Obama supporter Kal Penn hosts star-studded convention live-stream

{mosads}Penn was joined by Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Aisha Tyler, Alexis Bledel and Zach Braff, as well as Obama campaign aides. The livestream also included taped segments with Vice President Biden and first lady Michelle Obama, both including a fist bump with Penn.

The hosted livestream, which is embedded on the campaign’s website, is unusual not just because it represents notable resources dedicated to drawing in an increasingly online-based audience with a slickly produced presentation, but because Penn and guests had free reign to crack jokes and be as irreverent as they wanted.

Banks and Wilde, for example, read quotes from Republicans and openly mocked both their policies and — as actors — delivery. Comedian Fran Drescher also taped a segment for the livestream where she questioned convention attendees about their merchandise choices.

Michelle Obama, in her segment, said she “loves ‘The Hunger Games,’ ” prefers sit-ups to push-ups, and that the family dog Bo “sleeps with the girls.” Biden donned his aviator sunglasses, revealing he’s owned them since he was 17.

Much of the content in the livestream came as a surprise to viewers, which was part of the draw. Democrats planned some 4,000 neighborhood “watch parties” for the president’s speech, many using the livestream. Many “watch parties” are reportedly hosted on college campuses, an audience perhaps more likely than most to be watching convention events online.

“If you’ve got me on mute on your laptop while you watch strange cat videos, in which case you can’t hear me right now, just stick around for the main event,” Penn said, wrapping up the hour-long presentation by promoting Biden’s and Obama’s upcoming speeches.

The livestream continued with coverage of the convention floor from 9 p.m. EDT until the conclusion of Obama’s speech, when Penn would return with “special guests” for a live post-show wrap-up.