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The White House Easter Egg Roll Was Pretty Weird This Year & These Silly Photos Make That All Too Obvious
No one should be surprised to hear that Capitol Hill hosted a strange but lovable — but strange — gathering on their grounds. It wouldn't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last as long as Congress continues to meet to do whatever it is they do. But aside from the shenanigans of the Senate and the House, the president took some time off today to get back in touch with the people. How, you may ask? By getting down and dirty with 35,000 people at the 137th annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House, where he continued the time-honored traditions of hunting for Easter eggs, making weird faces, and having awkward encounters with small, strangely athletic children.
The Easter Egg Roll is definitely a weird event in and of itself. The term "roll" is antiquated by now, and most people whom I've talked with about this year's gathering were confused about why I seemed to be mispronouncing the word "hunt" so dramatically. No, I'm not profoundly confused or experiencing aphasia — they really do roll eggs across the South Lawn of the White House every year on Easter Monday. As if that weren't charmingly obsolete enough, the Obamas always take it up a notch by adding their own flair to the festivities, and this year was especially interesting.
Michelle Obama took her Let's Move! initiative to a whole new level, displaying way more coordinated synchronized dancing than any boy band in recent memory. And the president fulfilled his duty to be captured in lots of odd photos where he might not be aware that he is being photographed from that angle. Here are eight of the best pictures that show what went on — or what seemed to be happening, anyway — at this year's Easter Egg Roll.
Calling The Shots
Michelle Obama looks on, ensemble on point as usual, as her husband struggles to blow a standard whistle.
Revelations
President Obama reveals his true self. The bunny has no face. His face is the bunny’s face. Ergo, hence, therefore, Obama is the Easter Bunny is Obama.
Odd Couple
Though Obama’s smile shines bright in celebration of a beautiful Easter day, the bunny never cracks a smile but keeps its eyes trained on an elusive spot in the distance. Is the CIA keeping an eye on this guy?
Trading Places
Obama signs over all his responsibilities to a small child holding a wooden stick.
N Sync
The president and his mysterious companion, who could be ANYONE, wave in synchronized fashion. Does no one else find it disturbing that these two are essentially carbon copies of each other?
Backstreet Boys
In other news, Michelle took the stage — where she should be more often — to dance it out with the cast of Dancing with the Stars, promoting her Let’s Move! initiative, which aims to make kids less couch potato-y and more active kale-y.
Where The Wild Things Are
I actually don’t even need to make up a humorous explanation for this one. It’s already too good.
This photo is actually from last year’s Easter Egg Roll, but the purpose it serves is very much in the present. Besides, Obama’s shirt is only marginally different from the one he wore this year. Every year, according to White House tradition, the president reads Where the Wild Things Are to a bunch of small children. As he seems to be intent on doing, Obama got a little wild with the reading on Monday. As Politico’s headline suggests — “‘Bees are good,’ Obama says as children scream” — the president fiercely defended the children against bumblebees who decided to come hear his storytelling abilities. The kids screamed, but Obama used his words to fend off the visitors: “That’s OK, guys. Bees are good. They won’t land on you. They won’t sting you. They’ll be OK.” He then raised his voice to rally the troops: “Hold on! Hold on! You guys are wild things! You’re not supposed to be scared of bees when you’re a wild thing!” That’s what our president said.
Uncomfortable Face #72
Here, Obama struggles with expressing his true current feelings. He wants to smile at the young boy with the soft hair, but he also just needs to talk to someone about how frustrated he is with the Legislative branch. It’s a hard job.
