In a bid to get young people to sign up for health care, President Barack Obama became the first sitting president in U.S. history to appear on “Between Two Ferns,” Funny or Die’s intentionally awkward interview series hosted by comedian Zach Galifianakis.
Seated between two ferns, Obama — identified on screen as “Community Organizer” — fielded interview questions he likely has never faced in the White House briefing room.
“In 2013 you pardoned the turkey,” Galifianakis began. “What do you have planned for 2014?”
“We’ll probably pardon another turkey,” the president replied. “We do that every Thanksgiving.”
The deadpanning continued from there.
“So how does this work: Do you send Ambassador Rodman to North Korea on your behalf? I read somewhere that you’ll be sending Hulk Hogan to Syria, or is that more of a job for Tonya Harding?”
“He’s not our ambassador,” Obama replied. “Zach, why don’t we move on.”
“I have to know,” Galifianakis said later. “What’s it like to be the last black president?”
“Seriously?” Obama replied. “What’s it like for this to be the last time you ever talk to a president?”
White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer told the New York Times that the president’s Funny or Die appearance is part of a push to promote the March 31 deadline for young people to sign up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov.
“We have to find ways to break through,” Pfeiffer said. “This is essentially an extension of the code we have been trying to crack for seven years now.”
It’s not the first time Obama has made an appeal to young viewers through comedy. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Obama famously “slow-jammed” the news on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
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Source: Yahoo news
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