Too good to check: Barackopolis brought to you by Britney Spears’ designers
posted at 1:30 pm on August 28, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
As if the Temple of the One had not embarrassed the Democrats enough, the New York Post discovers that it links Barack Obama and Britney Spears — again. Team Obama complained when John McCain’s “Celebrity” ad compared Obama and Spears to define Obama as a celebrity without any substance. So why did they turn to the Spears team to design their Greek temple of a set?
Democrats will kneel before the “Temple of Obama” tonight.
As if a Rocky Mountain coronation were not lofty enough, Barack Obama will aim for Mount Olympus when he accepts his party’s nomination atop an enormous, Greek-columned stage – built by the same cheesy set team that put together Britney Spears’ last tour. …
“We’ve done Britney’s sets and a whole bunch of rock shows, but this was far more elaborate and complicated and we had to do it in far less time,” said Allen, of RDA Entertainment.
Who gets more temperamental? Allen: “I better not answer that.”
The ads just write themselves …
And then we have an earlier connection to Spears, one that ironically hinted at the cult of celebrity. This is from May 2007:
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that before presidential hopeful Barack Obama gave a speech Tuesday night at the Plant Zero art gallery in Richmond, VA, his people asked for a painting of Spears, 25, to be covered.
The piece is a 6 by 10 foot reproduction of Brit’s infamous panty-less car exit, called “Snake Charmer” (and it can be yours for just $5,000!). The artist, Jamie Boling, told the Times-Dispatch that the painting “depicts this culture’s preoccupation with celebrity.” We’re guessing the Obama campaign had a different interpretation, adopting the parlance of Ms. Spears’ driver that fateful night, Paris Hilton, in order to deem the piece a “not hot” speech backdrop.
I’d say that Boling has another subject for his celebrity-mania motif.
Update: Should have been the New York Post, not the New York Times. And, courtesy of Rush Limbaugh and the Daily Mail, we have a picture of a replica Air Force One being hauled into Invesco. If you’re going to be presumptuous, you may as well go all the way…
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It’s the NY Post, not the Times.
Caiwyn on August 28, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Rush quite literally just mentioned this… and I just barely stopped laughing. Ed hit the button again.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Obfuscate me baby one more time!
MB007 on August 28, 2008 at 1:35 PM
Does this mean that B.O. will come on stage with a boa wrapped around his shoulders?
pilamaye on August 28, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Really? That’s awesome!
Maybe he’ll get the 14 year old vote, seven years ago.
mjk on August 28, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Rush also mentioned that the camera perspective they use will make Barack look as large as that huge facade. Godlike?
RBMN on August 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Or get out of the car minus his underpants?
(sorry folks)
BigD on August 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Thid joker Obama is way over the top. If he gets elected, the people of the United States will be the laughing stock of the civilized world.
“As a circle of light increases, so does the area of darkness arount it”. Obama is the rebel without a clue.
saiga on August 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Calwyn is right.
Terrye on August 28, 2008 at 1:39 PM
“Ooops! He did it again!”
Sorry.
Tony737 on August 28, 2008 at 1:39 PM
You are an evil man.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Big D:
How will we know if he is wearing underwear…oh yeah, the toga.
Terrye on August 28, 2008 at 1:40 PM
No; just the dems wrapped around his finger.
saiga on August 28, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Amazing Toga Toga Toga…
http://imustimes.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/imus-dowd-democrats-self-destructive/
Dr Evil on August 28, 2008 at 1:41 PM
No boas around his shoulders but a halo around his head.
Bishop on August 28, 2008 at 1:42 PM
The photo gallery is the best I’ve seen of Obama’s Temple. Those comparing it to the 2004 Republican Convention must be using wishful thinking and not photographs. This does not look at all look like the White House or any other Washington monument. It is clearly a Greek Temple. And the Brittney connection is frosting on the cake.
Loxodonta on August 28, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Well, he might be lip-syncing his acceptance speech…
JetBoy on August 28, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Perhaps a surprise guest will run on stage, pull open Hussein’s lapel and expose his obamanipple.
whitetop on August 28, 2008 at 1:45 PM
“Barack Hussein Obama” in NYTimes!
