Barack Obama Gets His Derek Zoolander On

"I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking." Wait a second. Is that Barack Obama striking the famous "Blue Steel" pose perfected by Derek Zoolander? Pretty damn close -- and it's all thanks to the artistry of one Ron Keas, who's whipped...

By Michael Roberts

August 12, 2008

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"I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking."

Wait a second. Is that Barack Obama striking the famous "Blue Steel" pose perfected by Derek Zoolander? Pretty damn close -- and it's all thanks to the artistry of one Ron Keas, who's whipped up a slew of Obama-oriented paintings and prints, three of which will be viewable at the Manifest Hope Gallery at the Democratic National Convention. Of course, anyone can submit their masterpieces for display at this presentation, sponsored by MoveOn.org -- click here for details. But it's hard to imagine any will be loopier than Keas' worshipful imagery, which includes pieces featuring Obama sitting in Lincoln's chair (don't get too comfortable), visiting the Lincoln Memorial, wearing a basketball uniform labeled "D.C. 1," and appearing in a crystal ball that's supposed to be in 3-D. The only way it would be better is if it had been painted on velvet!

See a video of the whole collection by clicking "More." -- Michael Roberts

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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