During the first episode of Michelle Obama’s new Spotify podcast, she has a meaningful conversation with her husband, the 44th U.S. President, Barack Obama.
Michelle reveals that she invited Barack as her first guest “because he’s navigated these questions throughout the course of his life. In many ways, you can see his entire career as a constant conversation and evolution with his relationship to a larger and larger community.”
In the episode of “The Michelle Obama Podcast”, Barack and Michelle discuss this time of uncertainty.
“Given everything that’s going on right now, from the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the ongoing protests and conversations that are testing our patience — and our consciences… not to mention all the challenges we’re experiencing due to the pandemic, I think that these days, a lot of people are questioning just where and how they can fit into a community,” says Michelle in the podcast’s introduction.
The couple also converse about their life together during quarantine and ever since they left the White House, their home of eight years, in 2016.
“Like most Americans, we’ve been spending a lot of time together in quarantine,” says Michelle. “You don’t seem too happy about that,” Barack replies jokingly. “I’ve been loving it,” he admits. “Yeah, I’ve been having a great time,” Michelle responds. “But we’ve had some interesting conversations… because these are some crazy times.”
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On the topic of life after the White House, Michelle says, “After I left the White House, I did a lot of reflecting back on my life — not just on the big moments at the White House, but on the small ones. Going back through these memories reminded me that the main truth of my story isn’t anything I did as First Lady, but the experiences that make me who I am… And that’s what I hope this podcast can be: a place for us to explore big topics together.”
As they talk about their different experiences growing up, Barack teases Michelle, saying that her family was like “the Black ‘Leave It to Beavers’… only thing missing was the dog.”
“The Michelle Obama Podcast” is the first project from the Obamas’ media production firm, Higher Ground, under Spotify’s exclusive multi-year pact.
Others who will appear on the podcast include Washington Post columnist Michele Norris, discussing “self in the time of COVID”; Dr. Sharon Malone, wife of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking on women’s health; her older brother, Craig Robinson, on sibling relationships; Conan O’Brien talking about marriage; and Obama staff members Chynna Clayton, Yene Damtew and Kristin Jones in a roundtable on mentees.
Michelle Obama will also sit down with Valerie Jarrett, former adviser to President Obama, to discuss mentorship, and her friends Malone, Kelly Dibble and Denielle Pemberton-Heard for a conversation about friendships.
The premiere episode of “The Michelle Obama Podcast” airs July 29 worldwide on Spotify.
Check out the teaser trailer below.