Politics

Obama Impersonator Denies He Got Booted Off Stage for Jabbing Republicans

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:11pm by Jonathon M. Seidl
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This weekend, and odd piece of video surfaced from the Republican Leadership Conference in Louisiana. There, it appeared that an Obama impersonator sanctioned by the conference was publicly shamed when he was booted off the stage as soon as his jokes turned from targeting the president and instead lampooned Republicans.

According to to impersonator Reggie Brown, that’s not really what happened.

“When our liaison—they guy who introduced me–came up to me onstage, he said, ‘Hey, I am sorry—your time is up,’” Brown told CNN, “and so I finished and went backstage. I was told it was because of my time, not my act, not because of anything I said.”

In an on-camera interview, he said he didn’t have to get his jokes approved beforehand and that the conference knew what it was getting when it booked him. He also took umbrage with people using the term “yanked” to describe what happened:

You can read his full answer from the CNN blog below:

I think I delivered a great performance, and when I got offstage, as I exited, the audience the responded well. The organizers complimented me. They had a great time. I thought it was a great performance. Then we went back to read what a few people had written on blogs and there was a different story.

What happened is that I went over my minutes. They told me I had 20, but they aired a video before me and then my intro took up more time. When our liaison—they guy who introduced me–came up to me onstage, he said, “Hey, I am sorry—your time is up,” and so I finished and went backstage. I was told it was because of my time, not my act, not because of anything I said.

I got a lot of fan mail this weekend, a lot of support, a lot of people subscribing to my Twitter and YouTube accounts, and the phone’s been ringing off the hook.

Brown added that he did still get paid for the appearance.

Meanwhile, during an appearance on MSNBC, Brown defended himself against claims that his Obama jokes were over the line:

It‘s still too early to tell who might be more upset that Brown didn’t get “yanked.” If you‘re of the persuasion that Brown’s jokes were over the line, maybe you would have liked the story to read that he got canned. But it seems more likely that it will be liberals who will be upset by Brown’s new revelation. They would love to characterize the GOP as a hypocritical, snooty bunch of powdered wigs who will stand for jokes about Obama but will kill jokes about themselves.

Either way, neither seems to have happened in this case.

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Comments (45)

Verum Ad Potentia
Posted on June 22, 2011 at 7:33pm
“This weekend, and odd piece of video surfaced from the Republican Leadership Conference in Louisiana”

Did you mean “This weekend, an odd piece…”? How about a little professionalism? Spell-check won’t fix using the wrong word properly spelled.
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ObserverMI
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 5:17am
Geez……

Really seems like they‘re always ’Digging‘ to ’Try‘ and not only find something yet to ’push‘ or ’create‘ something that’s not there. Like hungry dogs begging and searching for scraps to exploit. Embarrassing.
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Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 12:32am
Someone was just too paranoid that they’d be called racist because of his jokes. That’s all it was, simple paranoia. Too bad, he was funny.
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Gnostyk
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:17pm
They should have let Brown deliver his entire routine. The RLC didn’t realize that cutting his act short would make them look like thin-skinned pansies, when he started to joke about the Republican candidates.
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jessieH
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:49pm
Looks to me like the GOP has no sense of humor. I just pulled up the video of Brown onstage. He’s a funny guy. Don’t destroy his career because he hurt your feelings. Grow a spine, it’s covered by Obamneycare.
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Gallagher1
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:29pm
The worker in this clip is more convincing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr8dic_N1Fw
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slvrserfr
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:02pm
Going on MSNBC to defend against their messiah is like arguing against the Pope that there is no God. There is no compromise with this staunchly liberal network. CNN is practically the same way. Considering the way that Obama has consistently bashed the right wing and SNL has done worse in roasting him (though I guess they get exemption since they’re a liberal leaning network) I don’t see any harm or foul. They were just jokes, just like how Obama’s most recent economic adviser Austan Goolsbee was bashing the conservatives before he filled the position. How is that any different? Here’s the link by the way with the video.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/10/white-house-economic-adviser-austan-goolsbee-jokes-sarah-paln-is-a-wingnut.html?cid=6a00d8341c4df253ef0120a60ce0ab970c
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jessieH
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 7:53pm
If that is the case, I owe the GOP an apology! I thought they had lost their sense of humor.
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paco12348
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 6:18pm
I watched the conference and loved Reggie Brown. I’ve watched him perform before on Huckabee. He wasn’t yanked. He did run overtime. Leave it to the left to make it look like something it wasn’t.
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BurntHills
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:54pm
we enjoyed his entire routine, but then, we have a SENSE OF HUMOR.
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Liberal Basher
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:05pm
That Liberal CNN mouthpiece was really trying hard to get the guy to say he got booted for dissing the Repubs.
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- RN MOM
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:26pm
  I say “who cares? ” He should expect to be booted, he was making fun of republicans at a republican convention. I guess the Obama look alike thing went to his head.
  Report Post »
NathanM
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:02pm
The “Ooooohhhh” of getting zinged does not equal the “Boooooo” of dissaproval, even though they sound pretty much the same. What a bunch of pansies these media folks are.
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rayblue
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:58pm
Saw an Ayn Rand impersonator down on a Westheimer Blvd. nightclub recently.
You could tell who in the audience was a Liberal by the blank looks on their faces when she told a
Objectivist joke and the conservatives by their laughs at the Egalitarian jokes.
or was it the other way around ? After a while we were all Objective Egalitarian Social Malcontents.
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bosbes
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:13pm
What else could he say? Really?
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The Top Crusader
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:51pm
He was apparently at a WWE event last night as well.
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- CrackersSmurf
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:17pm
  yeah he owned
  Report Post »
nacilbuper
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:46pm
Could CNN be any more bias?
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pavepaws
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:41pm
Typical CNN, try to spin more out of it.
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I.Gaspar
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:34pm
This guy is hilarious, and whatever they make up about him will only help his career.
Hell, I wish he were the actual president and the other one was the comedian.
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- Jim in Houston
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:01pm
  The real comic president isn’t funny by any stretch of the imagination.
  Report Post »
RN MOM
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:24pm
It did look like he was escorted off just before he let a Backmann joke rip.
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- MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:25pm
  He started it and just then the mike stopped working. His 20-minute Gig lasted 7 minutes.
  
