullerine — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:35:07 -0800

You're going to miss him so bad.

By: fungible

fungible — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:38:33 -0800

Actually, I'm more curious what the White House was saying. "We gotta get young people talking about health care. What do young people like to watch?" "They're really into this pretend talk show hosted by a 40-something fat actor who treats his guests like shit." "Really?" "Yeah." "Really?" "Yeah." "Okay, book it."

By: chrominance

chrominance — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:44:30 -0800

"We gotta get young people talking about health care. What do young people like to watch?" "They're really into this pretend talk show hosted by a 40-something fat actor who treats his guests like shit." "Really?" "Yeah." "Really?" "Yeah." "Okay, book it." *cue West Wing intro*

By: sonascope

sonascope — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:45:03 -0800

Sock it to me?

By: angrycat

angrycat — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:52:11 -0800

Michelle would totally marry that nerd.

By: goodnewsfortheinsane

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:54:31 -0800

[Couple of comments deleted. Look, I'm not going to blame you for wanting to talk about Obama in a broader sense, what with this being a silly one-note comedy video and him being the president of the U.S. and all. But maybe word your appraisal of the leader of the free world with *slightly* more nuance than simply proclaiming his suckitude? Context-free up/down referendum on POTUS -> misunderstandings and utter mayhem is a well-documented blueprint for discussion here, just a tad more effort makes a brighter day for you and me and all of America. Thanks.]

By: Think_Long

Think_Long — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:57:40 -0800

I'm guessing that the White House contacted BTF themselves as a way to plug healthcare.gov to that sweet sweet youth demo.

By: leotrotsky

leotrotsky — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:58:31 -0800

GNFTI: what happened to your mod tag?

By: codswallop

codswallop — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:58:40 -0800

We're only allowed to comment upon his awesomeness?

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:03:06 -0800

I'm guessing that the White House contacted BTF themselves as a way to plug healthcare.gov to that sweet sweet youth demo. Galifrinakis demo proven to be final slackers who sign up at the last minute.

By: goodnewsfortheinsane

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:03:43 -0800

[Staff tags are only in MeTa. Sorry to be a stickler for protocol, and absolutely comment as you like, but "Obama rules/sucks" on its own is maybe less than ideal is all I'm saying. Further metacommentary should really go to the contact form / MetaTalk.]

By: srboisvert

srboisvert — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:04:38 -0800

It must be nice for the president to finally talk to someone who isn't insane.

By: graphnerd

graphnerd — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:06:21 -0800

Wow. This is the first time I've seen Obama be legitimately good doing anything funny. ...though I suspect acting curt towards idiots must come naturally to any President with more than two days' experience.

By: notme

notme — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:07:48 -0800

The reveal at the end is excellent. Well done.

By: sammyo

sammyo — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:08:33 -0800

Obama doesn't suck but omfg does he need better writers. Why won't Michelle share? Bet her crew has a talk show lined up for the day after they leave office.

By: lrobertjones

lrobertjones — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:10:30 -0800

I would pay one million dollars to see the first lady on BTF. She would take Zach to all kinds of schools.

By: nadawi

nadawi — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:15:03 -0800

here's an article that talks a bit more about how this came together.

By: ThePinkSuperhero

ThePinkSuperhero — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:27:35 -0800

I, too, would throw in some millions to see Michelle Obama on this show.

By: Room 641-A

Room 641-A — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:34:01 -0800

"Community Organizer Barack Obama (sp?)" I love Between Two Ferns. I thought this went really, really well and it was clear that Obama gets the humor. I would have liked to see the first lady come in at the very end and...something.

By: painquale

painquale — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:35:56 -0800

Given that Scott Aukerman co-runs this show and he now has an in with Obama, I hope to see Obama on an upcoming Comedy Bang Bang. Preferably playing a character.

By: GrumpyDan

GrumpyDan — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:36:34 -0800

When anti-capitalism is selling, the capitalists are happy to sell anti-capitalism (i.e. Hot Topic, the film Avatar, etc.). When iconoclastic messages are reaching people, we get this. Yes, I did love this short, but I feel kind of weird about it, too. Like, maybe I'm not as fringe as I think I am.

By: Going To Maine

Going To Maine — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:48:15 -0800

Nobody is as fringe as they think they are. Besides, The Daily Show is considered to be a major cultural institution and its share is about two million viewers. While making a one-off comparison between TV and web series isn't great, the fact that some episodes of Between Two Ferns have gotten 30 million views means that it's probably A Thing, and not a niche product.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:49:42 -0800

1. Bad set 2. Actor, bad actor 3. President, bad actor 4. Uncomfortable script. 5. Profit ?????? I'm probably too old to find the humor in this....

