Going for the PEGOT
September 4, 2022 11:33 AM Subscribe
Barack Obama wins Emmy for narrating Netflix national parks series. The former president won an Emmy Award on Saturday to go with his two Grammys.
Obama won the best narrator Emmy for his work on the Netflix documentary series, "Our Great National Parks."
I don't think I could listen to anything from Obama without thinking about how fucking hollow almost every promise he ever made was and how being "inspiring" accomplished so little.
posted by Ferreous at 11:48 AM on September 4, 2022 [20 favorites]
posted by Ferreous at 11:48 AM on September 4, 2022 [20 favorites]
I'd be curious to see how Obama wins a Tony.
posted by hippybear at 12:02 PM on September 4, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 12:02 PM on September 4, 2022 [9 favorites]
Obama already has a Nobel Peace Prize for bombing the moon, so really this is a bit of an underachievement.
posted by storybored at 12:19 PM on September 4, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by storybored at 12:19 PM on September 4, 2022 [10 favorites]
I don't think I could listen to anything from Obama without thinking about how fucking hollow almost every promise he ever made was and how being "inspiring" accomplished so little.Like every president, Obama has a mixed legacy. But it's important to remember that that administration is responsible for many significant accomplishments, regardless of the talking points of a party that continues to be obsessed with erasing them.
posted by ArmandoAkimbo at 1:10 PM on September 4, 2022 [53 favorites]
You can acknowledge that his term was a mixed bag of good and bad, but at the same time it's hard to disassociate his particular brand of rhetoric and speech patterns as being emblematic of the failings of the administration. I'd rather not hear from any former president to be honest.
posted by Ferreous at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Ferreous at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
Runners up and winners past and present.
I'd be happier if I didn't recognize most of the names.
posted by BWA at 1:40 PM on September 4, 2022
I'd be happier if I didn't recognize most of the names.
posted by BWA at 1:40 PM on September 4, 2022
Then you and I disagree, Ferreous. I continue to find Obama very inspiring, and Carter even moreso.
And speaking just personally, thanks to Obama, despite the unprecedented obstructionism he faced, I now have health care coverage that can't be denied based on pre-existing conditions.
The blame for what didn't get accomplished during his term lies squarely with the anti-American Republican members of Congress, as it does with the current administration. If the only thing Obama had accomplished was to stand in front of the firehose of Republican destruction, that would still be an achievement. He ran, he won, he served, in the face of brutal and slanderous opposition, which is more than the vast, vast majority of people do. I am grateful for his service.
NoThisIsPatrick, I'm delighted to read this news, and now I need to seek out that national parks series. I love Obama's voice. (And I love the parks!) As for that PEGOT, though, I haven't seen him do anything Tony-winnable yet. Could we get a Jeanine Tesori-written one-man show or something, please? He has a great singing voice, too.
Thank you so much for posting this, NoThisIsPatrick!
posted by kristi at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2022 [56 favorites]
And speaking just personally, thanks to Obama, despite the unprecedented obstructionism he faced, I now have health care coverage that can't be denied based on pre-existing conditions.
The blame for what didn't get accomplished during his term lies squarely with the anti-American Republican members of Congress, as it does with the current administration. If the only thing Obama had accomplished was to stand in front of the firehose of Republican destruction, that would still be an achievement. He ran, he won, he served, in the face of brutal and slanderous opposition, which is more than the vast, vast majority of people do. I am grateful for his service.
NoThisIsPatrick, I'm delighted to read this news, and now I need to seek out that national parks series. I love Obama's voice. (And I love the parks!) As for that PEGOT, though, I haven't seen him do anything Tony-winnable yet. Could we get a Jeanine Tesori-written one-man show or something, please? He has a great singing voice, too.
Thank you so much for posting this, NoThisIsPatrick!
posted by kristi at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2022 [56 favorites]
I watched that series. Obama narrated just like he spoke, but with considerably dumber, less inspired writing. I find it hard to believe that there was no one else for whom this award would have been more deserving. Maybe someone who isn't already as famous as a human can be.
Love him or hate him, giving Obama an Emmy for this series is weak.
posted by nushustu at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Love him or hate him, giving Obama an Emmy for this series is weak.
posted by nushustu at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
The blame for what didn't get accomplished during his term lies squarely with the anti-American Republican members of Congress, as it does with the current administration.
Obama’s Worst Speech Ever: “We’ve Added Enough New Oil And Gas Pipeline To Encircle The Earth”
posted by lalochezia at 1:57 PM on September 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
The other Emmy nominees were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Attenborough, W. Kamau Bell, and Lupita N'yongo, none of whom are exactly unknowns.
Their shows were Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War, The Mating Game, We Need to Talk About Cosby, and Serengeti II. Three of those don't even have a Wikipedia page, and the other one (sorry, Kamau) wasn't that good.
I dunno, it seems not-impossible that Obama's narration could've been the best of those.
posted by box at 2:05 PM on September 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
Their shows were Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War, The Mating Game, We Need to Talk About Cosby, and Serengeti II. Three of those don't even have a Wikipedia page, and the other one (sorry, Kamau) wasn't that good.
I dunno, it seems not-impossible that Obama's narration could've been the best of those.
posted by box at 2:05 PM on September 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
So the Emmys are just a competition to find the least-worst among a group of celebrity vanity projects?
Sounds about right.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 2:38 PM on September 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Sounds about right.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 2:38 PM on September 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Can someone explain to me why black presidents need to be PERFECT in order to be due respect? Cause I don't understand.