  It was the only Microphone malfunction of the entire three day event.
  
  The joke was:
  “Michelle Bachmann says she wants me to be a one term President! (big applause) I would like to see her be able to be a “one-syllable” president!” (The last part was all cut up and off-mike)
  Report Post »
- RN MOM
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:24pm
  That’s probably what he he said. I am surprised they let him stay so long, I noticed his jokes were getting “boos” and jeers after a few minutes. He was intentionally being offensive to his host (the RNC) with quick jabs, at first I thought he was just a bad comedian but the last joke sealed it.
  Report Post »
- 110john
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:41pm
  As someone who was actually there, his routine went on about 30 mins. He had us in stitches. The Obama jokes got the biggest laugh; but many of us in the crowd did laugh at the Republican jokes as well. Yes, there were boos. You will always have thinned skinned people in a partisan audience. But, the characterizations in the media and from uninformed bloggers just shows some people just talk to somehow fill some void they have within themselves. This act was the “surprise” that everyone was whispering about Sat. morning (not that Sarah Palin was showing up), and it meant pushing the schedule up 30mins. Rick Perry had to speak at 2:30 and there were still two speakers before him. So, chalk this up to bad timing on when he had to have his routine cut short.
  Report Post »
- MONICNE
  Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:27pm
  The C_SPAN live recording has a time stamp and the comedian’s verbal performance was 6 minutes 51 seconds.
  Report Post »
GoingBeck
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:20pm
Outing the intolerant lefties.
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foobear
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:18pm
This routine was awesome. Shame that people think that he was booted off.
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- Bluebonnet
  Posted on June 21, 2011 at 11:14am
  It was a funny skit. What’s wrong with what he said? It appeared to be getting a bit too close to home, but when I laugh at idiocy, I know it’s funny. Don’t find too many really funny comedians since Bob Hope
  Report Post »
nomercy63
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:15pm
Is this really important? I really don’t care when one group of elites belittles another group of elites! I tend to care about the country and what is happening to it!
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- MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:19pm
  Dear, does this Obama Impersonator suit make me look fat?
  Report Post »
- Showtime
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:26pm
  @MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:19pm
  Dear, does this Obama Impersonator suit make me look fat?
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  No, you’re already fat. However, it does make you look as stupid as the rest of the Progressive trolls, Encinom.
  Report Post »
- MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:45pm
  Me–OWW!!
  
  Showstine; you are getting all wierd!
  
  Loosen up, enjoy the comedy show. Knock back a cold one & give the doggie a hug now. Chill./ eh
  Report Post »
- Jim in Houston
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 9:56pm
  No MONICNE, it’s your head that is fat! You away troll and spread your crap somewhere else.
  Report Post »
Visions (Southern Cross)
Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:13pm
i first saw this guy on Stossel. he is very convincing
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- MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:18pm
  Yep. The Microphone malfunctioned just as he was starting into his candidate jokes, and they had to ask him to walk off the stage. Totally cool.
  Report Post »
- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:28pm
  Times up! But I had 20 minutes scheduled. Yes, but we did something that, uh, took away some of your time. Will I still be paid? yes, but don’t muddy the waters.
  Report Post »
- A Steiger
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:31pm
  @ MONIQUE
  
  When will you finally flush yourself down the toilet??
  Report Post »
- Locked
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:31pm
  Only watched a few minutes of his performance (didn’t see him get “yanked” or otherwise), but the humor was pretty funny. Too bad he was cut short!
  Report Post »
- MONICNE
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:49pm
  I was listening to the comedy routine live over C-SPAN radio and suddenly I thought the station went off the air. There was a definite problem with the audio, it went silent a few times in a ten second span, you could hear some off-mike chatter, and then he just thanked everybody and he was finished and gone!
  Report Post »
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:47pm
  Kudos to him, if that’s how he wants to make a living. I have no problem with him if he is doing it in the name of comedy and actually is funny. He certainly resembles the man-child.
  This is basically a non-story and saying he was “yanked” off the stage is a little strong.
  Report Post »
- Xcori8r
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:05pm
  People who report regularly twist the facts to be sensational in attempts to make their submissions appear more insightful or significant.
  
  I’ve seen it first hand.
  Report Post »
- 101
  Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:22pm
  Blah blah blah who cares!
  Report Post »
- one years food ration like glenn says
  Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:46am
  Sheesh ! what a mark of cain.. looking like a mentally challenged moron.. I feel sorry for this guy.
  Report Post »
- Die Free
  Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:33am
  Wow is this the story the left wants to talk about. Because it shows what
  The left can not stand for jokes because they are the jokes!!!!
  Report Post »

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