Michelle Obama Humiliated Amid Relationship Rumors
Michelle Obama’s New Podcast Struggles as Competitors Soar Amid Intensifying Divorce Rumors
Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s podcast venture with her brother Craig Robinson is underperforming expectations despite its high-profile March launch.
The siblings’ show, “IMO [In My Opinion] with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson,” currently ranks as only the 34th most popular podcast on Spotify and 19th on Apple Podcasts, raising questions about its staying power in the competitive audio landscape.
The podcast features the duo discussing current events, offering advice and interviewing special guests including Seth Rogen, Issa Rae, Keke Palmer, and wellness expert Jay Shetty.
Produced by the Obamas’ media company Higher Ground, “IMO” released its first two episodes simultaneously, titled “You Should Start a Podcast with Your Sibling” and “Some Friendships Need to Go,” but has failed to capture the audience numbers expected from such a high-profile launch.
Despite the star power attached to the project, newer entrants to the podcast scene have quickly outpaced “IMO.”
The Daily Mail reported that Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” launched just one month before Obama’s show but has already claimed the second position on Apple Podcasts and third on Spotify, despite having released fewer episodes.
Other shows including “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce,” and “The Joe Rogan Experience” are also outranking the Obama-Robinson collaboration in what appears to be a very competitive space.
The lackluster performance extends to YouTube, where the podcast’s channel has accumulated only 67,000 subscribers.
This figure stands in stark contrast to competitors like “Call Her Daddy” (1.2 million), “Jay Shetty Podcast” (3.91 million) and “The Joe Rogan Experience” with its massive following of 19.6 million subscribers.
The first episode reportedly garnered just 50,000 views upon release, numbers that the Daily Mail explained fall well short of industry expectations for such a high-profile media personality.
During the podcast’s debut episode, Michelle made notable comments about her White House years, saying she wouldn’t have been able to “get through” her eight years as First Lady without her brother’s support.
“Being married to the president of the United States [is a] thing that none of us kind of banked on,” she remarked. “We knew Barack was smart and ambitious, but, you know…”
She also revealed that it was her brother who convinced her to support her husband’s political ambitions despite her initial reluctance.
These comments come amid speculation about the Obamas’ relationship. Former President Barack Obama recently admitted during an interview at Hamilton College that he was in a “deep deficit” with his wife and had been “trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things,” TTOA recently highlighted.
The former president has also been spotted attending several high-profile events solo, including the late President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Donald Trump’s inauguration, fueling further speculation.
The Daily Mail explained that the couple attempted to quash rumors with matching Valentine’s Day posts on social media. Barack shared a selfie with the caption: “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, Michelle Obama!”
Michelle responded with the same image, writing: “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, Barack Obama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!”
The podcast’s struggles coincide with Democrats reportedly strategizing to establish a progressive equivalent to Joe Rogan’s massive influence.
A Media Matters study revealed conservative podcasts dominate the alternative media landscape, with right-leaning figures commanding significantly larger audiences than their left-wing counterparts.
While Rogan leads with 39.9 million followers, other conservative voices including Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro, and Jordan Peterson each command audiences exceeding 18 million.
The top left-leaning show (Trevor Noah) has only 21.2 million followers, while “The Young Turks” and “The Breakfast Club” trail with approximately 12 million each.
Other Democratic figures have recently launched podcast ventures with mixed results.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s “This is Gavin Newsom,” which debuted shortly before “IMO,” currently ranks 47th on Spotify and 57th on Apple Podcasts, suggesting a broader challenge for left-leaning political figures attempting to break into the podcast space.
The Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground, has previously found success with film projects including “Leave the World Behind” starring Julia Roberts and “Rustin” featuring Colman Domingo.
Michelle Obama also previously hosted “The Light Podcast,” which concluded in February 2023, raising questions about whether the former first lady can translate her popularity and brand into sustainable podcast success in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
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