Def White House Poetry Jam
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 2:00PM 
The White House hosted a gaggle of spoken word poets for a celebration of the art form Tuesday. It was yet another "hipper than thou" moment in White House history that either left you dazzled or left the Stuffy McStuffingtons bewildered and confused.
Among the performers was musician/poet Eric Lewis, aka ELEW, who does a type of improvisation he calls "rock jazz." People tend to get it or they don't. The Washington Post wrote that Lewis saw an invitation to the White House as "a validation for his music."
"I just met the first lady and I gave her a purse, a red clutch," Lewis said in an interview prior to the performance. "She loved it. She said she saw some videos of me where I reached inside the piano and played the strings. She wanted to make sure I do that on [this] performance. It was nice to receive her okay. She told me to rock the house and do my thing on the piano.
"I can't tell you how special it is that Michelle Obama asked me to go inside the piano," said Lewis, who performed "Mr. Brightside." "For her to be that cool and open-minded to request it shows me some people get it, and some people don't.
"The one that got it happens to be the first lady."
I'm starting to think they keep doing these things just so I have an excuse to put up more pictures of Michelle (and the girls). It's a conspiracy, I say. A c-o-n-spiracy of fabulousness.
Oh, and there was some sort of celebration for the spoken word and whatnot. Who cares. That Asian-inspired blouse Michelle has? I want. I need.
More pictures after the jump.
Photos by The Associated Press via Daylife
In other news: Maxim has put the First Lady on their Hot 100 list (shudder). She's no. 93 for whatever that's worth. I only shudder because it's Maxim. I, naturally, think Michelle, Barack's belle, is quite lovely. But when I think of Maxim I don't think of "lovely." Maybe she'll class up the joint or something. Glamour Magazine also named Michelle Obama to their "Most Glamorous" list, placing her at a solid third place behind actresses Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway. New York Magazine online and Huffington Post are calling this a snub. (Really?) I, personally, think these lists mean nothing and they made her no. 3 on the fancy fashion list and number 93 on the list that likes its babes as close to nekkid as possible. I'm good with these rankings. I will sleep well at night.
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Reader Comments (21)
Looking good, Mrs. O! Obama girls, you're lucky to have crazy, old Uncle Joe around.
1st Mrs.O looks amazing, her face is beat to perfection and I NEED that top in my life. I need a public event at the White House everyday just so I can get my Mrs. O fix. Someone needs to develop and Obama 12 step program.
2nd aww The Wee Michelle's, Sasha, the cuteness, she has highly pinchable cheeks and Malia, sigh, I remeber being 10 and as tall as most adults.
3rd, Uncle Joe, he's like your favorite uncle, the one you never know what he's gonna say or do and is a little crazy but you love him all the same.
The pic with FLOTUS and PBO makes me sad. She looks ready for a night on the town, and he looks like he's heading to another day at the office. I wouldn't have minded if he ditched the jacket and tie and went with a dress shirt or sweater. I know, he's the leader of the free world and has to look the part but still...
That top is the business!
@ MsKitty
Yeah. I doubt we'll be seeing anything fly, yet biz casual out of the president. Although, I think if he did start switching up the wardrobe up for the events and got a competent person to help him with the styles and matching heads would explode.
Two trendy, highly fashionable, attractive, powerful people = even more insane Obama fashion coverage
I believe he's ceded the trend-spotting to the wife.
That said, I'm now going to cut out a little Barack head and start sticking him on outfits of male models and superstars I like ... for poops n' giggles.
Mrs. O rocked it w/that top and the earrings! She is absolutely gorgeous!
The President looks best in suits, his fashion sense is very limited, he has admitted to this lol so suits are his safest bet
her hair looks really good! love the cut and color.
michelle my belle! lol she looks GREAT! love that blouse and earrings
Mrs. O is looking hot to death!!!! Don't hurt 'em Michelle.
Michelle looks gorgeous! Seriously, I love her bone structure. And the children are too adorable. Uncle Joe is so sweet and energetic, I love that. Oh, and apparently Maxim ain't the only one who thinks Michelle is hot stuff...
http://en.terra.com/entertainment/articles/html/oci14687.htm
Could Mrs. Obama look any more beautiful? I can't rightfully say that her image is the image of the new black woman. The black snob has always been around, we just haven't been recognized.
OMG!!! "Shelly!!!!!!" she is doin it all the time. She looks absolutely amazing once again. I think I'm printing this pic to take to the salon so I can get this cut!!!!!
Absolutely STUNNING!! Gorgeous face, makeup on point and hair B-E-A-T!!! I'm just lovin it.
P.S. I need that blouse in my life too, ASAP.
Michelle looks AMAZING. Whoever is doing her hair/makeup lately has been on point. I would've loved to be there.
& i completely agree about the blouse. I need it in the junior section.
I was thinking FLOTUS looked bad to the bone marrow when I saw the pic.
You're a pusher, Snob.
This is some more of that ' crack' you talked about down below.
And no, this isn't old. Not even close. The entire First Family looking great. No, that doesn't get old - at all.
The Flat Iron of God and the Makeup Artist earned their keep last night.
Michelle is working it, that is all I have to say. That top is HOT, combined with the hair and earrings,,,,she is too much. I agree if Barack was dressed fashionably it would simply be too much.
I need the blouse, too. And the earrings.
And I agree with rikyrah hands down--you are a pusher. (And you've got me hooked).
Two things.
Our First Lady rocks.
The end.
PS Spike Lee was chillin in the White House. Now I've seen it all.
Right on - the lists are meaningless especially the ones compiled by readers of unintellectual men's magazines such as Maxim. They may have just decided to place her there to flavour the list with a different kind of woman. One that does not flaunt her assets as readily as most the other women on the list. Which causes me to question how she could end up on this type of thing in the first place.