LFP Magazine

President Obama

What does a person’s favorite films say about their psychology? There is something called “cinema therapy”, which is a psychological treatment method where films are used to give a patient objective analysis of their psychological condition. How much can be revealed about a person’s inner workings based on their favorite films? Don’t worry, this is supposed to be an absurd post…scroll down to the bottom to find out what President Obama has been doing for The Arts.

In an interview with Katie Couric of NBC News during President Obama’s run for president, he answered the question “What is your favorite film?” with the following…

“The Godfather. One and Two. Three not so much. I think my favorite has to be, the opening scene of the first Godfather, where the caretaker comes in and Marlon Brando is sitting there and he’s saying ‘you disrespected me. And now you want a favor.’ It sets the tone for the whole movie. There’s this combination of old world gentility and ritual, with this savagery underneath. It’s all about family. So it’s a great movie.”

The Godfather Part II has shown in research to raise the male hormone testosterone 30 percent, according to Fuat Ulus, a colleague of cinematherapy.com

“Lawrence of Arabia. Great film. One of my favorites…”

This film is listed under “Narcissistic Personality” on the cinematherapy.com website.

“…and then Casablanca. Who doesn’t like Casablanca?”

Casablanca is listed under “Gaining hope and encouragement” on cinematherapy.com

“I asked for one!”, replied Katie Couric.

“I’m a movie guy. I can rattle off a bunch of movies”, replied the President.

As a movie buff and an advocate of the arts, what has the current U.S. President promised and achieved so far in this arena?

From MPR news State of the Arts with Marianne Combs:

BY: MARIANNE COMBS

President Obama has named his appointees to his Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The names include actors such as Forest Whitaker, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alfre Woodard, and Edward Norton, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue magazine, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, philanthropist (and wife of John Kerry) Teresa Heinz, and our own Senator Dick Cohen. First Lady Michelle Obama serves as the committee’s honorary chair.

The committee works directly with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

In summary, our President has promised America the following:

- To reinvest in arts education, by expanding public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations. He also, based on his work in Chicago, promised to create an “artist corps” consisting of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. And he promised to publicly champion the importance of an arts education.

- To support increased funding for the NEA. (Did that – restored NEA funding to its highest level since 1992 when he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in February)

- To promote cultural diplomacy. By that he means put more money into U.S. embassy programs that send American artists on tour around the world.

- To attract foreign talent. Since 9/11 it’s been difficult, if not impossible to get a visa to perform in the United States. President Obama has promised to streamline the visa process so artists and art students can make their way here more easily.

- To provide affordable health care to artists. (Because if you provide affordable health care to everybody, that includes artists. Two birds, one stone.)

- To ensure “tax fairness” for artists. Candidate Obama said he supports legislation that would allow artists to deduct the fair-market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.