Obama will collaborate with her older brother Craig Robinson for "IMO With Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson." Debuting Wednesday, the series will feature candid conversations with celebrities and thought leaders. A starting lineup of guests, shared in a release Monday, included Issa Rae, Glennon Doyle, Jay Shetty, Dwyane Wade, Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross and Keke Palmer. "With everything going on in the world, we’re all looking for answers and people to turn to," Obama said in the release. "My brother Craig and I launched the 'IMO' podcast to create a space for people to come as they are, ask honest questions, give their opinions, and have thoughtful conversations about life." The announcement comes as Obama has drawn away from public political functions.
Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, will host a new weekly podcast series starting this month featuring a special guest pulled from the world of entertainment, sports, health and business. “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” will address “everyday questions shaping our lives, relationships and the world around us,” according to a press release. IMO is slang for “in my opinion.” Some of the guests slated to speak to the former first lady and Robinson, the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, include the actors Issa Rae and Keke Palmer and psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik.
“We grew up talking through life’s big and small questions together,” Robinson, who is the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, added. “And now, we’re inviting listeners into that conversation, with the hope that it sparks new ideas, new perspectives, and creates the connection we could all use right now.” Michelle Obama — whose husband, former President Barack Obama, said in a 2018 speech, “There’s only so much you can eat. There’s only so big a house you can have. There’s only so many nice trips you can take. I mean, it’s enough” — got paid more than $700,000 for a one-hour speech in Germany. Michelle Obama spoke at a start-up event held near the annual Oktoberfest beer festival in September 2023; the event’s webpage said roughly 5,000 people would hear her speak about how to “push past self-doubt while discussing the importance of inclusivity and diversity.” The event organizers said Michelle Obama “topped the list” of prospective speakers for the event.
