Which Presidents Have Appeared On Comedy Shows, You Ask? Try All In The Last 40 Years!

[Initech]

Someone brilliant in Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign (a campaign that was done right for a change compared to his 1960 run) thought it a good idea to get Nixon on "Laugh-In" through the use of the show's blackout gags. For those like me who weren't born yet and saw the show later in reruns, you'd know they used three-second blackouts with every big-name celebrity you could name at the time--usually uttering a quick non-sequitur or just plain nonsense. One of the widely-repeated catchphrases that seemingly did make sense on the show was "Sock it to me!" and probably represented Nixon's essence to the core...if more so within another five years.

It wasn't lost on Nixon, though, that he was thought of as a stiff and figured that uttering that famous line for the equivalent of time suitable for a subliminal ad would be the smartest move he could make.

Ultimately, that blackout with Nixon became a classic and gets re-run in retrospectives all the time. Nixon lightening up also helped him win the Presidency that November, even though he never showed a comedic side again on TV other than one more quick gag on "Laugh-In" the following March while officially President. Arguably, Nixon may have contemplated appearing on a comedy show later had he not have maneuvered the country into near chaos during the Watergate scandal and almost ruining the ability of the President to be funny again...

http://voices.yahoo.com/40-years-presidents-appearing-comedy-tv-shows-2916218.html

So to do a head count according to this article:

- Richard Nixon appeared on "Laugh-In"
- Jimmy Carter appeared on multiple Bob Hope specials
- Gerald Ford appeared on Saturday Night Live
- Ronald Reagan was an actor who appeared in Western films (and appeared on "Sonny & Cher" during his tenure as governor)
- George Bush Sr. also appeared on multiple Bob Hope specials
- Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appeared on multiple episodes of "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno"

Obama doing Between Two Ferns? Add it to the list, same comedy, new tech. Move along, Fox, nothing to see here.

[NM_Birder]

1. two frems was beneath the presidency,

regardless who what when or why.

The other comedy shows, including the other comedy shows Obama has already appeared on, had a social relevancy. Two ferns would have been funnier with an Obama imposter, not the president himself being made a fool of.

[Scuba]

4. Hilarious.

[NM_Birder]

8. "how does it feel to be the last black president elected" ....... maybe you're right

[Scuba]

12. "... 12 million views, sent nearly a million people to Healthcare.gov ...

... and made traffic to Healthcare.gov jump by 40% in a single day."

http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2014/3/12/outside-beltway-media-between-two-ferns-is-a-giant-hit

[NM_Birder]

21. right.

A stupid Zach Galifinakis comedy skit, will be what saves the ACA mandate from being postponed.

Zach ain't shit, you're the real comedian.

[Walk away]

51. Some people have zero sense of humor.

Others are Democrats!

[NM_Birder]

55. yeah, that was funny, you're funny, everone is proud .

because you're smart enough, and good looking enough and gosh darn it people like you.

[Xyzse]

71. Not proud of it.

However, whatever works to add more exposure is a good thing.
Particularly for something like the ACA.

It is not a program that I fully support, but the success of it is through participation.

If there was even a marginal bump on participation due to such a program. It is small and innocuous enough to do.
It is nowhere near as ridiculous as some of the stunts pulled off by 43. Flipping off reporters, looking under a desk with a derp expression trying to find WMD as a joke nary 5 years after 9/11.

Trick is, it plays for the base, to improve support. There is a saying that "haters gonna hate". This is quite expected.

Yeah, I can laugh at Bush's antics. I mean, he does have a funnier face than Obama after all, and his misspeak and unintentional humor can be considered comedy gold.

I just can't be proud of it regardless, nor do I think I should.

[REP]

10. Yes, the president was completely, totally unaware of the script

You. Are. BRILLIANT! Brilliant I say! Kudos for figuring out that noted journalist Galifianakis hoodwinked Obama!

[NM_Birder]

18. You, ............ not so brilliant

Never said galifianakis was a "journalist", .... said the show was beneath him ( Obama is who I'm referring to, in case you didn't understand that either).

Never said he (again Obama, in case you still are not getting it), didn't know the script, of course he did, that is what is all the more disappointing.

The appearance seemed stupid to me, appealing to the lowest common comic denominator for no reason.

What was the point ?

And don't blather about 40% increase in ACA traffic, the mandate is being postponed, postponing the FUNDING end of the ACA is not a sign that all is well in the kingdom.

"How does it feel to be the last black president", THAT is the joke that led me to the clip, isn't that funny ? Halarious.

