During an interview at the Obama Presidential Center opening in Chicago on Thursday, June 18, Tom Hanks playfully joked about MS NOW’s ratings—prompting laughs online and drawing attention to the star-studded event.
Tom Hanks didn’t wait long to make his point.
On Thursday. June 18. at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. the 69-year-old actor sat down for an on-site interview and immediately leaned into a joke about MS NOW. The moment came when Jacob Soboroff. the network’s Senior National and Political Correspondent. approached him at the event and told him it was “great” to see the Forrest Gump star.
Hanks answered with a quip aimed at the channel’s audience: “What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?” Then he added another line that landed with a teasing edge at the network’s ratings: “Alright – add a zero to it.” Soboroff replied. “Oh. come on. We’re live on MS NOW,” and Hanks kept the exchange moving with the back-and-forth humor.
The lighthearted interview spread quickly online, with viewers amused by the Burb’s actor’s teasing and the casual way he highlighted the TV conversation in the middle of a high-profile political-cultural moment.
The Obama Presidential Center opening itself drew a crowd of major names. Alongside Hanks, celebrities including Tyler Perry, Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Quinta Brunson, David Letterman, Steven Spielberg, and Stephen Colbert were in attendance.
Music brought another wave of attention to the day. Jennifer Hudson performed the National Anthem with The Roots. Later, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, John Legend, Common, Christina Aguilera, and Bono took the stage.
Politics was present too. Former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden attended the opening, along with their wives—Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Jill Biden.
Across the event. the joke about “800 people” watching MS NOW became the clip people kept replaying. precisely because it was so immediate—said on camera at a ceremony that has been years in the making and is meant to celebrate the legacy of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Tom Hanks MS NOW Obama Presidential Center Chicago Jacob Soboroff ratings joke Forrest Gump Jennifer Hudson The Roots Barack Obama Michelle Obama