Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
Art really does imitate life.
Actors Key and Peele have some of the most culturally classic skits, and one that always seems relevant is the Obama ‘Meet & Greet’ one from 2014.
In the skit, President Barack Obama, played by Jordan Peele, greets various politicians, but his approach changes depending on the person’s race. For all the white men, it’s a firm handshake, but for Black women, it’s a hug, and Black men get the classic dap and a generally warmer interaction.
To make the skit even more hilarious, Obama actually pulled it off while attending an event, sending Team USA to the Paris Summer Olympic Games. In the video, Obama can be seen greeting players like Anthony Edwards, Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis with daps and pulling them in for hugs.
However, when he greets head coach Steve Kerr and Assistant Coach Erik Spoelstra, he’s decidedly more buttoned up.
Love when Obama does the Key & Peele handshake line skit in real life
pic.twitter.com/iDMVhSSngb
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) July 10, 2024
After the handshake line, he immediately got on the mic, and turned on his charismatic personality to tell those in attendance what he expects from the team.
“It is true, I am the hooper in chief,” he jokes. ” I just wanna come here to obviously send off the soon-to-be gold medal winners. We invented this game, and I don’t like it when we don’t win. Assuming they play as a team, their talent would be unmatched. I’m pretty confident they’re going to bring back the gold and represent us the way we should be represented around the world.”
It turns out Obama was right.
As the USA begins its quest for a fifth straight Olympic gold medal, they took on a Canada in an exhibition game stacked with Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dillon Brooks. They struggled early on, missing their first six shots, but once they began to gel as a unit –and share the ball, they cruised to an 86-72 win.
Social media is always here for an Obama cameo. See the reactions below.
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