Highlights from Obama’s talk with Jerry Seinfeld

And when Obama tries, he gets a more respectful, but still firm no. So they get into “The Beast”, President Obama’s presidential vehicle, and grab a coffee at the White House instead.

United States President Barack Obama has taken a short spin with comedian Jerry Seinfeld for his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee web series, telling him “a pretty sizeable percentage” of world leaders may be insane.

Seinfeld believes Obama “has gotten off enough amusing lines to be qualified for this show”. I’m quoting Jerry Seinfeld about the 1963 Corvette Stingray Split Window Coupe.

In fact, Obama says that little things like that are the ones he misses about his pre-presidential days.

The conversation is refreshingly candid and lighthearted.

The light-hearted interview ranged from Obama’s favourite food, his choice of underwear, to how he deals with being the most powerful man in the world.

The show was filmed on the White House grounds because Obama wasn’t allowed to slip past security. Seinfeld compliments Obama for “cutting all that red tape in Washington” when Obama appears to answer the call directly.

“Anonymity is not something you think about as being valuable”.

“Do they wash these?” he asks, eliciting a chortle from President Obama, who is seated behind his desk. Little kids love saying my name, but it’s all one big name. The President was clever, amusing and put up with the comedian when the spirit of the show and its often rapid-fire exchange of barbs turned stupid.

“Nachos”, he said. “That’s one of those where I have to have it taken away”.

“With all due respect”, Seinfeld said, “I remember very well not being famous”.

“I do really well with the 0 to 8 demographic”, Obama said.

When the star of the long-running sitcom looked offended, Obama shot again, asking “Are you still doing stand-up?”

“Teddy Roosevelt would go up to Yellowstone Park for, like, a month, and nobody knew where he was”.

The White House press office noted the show’s release as the president was vacationing in Hawaii.