tap-danced

There were fleeting moments of mad genius as the president flashed his trademark Messianic zeal but all momentum visibly fizzled whenever he tap-danced around specifics in wooden numbers that reeked of the fuzzy and familiar: "The State of the Union is Strong but Could be Stronger," "Investment is Like Spending Only Better," and what was surely intended to be the rousing curtain closer, "Win the Future."

Will Durst: Boffo Smash or Miserable Flop? Will Durst 2011

Dinwiddie had tried to get Mackay to serve under Fry, and then under Washington, but the captain tap-danced around the issue.

George Washington’s First War David A. Clary 2011

Dinwiddie had tried to get Mackay to serve under Fry, and then under Washington, but the captain tap-danced around the issue.

George Washington’s First War David A. Clary 2011

There were fleeting moments of mad genius as the president flashed his trademark Messianic zeal, but all momentum fizzled whenever he tap-danced around specifics in wooden numbers that reeked of the familiar.

Will Durst: Boffo Smash or Miserable Flop? Will Durst 2011

There were fleeting moments of mad genius as the president flashed his trademark Messianic zeal but all momentum visibly fizzled whenever he tap-danced around specifics in wooden numbers that reeked of the fuzzy and familiar: "The State of the Union is Strong but Could be Stronger,""Investment is Like Spending Only Better," and what was surely intended to be the rousing curtain closer, "Win the Future."

Will Durst: Boffo Smash or Miserable Flop? Will Durst 2011

She tap-danced with little American flags, smeared Vaseline on her teeth to smile big as Farrah Fawcett Majors.

Spray-Tans in the 70s Susan Rukeyser 2011

Dinwiddie had tried to get Mackay to serve under Fry, and then under Washington, but the captain tap-danced around the issue.

George Washington’s First War David A. Clary 2011

Dinwiddie had tried to get Mackay to serve under Fry, and then under Washington, but the captain tap-danced around the issue.

George Washington’s First War David A. Clary 2011

And the models on Gucci's runway, who had all the glamour of the silent-film era, could have seamlessly tap-danced their way onto the set of the best-picture-nominated film "The Artist."

Costume Drama Rachel Dodes 2012

There were fleeting moments of mad genius as the president flashed his trademark Messianic zeal, but all momentum fizzled whenever he tap-danced around specifics in wooden numbers that reeked of the familiar.

Will Durst: Boffo Smash or Miserable Flop? Will Durst 2011