Ultra-liberal “Star Wars” lead Mark Hamill randomly showed up to the press briefing room at the White House on Friday.
He told surprised journalists that he had just been given a tour of the Oval Office by the President Joe Biden, who he positively fawned over.
“Well, you know, I called him Mr. President. He said, ‘You can call me Joe.’ And I said, ‘Can I call you Joe B.-Wan Kenobi?'” Hamill, 72, said in a nod to the iconic George Lucas’ film franchise. “He liked that.”
Addressing the assembled press, he quipped, “How many of you have Mark Hamill will lead the press briefing on your BINGO card? Yeah, me neither.”
.@MarkHamill at the White House press briefing:
“I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the President, the most legislatively successful president in my lifetime. And you know, I don't have to go through the list of bipartisan infrastructure law, the PACT… pic.twitter.com/6BuWLHEJ9g
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 3, 2024
Hamill came into the briefing room with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, while wearing a pair of aviators that were a gift from Biden.
“I just got to meet the president and he gave me these aviator glasses,’ Hamill continued. “I love the merch, I love it all.”
On a more serious note, he took time to laud Biden by listing of the bills he has signed into law while in office.
“But listen I just want to say I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the president, the most legislatively successful president in my lifetime,” Hamill remarked.
“And I don’t have to go through the list, the bipartisan infrastructure law, the PACT Act, the CHIPS Act. 15 million jobs. It’s all good.”
The Luke Skywalker actor hasn’t been shy about gushing over Biden in the past. In April he randomly responded to an X, formerly Twitter, post made by Biden in the fall of 2020.
Joe Biden is the best president we've ever had. https://t.co/kzpFS0alkS
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) April 22, 2024
“Donald Trump is the worst president we’ve ever had,” the president’s account posted in September 2020.
“Joe Biden is the best president we’ve ever had,” Hamill replied.
While addressing the press corps, the actor also waxed lyrically about meeting the aides who support the president.
“I was really thrilled to meet the entire staff, because, you know, it’s not just one person. It’s like a composite endeavor,” he added.
In another cringey joke, Hamill told journalists that he was open to taking queries, but “no Star Wars questions, please,” before not taking a question and once again praising Biden.
“I want to say once again, how grateful I am and that just shows you that one person can be so influential and so positive in our lives,” he commented.
When asked about his conversation with the president, Hamill disclosed that their meeting extended beyond the five minutes he had anticipated.
“He showed us all of his photographs. And you know, it was really amazing to me because you know I was invited to the Carter White House. And I came,” the actor mentioned.
“And then I came to the Obama White House. But I never was invited into the Oval Office … so this one was really extra special,” he added.
Following his remarks, Hamill wrapped up his appearance with an odd exchange with Jean-Pierre.
“But, listen, I’m not really here to dominate. I have to turn it back over to our wonderful Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre. So, thank you all so much,” he said before hugging her.
“Thank you,” Jean-Pierre replied, to which Hamill parroted, “All right, thank you.”
The press secretary thanked him once again, before Hamill said “okay” and walked away to applause from reporters.
Mark Hamill: “But listen, I'm not really here to dominate. I have to turn it back over to our wonderful press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre. So thank you all so much.”
KJP: “Thank you.”
Hamill: “All right. Thank you.”
KJP: “Thank you.”
Hamill: “Okay.”
KJP: “Thank you so much… pic.twitter.com/jyCwi6848w
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 3, 2024
“No one ever claps for me when I get off the podium, just saying,” Jean-Pierre joked to journalists.
“I know — expect the unexpected,” she added. “I don’t even know where to go from there, but I do have — now I feel very by myself.”
Jean-Pierre said that the pair “had a meeting about what the president has been able to do on behalf of the American people,” as Hamill is “invested” in the goings on of the country.
She told the press corps that his fly-by appearance was really intended for their benefit, in an effort to keep their jobs casual at the end of the week.
“We thought it would be fun for him to come up here and lighten up, lighten up the room on a Friday, we also believe that you guys – there are some Star Wars fans in here,” Jean-Pierre concluded.
The same day, Biden handed out Presidential Medals of Freedom to 19 recipients, including Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh and Olympian Katie Ledecky. It was unclear if Hamill attended the ceremony.