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 3:07 PM on September 4, 2022 [15 favorites]
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 3:07 PM on September 4, 2022 [15 favorites]
Great speaking and singing voice, and Obama has solid comedic timing. Still, adapting one of his books for the stage, co-writing a new play, or producing is likelier for the Tony.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:12 PM on September 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:12 PM on September 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm a little baffled by the tone this comments section has taken. Of all the things that you can (legitimately or not) criticize the Obama administration and Obama himself for, going after the narration of a fairly inoffensive Netflix nature series has got to be pretty far down the list. I threw this on when I had to spend an evening doing a bunch of admin work; Obama's good a good voice, the visuals were great, and it's not the worst thing Netflix can blow millions of dollars on. David Attenborough is in his nineties so if Obama wants a second career in voiceover work, I'm sure it's his for the taking.
posted by fortitude25 at 3:21 PM on September 4, 2022 [24 favorites]
posted by fortitude25 at 3:21 PM on September 4, 2022 [24 favorites]
“The Emmys are all politics, that’s why, despite nominations, The Apprentice never won—even though it should have won many times over,” he tweeted.
At the debate, Trump doubled down on his complaint about not winning an Emmy.
“I should’ve gotten it,” he said.
11 years later, at a fucking presidential debate, no less. He still burns that he never got that Emmy.
Hamberders will be hitting the wall today and I love it.
posted by adept256 at 3:25 PM on September 4, 2022 [14 favorites]
At the debate, Trump doubled down on his complaint about not winning an Emmy.
“I should’ve gotten it,” he said.
11 years later, at a fucking presidential debate, no less. He still burns that he never got that Emmy.
Hamberders will be hitting the wall today and I love it.
posted by adept256 at 3:25 PM on September 4, 2022 [14 favorites]
Bet they gave it to Obama partly to wind Trump up. Plus, giving it to Obama adds more luster to the Emmys than it does to Obama, not to mention that with the Trump pot about to boil over once again, giving it to Obama attracts more attention than about anybody else they could have chosen.
posted by jamjam at 3:53 PM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jamjam at 3:53 PM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
11 years later, at a fucking presidential debate, no less. He still burns that he never got that Emmy.
He essentially ran for president because Obama made fun of him.
posted by Splunge at 4:19 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
He essentially ran for president because Obama made fun of him.
posted by Splunge at 4:19 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Yeah it's really the PEGONT, isn't it, as he's got that Nobel too. I am really looking forward to seeing what he does to get that Tony. Feels like the Oscar should be a lot easier for him to check off the list, he can just do some kind of documentary and they'll give it to him no problem
posted by potrzebie at 10:07 PM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by potrzebie at 10:07 PM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
I watched all the episodes and thought it was fine. Beautiful cinematography and the hook was at least a little bit novel...not National Parks are wonderful and important and threatened but these National Parks all over the world are wonderful and important and threatened. Obama's involvement definitely helps get this made to cover places not usually in the forefront of American's thoughts.
As for his narration, again fine and yes the dialog was a bit weak and obvious and insipid...which I think sounds worse when you have such a powerful orator giving it. You could almost say it was at times like he was doing an David Attenborough parody.
I am glad this work exists, I'm just surprised it won this award. As an aside, Barack Obama appears to wear the same outfit in the intro segments to all the episodes. I found that humorous.
posted by mmascolino at 7:10 AM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
As for his narration, again fine and yes the dialog was a bit weak and obvious and insipid...which I think sounds worse when you have such a powerful orator giving it. You could almost say it was at times like he was doing an David Attenborough parody.
I am glad this work exists, I'm just surprised it won this award. As an aside, Barack Obama appears to wear the same outfit in the intro segments to all the episodes. I found that humorous.
posted by mmascolino at 7:10 AM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Guys: If you want to get angry at a former president, it isn't exactly like you need to scrape the bottom of the outrage barrel in the year 2022.
posted by schmod at 8:19 AM on September 5, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by schmod at 8:19 AM on September 5, 2022 [6 favorites]
mmascolino, the same outfit is worn to help post-production editing continuity.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:43 AM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:43 AM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
He did the best narration of the films nominated— but that’s not saying much. Power level—I’m an Emmy voter.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:39 AM on September 5, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by Ideefixe at 11:39 AM on September 5, 2022 [9 favorites]
(I like to darkly imagine that David Attenborough has an evil entourage like Michael Jackson, withholding all the good meds each day until he reads three episodes worth of voice overs.)
(Also, there's so much David Attenborough voice samples available that I expect we'll be listening to AI generated David Attenborough voice until the end of time.)
note: this comment was previously accidentally posted to the wrong thread, where it made no sense at all.
posted by kaibutsu at 8:24 PM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
(Also, there's so much David Attenborough voice samples available that I expect we'll be listening to AI generated David Attenborough voice until the end of time.)
note: this comment was previously accidentally posted to the wrong thread, where it made no sense at all.
posted by kaibutsu at 8:24 PM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
My disappointment with Obama comes from the part he is playing in the destruction of Jackson Park in Chicago to build his presidential library which won't be a presidential library but instead be a cultural center with an adjacent tiger woods designed golf course. To do that he is behind the destruction half of the largest wooded area and only forest anywhere near tens of thousands of Chicagoans.
He is winning awards for doing a documentary on great parks while cutting down half of the only major forest on Chicago's lakefront.
It is very Obama frankly.
posted by srboisvert at 12:52 PM on September 6, 2022
He is winning awards for doing a documentary on great parks while cutting down half of the only major forest on Chicago's lakefront.
It is very Obama frankly.
posted by srboisvert at 12:52 PM on September 6, 2022
'Half the forest'. The Tiger Woods design combines existing golf courses in the park; the U of Chicago's bid to partner with the foundation for the center included golf-course renovation. "Discussions regarding the renovation of the Jackson Park and South Shore Cultural golf courses date back to the Jackson Park Framework plan of the early 2000s, or prior."
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:54 PM on September 6, 2022
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:54 PM on September 6, 2022
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