Obama Takes a Selfie at Nelson Mandela’s Memorial — MAJOR FAIL?

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Adults are always preaching about my generation. “You’re so consumed with technology you’re missing the world around you,” they say. And while I usually liken their sentiments to a ‘Midnight in Paris’ style critique, this might be the first times in history I’ll join the outrage. In case you missed it, President Obama took a selfie with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in South Africa.

The media is predictably and justifiably aghast. Though this was a memorial, not a funeral, the point remains the same. While celebrating the life of such an esteemed legend, is it appropriate to take a selfie? Is the narcissistic school-kid behavior appropriate for the President, or this too harsh a standard for the man who has predicated his presidency on being relatable? The answer is simple. Our leaders are held to higher standards, and had this been a personal friend, my reaction would be equal in its outrage. There are times for selfies (see Kim Kardashian), and this was not it. To see the photos in question, click HERE.

Kerry Washington Fills the Black Hole on Saturday Night Live

The Dishmaster loves nothing more than when power players poke fun at themselves, and Saturday Night Live accomplished just that with Kerry Washington as its host. Washington’s skit addressed the often maligned SNL black-woman-casting-drought in a skit that forced her to play numerous black characters back-to-back. Watch below to see her spot-on Michelle Obama and Oprah, followed by some hilarious subtitles from SNL during her time off screen.

Robert De Niro Apologizes to Michelle Obama: Fire His Joke Writer?

Robert De Niro was forced to apologize for a joke I’m confident he didn’t write. The debacle began at a Democratic fundraiser when De Niro introduced the First Lady, saying, “Callista Gingrich, Karen Santorum, Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?” Michelle Obama wasn’t pleased, calling his comment “inappropriate.” De Niro quickly apologized. Since this isn’t the first time De Niro has failed at joke-telling (see his Lifetime Achievement Award speech at the Golden Globes), I’m confident they aren’t his jokes he’s telling. He’s notorious for avoiding public appearances, and he rarely grants interviews. In fact, he only publicly promotes the films which he produces, because he has a financial stake in their success (see Meet the Fockers), and when he does — he never tells jokes. So what’s my point? I know he’s responsible for the joke-gone-wrong, but cut the guy some slack. Contrary to the barbs being thrown at him, sometimes a bad joke really is just a bad joke.