[blueamy66]

20. The point was to appeal to a "younger" crowd...

and enlighten them about the ACA.

[NM_Birder]

22. right.

A stupid Zach Zalifinakis skit will save the mandate from being postponed, THAT is funny.

"How does it feel to be the last black president" HILARIOUS ! well played, the youth laugh, and the older cringe,..... nice.

in the meantime, the mandate is postponed, that is the funding end of the ACA. Maybe an appearance with Carrot Top would help ?

[CJCRANE]

25. Is your issue primarily with the comedy or the ACA?

If it's with the ACA then no amount of dignified comedy would have satisfied you.

[NM_Birder]

27. Dignified comedy ?

you think this was "dignified comedy" ?

Take all the memes being flug at the president, and wrap them all up in an easy to swallow short stupid clip. brilliant.

"How does it feel to be the last black president",........I'm still laughing, funny right ?

[CJCRANE]

31. That was my point. Comedy is not dignified. But Obama's appearance on a comedy show is not unique.

Your comments indicate that you do not support the president or the ACA, which is fair enough, that's your choice.

Your outrage at the comedy seems disingenuous.

[NM_Birder]

35. OK

Zach galifinakis and his dog jacking off to fall asleep in "Due Date", CLASSIC humor very current comedian for the president to admire enough to do this clip, you got me... I'm inspired.

My bad, I'm not appreciating just how funny this really was. you win, it was great, I'll spread it around as much as possible.

"How does it feel to be the last black president", HA ! you're right, THAT's funny ! right ?

take care

[CJCRANE]

36. I never said it was funny. I didn't even watch it*. But my point stands.

You are outraged because you don't like the policy. That colors your view.

How would you feel if it was about a policy you supported?

How did you feel when Bush did comedic things?

ETA: *I have seen the main clip of it.

[NM_Birder]

43. *the main clip ?

So you don't even have an understanding of what was in the whole thing ? Well color me surprised, I assumed you knew what you were talking about.

a president using a show to promote his agenda is something I can appreciate, the Tonight Show, Colbert, Jay Leno etc. Something that has a direction, and a means to an end.

Zach Galifinakis, mocking the president, and the president denying BS in a Bevis and Butthead style of comedy...not my thing.

The ACA came into the conversation from a poster above that said this magnificent clip raised ACA internet traffic 40%.

40% rise in ACA traffic, unemployment under 7%, and this skit are all bullshit. You should actually watch the masterpiece of Obama and Galifinakis I'm sure you'll be entertained, PLUS you can understand what it is you support.

[NM_Birder]

30. You win, "dignified comedy" ............

Now i understand why I'll never make my point.

You guys think this is what "dignified comdey" looks like.
THAT is funny, but in a sad kind of way.

take care

[CJCRANE]

33. No, I don't think comedy is dignified. That is my point. Nor is it unique for a president. nt

[LanternWaste]

59. Because others share different opinions about comedy

"Now i understand why I'll never make my point..."

Because others share different opinions about comedy, avoid bringing up irrelevancies, and refrain from posting the same quote over and over again to illustrate a petulant premise is my guess.

But I imagine you'll rationalize it as something else...

[NM_Birder]

61. LOL, you made you own point, congrats.

a sense of humor not consistant with the majority will not be tolerated. I offer your and the other posters as my example.

[blueamy66]

29. Regardless if the mandate was postponed....this show appeals to a "younger" crowd

with a different life view, sense of humor, etc.

And maybe, just maybe, some "younger" people were enlightened and educated about the ACA. Maybe they will want to get more involved. Maybe it stirred something inside them that will inspire them to get out and do something.

If that is indeed the case, it was well worth it for my President to do the show.

And I thought it was funny.

It's 2014 dude..

[NM_Birder]

32. desperate, that is exactly what it seemed like.

good call.

"maybe, just maybe" the older crowd is laughing AT him not with him.

[blueamy66]

34. Maybe it seemed desperate to you.

You seem to be in the minority here.

He was trying to appeal to the YOUNGER CROWD. Get it? They are our future.

[NM_Birder]

38. Like i said above,

you win, I'll spread this around as much as I can, all though I don't run with the "younger" crowd.
The older crowd is laughing too, but not in the inspiring way.

"They are our future", if this comedy is what inspires them, god help us all.

take care

[blueamy66]

39. Ah, come on....you haven't seen The Hangover movies?

nt

[NM_Birder]

44. Sure I did,

The first one was funny as hell the second was funny, but the Bancock trip jumped the shark pretty bad, when Mike Tyson is one of the funnier parts, that's one movie too many.

