Article Lead Image

President Obama’s ‘Between Two Ferns’ interview got an Emmy nod

He's the POTUS with an Emmy nomination.

 

Michelle Jaworski

Streaming

Posted on Jul 10, 2014   Updated on May 30, 2021, 11:47 pm CDT

President Barack Obama may have another title to add soon to his collection: Emmy winner.

His interview with Zach Galifianakis on Funny or Die’s Between Two Ferns, where Galifianakis works his way through awkward celebrity Q&As, has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program. Officially, Executive Producers Galifianakis, Scott Aukerman, B.J. Porter, and Mike Farah would receive the award.

In the interview, Galifianakis and Obama traded zingers back and forth on topics ranging from the abysmal third Hangover movie to what it was like being the “last black president.” The episode’s success prevented Funny or Die from loading properly, and it’s been watched more than 22 million times to date.

Obama urged the site’s younger audience to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, is credited with increasing traffic to Heathcare.gov 40 percent.

White House aides congratulated Obama and the other nominees on Twitter.

Congrats @FunnyOrDie @Galifianakisz @ScottAukerman @mike_farah & that one community organizer on your Emmy nomination for Between Two Ferns

— Valerie Jarrett (@vj44) July 10, 2014

Between Two Ferns with POTUS just nominated for an Emmy!

— Eric Schultz (@Schultz44) July 10, 2014

Between Two Ferns episode w/ President Obama just nominated for an Emmy! @funnyordie @ScottAukerman @galifianakisz

— Dag Vega (@DagVega44) July 10, 2014

Between Two Ferns faces tough competition against Adult Swim’s Childrens Hospital, the Super Bowl halftime show, and two shows that have a connection to the president: The Soup’s True Detective parody which starred White House correspondents’ dinner host Joel McHale, and Web content from Parks and Recreation, which guest-starred Vice President Joe Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The Creative Arts Emmys will take place on Aug. 16.

H/T The Hill | Photo via Funny Or Die/YouTube

Share this article
*First Published: Jul 10, 2014, 1:15 pm CDT