Slog - Comments on Did We Say That? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that Barack Obama has heard all the blog snark about his bike-riding gear, and seems a little hurt. He admitted to being wounded from some critiques of his bike-riding outfit, which included sneakers, jeans and a tucked-in polo shirt. “Now, obviously the rest of my apparel was apparently not up to snuff, because I got a hard time from all sorts of blogs,” he said, “Who said I looked like Urkel.”... Copyright 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:21:51 -0800 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:29:18 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe That's what you get for leaving the house dressed like a Christian.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050172 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050172 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:26:41 -0800 Comment by Cato the Younger Younger Senator, Michelle and the kids are totally embarassed by the attire as well.

]]> Cato the Younger Younger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050173 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050173 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:27:47 -0800 Comment by tiffany whatever. i thought it was cute.

]]> tiffany http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050179 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050179 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:32:16 -0800 Comment by Fifty-Two-Eighty That was Obama? I thought it was Curious George.

]]> Fifty-Two-Eighty http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050180 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050180 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:34:00 -0800 Comment by Gloria Awww.

]]> Gloria http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050181 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050181 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:34:20 -0800 Comment by Joe M Hey, remember when Alex Alben ran in the primary in Washington's 8th CD? He had that campaign ad showing him riding his bike, wearing biker shorts, and his junk was prominently featured. He had great issues to run on, but unfortunately that image was seared into voters minds, and Dave Ross went on to lose to Reichert in the general.

The lesson here: sometimes it's OK to look like Urkel when you consider the alternative.

]]> Joe M http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050183 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050183 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:36:29 -0800 Comment by laterite That is hilariously self-deprecating. Man, this guy better win.

]]> laterite http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050188 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050188 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:40:54 -0800 Comment by Judah It's interesting to me that the idea of a black nerd is so oxymoronic in popular culture that there's actually a single iconic figure associated with it. I mean, Family Matters went off the air 10 years ago, but I imagine the word Urkel will probably be in use until people have forgotten what it originally meant.

]]> Judah http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050191 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050191 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:45:24 -0800 Comment by w7ngman WTF? Urkel?

Do all black people look the same to these people?

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050198 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050198 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:50:36 -0800 Comment by jhell I now officially have a man-crush on Barack Obama. As opposed to my actual crush on my boyfriend...

]]> jhell http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050200 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050200 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:51:02 -0800 Comment by monkey I love that guy.

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050234 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050234 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:12:18 -0800 Comment by apres_moi @8. I'm black and 29 years old. I grew up being ridiculed being called Urkel and white because I was that black kid in honor classes always on the honor roll. And this was in the South. I actually hated Urkel because he made my life at school hell in middle school when Family Matters aired in the early 90s. When I got to high school, people stopped making fun of me after they either realized good grades help you get into college or they were out trying to get laid. Probably the latter.

So yeah, when I read Obama's book back in 2006, parts of his childhood and his early adulthood were like mine. Trying to discover your blackness while being ridiculed for not falling under the stereotypes.

]]> apres_moi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050247 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050247 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:16:46 -0800 Comment by chris Being a good dad means looking like a dork sometimes, telling corny jokes, and wearing a helmet when you're riding with your kids. Obama is a good dad. Good for him.

]]> chris http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050286 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050286 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:34:13 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways You have to love a Presidential candidate who can name-check Urkel!

Ironically, this is also John McCain's nickname for Cindy's rosebud...

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050298 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050298 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:39:46 -0800 Comment by Colin Who wears jeans on a bike? Me! And fuck anyone who has a problem with it. Jeans are comfortable and I use my bike to get around. Sometime I commute to work in dress pants, dress shoes and a dress shirt. Would you rather me go out and buy a hummer to get to work?

So, who wears jeans on a bike? Someone who's wearing jeans, has someplace to go and doesn't want to waste gas.

]]> Colin http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050305 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050305 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:41:59 -0800 Comment by shub-negrorath @8: Apparently someone has never watched The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

]]> shub-negrorath http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050328 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050328 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:54:55 -0800 Comment by Julie Hmm. I guess I never thought about Urkel being a "black nerd". He is like the epitome of nerd-dom for someone who was my age when that show aired.

I can't think of another TV character, regardless of race, that I would associate with being the ultimate nerd. I'm sure someone has another example, but if I was playing Family Feud and the category was TV Nerd, Urkel would be my first answer.

]]> Julie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050339 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050339 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:59:48 -0800 Comment by NaFun Arvid from Head of the Class. I had to go to wikipedia to get the name though, could only remember the face and mannerisms.

]]> NaFun http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050382 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050382 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:23:34 -0800 Comment by Not Eugene Another TV nerd? Slightly before that, Eugene on Happy Days. I got called that by some jerks before I finally got contacts. How I hated that fucker and that show.

]]> Not Eugene http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050405 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050405 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:38:50 -0800 Comment by Marty Mayhaps this makes me a sad, sad, pathetic American, but I am suddenly inspired to vote by a man on a bicycle in jeans who references bloggers and Urkel.

Jeans are wonderful for bike riding (can we say ew to short shorts now, please?) unless you have the flare kind that get stuck in the gears. True story.

]]> Marty http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050421 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050421 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:43:05 -0800 Comment by PC Please make a note of it: if u think wearing polo shirts and jeans is "weird" or "ultra conservative" or something, you are out of touch w/ mainstream dress all over the USA.

Is Michelle's dress weird too? Dresses and pearls?

Like, um, a "white" person?


Purple hair/nose rings/Goretex because it's drizzling a bit/spandex for a bike ride with your daughter for an hour/ are not what most Americans wear.

Critical commenters are out of touch. Hmmm, suspicious -- terrorists?

]]> PC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050456 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050456 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:06:12 -0800 Comment by max solomon the real issue was that his polo shirt was tucked in.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050472 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050472 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:14:07 -0800 Comment by Jesse I say pass Barack the rock and make all the fools who called him Urkel step onto the court with him and see who looks like the dork afterwards.

]]> Jesse http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050535 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050535 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:41:21 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I'm quite confident that the bike-riding, the clothes, and the ensuing "controversy", including the Urkel reference, are carefully orchestrated by his campaign to ease the minds of people who associate "black" with people like 50 Cent. Not all of those people are white, either. Good for them; it's about time the reality of black life (i.e., not gangsta, but middle class and ordinary) moved into mainstream view. It's not surprising for anyone who's lived in a place with a lot of black people, but for many Americans (and definitely many Seattleites) it's perhaps a bit of an eye-opener.

Just another reason why Barack Obama's campaign is one of the best things ever to happen to my country.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050603 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050603 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:15:29 -0800 Comment by Vince Urkel! Ha! Heelarious!

]]> Vince http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050627 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050627 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:26:49 -0800 Comment by Greg Dude, WHO'S BEEN TALKING SHIT ABOUT URKEL?!!! You fools better look out - I've got a TI-84 and a compass.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050631 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/did_we_say_that#c1050631 2008 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:29:18 -0800