By: ThatFuzzyBastard

ThatFuzzyBastard — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:52:28 -0800

That was fab. Obama is a little square, like all presidents, but it's striking to see how natively he gets the humor of BTF---not just the treating the host badly, but also the awkward pauses, the sunken body language, the sullen exchanges. By way of comparison, imagine Mitt Romney, or Bernie Sanders, trying to do a show like this.

By: nadawi

nadawi — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:00:21 -0800

galifianakis is a goddamned treasure and him being a "bad actor" is part of the whole schtick.

By: billiebee

billiebee — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:11:02 -0800

I'm so jealous that the US gets to have Obama as your Head Guy! I think he pulled that off really well. I can't imagine any of our leaders in the same position not making me want to poke my eyes out with a sharp stick.

By: Room 641-A

Room 641-A — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:18:59 -0800

I'm probably too old to find the humor in this.... Did you go back and watch any of the other episodes? That might help put it in context a little. Galifnaikis is passive-aggressively ill-prepared and maybe a little bitter at his more-sucessful guest, and the antagonized guest gets frustrated and angry. Now, that may not be your cup of tea, but what I thought made this so good is that they didn't dumb it down of soften it up for the president, and the president played along all the way. (I did think they missed the mark with the Bush joke at the end. BTF clearly has Biden's fingerprints all over it.)

By: fatbird

fatbird — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:20:51 -0800

I kind of hoped that when Obama pressed the button, Zach would get tackled by a bunch of secret service.

By: Mchelly

Mchelly — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:25:20 -0800

I couldn't stop obsessing over whether they would push the button, to see if it would say "That was easy." That was totally a Staples button.

By: gilrain

gilrain — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:25:32 -0800

I think this is a fake. It's implausible that a film set would go unnoticed in the Diplomatic Reception Room for so long.

By: something something

something something — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:32:02 -0800

When they got to the healthcare.gov part I was a little dejected. I mean, I know the president is too busy to do hilarious things for no reason, but I wanted him to.

By: smackwich

smackwich — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:34:43 -0800

I'm almost willing to forgive funny or die for the hoverboard hoax after this. Almost.

By: Mental Wimp

Mental Wimp — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:37:55 -0800

Too bad he can't act. Careful what you wish for. Actually, some of the bits he pulled off well, some were a bit wooden, but the writing was brilliant, as was Galifianakis.

By: Ghostride The Whip

Ghostride The Whip — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:39:40 -0800

I thought this was going to be awkward "dad trying to be funny with the hip kids" but it was actually hilarious.

By: Xalf

Xalf — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:47:49 -0800

I'm not disappointed that the point was to plug healthcare.gov, but I am disappointed that the plug wasn't a little more solid. Isn't it his job to sell that thing? I get that he sort of did it in the tone of BTF, but it still seemed like he was doing an unpleasant chore.

By: mullacc

mullacc — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:47:59 -0800

I couldn't stop obsessing over whether they would push the button, to see if it would say "That was easy." That was totally a Staples button. It is and they've done that joke before. Though I can't remember which episode.

By: vuron

vuron — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:50:23 -0800

I'm pretty sure that the loathing in Obama's eyes was actually acting. Sure he's wooden but you could also see that behind the loathing there was the hint of a laugh as well. I don't think that Obama would use this as a medium for reaching audiences if he didn't actually kinda like the little troll.

By: symbioid

symbioid — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:53:15 -0800

Anybody know what the theme song is? I love old easy listening trumpet music, and I just don't know enough of about the genre or where to find some great music like this...

By: mroben

mroben — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:53:25 -0800

This was actually pretty funny if a little forced sometimes. So basically like any other episode of Between Two Ferns.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:03:06 -0800

It's implausible that a film set would go unnoticed in the Diplomatic Reception Room for so long. Not if you're pretty dependent on diplomacy by... other means. They couldn't hide that set in the drone room for very long. "Honey, have you seen my golf hat?" "Check the drone room."

By: infinitewindow

infinitewindow — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:04:36 -0800

I was like "No way are the President's people going to allow him to push the big red button during the Ukraine/Russia conflict." BUZZ

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:05:15 -0800

I think this is a fake. It's implausible that a film set would go unnoticed in the Diplomatic Reception Room for so long. Yeah, and his "mouse pad broke" but he doesn't own a computer? *rolls eyes*

By: ultraviolet catastrophe

ultraviolet catastrophe — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:13:37 -0800

Anybody know what the theme song is? I love old easy listening trumpet music, and I just don't know enough of about the genre or where to find some great music like this... It's probably included as a preset in the freeware version of a video production software program.

