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Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Are McCain and Obama the ‘Last Comics Standing?’
From “Saturday Night Live” to “The Daily Show,” presidential candidates are weaving humor — or at least attempts at humor — into their campaign strategies.
Intentionally or not, Republican contender John McCain is probably better at this than Democratic contender Barack Obama.
McCain has long prided himself on jousting with late-night hosts and cracking self-deprecating jokes. Obama, new to this harsh spotlight, seems considerably less comfortable poking fun at himself or anyone else.
But both presidential wannabes have taped fake “funny ads” that will appear in Thursday’s 7 p.m. season finale of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” The network grandly announced this on Monday.
Is this a good idea for the candidates … or a humiliating exercise in desperation?
You be the judge:
McCain’s 30-second spot shows him standing at a lectern, peering into the camera. “I’m John McCain, and I approved this message,” he says. “A president has to be funny.”
In a quick series of photos, we see George W. Bush looking silly in a cowboy hat, Bill Clinton blowing his saxophone and Ronald Reagan hanging out with Bonzo the chimpanzee.
“Unfunny presidents only serve one term — if they win an election at all,” McCain says. “I may not be the last comic standing, but I’m definitely the funniest candidate for president.”
Someone off-camera counters, “Yeah, funny-looking,” and McCain responds with fake anger, “Who said that?”
The Obama spot opens with the candidate also standing behind a lectern.
“Hi, I’m Barack Obama, and I’m running for president of the United States,” he says, looking more than a little awkward. “Remember to vote for me in November. If you don’t think I’m funny, you’ve never seen me bowl.”
Cut to the now infamous shot of Obama gutter-balling on a campaign swing through Ohio.
The “ad” then returns to Obama, turning away from the camera and declaring, “I’m not going to deliver this line any better than that,” and then walking off.
Will viewers be gripping their sides laughing? Perhaps more ominously, will they decide whom to vote for based on the comedy skills displayed on reality TV?
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