Episode 19: The Cabinet of Dr. Obama

The Overthinkers suggest a cabinet for Barack Obama made up of superheroes and other fictional characters.

Matthew Wrather, Mark Lee, and Matthew Belinkie are joined by less frequent podcasters David Shechner and Peter Fenzel and (again!) by guest Josh McNeil to overthink:

  • What it means to be a blog
  • What is Popular Culture
  • The Cosby Effect
  • A Fictional Cabinet of Barack Obama

Download Episode 19 (MP3)

8 Comments on “Episode 19: The Cabinet of Dr. Obama”

  1. lee OTI Staff #

    Bonus points to the first commenter who catches the title reference (I think it’s pretty obscure, but you all may prove me wrong).

    Reply

  2. Matthew Wrather #

    Oh snap. I just twittered the same thing. Maybe I gave too much away?

    Reply

  3. shechner #

    I dunno what this says about me, but I *own* the Doktor Caligari action figure.

    Maybe it says that a 30-year old man shouldn’t own action figures. Even German Expressionist ones. Nay, *especially* German Expressionist ones.

    -Sheq, who’s got a thing for somnambulists, in general.

    Reply

  4. Katie #

    I was sad that you gave it away via Twitter. Good reference.

    Reply

  5. Gab #

    I don’t follow the Twitter thing because I’m pretty opposed to it in general, so I didn’t get *that* clue. But after figuring it out, I watched the movie online (and it’s in public domain now, so no IP laws being violated, take that). I couldn’t help but think of the similarities in camera angles, set design, and general style between it and the Red Hot Chilipeppers video for “Otherside.” Am I nuts?

    And I feel like Keith David’s plethora of diverse roles (gargoyle, cop, general, etc.) was left out of Obama’s cabinet. I’d feel safe/secure with regards to whatever department he was head of.

    Reply

  6. Mads #

    This is a comment on the discussion on what separates the popular from the advangarde i tirms of culture. In “The distinction” Bourdieu seperates fine art from popular taste in this way: fine art (he called it “legitimate taste”) is what is being dictated by the elite (elite in terms education). popular taste is dictated by how well known a piece of art (in this case music) is in all classes of society. So a piece of art can be devalued by popularity.

    I read something a while a go, and I thefore don’t remember the source. But someone claimed another separation between popular art and fine art. Thats is complexity. The more complex a piece is, it will be regarded as more fine. The more cultural capital (Bordieu of cause) you need to understand a piace of art, the better it is regarded. The whole point of the article was a critique of the way the elite maintain the privilege too dictate high and low culture by choosing complexity over quality.

    Reply

  7. Mads #

    …oh and i didn’t only get the reference I have the movie on DVD, though sadly not the action figure…

    Reply

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