Michelle Obama reveals what she “misses most” pre-fame

Michelle Obama revealed what she “misses most” from her life prior to becoming famous on a recent episode of her podcast.

The 61-year-old was thrown into the spotlight following husband Barack Obama‘s U.S. Senate election in 2004 and his presidential election campaign in 2008. Barack Obama served two terms as President from 2009 until 2017, and the couple—as well as daughters Malia and Sasha—resided at the White House during that time.

Newsweek reached out to the Obamas’ representative via email for comment on Thursday.

Why It Matters

As a former first lady, Michelle Obama’s reflections on privacy and fame offer a unique perspective on the personal cost of public service.

What To Know

During Wednesday’s episode of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—which Michelle Obama co-hosts with her older brother, Craig Robinson—the Becoming author discussed the difficulty of maintaining anonymity and the freedoms she misses most from her pre-fame years.

“I always say there’s no way for a young person to understand the value of anonymity. I think the thing that I miss most in life is just the ability to be in the world unobserved,” she shared on the show. “There’s just a beauty in being able to sit on a sidewalk cafe with a cup of coffee.”

She added that being in the spotlight is “uncomfortable” regardless of the reason, “whether it’s because you’re famous or tall or distinguishable.”

Michelle Obama previously discussed how simple activities became rare luxuries during her tenure in the White House and afterward.

In an interview with Extra in 2015, she explained: “It’s the little things, going into a grocery store and picking my own apple and checking it out and reaching into my wallet and pulling out my wallet…I don’t even know where my wallet is right now. I don’t think I’ve seen it all day. I’m just trying to keep my regular life mojo up.”

What People Are Saying

During a 2015 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Michelle Obama highlighted another mundane freedom she missed: “The one thing people don’t realize is we can’t do little things like open windows, you know? I look forward to getting in a car and rolling down the window and just letting the air hit my face. I mean, I haven’t been in a car with the windows open in about seven years, if you can imagine that.”

The attorney has also discussed the challenges of raising her daughters in such a high-profile setting, telling ABC News, per The New York Times: “That was the first thing I said to some of the staff when I did my visit. Don’t make their beds. Make mine. Skip the kids. They have to learn these things.”

What Happens Next

Michelle Obama’s new style book called The Look is set to be released on November 4.

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson airs new episodes on Wednesdays on platforms including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.