Anita on August 28, 2008 at 1:45 PM
I read somewhere that the podium is equippd with some sort of hydraulic lifter…o, let it be true! Watching Obama ascend to be viewed and adored in such a mystical, magical manner, just like in a rock concert, would be soooo great. If it was planned, I bet that elevation optic was cancelled. But we can hope, can’t we?
marybel on August 28, 2008 at 1:45 PM
And we’ll keep hearing about it…
and hearing about it…
and hearing about it…
and hearing about it…
for the next two years.
Longer if he wins.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Do you realize what this means?!
Obama & Biden are going to give their interpretation of the Madonna-Spears tonguing from the MTV Music Awards!
Oh Happy Days!
TheHat on August 28, 2008 at 1:47 PM
I feel a new commercial coming on.
tarpon on August 28, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Of course! Why else do you think the leaders he had his picture taken with looked happy. Behind the scenes they were laughing hysterically at how this amateur has already conceded everything to everyone on the planet and he’s not even in office.
The world will be thrilled to have him, since he will without question appease everyone. Ya’ll remember how well that worked out for France with Hitler, right?
Damiano on August 28, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Haha…wow, I’m getting good at this prognostication stuff.
From August 19th:
http://thirdbasepolitics.blogspot.com/2008/08/picking-mccains-vp-and-britneyfication.html
EduardoOTI on August 28, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Does this mean the “Leave Britney Alone” guy/gal is gonna be his White House Press Secretary?
LibTired on August 28, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Obama & Biden are going to give their interpretation of the Madonna-Spears tonguing from the MTV Music Awards!
Oh Happy Days!
TheHat on August 28, 2008 at 1:47 PM
I just barfed a bit. I’m going to find you and pay you back for that.
Bishop on August 28, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Really, is there a difference anymore?
DanStark on August 28, 2008 at 1:50 PM
From this vantage point, he will be the nipple.
RushBaby on August 28, 2008 at 1:50 PM
If BHO manages to get elected, he could move the State of the Union address to Las Vegas. There are some unused Siegfried & Roy sets out there that he could probably pick up for a song.
Cicero43 on August 28, 2008 at 1:51 PM
I’ve heard that the podium raises up into the air and that they are bringing in dry ice. This can’t get any better!
sabbott on August 28, 2008 at 1:53 PM
I remember when this happened. Here’s some more from the RTD story:
Brat on August 28, 2008 at 1:57 PM
I dunno, from what I hear it’s supposed to make him look gigantic rather than tiny. The speaking podium’s way out in front or something, so the pillars will look small behind him.
(Translation: He IS going for the Zeus look. Towering over the Parthenon and everything.)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Hey, rock stars go commando all the time so it shouldn’t be unusual.
What would be unusual would be the big O getting out of the car with his fly undone, with his junk flying about, with his wife (aide?) following him wiping something of their lips.
Keith_Indy on August 28, 2008 at 1:59 PM
He IS going for the Zeus look. – *eats*
Yeah, He wants to be the God of Thunder and Lightning, yet He doesn’t think we need anti-missile lasers. How ironic.
Tony737 on August 28, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Rush just mentioned that a flat-bed truck is pulling a 707 boeing presidential plane into Invesco field.
Wow! are you kidding- please God let this be true!
jjshaka on August 28, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Isnt there a Pontius Pilot out there someplace??
Viper1 on August 28, 2008 at 2:01 PM
The echo should be awesome.. awesome.. awesome…
becki51758 on August 28, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Or get out of the car minus his underpants?
(sorry folks)
BigD on August 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Dude, please!
SKYFOX on August 28, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Judge for yourself (scroll down)
RushBaby on August 28, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Which gives it much more credibility!
bill30097 on August 28, 2008 at 2:05 PM
This is off-topic, but some Fox radio reporter just said that Stevie Wonder is at Invesco Field “practicing.” And I thought, does Stevie Wonder “practice?” Rehearse, maybe, Compose, maybe. Warm up, even. But practice?
