Obama jokes about celebrities (and vice-versa)

As usual, the Kennedy Center Honors weekend provided good opportunities for presidential humor — both by and about President Obama.

At a White House reception Sunday, Obama trotted out a few good lines about the honorees, including Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks.

In his film career, "Tom has flown a rocket to outer space, he's fallen in love with a mermaid, he's faced down Somali pirates, (and) mooned the president of the United States," Obama said, adding: "I'm glad he got that last one out of his system before this evening."

Honoring the singer once known as Gordon Sumner — now known as Sting — the president of the United States referred to his own acronym: "POTUS is a pretty good nickname, but let's face it, it's not as cool as Sting. ... I kind of wish I was called Sting. I'm stuck with POTUS."

In describing Lily Tomlin's film comedy 9 to 5 — in which three female employees kidnap their chauvinist boss, then transform their office into a model workplace — Obama said: "It's basically a live-action version of the working family policies I've been promoting for years. ... We've sent DVDs to all members of Congress to try to get them on the program."

Paying tribute to the great dancer, Obama said: "On the night of Patricia McBride's farewell performance at the New York City Ballet, the crowd showered her with 13,000 roses — thankfully, they cut the thorns off first."

The Kennedy Center also honored Al Green. Despite the encouragement of the White House crowd, Obama — who went viral with a rendition of Green's Let's Stay Together during a 2012 fundraiser — declined do a reprise.

"No. no, that was like a one-time thing," Obama said. "My voice didn't crack. It was a fluke. I can sing a little, but I cannot sing like Al Green — nobody can sing like Al Green."

Referencing the romantic nature of many Green songs, Obama reported: "He says he can hardly go anywhere without a fan coming up to him, pulling out a picture of one of their kids, and telling him which of his songs helped that child enter the world."

Later in the evening, during the awards ceremony at the Kennedy Center itself, celebrities got their cracks at Obama.

Martin Short cited one of his old films in connection with Obama's new immigration policy, saying: "Welcome Mr. President and thank you — because of you, the Three Amigos can stay indefinitely."

Short added: "I'm from across the border in Canada — that's the border without the big fence."

Jane Fonda, in remarks honoring Tomlin, took aim at National Security Agency eavesdropping policies: "Remember the days it was only the operators listening in on our calls?"

Host Stephen Colbert mentioned the reluctance of Democratic candidates to appear with Obama, noting that first lady Michelle Obama was sitting beside the president — which must mean she's not running for office.

Obama gets a chance to re-pay Colbert for that one — he does a taping of Colbert's show on Monday afternoon.