A running joke on the classic TV show "The West Wing" was "The Block of Cheese Day," a reference to the time that Andrew Jackson unloaded the gift of a 1400-pound block of cheese by making it the centerpiece of his last public reception at the White House, mixing the common folks with the President and his top aides. Whenever the fictional President Bartlett held a day of meetings with members of the unwashed masses, the "West Wing" staff christened it Big Block of Cheese Day.
This year, White House aides are doing it again after the "SOTU." And they've re-united the "West Wing" cast to promote it on YouTube.
The video begins with the phone of White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest inexplicably playing an Usher ringtone. Bradley Whitford, Josh Malina, Mary McCormack, Dulé Hill and Richard Schiff are all on the line, explaining what "Cheese" day is and urging Earnest to do it. Earnest repeatedly tries to break in to remind them the White House did it last year.
Can the sequel be as good as the original? Last year's "Cheese" video, which only included cast members Whitford and Malina, received about 200,000 YouTube views. This year's has received more than 700,000 before the State of the Union address even began. Bringing in more of the cast seems to have piqued greater interest, which may mean bigger turnout for the event, even if there's no actual cheese involved.
Borrowing a community outreach plan from a cancelled TV show might show some questionable judgment, a sense of humor, out of control fan frenzy or all of the above. But the video is worth a watch, featuring most of your favorite West Wing stars, including Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Mary McCormack and Josh Malina.
From Andrew Jackson To Bradley Whitford
In 2014, the non-fiction Obama White House picked up the idea and held the first "Virtual Big Block of Cheese Day," in which Americans could ask White House officials questions online the day following the President's State of the Union address.This year, White House aides are doing it again after the "SOTU." And they've re-united the "West Wing" cast to promote it on YouTube.
The video begins with the phone of White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest inexplicably playing an Usher ringtone. Bradley Whitford, Josh Malina, Mary McCormack, Dulé Hill and Richard Schiff are all on the line, explaining what "Cheese" day is and urging Earnest to do it. Earnest repeatedly tries to break in to remind them the White House did it last year.
Martin Sheen and Allison Janney Bring Out The Cheesy Puns
Allison Janney suddenly appears to say, "We want it to be 'feta' than last year," as the cast cracks up over the "cheesy" pun. Martin Sheen, seemingly just a bit off his old man rocker, blurts out, "Hit me with the hashtag!" Earnest inquires, "Who asked that? Mr. Sheen?" And he proudly responds, "You "feta" believe it!" only to get no love from his old cast.Can the sequel be as good as the original? Last year's "Cheese" video, which only included cast members Whitford and Malina, received about 200,000 YouTube views. This year's has received more than 700,000 before the State of the Union address even began. Bringing in more of the cast seems to have piqued greater interest, which may mean bigger turnout for the event, even if there's no actual cheese involved.
Block of Cheese Day in Real Life
Self-described as Reddit “without all the weird stuff,” the Executive Branch event tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21, 2015, allows constituents to ask their questions at WH.Gov/Cheeseday or with the hasgtag #ASKTHEWH.Borrowing a community outreach plan from a cancelled TV show might show some questionable judgment, a sense of humor, out of control fan frenzy or all of the above. But the video is worth a watch, featuring most of your favorite West Wing stars, including Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Mary McCormack and Josh Malina.