Lightning Rod

Obama's Lox Gag Released Back Into the Wild

Ray Gustini Jan 26, 2011
Between encouraging all Americans to embrace the challenge of "winning the future" and telling everyone what life is going to be like when sentient, high-speed trains start roaming the countryside in packs, President Obama managed to slip a joke into his State of the Union address last night. It is about government inefficiency and fish, and is embedded below. We're not ruining anything when we say the punchline is "smoked salmon." On Twitter, those who heard the gag live struggled to piece it back together:





Wow, what a speech.  He even did a lox gag.less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®


I did not see a salmon joke coming. Borsht Belt!less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPad


Lox of love in the chamber for the smoked salmon joke.less than a minute ago via TweetDeck


Secretary Lox, not Locke, should be in charge if smoked salmonless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®


Obama Calls Out 'Axis of Lox': Interior Department, the Commerce Department and a mystery third agencyless than a minute ago via web


Now taking high speed rail from Columbia Heights to Georgia Avenue. Expecting some lox on board.less than a minute ago via ÜberTwitter


Obama's smoked salmon joke was blatant pandering for the Jeremy Piven vote #tcotless than a minute ago via web


"Lox roflcopter w/ no engine lollllllll!" #fakebidentweetsless than a minute ago via TweetDeck


Joe Lieberman would be a great candidate to head up the consolidated salmon regulator. Lox for all!less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPad


So, through Twitter I learned tonight that "lox" & "smoked salmon" are the same thing. The world is a little more boring now.less than a minute ago via web


Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at rgustini at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Topics:
Related Articles   More by Ray Gustini

Maybe America Should Have a King

Obama Promised 'Rainbows and Puppies'

The Ex-President Who Loves to Wade In

 

Times of London Drops Paywall for Queen; Book of Mormon Stolen

Katie Couric, Snooki Knocker; Lil Wayne Isn't Getting Comped

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App