Who made Barack Obama

president? That honor belongs to the American people. Who made Barack Obama

famous? That honor belongs to trekkie babe‚Ñ¢ Jeri Ryan. But who made the first

Barack Obama joke?" That honor belongs to W. Kamau Bell. Here he is on

Premium Blend all the way back in 2005 talking about how Barack Obama will

never be president, because his name is too black (1:10 in):

We caught up with Bell at his favorite inbox to discuss the joke, calling the election wrong, and his weekly show, "The W. Kamau Bell Curve

Show," at the Climate Theatre in San Francisco.

CC Insider: You were telling a joke way back in 2005 about how Barack Obama could never be elected president on

election wrong?

W. Kamau Bell: What you fail to understand, is that I was a double agent. I was employed by an

African-American Think Tank funded by Oprah. It was my sole job to get Barack's

name out there to the youth of America

through Comedy Central. My act was assembled by a

team comprised of black intelligentsia — including the surviving members of

the Black Panther Party, the best spoken word

artists from the first season HBO's Def Poets, and the black rock band

Fishbone.

The Barack Obama joke was actually co-written by author Maya

Angelou, Professor Cornel West and rapper Chuck D. Since the appearance on Comedy Central

went so well, I decided to continue pursuing a career in comedy.

CCI: Does Obama's election this year open the door for Blackie Blackerson or

WKB: Yes. It also opens the door for Muslimy Muslimerson, Turbany Turbanerstein, and

of course Womany Butnotsarahpaliny

CCI: If Condoleezza Rice is evil coming together

with ugly, then what's Barack Obama?

WKB: Barack Obama is sunshine, joy, prosperity, love and hope coming together with

the ghosts of Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston,

revolutionary Nat Turner, and 70's soul

musician/voice of Chef Issac Hayes.

CCI: Have you updated that bit at all for your show in San Francisco this week?

WKB: No. But mostly because it works so well with my bit about how OJ Simpson will

never go to jail, my other bit about how Michael Vick

is currently the greatest NFL quarterback playing, and my closing bit about how

the VH1 show, The Flavor of Love, will never get

tiresome.

CCI: You claim that your show will "end racism in an hour." Didn't

Obama already do that?

WKB: Ummm… since my show has been running (and ending racism) since October 2007,

it is clearly COMPLETELY responsible for Barack Obama becoming president. And

yes, I am open to accepting a cabinet position. I'll settle for something small

like Secretary of the Interior. I like being indoors.

CCI: If you had to ask yourself one question that, if posted on a corporate

be, and what would its answer be?

WKB: Why should people come see your show this weekend in San Francisco instead of just waiting to see

it when we inevitably broadcast it on Comedy Central?

You should see it now because the show changes every week. It's always

different. It's extremely topical and re-interprets the news from a racial

angle. Sort of a… Black Daily Show or a… Chocolate take on The News… or

something. So come see it this week, because when Comedy Central inevitably

shows it, the show will be completely different.

And if you bring a friend of a different race, you and your friend get in two

for one. Not even Martin Luther King, Jr. made an offer like that.

For more info check www.wkamaubell.com.

And if you're in San Francisco, go see his show this Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Climate Theatre — 11:00pm.