http://youtu.be/FTtS17xcr-U
(CNN) – Actor Samuel L. Jackson entered the political fray this week, starring in a new web video that parodies his own audio recording of the mock children’s book, “Go the F*** to Sleep.”
This time, however, Jackson is reaching out to voters–not frustrated parents–urging Americans to “Wake the F*** Up” and vote for President Barack Obama. (Obviously, not work safe without headphones, but there’s also a bleeped version.)
In the nearly four-minute video told like a children’s book, Jackson narrates a metrical tale of disenchanted Obama fans who have since dialed down their support.
“In the silvery moonlight that bathes every town,
The people lye dreaming so safe and so sound.
They’re warm in their beds, snuggled up in their sheets,
But four years before, they were out in the streets.”
The story features a girl named “Little Susie,” whose family once actively campaigned for Obama but now sits on the sidelines this election year.
“We canvassed and phone banked with passion and pluck.
It matters this time, but their eyes are shut.”
Funding for the project came from the Jewish Council for Education and Research, a super PAC supporting President Barack Obama. The group has made other humor-based videos, including a video last week on Voter ID laws that featured a brash performance by comedian Sarah Silverman.
The new video also takes a comical spin. As Little Susie‘s parents brush her off during her childlike pleas for activism, Samuel L. Jackson appears in the family‘s dining room–with an in-your-face, though still rhythmic, approach.
“Sorry, my friend, but there’s not time to snore.
An out of touch millionaire just declared war
On schools, the environment, unions, fair pay.
We’re all on our way if Romney has his way.
He’s against safety nets. If you fall, tough luck.
So I strongly suggest, that you wake the f*** up.”
The video continues with a storybook pace interrupted by Jackson’s rather blunt, yet lyrical, pep talks. Jackson, for example, took issue with the excuse made by Little Susie‘s teenage brother, who argued he’s not involved because he thinks “all politicians are the same.”
“They’re all the same? Big brother, please!
Obama sent SEALS to Bin Laden’s Place. Romney sent jobs overseas.
How about that student loan overhaul? It’s going to save you thousands of bucks.
Mitt will cut that sh*t in a second. My dude, Wake the f*** up.”
Last year, Jackson made headlines when he narrated the audiobook version of “Go the F**k to Sleep,” a satirical children’s book that strikes a chord with frustrated parents who try to tuck their kids in at night.
When Audible Inc. released the 6-minute recording as a free download, it received 160,000 downloads in 48 hours. Audible also saw a sharp spike–up to 160% increase–in downloads of their apps for smart phones during the same time window.
The original book, written by Adam Mansbach and illustrated by Ricardo Cortés, originally was slated for a fall 2011 release. The PDF version of the book, however, was leaked and went viral. It became so popular that Akashic moved the release dates for the print book and e-book up to June of that year.
