Actor Barry Floyd to Obama: Focus on climate change in your second term, not your critics

Barry Floyd plays fan favorite “Tee Tee” on BET’s hit show “The Game,” now in its third season. The actor behind Tee Tee holds a political science degree from Temple University and started out his show business career as a production assistant on the set of the BET show “Girlfriends.” While on that set, Floyd’s comedic talents were soon discovered, and the role of Tee Tee was created for him. When Floyd isn’t in front of the cameras, he writes, produces and directs the online sketch comedy series “Purple Stuff TV.” 

ROBIN BRONK: If you had five minutes in the Oval Office with President Obama what would you discuss with him? What issue would you like him to know about?

BARRY FLOYD: I would want to discuss climate change. With the polar ice caps melting, the sea levels rising and all the major superstorms over the last few years, why isn’t more being done on this issue? Why aren’t we more aggressively exploring alternatives to oil and other fossil fuels, instead of just paying it lip service in a speech? The economy, gun control and immigration reform are undeniably important issues, but ultimately none of them will matter if we don’t take care of the planet. My biggest fear is that we won’t see any major movement on this issue until it is too little, too late.

{mosads}RB: If you could ask the president one question, what would that be?

BF: When you play basketball against the U.S. Marines, are they allowed to play defense?

RB: What piece of advice would you give the president as he settles into his second term in office?

BF: You don’t have to worry about being reelected again, so make this second term about YOUR vision of the country and not your critics’ visions.

RB: If you were going to send President Obama to one of your favorite places in the United States for one day, where would that be? Why?

BF: I would send him to my home town of Philadelphia and encourage him to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, if he hasn’t already. Most people (including myself, until recently) just run up the stairs and do the Rocky pose but never actually go inside. Also, for the cheese steaks, but that goes without saying.

RB: What CD/piece of music would you recommend that the president add to his collection? Why? 

BF: I would tell him to ditch the CDs and download the Kendrick Lamar album to his iPhone, because it’s good music for those long flights on Air Force One.

RB: Would you ever consider a political career? 

BF: No way. It seems like a thankless job where you have to try to make everyone happy but no one ever is. I have tremendous respect for the people who are able to do it.

Robin Bronk is CEO of The Creative Coalition — the leading national, nonprofit, nonpartisan public advocacy organization of the entertainment industry. Bronk is a frequent speaker on the role of the entertainment industry in public advocacy campaigns and represents The Creative Coalition and its legislative agenda before members of Congress and the White House. She produced the feature film “Poliwood,” airing on Showtime, and edited the recently published book Art & Soul. Bronk pens this weekly column with assistance from Risa Kotek.