Galifinakis is funny, I am just not as "inspired" as the youth of today is,.. when he mocks the president, and the president comes off like a comedy skit tool.

If "how does it feel to be the last black president" doesn't inspire kids to vote ...what will ?

[blueamy66]

47. What do you think about Michelle Obama

doing her comedy skits?

[NM_Birder]

49. I think you are having trouble justifing the BRILLIANCE

of the Obama/galifinakis comedy team.

send me a link to her comedy skits, not sure which one you are talking about.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

76. why do you keep calling the ACA a mandate?

are you against people having access to health care?

[NM_Birder]

81. The ACA is law,

however the individual mandate is the means by which, "individuals" pay into the system, that is being postponed.

The individual mandate is what will fund the ACA, why is it being postponed, and what will fund the ACA in the mean time? Young people are not "flocking to the system". 6 million lose coverage, and 7 million sign into the ACA, you don't even have to use your fingers to understand the math.

Really? "are you against people having access to health care " ? you think that up all by yourself ?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

83. are you sure?

I think it's the requirement of businesses to comply that was delayed a year. 6 million lose coverage? Are those the people whose old policy didn't meet the standards established by the ACA? And yes, I did think that up all by myself, thank you.

[NM_Birder]

85. Yeah, I'm sure

the individual mandate is being postponed till after the midterm elections. You don't have to take my word for it, watch the "news", google it,... whichever, hell go to the white house website.

Then you can ask yourself the question that is going thru your mind....why?

watch the next week or so, you'll see. And if the mid term elections go bad, the ACA is going to be in jeopardy, just a pinch of honesty about it would have been the difference.

lol, impressive.

[NM_Birder]

23. it was beneath the president, what i said from the begining.

[CJCRANE]

24. You seem to have an issue with the ACA

which I assume could be the real reason you don't like this clip.

&quot T)he mandate is being postponed, postponing the FUNDING end of the ACA is not a sign that all is well in the kingdom".

You claim to be upset by the comedy about the president but then refer to Obama's "kingdom". That seems inconsistent.

[NM_Birder]

26. lol, .........

swing and a miss.

The individual mandate is being postponed, that is the FUNDING end of the ACA. The galifinakis clip was meant to inspire the youth to join ?

You are reaching too far with the word "kingdom".

"How does it feel to be the last black president" was the joke I heard that led me to the clip. Isn't that funny ? Inspiring,......truly.

[CJCRANE]

28. What does the mandate have to do with the comedy?

You started off by saying it's about the president's dignity but then went off into another argument about policy.

It seems to me that you disagree with the policy and don't want it to be promoted.

[NM_Birder]

50. poster above claimed a 40% increase in ACA traffic because of the clip

That is where all the ACA talk started.

Since I now understand you didn't watch the clip, AND you didn't read thru to understand exactly why the ACA came into the discussion, I'm really not sure how you can hope for me to take you seriously ?

Really, you don't even understand what you are discussing do you ?

[CJCRANE]

74. It's a comedy clip encouraging people to sign up for healthcare.

If that makes you angry there isn't much I can do about that.

You brought the unemploment numbers into a previous post which indicates that you're just spinning into other topics.

[Autumn]

75. And guess what? It worked. A young neighbor woman

does her Face Book on her phone she saw the clip and came over and asked to use my computer to check out the Connect for Health site. She got a silver Kaiser plan for 36 dollars a month. One happy young 22 year old.

[CJCRANE]

78. Thanks for that.

The previous poster seemed determined to be outraged about something, anything.

[Autumn]

79. All you have to do is look at the posts here and in other

threads. It does seem hauntingly familiar though.

[JoePhilly]

37. Galifianakis was mocking right wing memes throughout that bit.

That's part of what made it funny.

Not unlike when the President has joked about his birth certificate.

[NM_Birder]

52. Eagles fan eh ?

I guess that kind of explains the difference in our sense of humor.....lol

What would you say was the most funny part of this skit ? You know the point where the President REALLY hit the nail on the head and drove the right wing meme into the ground ?

I've been told by several posters, that this inspired the youth of today, our future. So tell me, which part did you find inspireing ?
Which quote would you most like to see repeated over and over and over ?

[JoePhilly]

57. Well, my 20 year old son loved the looks the President gave ...

to many of Galifianakis's questions. My son had showed it to me.

It reminded him of Key and Peele's skits with Obama's angry black translator, Luther. Which he also finds hilarious. Just the idea that the President might respond to stupid questions in a more natural way.

