Obama puts naturalist in hot seat

United States President Barack Obama is normally the one giving the answers in an interview.

But on Sunday, he will turn the tables and ask the questions in an interview with naturalist David Attenborough that will be broadcast by the BBC.

Obama and Attenborough will discuss climate change, one of the president's top issues for his remaining time in office.

"I have been a huge admirer of your work for a very long time," Obama told Attenborough in a clip of the interview posted on the BBC website.

It is the latest in a series of unusual media appearances for Obama, who has been keen to use almost any avenue to get his message across to as many people as possible.

Last week, he was interviewed by comedian Marc Maron for a viral podcast. Earlier this year, he talked to green-lipstick-wearing comedian GloZell Green and other YouTube celebrities with huge followings.

To reach young people he wanted to sign up for Obamacare, his signature healthcare insurance program, Obama talked to comedian Zach Galifianakis for the web series Between Two Ferns.

Obama has bantered with other comedians on late-night television and exploited every possible social media tool, even doing his own jousting in the political arena of Twitter.

Attenborough, 89, has been making television documentaries for 60 years. The BBC has called him "the godfather of natural history TV".

Obama's interview with Attenborough about climate change was taped on May 8, and will be aired by BBC, BBC America and 20 other broadcasters around the world, a White House official said.

(China Daily 06/27/2015 page1)