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David Litt on writing 'edgy for a President' jokes

Intern turned speech writer David Litt reflects on his recent stint as the U.S. President's chief joke writer and the importance of comedy in politics.
CBC Radio ·
U.S. President Barack Obama cracks up during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2014. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)
Q16:55Obama's ex-joke writer David Litt on presidential humour

The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner is tomorrow night. The black tie affair invites Washington's political elite rub shoulders with the reporters who cover them, and famously allows for generally well-behaved presidents to act out through comedy and a little self parody. 

So, who does the president trust to write his jokes? Well, little guys like David Litt.

Litt went from intern at The Onion to presidential speech writer. Not your average job change. His comedy background made him a perfect candidate for Joke Writer in Chief for U.S. President Barack Obama. 

Litt joins guest host Gill Deacon to discuss jokes that are "edgy for a President" and the Commander in Chief's real comedic chops.

"[Obama] makes his joke writers look good. The truth is he has just a really good sense of timing and a really good sense of audience and those are the kind of things that really can't be taught," says Litt.

"He's just a very funny person who happens to be the President of the United States."

WEB EXTRA: A look back at some of President Obama's Correspondent Dinners

2015 Dinner

2014 Dinner

2013 Dinner

2012 Dinner

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