The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, in recent years, has become a time for the President to become quite the comedian.

 Last night, The Empire Struck Back! President Obama was hilarious got rave reviews this morning. Poor Jay Leno. Not so much. As stated, the ‘Empire’ did strike back.

The President started off with lots of self-deprecation. I think he was every bit as good as Jon Stewart.

Update: Combined Obama routine with Jay Leno. Leno starts around minute 17. I thought Leno was just not funny.


What were your favorite lines? There were so many, it is hard to choose. I might have to listen more than once.

18 Thoughts to “Comedian-in-Chief”

  1. hello

    Finally, we have found something he IS good at! It’s about time… kind of ironic though considering his presidency is somewhat of a joke anyway, albeit a bad one. 🙂

  2. hello

    I take that back, it is good a lying to the American people as well. So there you have it, he is a great liar and stand-up comedian. Way to go Mr. President!

  3. Emma

    The incessant midsentence—–pauses—-make his joke delivery—-tedious.

  4. Perhaps you all will consider voting for Jay Leno then. 🙂

  5. Actually I think you all are odd. Is your dislike really that entrenched that you see nothing funny? I used to roar at President Bush when he got roasted/roasted someone.

    Too bad you dislike that much.

  6. punchak

    Hard to beat Nancy Reagan’s “They call me second-hand Rose”!

  7. Emma

    @Moon-howler It’s hard to find someone funny when you have seen him openly sneer at fellow Americans and really mean it.

  8. Emma

    Interesting article about President Obama’s utter lack of self-deprecation in his comedy schtick. Maybe that’s why I don’t find him funny or endearing.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/02/AR2010050203125.html?hpid=topnews

  9. Who did he sneer at?

    Some Americans need sneering at. Some people do it themselves, other people have their pitbulls like Karl Rove do it for them.

    I heard self deprecation with my own ears. It was funny. I don’t need the WaPo review to tell me what I can hear for myself.

  10. No fan of Bush’s particularly but I thought he was funny at these types of things. I also thought Karl Rove was a good sport for dancing.

    I guess I don’t take my politics all that serioiusly though. That’s probably what it is.

  11. hello

    Maybe he will get an Oscar for his performance, he could put it right next to Noble Peace prize for all of the peace he has been spreading around the world (while running two wars).

  12. Michelle Malkin is having a fit over the May Day demonstrations. She is all upset over incendiary rhetoric. Pot, meet kettle.

    Her Spanish is horrible. She now pronounced that Immigration reform is secret code for ‘amnesty,’

    Thanks, Michelle. Has to mean that. Couldn’t mean anything else. What a totally nasty woman who doesn’t see her own faults. Actually she sees them and makes millions off them.

  13. punchak

    Just saw and heard Michelle Malkin (the Vicious Vixen I call her) on Fox News, which a float into once in a while to see what’s going on. Malkin was aghast at the fact that the May 1 riots hadn’t been in the news. Said that “they” don’t want to show anything like that; “they” don’t want the border closed; “they love to have illegals coming into the country, etc. etc. She is worse than Megyn Kelly!

  14. Rick Bentley

    Leno wasn’t funny, and “Cash For Flunkers” was especially bad. however he did have the only line that made me laugh in the whole thing, many Republicans could not make it tonight because it’s Double Drink Night at the Bondage Club.

    Obama’s delivery was good, but the jokes were flat, weak, boring. He was much funnier in late 2008 at some event that McCain also told jokes at.

  15. Wolverine

    Game over. Word is now going around that the President’s comedy routine had a big input from the writers at the Daily Show. So, the parameters of the debate change. Who is better? The writers from The Daily Show or the writers for Leno? Also a best technical support award for the Prez’s teleprompter perhaps?

  16. And the teleprompters went up with great ceremony as part of the skit. (sounded like self deprecation to me)

    I heard that the Daily Show helped also. Not sure if it was true or not but might as well get help from the best if you are the prez.

    Rick, the bondage club made me smile.

  17. kelly3406

    It is now pretty clear that writers from the Daily Show helped Obama with his jokes. That greatly undermines the claim that Jon Stewart attacks (with humor) the right and left equally. The Prez would only reward a loyal follower in this way.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-05-02/obama-trounces-leno/full/

  18. Apparently you dont watch the daily show that frequently. I would say Stewart calls the Prez out fairly frequently. But at least the Prez went to the best writers. Leno ought to lure some away.

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