So based on my son's reaction, who is after all part of the target audience, the notion that one is supposed to take away some individual quote, which you are suggesting, misses the point entirely.

The idea was to engage young people, and get them to go to healthcare.gov, which based on the spike in visits to the site, seems to have worked.

I hope what gets repeated, isn't some quote, its the approach.

[NM_Birder]

60. So you too believe that this will inspire the youth of today

to go to healthcare.gov and sign up ?

THIS is what will pull the sign up numbers out of the gutter and save the mandate postponement ?
So your 20 year old son signed into the ACA ?

[JoePhilly]

65. Na, obviously THIS will kill the ACA.

After all, at 20, my son can stay on my insurance until's he's 26 ... so obviously, he hates the ACA and won't sign up.

Of course no one thinks this ad alone will raise the numbers ... although I must admit that I find your characterization of the current numbers as "in the gutter" rather hilarious. Between signups at the state and federal exchanges, and through the Medicare expansion, the rate of the uninsured is already dropping.

The ACA adoption rate will continue to increase and the % of uninsured will continue to drop.

Meanwhile, the dopes who stick with their awful plans will continued to get fleeced, and some of them will die off or go broke as a result. Since most of them are Republicans who are too stupid to take a good deal when its handed to them, all I can say is "oh well".

I mean, if the GOP wants to kill off their base, who am I to try and stop them.

[NM_Birder]

68. ok

Started this whole baloney fest with the comment that this skit was beneath the president, I still think it is beneath him. Read the first post in this thread.
since then I've had people defend it who never watched it, claim it increased ACA traffic 40% and inspired the youth of today, and then you, who claims it inspired your 20 year old son whom I assume is actually enrolled ? If not then why not ? the ACA is designed to fulfill the youth of today's healthcare needs at affordable prices.

I find it ironic as hell that the very arguments that are leveled against me are as thin, and un-amusing as the skit itself.

The ACA is on the verge of collapse if the individual mandate is postponed, if the inspired youth of today do not start signing up, it will not stand, that's reality not opinion. Mocking that fact will not change the outcome.

If the number of people signing up was sufficient, there would be no postponement. 6 million lose coverage, 6 million gain coverage in the ACA, that is not a the road to success. The inspired youth need to sign up, get off their parents plans and embrace the ACA, without them it WILL be postponed and it will eventually implode.

But hey, galifinakis is pretty funny huh? I'm starting to believe you, I still think it was beneath the President, but what's really important is justifying a good laugh. I wish your son all the luck in the world, things are not as positive as the news tells him it is.

take care.

[Walk away]

53. Maybe that's why 'Birder doesn't think it funny! nt

[NM_Birder]

62. keep trying, someone will notice you eventually.

[11 Bravo]

13. Your concern is noted and will be dealt with appropriately.

[NM_Birder]

19. You must be one of those "internet tough guys".

"How does it feel to be the last black president" funny huh ?

[11 Bravo]

40. You misunderstood. We LOVE newbie concern trolls!

Sometimes MIRT lets us play with them for days.

[NM_Birder]

45. LOL,.... go play with yourself

Don't know what "MIRT" is, but I'm sure it is of the same value as galifinakis's skit.

[11 Bravo]

56. BWAHAHAHA. I'll let someone else explain to you ...

how tellingly foolish that little nugget was.

Hint: I'm willing to bet that you will become familiar with MIRT sooner rather than later.

[NM_Birder]

63. why don't you tell me ? I don't speak "text"

[NM_Birder]

64. ah, so idle threats is it ? NOW I'm impressed, you too are truly inspirational.

If not being amused by a silly, foolish skit is against the rules. Alert on me.

[11 Bravo]

66. Threat? Nah, just a prediction. And in 12 years I don't think I've EVER alerted ...

on anyone. Not even newbie concern trolls using word-for-word FoxNews and other RW echo chamber talking points to demonstrate some sort of faux outrage over a comedy sketch involving the President. (Something that has been done by many of his predecessors without causing any offense whatsoever, but is apparently a problem now because ... you know ... Presidenting while black.)

[sibelian]

41. I'm not quite sure how you think this website works.

Last edited Fri Mar 14, 2014, 10:07 AM - Edit history (1)

Generally speaking, if you post something here on DU that isn't really much more than a regurgitation of something you've heard on the radio or seen on TV, you'll get about 6 people responding to you pointing at you and laughing uproariously. Which, to be fair, is richly deserved.

