US president Barack Obama has always had a good sense of humor. Last night, he appeared in a special presidential version of late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets,” in which famous people do exactly that—read actual tweets about themselves and show their reactions to them.
The tweets Obama read covered some familiar jabs, from his graying hair, to his penchant for golf, to his embarrassing “dad jeans.” Watch below:
This is how a few of the tweeters reacted to seeing their commander-in-chief read what they wrote:
Just last month, Obama appeared in a video for BuzzFeed, using a selfie stick and showing a keen awareness of the popular “Thanks Obama” meme. After that video, the “Thanks Obama” page on Reddit literally ceased operations. At that stage, the joke wouldn’t ever top the president himself saying it.
And last year, Obama was a guest on actor Zach Galifianakis’ insane talk show parody series “Between Two Ferns” (video).
Obama’s string of comedy appearances is part of a serious public outreach strategy, in part devised by former White House communications czar, Dan Pfeiffer. ”Any politician is always looking for a format where they can show who they really are, show their true selves,” he told Backchannel. Obama uses venues like “Between Two Ferns” and his extended interviews with popular YouTube personalities to get his message out to young people without forcing it down their throats.
To those who think Obama should show more seriousness, the second-term president has only one message: