Obama nails Kardashian quiz, tongue-tied by '50 Shades…' question

ByABC News
May 14, 2012, 10:47 PM

— -- You might think that Barack Obama's crazy presidential schedule makes it difficult for him to stay on top of popular culture. You'd be half-right. Quizzed on ABC's "The View" on Monday, Obama slam-dunked a question about Kim Kardashian but got whipped by a query seemingly about the erotic novel "Fifty Shades of Grey."

"Which Kardashian was married for only 72 days?" co-host Joy Behar asked the president.

"That would be Kim," Obama replied. The studio audience applauded, and apparently the most powerful man in the world felt he had to explain why he knew the answer. "Because he was a ball player. I know he was a ball player. That's how I know, from watching basketball."

"That's why, because I'm sure you don't watch the show," said co-host Whoopi Goldberg. (Obama famously knocked Kardashian in his routine at the White House Correspondents Dinner, joking "I have the nuclear codes, why am I telling knock-knock jokes to Kim Kardashian? Why is she famous anyway?")

Behar followed up: "What's the controversial sex book that's on millions of women's bedside tables?" "I don't know that," said Obama, drawing laughter and applause. "I'll ask Michelle when I get home…I'll ask Michelle when I get home what's going on."

Although Behar did not name the book — at least not in the excerpts of the interview made public late Monday -- it seems unlikely that she could have been referring to anything but E.L. James's smash hit novel.

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