奥巴马现身谐星杰瑞·宋飞的节目

Comedian¹-in-Chief Appears on Seinfeld Web Show 奥巴马现身谐星杰瑞·宋飞的节目

If you think that the most powerful man on earth would have time to tape a 19-minute comedy about nothing, some would say that you are crazy.

But, American President Barack Obama did just that.

Obama got together recently with Jerry Seinfeld to record an episode² of the comedian’s popular web series. “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” is in its seventh season. The show usually features Seinfeld and a guest comedian driving around in a cool car. They go to a coffee shop to drink and talk.

Obama may not be a comedian by profession. But Seinfeld explains on the show that the president "has gotten off just enough funny lines to qualify³ for getting on this show."

The two men meet when Seinfeld taps on the window of the Oval⁴ Office at the White House where Obama is at his desk working.

Seinfeld and Obama go for a ride. Seinfeld has brought a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Obama calls it "a sweet car," that, as a kid, he dreamed of owning someday. Seinfeld drives the president down to the gate of the White House grounds. But the Secret Service tells him, firmly, that he cannot take the president out.

So they drive back toward⁵ the house.

Seinfeld asks Obama what he would like to do that he currently⁶ cannot because he is president. Obama says he would like to take a Saturday morning walk where he could run into a friend and have a chat. He says, "Anonymity⁷ is not something you think about as being valuable.”

Seinfeld disagrees.

"With all due respect, I remember very well not being famous. It wasn't that great."

Seinfeld notes the love American children have for presidents. Obama agrees, “I do really well with the zero to 8 demographic. Partly ‘cause, I think, my ears are big, and so I look a little like a cartoon character.”

The two continue their talk in the White House restaurant where they make a pot of coffee. "How many world leaders, do you think, are completely out of their mind?" Seinfeld asks the president.  

Obama answers, "A pretty sizable percent. The longer they stay in office, the more likely that is to happen."

The show lasts about 19 minutes. Toward the end, Obama notes that he did not have the chance to discuss his health care plan, the Affordable⁸ Care Act.

"Usually the only reason I do these things is because I am promoting health care," the president says. Seinfeld looks directly into the camera and says to viewers, “It’s a great thing. Please try Obamacare today.”

After the airing of the episode, Seinfeld went on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" to talk about it. Seinfeld said, “the idea that anybody thinks they should be President. You gotta be out of your mind ... You gotta be crazy.”

Stephen Colbert, another comedian, replied, “You know what else is crazy? You have a little Internet show. And you drive around and drink coffee and crack jokes. And then you get the Commander-in-Chief to be on the show. What is up with that?”

Words in This Story

episode – n. a television show, radio show, etc., that is one part of a series

comedian – n. a person who performs in front of an audience and makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting⁹ in a way that is funny

cool – adj. very fashionable, stylish¹⁰, or appealing in a way that is generally approved of especially by young people

chat – v. to talk with someone in a casual¹¹ way

demographic – n. a group of people that has a particular set of qualities— usually singular

out of one’s mind – expression to be mentally unstable

1 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

2 episode   

n.（作品的一段）情节，插曲，系列事件中之一

参考例句：

• The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned.这段小插曲令所有有关人员都感到非常尴尬。
• This episode remains sharply engraved on my mind.这段经历至今仍深深地铭刻在我的心中。

3 qualify   

vt.取得资格，有资格，限定，描述；vi.取得资格，有资格

参考例句：

• I won't qualify until next year.我明年才具备资格。
• You must qualify yourself for the post.你必须使自己具备担任这一工作的资格。

4 oval   

n. 椭圆，椭圆形跑道；adj. 卵形的，椭圆形的

参考例句：

• She has a lovely oval face.她长着一张可爱的椭圆脸。
• The shape of the earth is an oval.地球的形状是个椭圆形。

5 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

6 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

7 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

8 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

9 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

10 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

11 casual   

adj.漠不关心，冷漠的；随便的，非正式的；偶然的，碰巧的

参考例句：

• He earns a living by casual labour.他靠做临时工为生。
• The guests wore casual clothes.客人们穿着便服。