BigD on August 28, 2008 at 2:06 PM
It looks like a replica of the White House to me, Not any greek temple.
sheesh with the dramatics.
bridgetown on August 28, 2008 at 2:06 PM
No, that is for an exhibit, not for The O’s speech.
Air Force One replica lands at Invesco for exhibit
Brat on August 28, 2008 at 2:08 PM
People freak out about “greedy, rich” republicans…..and look at the money being spent here. This is absurd! But he isn’t being called on it.
But…looks like he’s making a little playhouse..complete with air force one.
Maybe he, too, knows that he won’t be making it to the real white house.
Go to Hollywood, Obamas. That’s where you belong.
bridgetown on August 28, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Maybe I’m being too nice, but I think this is making something out of nothing. Now Obama has to vet the set designers, because they (gasp!) might have been linked to a celebrity he was recently compared to?
This is nothing. Somebody has to design the sets. The real issue is that the Obama camp approved of the Greek look.
jimmy the notable on August 28, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Whatever.
It looks great. The “greek” look, as you all say.
It really does look good.
And he is going to look great speaking there.
I just think it’s an absurd waste of cash. There’s a perfectly good stage already set up…where his wife spoke.
bridgetown on August 28, 2008 at 2:12 PM
I gave my love a chicken that had no bone….Toga! Toga! Toga!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o-SuRXwK5o
Dr Evil on August 28, 2008 at 2:13 PM
blind to reality, addlebrained, inexperienced, arrogant.
not traits you want in a presidential candidate.
jimmer on August 28, 2008 at 2:14 PM
here was his original set but they thought better of it . Not God enough like for the chosen one
Mojack420 on August 28, 2008 at 2:15 PM
OH SNAP
I hadn’t thought of it that way. Nice.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Of course if he were a Republican this one act would spawn something similar to the 28K hits one gets typing “Ashcroft drapes” into Google.
John on August 28, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Hey BigD! It takes a lot of practice to get this right… (WARNING: this catchy tune will get stuck in your head and you will be forced to vote for The O on November 4!)
Stevie Wonder Sings a song for Barack Obama
Brat on August 28, 2008 at 2:19 PM
The opening line of His speech: “I have a delusion.”
mr.blacksheep on August 28, 2008 at 2:21 PM
I heard this in Rush’s show. It is just comedic gold. Obama has another association.
jencab on August 28, 2008 at 2:22 PM
I can guess that the Obamas wouldn’t let their daughters listen to Britney but any black rapper, that’s just fine.
Maybe I’m wrong, definitely I’m ‘racist’ for pointing it out.
Christine on August 28, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Poor Stevie Wonder…he used to be a Wonderkind. No more.
Christine on August 28, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Not the Brittney he knew just a year ago? /sarc
FugginBastid on August 28, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Give me a friggin’ break. Really? This is what political discourse has come to? Ugh.
http://thepajamapundit.com/
thePajamaPundit on August 28, 2008 at 2:47 PM
lmao, didn’t people used to complain that it was hard to get comedy value out of Obama?
Well, those bad old days are sure long gone, hehe. This guy is turning into a walking unintentional comedy act.
Aylios on August 28, 2008 at 2:51 PM
You mean they hired a professional set designer to design a set? Scandal!
Seriously, this one is reaching a bit.
SouthernDem on August 28, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Of course he doesn’t HAVE to vet them. But he didn’t and now?
Just another joke for late night. Accept late night won’t touch it their prime audience is under his spell. So we have to do it.
New point: I know this is a elitest term but doesn’t all this waste of cash sound like the “nouveau riche”. Always a little crass.
petunia on August 28, 2008 at 3:00 PM
You should all be grateful that I edit myself.
Doug on August 28, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Okay–I had to click on that Air Force One link. But it is not the cute little plane I had pictured on the field next to Mt. O-lympus. Disapointing that.
