28-05-2025
Obama 'the musical' with White House sex scenes goes viral for all the wrong reasons
44: The Musical, a comedic take on President Barack Obama 's tenure in the White House, has gone viral on social media for a cringeworthy sex scene that has social media users floored.
An attendee captured the scandalous scene, sharing the footage to TikTok. The show depicted Michelle Obama, played by Broadway star and recording artists Shanice, and Barack, played by former contestant on The Voice, TJ Wilkins, singing about making 'White House love.'
Michelle's character wore a long, white silk robe as the two held hands and sang about their desire to make love in the White House.
As the two sing to one another, Joe Biden, played by actor Chad Doreck, interrupts and hilariously attempts to join in for a ménage à trois as the Obamas shoo him away.
The video made the rounds on social media, with many trolling the scene in the comments.
'Idk why but I blame Tyler Perry,' one user joked.
'Y'all laughing but this is technically the same thing as hamilton [crying emoji],' another pointed out.
'Yall blaming everyone except the real culprit— LIN MANUEL MIRANDA,' a third added.
'Yea... The Obamas are def suing,' a fourth wrote.
However, some liked the concept and found the scene funny, with one writing, 'I see ppl hating but this show is phenomenal!'
'I can't understand why all the comments about this (not just this video, but in general) talk about it like it serious and not a comedy,' another agreed.
The soundtrack from the musical has also generated traction on TikTok, with the opening track, MFO, becoming a trending sound on the platform.
The trending sound already has over 300 videos, with users on TikTok expressing mixed emotions about 44.
'Just went down a deep dive and found out this musical is satire. Thank god,' one user posted.
'It's Barack-a-laka-a for me,' another shared.
Others also posted how they'd choreograph the song, while some trolled the lyric that called the former president, 'Barack-a-laka-a.'
The show features outlandish scenes such as a rap battle between Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell, a strip tease starring Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden ripping his shirt off to reveal his arms
The show is a satirical retelling of Obama's first term in office, told through Joe Biden's eyes.
44 is branded as the 'unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL.' The show's website describes the musical as, 'the story of Obama as Joe Biden kinda sorta remembers it...'
Eli Bauman, the show's writer, director, composer, and producer, wrote the musical in 2016, and it premiered at the Bourbon Room Hollywood in 2022.
Bauman also worked as a campaign organizer for Obama's first presidential run and previously wrote for television before jumping into musicals.
The writer said in an interview with WTTW that 44, 'does not adhere particularly to history or reality.'
The show certainly strays from historical accuracy with outlandish scenes featuring a rap battle between Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell, a strip tease starring Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden ripping his shirt off to reveal his arms.
44 received mixed reviews with the Los Angeles Times praising the leads' performances, but noting, 'It was nearly three hours with opening night delays before I emerged from my seat for a musical that should be half that length.'
'The comedy can't help but grow stale left out so long.'
However, the Chicago Tribune raved about 44, writing, 'Finding the sweet spot between affection and satire is far from easy in these kinds of show and Bauman somehow threads that needle, not the least because he has strong comedic material, skilled pacing and a notably mature, 11-member cast who commit to the truth of what they are doing and then sell it to the rafters.'
The show is running at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles until June 22 and then heads to Chicago at the Studebaker Theater from August 23 to September 21.
