editors
JERRY BECK (LA)
AMID AMIDI (NY)
Obama’s Elf by Michael Schlingmann
by amid
February 15, 2009 11:49 am


London-based animator Michael Schlingmann (previously on Cartoon Brew) created this funny 20-second animated pun. The animation is perfect.

(Thanks, Uli)

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Sunday says:
02/15/09  12:38pm

Haha! Best bit is the second run through when he raises his hands…

 
AdrianC says:
02/15/09  1:24pm

Clever.

 
Luke Shea says:
02/15/09  1:55pm

B’WAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That’s the best bit of politician-oriented humor I’ve seen since the election.

 
Inkan1969 says:
02/15/09  3:02pm

Would he rather be Blago’s instead?

 
Gogopedro! says:
02/15/09  3:40pm

that was indeed a magical 20 seconds.

 
Michael says:
02/15/09  4:31pm

Never seen those slide-y flash movements used so well!

 
Elliot Cowan says:
02/15/09  4:45pm

Mike Schlingmann is a special magic pixie, himself.
I miss his big German cuddles.

 
Nina Paley says:
02/15/09  5:35pm

Why doesn’t he wanna be Obama’s Elf any more?

 
Steve Gattuso says:
02/15/09  6:55pm

Because he’d have to be Secretary of Commerce?

 
Saturnome says:
02/15/09  7:47pm

Now I’ll never be able to listen to this song again. Great.

 
Wincey says:
02/15/09  8:58pm

That’s the best laugh I’ve had in ages! Also the elf is way cute, and oh so sad!

 
sandra murta says:
02/16/09  1:36am

So that’s what Micklee Schlingmann has been doing lately :)
He’s the best!

 
mick says:
02/16/09  5:01am

Nina i think the reason he doesn’t want to be Obama’s elf any more is because the song doesn’t go ‘I am happy to remain the elf of Obama’… you silly sausage

this is great… it has pathos. can you say pathos outside the bounds of a theatre?

 
robcat2075 says:
02/16/09  7:28am

I can’t stop watching it.

 
Tom says:
02/16/09  9:27am

It’s Geithner!

 
Yeah says:
02/16/09  11:51am

Didn’t actually think it was that funny. Although a great animation, it was way to short to play off the pun. It’d be better if it was an actual voice-over at least.

 
Bill Benzon says:
02/16/09  4:36pm

What about Sly Stone’s line: “I wanna thank you, fa lettin’ me, be myself, again”

 
matt says:
02/16/09  5:18pm

Bill, on the album the title IS actually “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf, again)”! That’s the official title. Classic song, too. Maybe Obama’s Elf wants to go back to his old job?!

 
William Ansley says:
02/17/09  12:04pm

Does anyone want to start a pool on how long it will be before some corporation who own the rights to this song makes Youtube take this video down?

 
Tali says:
02/17/09  7:26pm
 
thepoetryman says:
02/17/09  10:12pm

That was great! Obama’s elf! Nice work.

 
Uli Meyer says:
02/18/09  1:28am

Obama’s Elf has racked up 170000 hits on “Youtube” and keeps counting.
The comments are mostly positive, but boy, are there some strange ones.

Michael listened to this song a few days ago with a friend and pointed out that that part of the refrain sounds like “Obama’s Elf”.
It is simply a play on words of that particular line in the song from that particular performer. By the way, there is a Celine Dionne version that wouldn’t work because of the way she pronounces the words.
The piece also couldn’t be any longer because the lyrics continue “don’t want to “live” all by myself anymore” and that, of course, does not work.

Michael went home, found a photo of Obama that was fitting and animated the elf, all within three hours. There is nothing more to it.
Schlingelmann is a close friend, he had no intention of making a political statement at all, far from it. Michael is an admirer of Spike Milligan, one of the original British “Goon Show”, who would have been proud of him for spotting this pun.

 
Parka says:
02/22/09  2:01am

I’m so happy.

 
Manuel_M says:
02/22/09  3:51pm

very good job, to say it in german: ich hab mich fast bepisst!” :)

 
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