By: josher71

josher71 — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:26:08 -0800

"They're really into this pretend talk show hosted by a 40-something fat actor who treats his guests like shit." People always say I look just like him. :(

By: symbioid

symbioid — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:30:36 -0800

That's ok, josher71 - I've gotten "Penn Jilette" a couple times (including from a mefite, once). :\

By: Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey

Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:33:14 -0800

I loved Due Date Because I actually saw a character in Galifianakis' performance. Everything else he does (IN PARTICULAR B2F) is pure schtick of the makes-me-want-to-strike-him-with-a-bamboo-cane variety. Didn't watch. But then, I'm an old fart whose wife has a job w/ health insurance, so I'm not the target audience.

By: Chrysostom

Chrysostom — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:34:04 -0800

Yeah, the woodenness and "bad acting" is an integral part of Two Ferns. Not to say that Obama will be the lead in Ocean's Fourteen in a few years, but he is *supposed* to seem off here, it's the idea of the show.

By: entropicamericana

entropicamericana — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:36:02 -0800

That reminds me, I should probably watch Live at the Purple Onion for the nth time.

By: likeatoaster

likeatoaster — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:36:24 -0800

I'm sortof embarassed that the President just participated in a funny internet thing before I had even heard of it.

By: angrycat

angrycat — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:37:30 -0800

Although i liked it a great deal, I had a hard time believing O watched all three Hangover movies. I expect better movie choices in their household.

By: Pogo_Fuzzybutt

Pogo_Fuzzybutt — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:39:22 -0800

Well, he lives with teenagers... The movies my son subjected me to has put me off movies for almost a decade now.

By: symbioid

symbioid — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:44:08 -0800

entropicamericana: "That reminds me, I should probably watch Live at the Purple Onion for the nth time." "MY BEARD HUWTS..."

By: jason_steakums

jason_steakums — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:53:21 -0800

Now I want to see him show up in a Luther segment on Key & Peele.

By: sammyo

sammyo — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:56:36 -0800

From the times: "You can't put a president on 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians,'" she said, perhaps hopefully. Yep the WH does not get social/celeb media, have Kim fire up a campaign that pushes fans through the system, say if a million new ADA subscribers then the K's get a whitehouse sleepover broadcast live on E. Imagine the wackiness, the senate botox revelations, the ratings!

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:58:14 -0800

wow. the president is getting this.

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:00:36 -0800

"Today on Check It Out with Dr. Steve Brule we're gonna learn about politics, ya dungis. Now watch me politic with Mister Bobbies Jindals."

By: IAmUnaware

IAmUnaware — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:02:55 -0800

I really like the writing in that Times article. Aides said Mr. Obama's immediate reason for subjecting himself to Mr. Galifianakis is to urge young people to sign up for health insurance....

By: Jerub

Jerub — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:38:56 -0800

For those who haven't seen it: this is Australia's then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on a comedy news show "Good News Week":

By: yoink

yoink — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:44:06 -0800

I am disappointed that the plug wasn't a little more solid. Isn't it his job to sell that thing? The theory in marketing to younger people these days is that they automatically discount the hard sell as BS--which is why you get so much oblique, viral advertising for stuff aimed at the younger end of the demo.

By: Joey Buttafoucault

Joey Buttafoucault — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:49:30 -0800

Symbioid: Anybody know what the theme song is? I love old easy listening trumpet music, and I just don't know enough of about the genre or where to find some great music like this... Presumably you're already turned on to Herb Alpert's complete back catalog?

By: steinsaltz

steinsaltz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:52:07 -0800

This is like when Nixon did "Laugh In."

By: Mental Wimp

Mental Wimp — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:55:00 -0800

This is like when Nixon did "Laugh In." Yes. Just like that.

By: symbioid

symbioid — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:03:02 -0800

Heh, Joey... Well - not the entire catalog, but some :)

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:13:53 -0800

I thought this was going to be awkward "dad trying to be funny with the hip kids" but it was actually hilarious. I think part of Obama's charm -- and I mean this as when he is playing the role of president for pop culture moments like this -- is that he IS an awkward dad trying to be funny with the hip kids but steers into the skid to own that position completely. By not fighting against his, frankly, dorkiness he makes that dorkiness seem far cooler than it should. I can also see why this type of things drives people who don't like him (and some who do like him) crazy, because there's really no way to fight against it.

