Comedy site eager to promote ObamaCare

{mosads}Funny or Die’s audience is exactly who the administration wants to reach. Farah said the site’s visitors are overwhelmingly younger than 30, and 55 to 60 percent are male.

The White House is hoping that young, healthy consumers will make up about 2.7 million of the 7 million people it hopes will enroll in new coverage options next year. 

Young men are especially sought after, which is why the administration had also pursued a partnership with the NFL. The NFL rebuffed the administration following pressure from congressional Republicans.

But a host of actors, musicians and other entertainers headed to the White House this week to offer their services.

For Funny or Die, eschewing politics raises a potentially difficult challenge: making health insurance funny.

Farah acknowledged that would take some creativity.

“Unless it’s funny and people are laughing and thinking about sharing it … no one is going to pay attention,” he said.

The site’s writers are already coming up with ideas, beginning with a man-on-the-street format that Farah said is especially popular with black and Latino men. Most of the content will appear in September, he said.

“It should feel just like any other Funny or Die topical video,” he said.

The administration first reached out to Farah and other celebrities while he was in town for the White House Correspondents Dinner. He attended a briefing about the need to reach young consumers and said he was eager to get involved.

“When you hear something like this and how much of a difference these things can make amongst this audience, I think anyone who kind of cares would be inspired to try and help,” he said.

President Obama stopped by the White House meeting this week, which also included representatives for Bon Jovi, Amy Poehler, the Grammy awards and the Latin Grammys, as well as several other celebrities.

“It was awesome. I don’t know what else to say,” Farah said of the president’s drop-in. “People were really motivated. People really want to collaborate together … That personal touch was obviously really impactful.”

He is not aware of any further meetings between White House officials and the entertainers who were in town this week.

“I’m just more excited about getting to work rather than having another meeting,” Farah said.