President Obama promotes Affordable Healthcare on ‘Between Two Ferns’

Published March 25, 2014 at 9:40 am

When the President of the United States appears on a television show, it could potentially be a great success for government marketing efforts.

But what about an appearance on an awkward comedy web series?

President Obama has previously appeared on well-known talk shows such as “The Tonight Show” and “The View,” among others. However, when he recently appeared on popular comedian and “Hangover” star Zach Galifianakis’s “Between Two Ferns,” a Funnyordie.com series, the results were perhaps not so funny, reported the Boston Herald.

It may seem like a risky move for a U.S. President to appear on a somewhat offbeat web show, but it could also be seen as a savvy way to reach younger Americans who aren’t necessarily tuning into the regular television talk shows that presidents typically appear on. The point of the “Between Two Ferns” interview was to connect with and appeal to a younger generation in an effort to encourage them to sign up for a health care coverage plan under the Affordable Care Act.

During the six-minute clip, which is essentially just an advertisement for Obamacare, Galifianakis interviews President Obama in a satirical fashion and the President tries to be funny in return. Some might say he falls short of accomplishing this goal, especially considering that Galifianakis asks a lot of awkward questions.

The Internet can be a good way to appeal to and connect with a younger audience, and this move shows that President Obama is willing to try an interesting approach to entice young Americans to sign up for health care. However, whether or not the tactic of a U.S. President appearing on a strange web show will be viewed as a success remains to be seen.