“Die Hard” Is Definitively Not A Christmas Movie, Says Barack Obama

December 7, 2020, 1:09 pm

Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on one of the vital debates of our age, stating on Friday that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie.

Advertisement
Hide

The annual debate surrounding the 1988 action movie ramps up every Christmas season. The Bruce Willis vehicle is set in Los Angeles during Christmastime, making the debate possible. In recent years, the popular TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine has brought Die Hard into greater focus throughout the year, as Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta character is obsessed with the movie.

Advertisement
Hide

But this year, Jimmy Fallon sought to determine the matter once and for all, so he brought Obama onto The Tonight Show for a segment called “Obama Settles It.” There, the former president weighed in on questions like “Does the person flying in the middle seat get both armrests?” and “New York-style pizza vs. Chicago deep-dish pizza?”

(Obama ruled that a middle-seat passenger has to choose one armrest or the other, and despite his Chicago roots, determined that the efficiency of being able to fold and walk with New York-style pizza gave it the edge over deep-dish pizza.)

When it came to Die Hard, Obama was firm and resolute.

Advertisement
Hide

“No,” he began. “It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie. A Charlie Brown Christmas is a Christmas movie. Die Hard is an action flick that happens to tangentially involve Christmas.”

Fallon, agreeing with Obama, remarked, “This is the best interview I’ve ever done.”

However, The Tonight Show‘s viewers disagreed—or at least they did on Twitter. Its poll on the Die Hard question held revealed over 55 percent of the more than 12,500 respondents disagreed with Obama and Fallon.

It’s your turn to settle this debate!

Die Hard:

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) December 5, 2020

Advertisement
Hide

Some jokingly (we think) characterized Obama’s answer as a betrayal.

One astute observer even made a case for Die Hard as the “original Hallmark Christmas movie.”

Sorry @BarackObama but Die Hard was the original Hallmark Christmas Movie

Woman (named Holly!) moves across the country for a big job
simple man decides to win her back
chaos ensues
final frame is them kissing in the snow

— Christmas, Table for 1 (@CarsonSieving) December 5, 2020

And several craft-minded people contributed the same Christmas ornament idea, for those who want to show family and friends they’re in the “yes” camp.

Advertisement
Hide

Watch the full segment below:

Share this article

*First Published: December 7, 2020, 1:09 pm