President Barack Obama knew just how to get some laughs from an audience of Hollywood big wigs and Washington power players on Sunday, becoming the first President to publicly mention Area 51.
The President, who was in a “mood to be funny,” according to pool reports, paid homage to five performing-arts honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors Reception. While offering his praise of Shirley MacLaine, one of the awardees, President Obama spoke about Area 51, making history for uttering the Nevada installation’s name.
“Now, when you first become President, one of the questions that people ask you is, what’s really going on in Area 51?” Obama told the audience. “When I wanted to know, I’d call Shirley MacLaine. I think I just became the first President to ever publicly mention Area 51. How’s that, Shirley?”
The Oscar-winning actress claims to have seen many UFOs from the deck of her New Mexico property.
Rumors surrounding Area 51 have circulated for years, with many conspiracy theorists believing the top-secret government testing ground houses UFOs and proof of extraterrestrial life.
However, the facility, formally known as the Nevada Test and Training Range and Groom Lake, is actually used to test government programs and machinery, such as the U-2 spy plane and other aircraft.
Kennedy Center honorees include Martina Arroyo, Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel, MacLaine and Carlos Santana. The ceremony will be broadcast Dec. 29 on CBS. Others in attendance included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Check out a clip of Obama’s mention of Area 51 below, courtesy of NBC News.
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