By: zombieflanders

zombieflanders — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:16:04 -0800

I'm guessing that the White House contacted BTF themselves as a way to plug healthcare.gov to that sweet sweet youth demo. Galifrinakis demo proven to be final slackers who sign up at the last minute. I'm not disappointed that the point was to plug healthcare.gov, but I am disappointed that the plug wasn't a little more solid. Isn't it his job to sell that thing? I get that he sort of did it in the tone of BTF, but it still seemed like he was doing an unpleasant chore. FWIW, the senior WH communications advisor for health care tweeted that FOD is the #1 source of referrals to HealthCare.gov today, so something's working.

By: yoink

yoink — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:19:09 -0800

FWIW, the senior WH communications advisor for health care tweeted that FOD is the #1 source of referrals to HealthCare.gov today, so something's working. That "or die" part of their name seems a lot more literally a propos than it normally does.

By: drlith

drlith — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:19:54 -0800

HEALTHCARE OR DIE, KIDS

By: zombieflanders

zombieflanders — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:22:10 -0800

Also hilarious: the wingnuts losing their shit over this interview. And apparently some dumbass actually asked Jay Carney--in all seriousness--if "the presidency [was] in any way damaged or did it lose dignity because of this?" Your modern WH press corps, everyone!

By: yoink

yoink — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:31:41 -0800

Also hilarious: the wingnuts losing their shit over this interview. If they were "losing" their shit it would be funny, but when their shit has been permanently lost for the past six years it's just wearying.

By: oulipian

oulipian — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:34:22 -0800

Rumor has it Obama's going to guest-star on the season finale of "Girls" as Hannah's weird uncle Bart.

By: fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit

fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:40:04 -0800

Bill O'Reilly doesn't know how the moon works. Was the office of the President damaged when Obama talked to him? Seems to be working. Funny or Die is the #1 referrer to healthcare.gov right now

By: mroben

mroben — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:50:22 -0800

That Happening Now screengrab from the Media Matters piece is the definition of smug, entitled, upper-class white people (who presumably have never wanted for health insurance).

By: Going To Maine

Going To Maine — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:14:17 -0800

Seems to be working. Funny or Die is the #1 referrer to healthcare.gov right now Again: brilliant.

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:27:48 -0800

I really hope someone will write an article on how internet comedy series are the 2014 version of radio fireside chats because, all kidding aside, you could probably really clearly make that argument. As for the theme music: The series' theme music is Dave Blume's arrangement of Bernard Herrmann's Theme from Taxi Driver, which is on the original Taxi Driver soundtrack album but was not included in the film. (I have no idea if this is what was played for this particular episode as I'm just barely familiar with it. As likeatoaster said above, mostly this whole event has just made me realize how I'm increasingly a demographic that isn't being courted, even by politicians.)

By: Room 641-A

Room 641-A — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:34:19 -0800

Anybody know what the theme song is? symbioid, you talking to me?

By: Room 641-A

Room 641-A — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:39:15 -0800

dammit.

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:47:55 -0800

(The worst thing about me getting it in first is that I only knew the answer because I went to Wikipedia because I wasn't sure how to classify Between Two Ferns - web series, internet skit show - and decided to use whatever term the Wiki did, and then found the answer there as well. I am the worst.)

By: Ivan Fyodorovich

Ivan Fyodorovich — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:57:26 -0800

I thought that Obama did much better than I expected him to, he didn't break character. The only complaint I might have is that his punches always landed and Galifianakis's mostly didn't.

By: fatbird

fatbird — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:05:26 -0800

The only complaint I might have is that his punches always landed and Galifianakis's mostly didn't. That's reasonably common for Two Ferns, isn't it? Galifianakis usually plays a clown, not a jester.

