Funeral Selfie

[SuzySunshine]

I am an Obama supporter for the most part, not entirely but even I think this is out of line. Am I the only one?

I mean it is hard to know exactly when in the period of being in the stadium this happened but everyone around them looks pretty somber...and every news article I found (regardless of political leaning of the source) says it was taken during the ceremony.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...orial-service/

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Wow...not appropriate at all...


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[Vanquisher]

I feel like I don't have enough info to judge. People take pictures at funerals. They even smile. I'd like more context.

[BonBon]

I think he's a giant tool, and I can't stand the man...but like Heidi said, I need more context before I condemn him. I'm thoroughly enjoying Michelle's bitchface, though.

[Sheherezade]

I am not familiar with the story so take this with a grain of salt. My few hours of watching the Mandela funeral service (I keep the tv on in my office) showed me a massive stadium filled with people and many singing acts. It didn't seem like a somber affair.

Angie

[MarissaNicole]

It looks like the woman is taking it and he's just lending a hand. My guess is she asked to take a picture with him.

Wife to PGY4

[diggitydot]

Slow news day?

[ides]

Slow news day?

Must be.

[diggitydot]

From what little bit I saw of the service, it was a pretty jubilant celebration of the man's life. I think that's beautiful.

[v-girl]

Just going by Michelle's look, I'm thinking inappropriate. But I think a selfie during a memorial is inappropriate. And I can't stand Obama (or his wife).

[SuzySunshine]

Here's NPR's take

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/...edium=facebook

[PrincessFiona]

My gut reaction was to find it inappropriate. I don't know the context of the photo op though, but it just seems a little out of place and unusual. It's a different world ....

[niener]

Any report that refers to Michelle's "bitch face" I take with a grain of salt because she has a pretty severe case of RBF so it's difficult to tell if she's giving a disapproving look or if she's just casually observing the proceedings.

There is something about the selfie that implies such an informal and self-involved air that it seems inappropriate in many contexts, such as one where the focus is on the recently deceased, even if it is a celebratory affair (which this one very much was). But if they had asked someone else to take the photo I don't think you would have seen nearly this level of buzz in the news about it. The result would have been the exact same -- a cell phone pic of the three of them -- but somehow having someone else take the photo appears less self-involved.

[SuzySunshine]

Ok this is funny - look at this series of photos.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/11/africa...html?hpt=hp_c2

[PrincessFiona]

LOL. I love that Michelle eventually sits between them ... almost like a mom separating naughty children.