President Obama took on the title of “Comedian-in-Chief” this week when he was interviewed by actor Zach Galifianakis for an episode of Funny or Die’s web series, “Between Two Ferns.” In the nearly seven minute interview, the president and Galifianakis covered a wide range of urgent topics like Bradley Cooper’s star power in The Hangover, but given the shows main viewing demographic, it was clear that President Obama had other messages to convey.
Mainly, he was aiming to encourage young Americans to sign up for ObamaCare before the open enrollment deadline on March 31st. While his appearance won him praise from millennials like his daughter Malia, critics were not as pleased. But those who felt that the president’s interview somehow sullied the prestige of the Oval Office and insisted that past presidents would have never entertained such a “low-brow” interview might want to check the history books. On Sunday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, we’ll discuss the success of President Obama’s strategy to communicate with younger Americans in an age where digital news consumption is outpacing its traditional competitors.
In this week’s Race Talk segment, we’re taking a look at the findings of a new report published by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that set out to quantify just how differently black children are viewed and treated by their peers and law enforcement solely based on race.
We’ll also discuss the growing number of same-sex African American couples living in southern states and the overall fight for LGBT rights south of the Mason-Dixon line.
On Sunday, we will also bring you the latest news on the Crimean referendum to join Russia and the status of the ongoing situation in Ukraine as well as the developing news surrounding Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. We’ll also welcome author and journalist Melissa Gira Grant to discuss a new study about sex work and her new book, Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work. Read an excerpt here, and some of her most recent reporting here. Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 10 a.m. EST on MSNBC! Jonathan Capehart, opinion writer for the Washington Post, will be in for Melissa. Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
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