Capitalogix

The President, as Comedian-In-Chief

President Obama was a hit at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner last week.

Jay Leno was the headliner at the dinner, and Obama called him "the only person whose ratings fell more than mine."

Leno observed that Obama was less aloof than he appears ... "He loves to socialize ... health care, car companies," naming industries where the Obama administration has intervened.

The President got more laughs than Leno.  Perhaps part of that was in deference to positional power; however, give Obama some credit - he hired staff writers from The Daily Show to come up with his material.

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KFC's Double Down Sandwich - The New Health Food?

KFC's new Double Down sandwich has been getting tons of press since its ingredients were revealed. Some blogs are calling the sandwich "disgusting", while others gleefully talk about their eating experience.

The Double Down is essentially a sandwich with two chicken fillets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses, and a "zesty" sauce (you know, things your cardiologist is secretly happy you're putting into your system).

How Bad For You is Eating Something Like This?

While it certainly doesn't qualify as health food ... it also doesn't have bread.  Further, according to KFC, it weighs in at a reasonable 540 calories, 32 grams of fat, and (a less reasonable) 1,380 milligrams of sodium,  Other sources argue that the calorie count is much higher.

Regardless, there are lots of fast foods worse for you than this sandwich (click here to see the rankings).  Some even claim the Double Down is healthier for you than a salad (see why).

It Might Not Be Great Food, But the Marketing Is Working.

The marketing has been pretty effective driving demand and generating buzz in the media.  Here is one of their commercials.

After seeing it, my teenage son begged me to get him one. Okay, it didn't take much persuading.

Nonetheless, I've been counting calories, recently, and logging what I eat in an attempt to eat healthier and lose weight. Like my wife, my skinny pants (still patiently waiting in an under-used corner of the closet) hoped I would put up more of a fight than I did.

In advertising, attention is good (even if some of it is controversial). It looks like the folks at this Pepsi spin-off, Yum Brands, have a hit. Not only are people who wouldn't normally eat at a KFC, now eating at KFC ... There's a bunch of folks fighting about whether this is a good or bad thing.

When Wendy's came out with the Clara Peller commercials, with the tag-line: "Where's the beef?" ... it changed their business. Kentucky Fried Chicken needs a tag-line (or brand promise) that will capture more than the disgust of the American public, if they want this to last.

Now that KFC is getting buzz, the bigger questing is whether it will have a lasting impact on their sales?

Other Links.

• ZeitGeist: KFC's shocking new sandwich (YouTube)
• KFC's Double Down: A cheesy, sodium-filled sandwich -- will you be buying? (LATimes)
• Here is KFC's Press Release about the sandwich. (KFC)

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Watch as Texas Stadium Implodes

Whether you love or hate the Dallas Cowboys, you might enjoy watching the demolition of Texas Stadium.  It was vacated when the Cowboys moved to their new $1.2 billion plus home last year.

Texas Stadium was built in 1971 at a cost of $35 million.  The implosion cost $6 million.

What's Next for that Land?

The Texas Department of Transportation is paying $16 million to rent the space, for 84 months, as a staging zone for construction projects.

Here Are Some Videos.

Here is a video from the outside.

Here is a 360° immersion video of the explosion. You can click and drag to see different perspectives of how it happened, from inside the Stadium.

Other Resources.

• Here is what the Dallas Morning News had to say.
• Here is what that site looks like now.
• Here are links to other videos of the demolition.

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Did You Claim the Banks as Dependents On Your Taxes This Year?

Tax-Time came and went last week.  Can you imagine all the calls the IRS had to take from Tea-Party participants and other citizens.

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The Internet Is Apparently for Porn

My Internet provider recently doubled the speed of service in our area.  Seemingly everyone I tell makes a joke about quicker access to porn.  In that spirit, here are two videos poking fun at that.

First, the Onion jokes that Congress passed the Pornographic Media Concealment Act, to hide this generation's porn habit from future generations. 

Congress Announces Plan To Hide Nation's Porn From Future Generations

And here is "The Internet Is For Porn", a number from Avenue Q. Here are the lyrics.

That was a funny show, and worth seeing if you get the chance.

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Jobs Delivers the iPad to the Multitudes

Hopefully you had a nice Easter weekend, or Passover weekend, or Final Four weekend ... or if you were lucky, an iPad weekend.

As a staunch early-adopter, it surprises me to report that I do not (yet) have an iPad.  Miracles do happen.

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Obama Scores Big During the Final Four Telecast

President Obama played a game of H-O-R-S-E with former NBA star Clark Kellogg during the Final Four telecast yesterday. My expectations were low, and I expected it to be corny.

Unlike the North Korean Supreme Leader's penchant for hitting fictional hole-in-one shots on the golf course, Obama started slow and was willing to show some weakness.  Nonetheless, throughout the video, he seemed confident and athletic.  Moreover, the bantering and interplay seemed to provide some insights into the President's psyche.

All-in-all, I thought it was a good move by him ... and that it did a nice job of polishing-up his image and reminding people why he is so popular.

Here's the video from CBS sports.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

As you may know, Obama is a lefty.  When asked if he can you go to his right, Obama replies: "I can go to my right, but I prefer my left." 

One more note, Obama's personal aide is Reggie Love, a former Duke basketball player. 

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The Egg Trick: TV From a Different Age

Here is a skit from Johnny Carson and Dom DeLuise.  It's funny to see how talk shows have changed.

It is a different kind of clean ... and a different kind of dirty.

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One Small Step for the Saints, One Giant Leap for New Orleans

Mardi Gras does not officially start for another week ... but the party has already started.

Watching with my son, I was amazed how many times he would tell me he wanted Doritos ... right after seeing their ad.

Here is a link to watch all the 2010 Super Bowl Ads in one place.

An Even-Tempered Apology, SNL Skit

Andy Samberg channels White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, in this bleep-ridden skit.

The premise is that the White House Chief of Staff offers his apologies for some recent comments. 

It made me laugh out loud and wonder what politics would be like if people actually said what they were thinking.

Here is a link if you want to read a transcript.