By: Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey

Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:13:18 -0800

Watched it. Obama: funny People actually going to Healthcare.gov: awesome Galifianakis: I just don't go in for annoying-is-funny

By: PandaMomentum

PandaMomentum — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:27:00 -0800

mostly this whole event has just made me realize how I'm increasingly a demographic that isn't being courted, even by politicians. Oh, no, now you'll be courted for campaign donations, and to actually vote. Just not to, you know, watch YouTube shows or buy clothes from Forever 21. #inthatdemographic #robocalled

By: Ivan Fyodorovich

Ivan Fyodorovich — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:35:44 -0800

"That's reasonably common for Two Ferns, isn't it? Galifianakis usually plays a clown, not a jester." Yeah. It's been a while since I watched all of the available episodes, but IIRC there were plenty of times when Galifianakis says legitimately insulting things that the guests really don't know quite how to respond to. He's rude to Obama, but I think within the context of the show he's actually being "respectful" in the way that people speculated he might be. Those media observers don't see it, because by normal standards Galifianakis is far more rude to the President than we usually see anywhere. But by the show's standards, Galifianakis pulls his punches. You're right that he's not funny, and not a jester — his insults are just rude or hurtful and that's the point. They don't have any redeeming value, they just make everyone uncomfortable. The ones that are funny are the ones that are buffoonish and misaimed, that's where we get some relief from the tension that accumulates from the "he's just behaving very badly" stuff. The closest he comes is the the nerd thing and that's actually sort of weird in this day and age and Obama reveals his age (which is mine) in that he takes it as an insult when, in the real today's universe of this show (though not the character that Galifianakis is playing on the show), being called a nerd isn't really an insult. So Obama's offense at it is interesting because I'm pretty sure that no small part of the audience took a bit of offense when Obama asked skeptically if Galifianakis thinks that Michelle would ever have married a nerd. All of that truly did tread on uncomfortable territory that deals with truths that people don't like talking about, even when it's ostensibly ironic as part of a fake interview show, which is often the kinds of things that Galifianakis says to his guests. His nerd accusation goes right to a friction in Obama's character, between the studious and community-minded striver who goes to Harvard Law and the pothead surfer, trash-talking pick-up basketball player. I think the former is more "authentic", whatever that might mean, than the latter. I'm that way, I have a whole lot of things in my history that are 180 degrees in the opposite direction to my bookish, nerdy core character and although I think all that stuff is "authentic", it's also somewhat cultivated. Or it was, once upon a time. And to people of my generation, about fifty, "nerd" is still an insult and I have no doubt that a significant part of Obama's self-image is invested in his skill on the basketball court. So Galifianakis is really attacking something that's real in that comment, he's poking something that very well could be a sensitive area. He does that a lot, but that's pretty much the exception in this specific episode. I can't really complain, though, because the man is President, after all, and while I don't much care about the "dignity of the office", I am aware that there are real limits in this stuff, what people would stand for. I'd like to see a world in which Galifianakis truly succeeds in making Obama uncomfortable, as he sometimes manages with his guests, but we don't live in that world, I think.

By: Beardman

Beardman — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:40:44 -0800

I'd like to see a world in which Galifianakis truly succeeds in making Obama uncomfortable, as he sometimes manages with his guests, but we don't live in that world, I think. There's always Colbert v. Bush.

By: anazgnos

anazgnos — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:50:26 -0800

Yeah. It's been a while since I watched all of the available episodes, but IIRC there were plenty of times when Galifianakis says legitimately insulting things that the guests really don't know quite how to respond to. Not likely, as the show is scripted and all the content would have been vetted by the actors and PR people before anybody set foot in front of a camera, and even more so for this piece. I do think at a certain point they realized that the richest vein of humor was in making Zach the brunt of most of the insults rather than the other way around. Of course just when I was slightly impressed that the right wing media wasn't just reading the show as a completely straight interview, they still didn't quite get it: "the president shows he doesn't at all understand the point of the show--the guest is not supposed to get in good zingers; he's supposed to be taken down a peg" [The Washington Free Beacon, 3/11/14]

By: absalom

absalom — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:00:51 -0800

"Seriously?"

By: vincele

vincele — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:57:59 -0800

Ben Beaumont-Thomas of the tv and radio blog at theguardian.com wonders if this latest courting of a niche demographic might backfire: Between Two Ferns is a funny, buzzy way to promote his healthcare reforms, but arguably he's just preaching to the hipster choir – finally, he needs to start targeting the silent majority. There's a gallery of other Obama media moments at the link. Missing is The Colbert Report. If Obama remembers what happened to Bush at the 2006 Correspondent's Dinner, I doubt he'll make that appearance anytime soon. Just last week NPR reported on the missteps of the administration's outreach to Latinos, who constitute a majority (60%) of the uninsured in CA and tend to be suspicious of the government and insurance itself. One of those missteps: "Simply translating ads developed in English into Spanish." It sounds like the success of the program in the most populous state depends on persuading healthy young Latinos to sign up for insurance to pay for the care of older citizens. I hope he gives them some time too. I doubt many of them will watch the Latino tv event he plans to appear on. It's a demographic I don't know much about, and it doesn't appear Obama's team does either.

