Barack Obama Does Entertainment Tonight

Do not laugh off the fact that Barack Obama is going to be on "Entertainment Tonight" on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  It may not have the viewership of the network nightly news programs, but it's a solid way to reach a different kind of audience.

Just as I gave kudos a few weeks ago to the staff person that got Hillary Clinton a photo spread in US Weekly Magazine, the same tip of the hat goes to the Obama staffer who decided it would be okay to sit down for an Entertainment Tonight episode.

(And don't worry, Obama has done an interview with US Weekly as well.)

While about 30 million people watch the ABC, CBS and NBC newscasts on a good night, there are a lot of people who never look at those broadcasts, a lot of people who don't read the local paper or anything.

But they do like to watch shows about Hollywood stars and starlets, and so, you will get to find out about who Barack Obama wants to play him in a movie.  (The answer is Will Smith.)

You will also find out that Obama and Smith have already talked about that.

His favorite movies?  "The Godfather," "The Godfather: Part II" and "Lawrence of Arabia."

Favorite actors are Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and Angela Bassett.

What I find really interesting about the timing of this Entertainment Tonight interview is that it comes amid some chafing by the "real" press corps over their lack of access to Obama The Candidate.

You see, when the campaign begins, things are much smaller.  You can talk to the candidate after an event with voters.  You have better access to the voters and strategists.

But in Obama's case, he's become a rock star, which means you don't get to chat with him very often, even if you are on the campaign plane.

Too bad Weekly World News isn't still on the stands to give us the view of the race from some Space Aliens who recently met with him, or something like that.