[NM_Birder]

48. I already admit, it's funny, I'm wrong LOL

"How does it feel to be the last black president", Jesus Christ,...brilliant, just brilliant,...inspireing too !

How did I miss the genius of this masterpiece, surely it cannot ever be used to mock,...right ?

I know how the site works, only the collective matters, individual opinion will not be tolerated, if one is not with the collective, he must be punished-mocked and made to feel ignorant,....all for the greater good. Pretty close ?

The skit was a bad idea in my opinion, it didn't give me the warm and fuzzies, I'm allowed that opinion, if not you should alert on me. If one or all haven't already.

[Walk away]

54. 18 posts saying the same thing. That must be a record!

It reminds me of the "Ugly American" who answers someone speaking a foreign language by saying the same thing in English louder and louder and doesn't understand why no one understands.

Humor is a personal thing and it's no one else's fault that yours is an outlier here.

[NM_Birder]

58. Oh stop,...

you're killing me with your sharp witty humor.
what no little smiley thing this time ?

You are not nearly as funny as the guy that didn't even watch it, yet defends it, simply because other people do. Your comic genius is beyond comment, really, I'm in awe of you intellectual brilliance.

take care

[Walk away]

67. See! I was right about you sense of humor all along!

I love the sad/snide high school put down. Ever heard of projection?

The President made that appearance to promote the ACA to a young audience. The express purpose was to make a young demographic aware of the Healthcare.gov website and increase their enrollment in the Exchange.

It worked functionally and funnily. Two concepts, apparently, far from your wheelhouse.

[NM_Birder]

69. No one else wants to play huh ?

I replied to your comments, thought maybe someone would back you up a little, bummer.

Hope it was inspiring enough to avoid the individual mandate postponement, but since most youth either are staying on their parents plans, or simply not signing up, I hope you remember how inspiring this comedy routine was.

postponing the individual mandate, that is not me saying that, it's really happening. I could explain why but it will only make sense if you learn more than what message boards chant.

Take care

[Walk away]

70. I don't need anyone to back me up against a lightweigh who...

has already bored several posters so much that they finally had to drop out of your deal.
Like them, I have to get back to a Life.

Maybe you can keep this going on your own!

[procon]

2. GWB also made a guest appearance on a game show

called Deal Or No Deal. And would it be too off topic if I mention the multiple photo shots of hi pure comedy gold that highlight his Olympic escapades?

[Initech]

3. W's whole presidency was a comedy show.

[bluedigger]

15. I thought it was a horror show.

[Initech]

16. The first term was definitely horror and a lot of it.

Destroyed the economy, 9/11, "Shock And Awe", Iraq, Afghanistan....

[AnnieBW]

17. "Are You Smarter Than A President?"

Say the word "nuclear".

[Initech]

73. Yeah that should be a required test for public office!

Especially if one is holding the, um, NUCLEAR launch codes to NUCLEAR weapons!

1st test for public office: "Can you pronounce the word nuclear correctly?"

If yes they are fit. If no they are not fit.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

5. I didn't click the article. Didn't they mention Clinton on Arsenio?

And Obama did an SNL skit.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. They all do it, but only Obama has done it well.

Between Two Ferns was wonderful. The President actually gets the joke unlike his critics.
Here's from Mel Brooks, American philosopher:
"Rhetoric does not get you anywhere, because Hitler and Mussolini are just as good at rhetoric. But if you can bring these people down with comedy, they stand no chance."

[Initech]

14. I laughed my ass off watching that.

I think the people who are angry at this aren't getting the joke, and Zach Galafinakis' weird sense of humor.

[MurrayDelph]

7. Yeah, but

dey wuz all white guyz!

[Art_from_Ark]

9. And the governor of Arkansas at the time, Winthrop Rockefeller,

appeared in an episode of "The Governor and JJ".

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

11. Obama?!?!?!?!?! Outrageous!!!!!!!!!!

[Dr. Strange]

42. Clinton appeared on Arsenio and Bush appeared with Jay Leno.

So I would contend that Bush has not in fact ever been on a comedy show.

[Blue_Tires]

46. I was going to mention Arsenio

but I wasn't sure if it "counted" since he was just a candidate then, iirc

[WinkyDink]

72. RR doesn't count, by the above description.

[jeff47]

77. RR also appeared in Bob Hope specials while president. (nt)

[WinkyDink]

80. Okay, then.

[Octafish]

82. ''Sock it to me, Baby.''

Tricky Dick. BFEE took him out, too.

[CBHagman]

84. THANK YOU.

Quoth Richard Nixon: "Sock it to me?"