By: Ivan Fyodorovich

Ivan Fyodorovich — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:19:42 -0800

"Between Two Ferns is a funny, buzzy way to promote his healthcare reforms, but arguably he's just preaching to the hipster choir – finally, he needs to start targeting the silent majority." What "silent majority"? I can only guess what he means, as he doesn't explain himself in the article, but if he is referring to the ACA, it's only a minority who are opposed to it as being too much (as opposed to it being not enough), about 40%. That's a minority, not a majority. And they're certainly not "silent", as about 3/4 of that 40% are the Tea Party folk who are extremely outspoken against the ACA and will not support it under any circumstances. Obama wasn't attempting to charm his critics in this appearance, he was attempting to specifically reach the younger adults who need to know about the ACA and the exchanges. Apparently, this was successful.

By: zombieflanders

zombieflanders — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:43:36 -0800

There's a gallery of other Obama media moments at the link. Missing is The Colbert Report. If Obama remembers what happened to Bush at the 2006 Correspondent's Dinner, I doubt he'll make that appearance anytime soon. Colbert has interviewed both Obamas before (Barack in 2009 and Michelle in 2012), and they tend to get on fabulously, as do Colbert and the Bidens. Plus, IIRC Colbert has been invited to all of Obama's Correspondent's Dinners, including the most recent one, which he seemed quite happy about attending. Somehow I doubt that there's anything keeping Barack from going on the show if invited. Just last week NPR reported on the missteps of the administration's outreach to Latinos, who constitute a majority (60%) of the uninsured in CA Apparently you didn't read the article, which is all about the state of California's outreach, not the administration's. That doesn't mean that there aren't issues, but it's a bit more complicated than LOLSPANGLISH. [Latinos] tend to be suspicious of the government and insurance itself[...]It's a demographic I don't know much about Yes, that's pretty clear, since your claim to know that they distrust government isn't true (in fact they're one of the demographics most in favor of more government), and neither are they particularly critical of the ACA (another case where they rate it higher than the American public at large). and it doesn't appear Obama's team does either And yet they managed to win two of the highest margins among Latino voters ever. Odd, that. That's not to say they haven't made missteps in outreach, but compared to a mass of angry, largely white people who want to deny them even the chance to get health care (to say nothing of "self-deportation" and machine gun emplacements on the border with Mexico), that doesn't seem to be a big deal for them.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 16:22:44 -0800

I assumed that pressing the button would launch the drone strike they mentioned on NSA on TV.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 16:42:00 -0800

I am constantly conflicted about Obama. I am deeply disappointed in what he's actually become as American president and the things he has and hasn't done, and the stark contrast to the marketing campaign he ran as candidate. I am also aware of how much much worse it could be. In terms of this kind of thing, though, it bothers me even given all that how incredibly charismatic and trustworthy I find him just watching him and listening to him talk, particularly when I recall how deeply I distrusted George Bush precisely because so many people saw him as charismatic and trustworthy and he made my skin crawl. I just don't know.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 17:32:30 -0800

Obama, Zach Galifianakis, and the Presidential Dignity Fetish

By: vincele

vincele — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:26:19 -0800

Apparently you didn't read the article, which is all about the state of California's outreach, not the administration's. As you can see from reading the articles I read and linked to, the articles conflate state and federal efforts, and the federal government funds California's community outreach programs. The Obama administration is reaching out to Latinos nationwide, including through a Spanish-language site, cuidadodesalud.gov. Federal officials also have allocated $150 million for community clinics serving urban and rural areas to help enroll uninsured patients. More than 60% of the roughly 3 million patients using such centers in California are Latino. Yes, that's pretty clear, since your claim to know that they distrust government isn't true This point was made at the npr link. I found it interesting when I listened to it last week. So I linked to it to support my point that Obama is not making outreach efforts where they are needed. Here it is from the linked article above: Officials expect outreach workers to encounter resistance over the cost of insurance, which could be hundreds of dollars a month for some families, as well as a general distrust of government. Complicating the education and enrollment efforts will be families in which children are eligible but parents are not because of their immigration status. "You get all these immigration statuses in one family," said David Hayes-Bautista, who heads UCLA's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture. "It's a very confusing picture.... They are going to be reluctant to enroll." That doesn't mean that there aren't issues Well, yes. That's why I linked to two articles describing the issues. (in fact they're one of the demographics most in favor of more government), and neither are they particularly critical of the ACA (another case where they rate it higher than the American public at large). At a glance it looks like the Pew survey methodologies capture the sentiments of a very different group of people from those who community outreach workers... reach out to. Perhaps the issue is we have different ideas about who the articles are talking about. I'm thinking about people like my brother in law's family. They are recently naturalized Mexican workers. Or, I read this and think about the people I see doing yard work in Texas. Like I said I'm not an expert but I do not think these are the people who answer when pollers call. Colbert has interviewed both Obamas before (Barack in 2009 and Michelle in 2012), and they tend to get on fabulously I apologize for mischaracterizing their relationship and overestimating Colbert's political courage. LOLSPANGLISH I assume that this isn't directed at me, but at Roberto Orci, CEO of the Hispanic market-oriented ad agency, who analyzed the problems with the ad campaign in the npr article I shared above.

