In university, I rushed to write an essay about Michelle Obama’s image in the media. Fast forward to last night, when Michelle came to Toronto on her book tour and spoke in front of 15,000 fans. The pre-show was a highlight reel of Michelle’s most memorable moments in the media and in the White House. Ellen DeGeneres did something similar at her show in March, without a photo with Queen Elizabeth.
A few minutes before Michelle came onstage at the Scotiabank Arena, a few Canadian stars came out to reflect on their own stories. ELLE Canada’s Editor in Chief Vanessa Craft appeared first and I just met her last week at a fashion industry event. Next, Dan Levy talked about storytelling as an actor. He has appeared on this blog a few times, so that was a fun surprise! The Property Brothers also spoke, but separately.
Comedian Phoebe Robinson interviewed Michelle for about 90 minutes. They talked about work, family and pop culture. It was all light content, nothing too political.
When asked about how she started doing talk shows and the like, Michelle said she wanted to “make people laugh and then teach them a little something.” She listened to what her younger staff said was cool and trusted their instincts. “We had to roll with the times,” she said. “You never knew what was going to resonate, so we were open.”
In that conversation, she made a subtle dig at President Trump. She recalled how she went to the White House with a BlackBerry. “They wouldn’t let Barack have an iPhone for security reasons. Go figure.”
Michelle’s advice was geared towards the mostly female audience, but she made an effort to communicate with guys too. She said she’s grateful for how her dad treated her like an equal to her older brother. For example, when her dad taught her brother how to box, she got her own little boxing gloves too.
She added that it’s not enough for men to raise strong daughters. As a man, you need to think about how you treat your female coworkers, as this will establish a certain culture in the workforce. Michelle encourages men to create an environment now that you will want your daughter to enter when she grows up and starts working.
Everyone laughed when Michelle talked about raising teenage girls. She joked about a recent phone call with Malia after she moved away to college. Malia had to learn about dusting because it had always been done for her. After getting advice from Michelle, now she’s a neat freak.
As for general life advice, Michelle emphasized that you can’t let fear stop you from achieving your goals. Practice overcoming it. Think about how nervous you were before starting school and then a few months later, it became routine.
“I’m here because I failed a lot and then I moved forward,” she said. People who succeed don’t give up! “The path to success is filled with bumps and bruises.” In fact, Michelle revealed that she failed the first time she tried to pass the bar. Look where she is now – she just wrote a book that is on track to become the most successful memoir ever!
“I want to be that old lady that says whatever’s on her mind. I want to embarrass my grandchildren. There’s always time to go after your dreams!” Michelle wants everyone to know that you never stop growing. It’s not something that stops when you retire. It’s ongoing.
Michelle Obama’s interview was the place to be! Max Kerman from The Arkells and the hosts of CTV’s The Social were there, as well as Lisa Lisson, President of FedEx Canada. Many were kickstarting Mother’s Day celebrations like me and all of us wanted to see an iconic former first lady.