Former president Bill Clinton sure has been getting around lately. As a showbiz personality, that is. (What did you think I meant?) Last Friday, he helped announce TV Land’s new boomer-oriented programming lineup, including shows like The Big 4-0, George Foreman reality vehicle Family Foreman, and, um, 35 and Beyond Super Model Search. And on Sunday night, he introduced a special 60th-birthday concert by Sir Elton John. Clearly, saving the world and stumping for Hillary’s White House bid aren’t scratching Bill’s itches right now. Seems that, deep down, he’s a pop-culture fiend just like us. With that in mind, may we humbly present a few other distinguished showbiz roles that the 42nd leader of the free world might want to consider?
- Oscar host: Ellen was totally solid this year, if you ask me. But more than a few viewers were a tad disappointed; somespent the big night comparing her unfavorably to Billy Crystal’sclassic late-’90s run. All of which suggests that now’s the time foranother brilliant Billy C. from that decade to show ‘em how it’s reallydone. Besides, if Al Gore’s movie can win one, surely his old boss canhand them out.
- Hypeman: What’s Bill doing right now if not playing thecolorful, fan-fave sidekick while Hillary shows the world she’s astrong, serious leader? Those skills are just begging to be put to useon a rap song. Imagine Bill shouting out ad-libs in the backgroundbehind a booming beat: "Unhhh! I feel your pain!" "I did not have sexual relations with that woman! Nope!"(Tweak the wording on that last one a little and you’ve got aguaranteed club banger.) He’d put Flavor Flav to shame in no time.
- Film producer: If Bill’s nursing any jealousy over An Inconvenient Truth’srecent Academy Award, this is the only way to go. We already know hecan raise funds like there’s no tomorrow, and what star would turn downan offer to appear in Bill Clinton’s next flick? Plus, now that Dan Glickman— who served as his loyal Secretary of Agriculture for six years — ischief of the MPAA, he should have no trouble getting whatever rating hewants, regardless of content.
- Simpsons guest: No former POTUS has ever nabbed thisholy grail of celeb cameo culture, as far as I can tell. (Unless thatwas really George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford playing themselves on the episode that saw both retired presidents moving to Springfield.) Actually, Bill didappear on the show once,over 10 years ago, but he was voiced by Phil Hartman — and theepisode’s plotline involved evil extraterrestrials who body-snatchedBill along with then-rival Bob Dole. What kind of note is that to endon?
How about it, PopWatchers? Should Bill drop everything for a shot atone of these glamorous careers, or stick to his everyday grind?
Comments (1-18) of 18 Add your comment
I think he should go into books on tape. Nothing would do Bill O’Reilly’s Culture Warrior justice but Clinton’s smooth southern lilt.
I still say he should have taken the offer to host SNL.
Any of the above could be much better than that lame episode of ‘Family Guy’. Ugh.! [I know it wasn't really him, but still!]
OH SIMON! You forgot the episode where Homer changes his name to “Max Power”. In that episode, President Bill tells Marge that he’ll be in the shed out back in case she feels like getting herself a piece of him. It was pretty funny. Another NO PRIZE for an EW Popwatch writer. GOTCHA!
As a sidenote, while they have not featured a President who used his own voice, the show’s also featured President Truman, George Washington (as a zombie), and British Prime Minister Tony Blair (who was a guest star).
Who put a non simpsons fan to post about the simpsons on a pop culture site? WORST.EDITING.EVER.
I’m sort of surprised Lorne Michaels hasn’t courted him into an SNL hosting gig yet.
He needs his own show on the Food Network. I would totally tune in to watch him BBQ with other leaders of the free world. They could all teach him how to cook their native cuisine.
As a born-again Democrat (meaning I used to be Republic, not a born-again and a Democrat), I have to say that I really miss Slick Willie in the White House. Oh, had we known what was to follow, maybe the world wouldn’t have said boo about Monica.
We should roll back those pesky term limits. I’d like the days of a balanced budget and fully-limbed military members again. Dare to dream!
Royale, there’s something really funny about Presidential Term limits. The GOP created them after FDR, but it came back and bit them in the keister.
First, Eisenhower was popular enough to have easily won a third term. Instead, the White House went to the dems in 1960.
Second, Ronald Reagan was so popular that he could have cruised to victory in 1988. And while his successor (Bush 1) did win the White House, he didn’t last to a second term.
Just think, without term limits we may never have had Presidents Kennedy OR Johnson. I doubt Reagan would have run in 1992, so Clinton would have probably still taken it then. But still, term limits are part of the reason the GOP didn’t have a resident in the white house during the 1960’s.
And while I’m a card carrying Democrat, it is MHO that both parties love America but disagree on how to make it even better.
Actually, Ep Sato, Simon’s point was that no former POTUS has done a cameo, not to list all former presidents that have appeared as characters. I’m pretty sure Truman and Washington have been dead since the Simpsons began and, thus, ruling out the cameo possibility and making your point moot.. Just sayin.. WORST.READING.COMPREHENSION.EVER
No, no, Ep, it’s a fair point that you are making. I’m just so freaking depressed as I look around our beautiful country right now. Or maybe it’s just the rain outside.
I’m with Ann – C.A.M.E.O.
I just wanted to say I want to start a petition to stop referring to US Presidents as ‘Leaders of the free world’, in the basis that
a) The Free World doesn’t necessarily regards them as such, much less participated in giving them the title.
b) I think George W. Bush kinda killed the buzz on that one.
Thank you.
To Ann and w.a.g.o.n.m.a.k.e.r:
“Actually, Bill did appear on the show once, over 10 years ago”
I was making a correction to this point, as Clinton’s appearances on the Simpsons were more than one.
My second post noted that no one caught that mistake on staff. Any questions about term limits while school is in session?
And Royale, I too have got 90’s nostalgia like a mofo. Cigars, goattees, dial-up internet access, the Matrix…those were the days.
I absolutely love Bill Clinton,best President since I have been alive.A HOLE lot better than the oil man we have in there right now George Bush.YUCK!!
ummm…hello! Clinton was just featured on the Simpsons episode last weekend. He judged a “Cankle” competition, had a limo party with fat chicks, convinced Homer to steal a pig, and, to top it all off, slept with Marge AND Homer. And, of course, he didn’t do his own voice.
I know it’s difficult to keep up with The Simpsons after 20 years, but isn’t that pretty much the EW writer’s job? Seriously…
it wasnt the simpsons, it was family guy you muppet.