Posted on 05/10/2009 2:38:07 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Judging by his 16-minute set, the tall, soberly dressed comedian who took to the stage of the Hilton Capital hotel on Saturday night is not likely to challenge Richard Pryor or Lenny Bruce as the king of American stand-up.
But perhaps you don't expect moments of manic energy or bursts of obscene provocation when the man doing the gags also moonlights as the US president.
Still, what Barack Obama's comedy debut, which came at the annual White House correspondents' dinner, lacked in filth and fury, it made up for with a series of occasionally biting one-liners that poked fun at his family, his colleagues, his rivals and, most of all, himself.
Referring to the high expectations built up in the US and around the world, he said: "I strongly believe my next 100 days will be so successful I will finish them in 72 days. And on the 73rd day I will rest."
After getting away with the religious comparison, he went on to risk jokes about two of the most sensitive issues in US politics: 9/11 and race.
Touching on the publicity disaster that erupted last month after a White House official caused panic in New York by approving a publicity shoot that allowed Air Force One to fly very low over Manhattan, he said: "Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight because they're grounded. You can't just take Air Force One on a joy ride to Manhattan. I don't care whose kids you are."
He got away with it because it was funny and his children are popular. But the plane incident is still raw with New Yorkers and the row only last Friday claimed a senior member of the White House, who either resigned or was sacked. A clumsier delivery could have produced a backlash.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
0zer0 doesn’t have a clue about what Americans’ values are, and he cares even less.
Bluelips can be funny when Axlerod’s hand is well caffeinated....
Such a difficult crowd for him to "win over". I bet it smelled like s**t in that room.
I’d like to extend a jovial FU to the UK Guardian.
So's Mom and apple pie.
Like Jim Jones winning over his followers.
Pray for America
I wonder how many heart attacks can be directly attributed to his kids' stunt.I hope he grounds them for a good long time.They sound like a couple of punks to me.
Obozo jokes about 9/11 and some Freepers didn’t think it
a reason to take it to the enemy.
All IslamOfascists
I'll bet he gets a big thrill putting his wit into the mouth of the world's most powerful hand-puppet.
No gags, please.
Even harder to imagine ANY U.S. president making such a vulgar joke ... and about Mother's Day no less. Disgusting.
DH of the United State of America
Disgusting? Yes.Surprising? Not even a little bit.
Every time he opens his mouth he reinforces the fact that he is the absolute poster child of democratic sentiment towards our country, as his his adoring congregation begs for more.
I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad my Pop isn’t here to see this farce.
0zer0 doesn’t have a clue about what Americans’ values are, and he cares even less.
Of course he doesn’t. He figures that 59 percent of the American population voted for him and as long as he does not piss off more than eight percent in the next four years, that he will be reelected. He seriously does not care what the opposing side has to say. He only cares about what his 50.1 percent care about and as long as those folks care...so be it. Some say he is arrogant...I agree.
Same here: He passed in 2002.
It would be even funnier if Obama got the bill...
I don't trust the UK papers, please tell me this is not true.
We now have street thug, ghetto culture in our White House...that was about the nicest way I could think of putting it without getting banned
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