A musical inspired by President Barack Obama’s tenure in the White House, has gone viral on social media for all the wrong reasons.
An attendee at 44: The Musical captured a particularly scandalous scene, sharing the footage to TikTok.
In a funny and awkward bedroom scene, Michelle Obama, portrayed by Broadway star and singer Shanice, and Barack, played by former The Voice contestant TJ Wilkins, humorously sing about having ‘White House love.’
While the two exchange songs, actor Chad Doreck, portraying Joe Biden, humorously interrupts and tries to join in for a ménage à trois, only to be playfully dismissed by the Obamas.
The video made the rounds on social media, with many trolling the scene in the comments.
‘Idk why but I blame Tyler Perry,’ one user joked.
‘Y’all laughing but this is technically the same thing as hamilton [crying emoji],’ another pointed out.
‘Yall blaming everyone except the real culprit— LIN MANUEL MIRANDA,’ a third added.
‘Yea… The Obamas are def suing,’ a fourth wrote.
However, some liked the concept and found the scene funny, with one writing, ‘I see ppl hating but this show is phenomenal!’
‘I don’t get why all the comments on this (not just this video, but overall) treat it earnestly instead of recognizing it’s a comedy,’ another person agreed.
The soundtrack from the musical has also generated traction on TikTok, with the opening track, MFO, becoming a trending sound on the platform.
The trending sound already has over 300 videos, with users on TikTok expressing mixed emotions about 44.
‘Just went down a deep dive and found out this musical is satire. Thank god,’ one user posted.
‘It’s Barack-a-laka-a for me,’ another shared.
Others also posted how they’d choreograph the song, while some trolled the lyric that called the former president, ‘Barack-a-laka-a.’
The show is a satirical retelling of Obama’s first term in office, told through Joe Biden’s eyes.
44 is branded as the ‘unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL.’ The show’s website describes the musical as, ‘the story of Obama as Joe Biden kinda sorta remembers it…’
Eli Bauman, the show’s writer, director, composer, and producer, wrote the musical in 2016, and it premiered at the Bourbon Room Hollywood in 2022.
Bauman also worked as a campaign organizer for Obama’s first presidential run and previously wrote for television before jumping into musicals.
The writer said in an interview with WTTW that 44, ‘does not adhere particularly to history or reality.’
The show certainly strays from historical accuracy with outlandish scenes featuring a rap battle between Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell, a strip tease starring Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden ripping his shirt off to reveal his arms.
44 received mixed reviews with the Los Angeles Times praising the leads’ performances, but noting, ‘It was nearly three hours with opening night delays before I emerged from my seat for a musical that should be half that length.’
‘The comedy can’t help but grow stale left out so long.’
However, the Chicago Tribune raved about 44, writing, ‘Finding the sweet spot between affection and satire is far from easy in these kinds of show and Bauman somehow threads that needle, not the least because he has strong comedic material, skilled pacing and a notably mature, 11-member cast who commit to the truth of what they are doing and then sell it to the rafters.’
The show is running at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles until June 22 and then heads to Chicago at the Studebaker Theater from August 23 to September 21.
