Obama impersonator cut off at Republican conference

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1 of 3. Reggie Brown, impersonating President Barack Obama, speaks during the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana June 18, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Lee Celano

NEW ORLEANS | Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:54pm EDT

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A comedian impersonating President Barack Obama was cut short and ushered off the stage at a gathering of Republican activists on Saturday after a series of off-color jokes.

The Obama impersonator, Reggie Brown, poked fun at Obama's biracial heritage, a gay congressman and several of the Republican presidential candidates before Republican Leadership Conference organizer Anthony Davis cut him off.

As Obama, whose father was black and mother was white, Brown said he celebrated half of Black History Month.

He also made a joke about Democratic Representative Barney Frank, who is gay, mocked Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith and said Republican Tim Pawlenty needed a spinal transplant after his failure to confront Romney on healthcare at a debate earlier this week.

As Brown was launching into a joke about Republican Michele Bachmann, the music came up and Davis came on stage to cut him off.

(Editing by Peter Cooney)
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Comments (18)
JamVee wrote:
Whoever had that bright idea has probably left town by now. If not, they should!

Jun 18, 2011 6:54pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Paavopri wrote:
Yup, that’s the GOP for you. Clueless racist SOBs who don’t give a hoot about jobs, the economy, the middle class or anything except making Obama and the Dems look bad.

Jun 18, 2011 8:13pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
wjrp wrote:
@Paavopri … You’re wrong. Here are a few more things GOP “representatives” care about: ensuring continued financial support from their super-wealthy backers, bashing 90% of government to hinder its agility aiding economic recovery with a Democrat in the White House, and staying in the good graces of Fox “News.”

What pushed them over the edge about the Obama impersonator’s routine probably wasn’t its off-coloration but its lack of conformity with the GOP’s incredibly disingenuous talking points.

Jun 18, 2011 10:41pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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