he video: The Louisiana state GOP had a surprise for attendees of the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans this weekend: A comedy routine from Obama impersonator Reggie Brown. In 18 minutes, Brown managed to get off "a series of off-color jokes poking fun at Obama's biracial heritage and a gay member of Congress," as well as Mormons, Michelle Obama, and several GOP presidential candidates, says The Washington Post. (Watch the video below.) At one point, Brown displayed a picture of Fred Sanford from TV's Sanford and Sons, suggesting that's what President Obama would look like when he left office. The organizers cut off Brown's mic and escorted him from the stage before his act was finished. "I just thought he had gone too far," said RLC president Charlie Davis. "He was funny the first 10 or 15 minutes, but it was inappropriate, it was getting ridiculous."
The reaction: The media has largely made it sound like the audience was "offended that Brown made jokes about black people in hideously poor taste," says Kirsten Boyd Johnson at Wonkette. Not true. They were "in stitches" through all the awful "'Obama is black' jokes." Brown only got booed when he started roasting Republicans. Well, his act was really "more tone deaf than offensive," says Joshua Green in The Atlantic. But no doubt, it was a "boneheaded" decision to hire him. Brown's impersonation is quite good, but if anything, he "seems like quite a fan" of Obama, which makes him an odd choice for a GOP event. The RLC could have avoided this "debacle" if they'd just watched Brown's act on YouTube. (Judge for yourself below, or watch the entire routine.)
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- 32 TV shows to watch in 2013 [Updated]
- Ben Bernanke to Wall Street: It's the beginning of the end
- Reports: Sopranos star James Gandolfini is dead
- Turkey's 'Standing Man': Can a lone protester change history?
- 7 grammar rules you really should pay attention to
- The daily gossip: The 50 Shades of Grey movie finally has a director, and more
- Everything you need to know about investing in gold
- Michael Hastings, remembered
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- Former employees say Bank of America lied to a lot of homeowners
- How immigration reform could save taxpayers nearly $1 trillion
- The last telegram ever is about to be sent
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- The daily gossip: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have allegedly chosen a baby name, and more
- Can fetuses masturbate?
- What language is your baby speaking?
