President Obama is going to have a lot more free time on his hands come Jan. 20. And who better to tell him how to spend it than his old pal John Boehner, who left office at the end of October?
The former Speaker of the House made a surprising cameo at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in a video entitled “Couch Commander.” Boehner is seen coaching the president on how to let loose after eight years in the oval office. The on-screen appearance features Boehner and Obama relaxing in the front row of the White House Family Theatre.
In a nod to Boehner’s frequent waterworks, the former speaker wipes his eyes while Obama announces: “That is a great movie!” Boehner agrees, “Yeah, it gets me every time.” It’s later revealed that the pair are watching the 1995 children’s film Toy Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJJTVZRe3f0
“So, you got any advice for me?” Obama asks, to which Boehner replies: “Oh, now you want me advice?”
The speaker goes on to tell the president to stop sending him LinkedIn requests and to just embrace his identity without worrying about the same type of public scrutiny as when he was in office. “You’ve got all the time in the world to figure this out. You can just be you for a while,” Boehner says.
The advice seems to go over well. Obama decides he’s excited about busting out his “mom jeans” again. “You’ve got plenty of time to work on your tan,” Boehner adds, taking a shot at his own famous orange complexion.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an annual tradition, which began in 1924 and is hosted by the White House Correspondents Association. Proceeds from the event go to benefit journalism students. Since the 80s, the dinner typically takes on the form of a “roast” of the sitting president.
The 2016 dinner was hosted by comedian Larry Wilmore, host of the Nightly Show. Past emcees during the Obama administration include Cecily Strong, Conan O’Brien, Wanda Sykes, and Seth Meyers, among others.
You can watch the president’s entire White House correspondents’ dinner speech here.
