Second City Gives Obama Starring Role

Thanks to the work of politically minded comedians, it usually doesn't take long before a president can be boiled down to a single derogatory word. But with Barack Obama, the comedy world is still trying to figure out how best to go after the leader of the free world.

"Comics try to find these one-dimensional hooks: Bush is dumb, Clinton is dirty, Ross Perot is crazy, and they play on that," says Marc Warzecha, the director of "Barack Stars," a revue-style comedy show that Second City Theatricals is bring to Woolly Mammoth Theatre next week. "With Obama . . . you see a lot of comedy heightening how wonderful Obama is, exaggerating that to a great degree."

The picture that's emerging, then, is one in which Obama's greatest weakness is his own greatness, which doesn't necessarily sound like the worst thing one could say about the man.

But that doesn't mean that Obama isn't giving comedians hooks to latch onto.

"It's a fact that he's not an idiot who's making faux pas on a daily basis," says Kelly Leonard, the president of Second City's touring troupe. "However, there's really rich stuff to delve into with regard to the cult of this figure that is very cool. And both the positive and negative in regards to that."

And, Leonard adds, "we've got Joe Biden. He's always gonna say something stupid. He's a gold mine."

Regardless of political affiliation, one couldn't fault the Chicago-based troupe for pulling for the city's favorite son. Discussions to bring an Obama-themed show to Woolly Mammoth began nearly two years ago, Leonard says, when Obama's odds looked long.

The company had written the satirical "Between Barack and a Hard Place" at the beginning of his candidacy and found huge success by exploring his rising stock as a cultural icon.

The latest show builds on that and takes aim not only at Obama but also at others in the Illinois-heavy administration, including White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, and the city of Chicago itself.

"Rahm comes across as very strong-willed," Leonard says, noting that many figures satirized onstage, or their loved ones, have seen "Between Barack" in Chicago.

"Rahm's parents gave us a thumbs-up, which is either really disturbing for him, or great. When Barack and Michelle saw the show, they really enjoyed it," he says.

But will any of those mentioned in "Barack Stars" have the guts to sit in on one of the upcoming performances?

"Politicians get scared around the humor thing, because you're going to risk looking stupid. . . . I think this is an administration that gets it," Leonard says.

"I'd love them to come, and I think there's power in people on the left and the right getting together to laugh at each other. I think that's good for the country."

Barack Stars Second City at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. http://www.woollymammoth.net. Tuesday through Aug. 2. $40, pay-what-you-can tickets available beginning at 6:30 p.m. for Tuesday's show.