If you’ve been aching for a reunion with Michelle Obama, we’ve got some fantastic news for you.
The former first lady is teaming up with her brother, basketball executive and broadcaster Craig Robinson, for a brand-new podcast. Called IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson (a reference to the abbreviation for “in my opinion”), the show promises candid insights into the lives of these inspirational and aspirational siblings, along with the kind of thoughtful conversation we’ve come to expect from the author of Becoming and The Light We Carry.
This announcement comes after a stretch of the former first lady being a bit MIA: She skipped President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, and she wasn’t at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, either — both events that she was widely expected to attend, per political tradition. So it’s safe to say her biggest fans are over the moon about the news that Obama will once again be a regular presence in their lives — or, at least, in their ears. (Though IMO episodes will also be released as videos, if you’re hoping to get a look at her always-fabulous wardrobe, too.)
The series is produced by Higher Ground, the Obamas’ production company, which also brought us the former first lady’s previous audio endeavors, The Michelle Obama Podcast and The Light Podcast, as well as the Netflix children’s show Waffles + Mochi. (In the film space, Higher Ground produced the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory.)
IMO officially premiered on Wednesday, March 12, with two episodes dropping at once to kick things off. From then on, we’ll get new episodes on a weekly basis. You can listen to the show on iHeart, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Eager to start gobbling up the episodes? Let’s dive into everything you need to know.
What can we expect from the series?
“With everything going on in the world, we’re all looking for answers and people to turn to,” Obama said about the show. “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.”
Robinson added that he and his sister have always shared a dynamic of personal reflection and talking through the big and small issues in life together. “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,” he said.
Each episode will run about an hour, and — at least in the first two — the hosts largely steer clear of current events or political goings-on. Instead, they focused primarily on offering advice talking through their shared life experiences. So you’ll probably be disappointed if you were hoping to hear someone with the last name Obama rail on President Trump’s second term. But what will you get?
In the first episode, the siblings introduce the show and discuss some of the particularly trying times in their lives, including how Obama geared up for her husband’s presidential campaign and Robinson’s experience of getting divorced. You can watch the chat here:
The second episode features celebrity guest Issa Rae, the creator and star of HBO’s Insecure. Using a fan’s question as a jumping off point, Rae talks with Obama and Robinson about the complicated task of maintaining adult friendships. You can see that one here:
The first couple of episodes offer some fun personal moments, too, like Obama’s declaration that, after years of being transported everywhere by her Secret Service agents, she’s taken up driving herself again.
Will Obama and Robinson be speaking with celebrity guests?
Yes — and plenty of them! In addition to the aforementioned Issa Rae, upcoming episodes will feature director Tyler Perry, actors like Keke Palmer and Seth Rogen, podcaster Jay Shetty, and Couples Therapy star Dr. Orna Guralnik.
What if I’m missing Barack, too?
Unfortunately, there’s no word yet whether the former president will appear on the podcast himself, but he will be a topic of conversation. In the podcast’s premiere, Michelle reveals that when her husband first told her he wanted to run for president, her reaction was, “We’ve done enough crazy stuff.” And it turns out that it was her brother who convinced her to come around on the prospect.
“[Barack] was smart enough to know that he needed to come to you and sell you on the idea,” Obama says.
That’s how Robinson remembered it, too. “I convinced you to not penalize him for being really good at what he does,” he said.
