Former First Lady Michelle Obama continued her late night fashion book tour on Monday when she travelled to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote the book and lament that the “rules and norms and standards” that applied to the White House allegedly no longer exist.
Speaking about Barack, Kimmel wondered, “Is he upset that he never got to greenlight a Rush Hour movie? Or have a UFC fight on the White House lawn? I mean, really, you look back and go, "Oh, I could have done that. That would have been great."
Obama made sure that the narrative that she and Barack treated the presidency with the august reverence it deserves was unspoiled, “That's why I say, you know, I thought there were rules and norms and standards, but yeah.”
We can’t all give interviews to people who eat cereal out of a bathtub, but such behavior is probably why when Barack left office in January 2017, the Associated Press dubbed him the “pop culture king.”
Kimmel then moved on to the book, “You’ve written a book that is about my passion, fashion. Yes. Is it strange to you that people are so interested in the clothes that you wear?”
Replace “people” with “journalists” and “interested in” with “gawk at” and the question would have made more sense. For her part, Obama said no, because “You know, first ladies throughout history. Their style, their approach to—you know, there's a mystique to the first lady. And right now it's still just a first lady. You know, to—all that behind the scenes. Because, you know, only a handful of people in the history of the country have served in that role. So—and how we show up in the world, you know—although the first lady's role, we are not celebrities, but there is sort of that otherness quality that, you know, you can't deny. And so, you know, you go to any presidential library and oftentimes the most popular exhibit is what the first lady wore.”
Kimmel then wondered, “Did you save all that stuff? All that clothing?”
Obama replied with a quip about Barack’s tan suit, “Yeah, yeah. I mean, all the clothes that had impact get donated by the designer to the White House Historical Association. So, it's saved to be archived for the presidential library, and the Obama Presidential Center will open up in June. With so many exhibits. There will be a model Oval Office, but also many of the fashions that I wore will be displayed there. Barack may have a tan suit. I think that was the biggest fashion statement.”
Because late night exists to be a safe space for Democrats like the Obamas, Kimmel did not push back on the idea that the most scandalous thing Barack ever did was wear such a suit. Instead, he joked that “you gotta get those” mom jeans in there as well.
Here is a transcript for the December 15-taped show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
12/16/2025
12:10 AM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: Is he upset that he never got to greenlight a Rush Hour movie? Or have a UFC fight on the White House lawn?
MICHELLE OBAMA: You know?
KIMMEL: I mean, really, you look back and go, "Oh, I could have done that. That would have been great."
OBAMA: That's why I say, you know, I thought there were rules and norms and standards, but yeah.
KIMMEL: You've written a book that is about my passion, fashion. Yes.
OBAMA: Yes. As we all know.
KIMMEL: Is it strange to you that people are so interested in the clothes that you wear?
OBAMA: No.
KIMMEL: No.
OBAMA: I mean—you know, first ladies throughout history. Their style, their approach to—you know, there's a mystique to the first lady. And right now it's still just a first lady. You know, to—all that behind the scenes. Because, you know, only a handful of people in the history of the country have served in that role. So—and how we show up in the world, you know—although the first lady's role, we are not celebrities, but there is sort of that otherness quality that, you know, you can't deny. And so, you know, you go to any presidential library, and oftentimes the most popular exhibit is what the first lady wore. The inaugural gown. The—I guess it's our princess moment, you know, here in America.
KIMMEL: Did you save all that stuff? All that clothing?
OBAMA: Yeah, yeah. I mean, all the clothes that had impact get donated by the designer to the White House Historical Association. So, it's saved to be archived for the presidential library and the Obama Presidential Center will open up in June.
KIMMEL: With these designs?
OBAMA: With so many exhibits. There will be a model Oval Office, but also many of the fashions that I wore will be displayed there. Barack may have a tan suit. I think that was the biggest fashion statement.
KIMMEL: What about those mom jeans? Will they be in there?
Obama: Oh, you know?
KIMMEL: You gotta get those.
OBAMA: Gotta get those
KIMMEL: Absolutely.
