MoveOn Uses Humor to Promote Public Option

Protect Insurance Companies PSA - watch more funny videos

Moveon.org is using the occasion of the already-interminable Senate Finance Committee markup of health care legislation to inject some liberal levity into a key moment of the health care debate with a video promoting the government-run insurance plan while skewering insurance companies. The activist group and Will Ferrell's comedy video web site "Funny or Die" released the ad. Ferrell and lesser-known TV stars plug the public insurance option with a sarcastic script and deliberate ironic echoes of the breakthrough "Yes We Can" Obama campaign video by Will.i.am et al.

The two-minute video shows Ferrell, "Mad Men’s" Jon Hamm, "House’s" Olivia Wilde, "Reno 911’s" Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, "Heroes'" Masi Oka, "My Boys'" Jordana Spiro, "Scrubs’" Donald Faison and "ER's" Linda Cardellini singing the praises of insurance companies. With baleful expressions, they lament the impact that aggressive health care reform could have on their profits. Don't worry, they're joking.

By Paul Volpe | September 22, 2009; 5:16 PM ET
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Comments

not particularly funny, but way too true

Posted by: tru-indy | September 22, 2009 6:36 PM | Report abuse

this ad on WAPO? sacrilege? outrageous!! the Village mustn't be toyed with. lol.

Posted by: BernardEckholdt | September 22, 2009 6:58 PM | Report abuse

I was wondering when Hollywood would speak out. You know many of them lived without insurance for years while trying to get work and most never got insurance because it was not offered, too expensive or not available. Many of them probably still buy insurance on an individual basis despite having money to pay out of pocket simply because there is too much risk going it alone. I think they get it because they have been there.

Posted by: bonnieblue12 | September 23, 2009 9:56 AM | Report abuse

Republicans hated and fought against Medicare and Medicaid when it was started. Republicans have killed every Health Insurance Reform Bill in the last 60 years. Republicans wanted to turn over Social Security to the Stock Market! Why would you trust anything a Republican says?

Fear, Hatred,Distortion and Division is all they've got to offer!

Posted by: thebobbob | September 23, 2009 6:52 PM | Report abuse