By: zombieflanders

zombieflanders — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:07:53 -0800

As you can see from reading the articles I read and linked to, the articles conflate state and federal efforts, and the federal government funds California's community outreach programs. The NPR article doesn't even mention the federal government, for one, and the LA Times article clearly delineates the efforts of the two. In any case, the federal government funds a lot of state efforts, as well as private ventures. That's how the grants system works in the US. It doesn't mean the federal government is responsible for what those programs do. This point was made at the npr link. I found it interesting when I listened to it last week. So I linked to it to support my point that Obama is not making outreach efforts where they are needed. Actually, it was from the second page of the LA Times article, where it wasn't clear it applied to either the federal government or health care (the context make it seem like it's distrust of California's government), or even to Latinos vs the population at large. It certainly didn't say that the Obama administration wasn't making outreach efforts. It didn't really support your point, and a bit of research would have told you that. At a glance it looks like the Pew survey methodologies capture the sentiments of a very different group of people from those who community outreach workers... reach out to. Maybe, but we don't really have anything that says what you claim. One of the articles never makes that point, the other doesn't seem to, and both articles pointed out a number of different factors, including the relative health of Latinos and their views on insurance, not the government. Meanwhile, the Pew studies included a wide range of demographics, including ages and incomes, and stated their methodologies clearly. Perhaps the issue is we have different ideas about who the articles are talking about. I'm thinking about people like my brother in law's family. They are recently naturalized Mexican workers. Or, I read this and think about the people I see doing yard work in Texas. Like I said I'm not an expert but I do not think these are the people who answer when pollers call. You're welcome to believe that, but (a) anecdotes are not the plural of data, and (b) the Pew studies do discuss their methodologies. I'm unaware of any analysis that Pew (or many other polling groups) has done on this that turned out wildly different than voting patterns.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:25:13 -0800

[Maybe we can leave aside the nuts and bolts of the how-appropriate-has-his-outreach-to-Latinos-been question?]

By: Apocryphon

Apocryphon — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:39:34 -0800

Sorry, but this is nothing. Sober me up when Obama shows up on an episode of Drunk History.

By: obiwanwasabi

obiwanwasabi — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 00:41:00 -0800

No, on My Drunk Kitchen!

By: zombieflanders

zombieflanders — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 06:19:05 -0800

O'Reilly Slams Obama's 'Ferns' Spot: Lincoln Wouldn't Do Comedy!

O'Reilly said he didn't have a problem "overall" with the parody interview, so it's safe to say he doesn't think "the dignity of the office" was too badly damaged. But the timing was botched, he said, given the economic climate and the situation in Ukraine. He did throw the President a bone and pointed out that Russia hadn't yet invaded Crimea when he taped the interview. "All I can tell you is Abe Lincoln wouldn't have done it," he said. "There comes a point when serious times come for serious action." O'Reilly should know. His book on the Lincoln assassination spent over a year on the New York Times best-seller list, despite the fact that the National Park Service refused to sell it at Ford's Theatre due to factual errors and lack of documentation.

Obviously he's not a believer in Abraham Lincoln: Filthy Joker.

By: getawaysticks

getawaysticks — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 06:50:07 -0800

Well, thank god O'Reilly weighed in on this so we can all know how to feel about it.

By: jason_steakums

jason_steakums — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:13:11 -0800

Ah yes, Bill O'Reilly, famously the go-to guy for commenting on the intersection of politics and dignity.

By: nooneyouknow

nooneyouknow — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:15:32 -0800

"All I can tell you is Abe Lincoln wouldn't have done it," he said. "There comes a point when serious times come for serious action." Lincoln didn't have time. Between vampire hunting and presidenting, he was pretty booked.

