Michelle Obama‘s new podcast teases divorce and “misses the mark” on her privileged life, according to a cultural commentator.
Maureen Callahan slammed Michelle’s debut show with brother Craig Robinson, You Should Start a Podcast with Your Sibling, calling it full of self-serving stories that highlight the former First Lady‘s underlying bitterness, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Callahan criticized Michelle’s Spotify debut as self-indulgent, questioning her choice to discuss her brother’s divorce instead of her own rumored marital issues.
She further explained how the podcast presents Michelle, 66, as a narcissistic figure who uses the platform to shift focus from her husband Barack Obama‘s achievements.
Callahan believed this was an attempt to portray herself as an icon while sidestepping her own perceived flaws.
Michelle’s complicated dynamic with her brother became apparent as they talked about his divorce, with Craig appearing somewhat intimidated by Michelle.
And while she may preach sisterly support, Michelle couldn’t hide her resentment over not being the first to hear about her brother’s marriage troubles.
Instead of self-reflection, Craig offered a weak apology, which only added to the uncomfortable atmosphere.
Callahan said: “Yes: her brother’s marital failure is cannon fodder for this otherwise pointless ego bath, this excruciating exercise in attempting to prove – à la Meghan Markle – that Michelle has more to offer than her marriage, which may or may not be ending.
“But that topic is clearly off-limits. Relatedly, her older brother Craig, now 62 to her 61, seems a little bit afraid of her.”
The episode also delved into Michelle’s ongoing bitterness about her husband’s presidency, implying she has yet to fully forgive him for his success.
Her comments on navigating the White House with the support of her brother, rather than her husband, furhter raised Callahan’s eyebrows.
Despite this, Michelle continues to chase projects that capitalize on her marriage, such as her podcast, and even as an executive producer on Netflix’s Later Daters.
Throughout the podcast, Callahan said Michelle’s bitterness was evident – especially in her remarks about Barack’s superior qualities and global recognition.
It’s clear Michelle has struggled with constantly being compared to her husband, and despite her own success, remains deeply frustrated by the overshadowing nature of his accomplishments, the commentator added.
Callahan jabbed: “Which, by the way, is a losing game, because Barack will always be Number One — perhaps the root of Michelle’s apparent fury.
“She is just as much of a narcissist as her husband. Here she describes her reaction to learning that her beloved, only sibling’s marriage was ending.”
This podcast, much like other projects she’s been involved with, feels like a personal vendetta against her husband’s legacy – which she has yet to fully embrace, Callahan explained.
The commentary suggested Michelle’s bitterness has continued to shape her public persona and personal projects.
In the episode, Michelle admitted she never wanted her husband to run for president, and once again, she credited her only sibling for changing her mind.
“You talked me into supporting his run,” Michelle told Craig during the chat.
Callahan later noted of Michelle: “She is resentful, still, that her husband brought her and their girls into the White House, that his election made her the first black First Lady, and conferred upon her an immortality that no amount of books written or Netflix productions or podcasts launched will ever grant her.
“It’s Craig she thanks — not, more appropriately, her husband — for getting her through the ‘hell’ that was the White House.”