Posted on 06/19/2010 9:08:58 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Like most people I didnt expect a lot from the President during his oval office speech. What I got was a whole new look at the Candidate in Chief.
The first thing I noticed during the speech: I had never seen such an empty desk before., It was so clear, you could see all the dents in the desk, from where the previous presidents actually did some work.
Much has been made about how President Obama didnt really seem comfortable in the speech, that he looked more like a visiting college student who got to sit in the big chair for a couple minutes. It could explain why his poll numbers have dropped faster than a bowling ball out a campaign bus window.
It was also only a one tele-prompter speech. Usually he has a two tele-prompter setup so his head moves back and forth, like hes watching a beer pong game.
It was highly uncomfortable to watch. His eyes were locked on the teleprompter, and his hands never stopped moving. You werent even sure the guy reading, was the same guy who was moving the hands. It was almost like watching the cookie monster give an oval office address.
I look at it a different way: from a comedians perspective. Ive played some fairly hostile crowds during my years on the road. But the one kind of crowd I cannot tolerate is a small one. I think most comics will agree that one of the most terrifying places you can perform is to an empty room. (Of course since Ive become big and famous, that rarely happens to me anymore.)
Every comic needs an audience. Those few minutes were on stage are the highlight of our week. It is the only time we feel alive, the only time were not consumed with self-doubt. Comics are narcissists. Comedy is much less a talent than a personality disorder. You wouldnt see a lot of comics performing if there were a way that you could get self-worth out of a bottleoh wait a minute, I think there is; and a lot of us do that as well.
The problem with the Presidents speech, was that he doesnt have any idea how to work without an audience. With no audience response, the timing of is left up to speculation. Its why a lot of comics who destroy an audience, arent so good in acting the movies. Tuesday Night, we were watching President Dane Cook.
Had you inserted the applause lines into his speech, it would have made a lot more sense. For instance, the confusing line from the speech: Even if were unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we dont yet know precisely how to get there. We know well get there.
Should have gone: Even if were unsure exactly what that looks like. (applause) Even if we dont yet know precisely how to get there. (applause) We know well get there (big applause)
Even if we dont know how well get there? Yeah, thats a great idea, lets go to the Grand Canyon this summer, kids. I hope were driving in the right direction But with the applause added in, nobody would have noticed how silly it sounded.
The need for applause is not a really good quality in an administrator. Its the difference between a strong leader and a tyrant. A leader will make rational choices, a guy working for applause is just the head of a mob. Its one thing when that mob is just out for a good laugh and a cocktail, its another when they want Tony Haywards head on the end of a pitch fork..
And heres the biggest problem with performers: We also cannot stand heckling. Most hecklers will be escorted out of the room. The performers expect that.
And right now, Im heckling big time.
Easily explained. He doesn't want his reflection obscured by the bric-a-brac.
Wow—great article. Thanks for posting!
The dents weren't from them working, they were from Obama putting his feet up on the desk.
I was saying this two years ago: he is not accustomed to criticism. He is a man raised by women. A little prince, nourished on praise. An ambassador, not a leader.
Any idea regarding whose bust that is in the background of the Oval Office photo?
obongo doesn’t need an applause track inserted into his speechs, he needs a laugh - mocking - heckling track.
Looks somewhat like Eisenhower but I’m sure Obama would have had that shipped back to the family by now.
At first, I thought the bust looked like Eisenhower but I think that is not probable. Then I thought it might look like a thin Roosevelt. Actually, I haven’t a clue.
Not Winston S. Churchill. That’s for sure.
You know, it will take a tanker load of Lysol to remove the stench from the People’s House after this skinny little f*ck is gone.
I thought it was Ike, too, but further examination yielded that it could be LBJ as well.
You could well be right. Had not thought of the big-eared one for a long time.
It’s his favorite severed head.
Erich Honecker?
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