By: Cash4Lead

Cash4Lead — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:20:51 -0800

I saw this last night, and it was very funny. Someone remarked somewhere that Obama, by all accounts, has a pretty cutting sense of humor, so in a way BTF is a perfect fit for him. Also worth reading: Scott Aukerman of 'Between Two Ferns' on How They Got President Obama to Play Along

By: droplet

droplet — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:56:16 -0800

This came off better than I expected, being familiar with BTF (though I'm definitely not in their demo, I'm sure). If it makes young people aware that they do indeed need health insurance and shows them where they can go to get it, that's fine by me. I'm grateful that when I was young, I had health insurance covering me when I learned that I was not invincible. As for Bill O'Reilly, really? And when Nixon went on Laugh-In back in 1969, I suppose that was just a cheeky bit of fun, then? Of course not, he was trying to appeal to young people. I swear, this "getting worked up for ratings" schtick is becoming utterly tiresome. Bill O'Reilly is just an actor, and a really bad actor, in all senses of the term.

By: fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit

fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:53:00 -0800

When I think of human dignity, I always think of Bill O'Reilly, who encapsulates it in two words: Mackris. Loofah.

By: Room 641-A

Room 641-A — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 11:31:59 -0800

The worst thing about me getting it in first is that I only knew the answer because I went to Wikipedia because I wasn't sure how to classify Between Two Ferns - web series, internet skit show - and decided to use whatever term the Wiki did, and then found the answer there as well. I am the worst. I Shazam'd it!

By: gorbweaver

gorbweaver — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:13:27 -0800

The Obama team has their finger on the pulse of millenials in a very frightening way. They know Reagan is unpopular and the old strategy of painting leftist opposition as unpatriotic is too vulnerable to irony. So what better way to neuter the anti-imperialist left than painting them as buzzkills? Not to mention the lucrative right-wing outrage machine producing daily inanities to refute. Drone strikes, antidemocratic coups, torture chambers - these may as well be TV cliches under America's coolest president. Asking how many children LBJ killed today offended traditional American values; asking the same of Obama is simply gauche.

By: Going To Maine

Going To Maine — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:24:36 -0800

If it was possible to harangue LBJ about Vietnam while at the same time praising him for the Great Society, surely we can do the same now.

By: RogerB

RogerB — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:53:46 -0800

Sam Kriss: First as funny, then as die

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:27:15 -0800

Martin Mull on 'Fernwood 2Night,' the original 'Anchorman' and 'Between Two Ferns'

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:39:55 -0800

Yes, Lincoln Would Have Done 'Between Two Ferns'

By: Mental Wimp

Mental Wimp — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:31:36 -0800

Yes, Lincoln Would Have Done 'Between Two Ferns' But can we make Bill-O sit down and actually read that history? I doubt it. Bill is never wrong.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:32:11 -0800

"Is this what they mean by drones?" Galifianakis missed a great opportunity to ask Obama about the classic drone he's restoring in his garage.

By: Obscure Reference

Obscure Reference — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:01:05 -0800

And it worked.

By: stormpooper

stormpooper — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 07:28:20 -0800

O'Reilly Slams Obama's 'Ferns' Spot: Lincoln Wouldn't Do Comedy! OReilly should remember where he came from---tabloid TV show. A real journalist wouldn't come from a tabloid TV show. God I hate him. Why does his opinion even matter?

By: Ivan Fyodorovich

Ivan Fyodorovich — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 09:51:05 -0800

"God I hate him. Why does his opinion even matter?" If you're asking sincerely, it's because he's seen as, well, sort of the way that McCain was seen. He will occasionally go off the conservative reservation (barely), and that is understood as validating his credentials as being serious, and not a hack. In combination with his everyman persona, he therefore is very appealing to a demographic that aligns with Fox News but is not entirely comfortable with the idea of conformance, and is very appealing to the Beltway media crowd for the same reasons, but for different purposes. Frankly, I viscerally dislike him but, after some careful deliberation, I realize that he's no more an ignorant hack (which I especially hold against him) than a large number of his peers; it's just that his everyman persona plays into my own biases about ignorant hacks and many of his peers generally try to accommodate those kinds of biases and present their similar levels of ignorance and hackitude under a veneer of erudition and thoughtfulness. Probably, we should be more concerned with the scope of his influence than anything else and, indeed, it's fairly large but could fade away relatively quickly. And then someone else would take his place.