Monday / Tuesday/ January 7 / 8 / Stephen Colbert interviews Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama was the first First Lady to court an air of “relatability,” and her memoir, “Becoming,” marks her second coming, as an unprecedented, potentially billion-dollar brand.

Photograph by Scott Olson / Getty

Michelle Obama’s New Reign of Soft Power

By Doreen St. Félix

Since Lady Bird Johnson, with the exception of only Pat Nixon, every First Lady has published a memoir. (Our most literary First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, never did.) Traditionally, these books, written in the language of women’s magazines, exalt the Presidential station. Obama’s was expected to be something different: she had more in common with Alice Walker than with Nancy Reagan, after all.

 Before there was a memoir by Michelle, there were literary love letters to her: thank-you notes in T magazine, in October of 2016, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Rashida Jones, Gloria Steinem, and Jon Meacham; a collection of essays, “The Meaning of Michelle,” written by prominent black women writers; millions of messages dispersed on social media in a time of political whiplash and despair. 

The memoir has been marketed as truth-telling and life-affirming, an artifact from a lost time of moral uprightness and elegance. Since its publication, on November 13th, it has sold more than two million copies.

Félix, Doreen St. “Michelle Obama's New Reign of Soft Power.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2018, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/michelle-obamas-new-reign-of-soft-power.

In class. Make sure you have your earbuds! 

To continue with our interview unit, we are first watching the a recent interview that Stephen Colbert had with Michelle Obama, afterwhich you will watch it again independently and respond to the accompanying questions below. However, I am giving you handout, as this will make it easier for you to listen, pause and respond as you progress through the interview. Although the interview itself is less than 30 minutes, it will take two classes to complete the assignment. NOTE THAT THE REPONSES ARE A WRITING GRADE (50% category). 

Stephen Colbert is an effective interviewer. The questions concern style and technique. Note how he is always in charge of the reins; nevertheless, Michelle is also a pro, and is cautious, yet sincere, in her responses. I will ask you to note some of her words specifically and provide a personal commentary. You may not share earbuds!

The assignment is due at the close of class Tuesday.

Colbert interviewing Michelle Obama (28 min)

Name_______________________________     for Monday / Tuesday, January 7 and 8

Accompanying questions for Stephen Colbert’s interview with Michelle Obama

Please read, pause and respond, as you listen and watch the interview.  The link is on the blog. Make this legible!

1.     What is the purpose of this interview?

________________________________________________________________________

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2.     Why does Colbert begin the interview by quoting from Becoming? _________________

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3.     Why did Michelle create transcripts during the White House years? (Weave in her words.)

4.     How does Colbert respond, in order to maintain the fluidity of the conversation? _______________________________________________________________________

5.     How does Colbert metaphorically paraphrase Michelle’s response?

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6.     What two “heart-wrenching” events occurred the same day in Michelle’s life?

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7.     What information on Michelle’s childhood does Colbert use to segue into the next question?

8 What question does Colbert ask Michelle that follows, so as to change the tone of the interview? Why do you think he does this? (do not use “I think”!

9 Colbert observes to Michelle that her marriage was defined as a “partnership” and “sounding board”. How does Michelle respond?

10. Colbert quotes FDR, saying the presidency is a “moral position” and people look to the president for a “moral center.” How does Colbert personalize his observation when asking his next question of Michelle? (pause for a moment at 17:02) Note Colbert and Michelle’s body language.

11. What do you anticipate at the next question?_____________________________________________________________________

12. How does Michelle respond in order to maintain the “higher moral” ground?(Weave in her words)______________________________________________________________________

13. Part 3: legacy  Colbert begins by summing up Barack and Michelle’s “abrupt” political rise.  Listen and watch carefully. What relationship has been established between Colbert and Michelle? How is demonstrated in their conversation?

15. Colbert asks Michelle how she keeps from being “cynical” in politics. What is her universal message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 16. Why does Colbert read statements with no commentary?__________________________________________________________________

17. What is Colbert’s last question to Michelle? Why does he ask this?