Instead of the riding flying unicorn of jibjab fame he could have walked up the steps of psuedo AF-1 waving gently good-bye… looking psuedo presidential… as the plane lofts sweetly into the night…carrying away the angelic messenger of psduedo hope and psduedo change…
But no. It is a museum exhibt. sigh.
petunia on August 28, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Obama spent all that time and money to counter McCain’s celebrity-dig ad, plus he got all verklempt and weepy over the ads, as did his campaign and his supporters… then he hires Britney Spears roadeys to build him a Greek temple inside a pro-sports stadium and hauls in a 1:1 replica of a portion of Air Force-One to add to the “show” to boot?
Is he going to climb to the top of the stairway and stand at the open hatch of the Air Force-One replica and wave goodbye after he’s done defiling the Greek Temple? Is it going to “take off” and get airborne then circle the stadium like the Chinese did with their act at the Olympics?
What a circus.
I mean, wow, all he’s doing is reinforcing that he’s just all celebrity. He’s all wrapper and no content. No substance. His whole campaign has been little, if any, different then the multimedia hype of a Hollywood agent using illusion and slight-of-hand to create the meteoric rise of a Pop star from, a no talent nothing.
No man can endure such royal and celebrity treatment and retain any semblance of humility. I bet the Obamessiah is going to owe a whole helluva lot of favors after this is all done. The way he’s being treated, and with the massive entourage he’s always surrounded by, I’d be willing to bet he even has his own personal butt wiper at this point.
SilverStar830 on August 28, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Why bring a museum exhibit AF1 to Invesco Field? Where will they place it? seems weird to me.
funky chicken on August 28, 2008 at 3:52 PM
not a scandal, just a joke. and kinda funny!
funky chicken on August 28, 2008 at 3:56 PM
It is too good to check.
However, most concert sets are fabricated by a very small number of firms. If you search “RDA Entertainment” you get nothing. Same if you search the name of the “staging supervisor.”
Sounds more likely that the “staging supervisor” wants to drum up some business for his firm, and has decided to link himself with Spears. Sad, but more likely to be true.
shibumi on August 28, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Deval Patrick will lend him his taxpayer funded $25,000 drapes to use as a backdrop and drop him off at Mount Pompous in his taxpayer funded new luxury Cadillac DTS.
Alden Pyle on August 28, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Not so much a scandal, more a confirmation of McCain’s “Celebrity” ad. Since we got a snicker out of that, Obama-sama proving him right is all the more humorous.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on August 28, 2008 at 4:05 PM
The KISS stage crew just installed explosion effects, smoke pots and pyrotechnics. Obama will rise up 30 feet over the crowd on the hydraulic podium then procede to breath fire and vomit blood.
Alden Pyle on August 28, 2008 at 4:19 PM
“A nonpartisan tribute to presidential history”
http://www.presidentialexperience.com/
What is weird to me, if they are nonpartisan, is that I don’t see anything on the website about them beign at the Republican convention.
Brat on August 28, 2008 at 4:37 PM
I can hardly wait to hear the Chosen One, Lightworking the crowd through a stadium soundsystem!
The echoes require pausing-ing-ing-ng, and slow-ow-ow-w speech that will NOT make for a rousing stemwinder of a presentation. The ‘bamster better be ready for this.
Either he makes a fool of himself for TV viewers, sounding like he has ADD, or he blows off the crowd of 80,000 drones who worked to get tickets to this rumpus and they all sit there saying “WHAT? WE CAN’T UNDERSTAND YOU, MY LORD! PASS THE LOAVES AND FISHES!”
It should be interesting to say the least!
heldmyw on August 28, 2008 at 4:47 PM
No podium in sight now on cable. It just remains to be seen if Obama is on it when it comes up. This may be truly scrumptuous.
marybel on August 28, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Can someone guess who will be the first news commentator to have an orgasm during the speech tonight? I’m not even sure if it will be a male or a female.
Goodale on August 28, 2008 at 6:34 PM
I did not need that visual, thanks a freaking lot.
[goes to barf]
fossten on August 28, 2008 at 6:56 PM
Obamatheliar is just a boy, not yet a real man!
christene on August 28, 2008 at 7:39 PM