Of, for and by women

Former US First ladies, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton’s new podcasts are a lesson in vulnerability, resilience and faith

As a woman, it’s impossible not to be a fan of your own tribe. Their achievements give us reasons to celebrate, and their losses, can be equally heartbreaking. Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, both former US First ladies, have been personal favourites—Michelle more so, especially after we read her affecting memoir, Becoming, and watched her Netflix documentary, which goes by the same name as her book. Hillary, on the other hand, is peerless. Her political acumen has won her both, brickbats and love, but she continues unfaltering. What we most like about these Chicago women is their strong sense of self-worth, which makes them such wonderful role models for all. It’s what got us tuned into their latest podcasts.

Michelle’s show, unimaginatively titled, The Michelle Obama Podcast, released last year, a few months after the pandemic broke out. We only happened to include it on our must-listen list recently, when we made sunset walks a compulsory addition to our daily routine. It meant that we were now on the go, and with Michelle. Sounded exciting, and fortunately, never once disappointing. Unlike Hillary’s podcast, Michelle’s show is more intimate and personal. In most of her episodes, she interviews family members and very dear friends, and these conversations if anything make the Obamas more real, and ordinary, like you and me. Our favourite is the one, where she invites former US President Barack Obama; their open, no-holds-barred conversations about the toll American politics often took on their relationship, and how they negotiated it, was enlightening. Needless to say, their repartee is endearing. “One of the reasons I fell in love with you…,” Michelle shares early on in the interview. “It was just because of my looks,” Obama interrupts. “No,” she responds immediately, adding, “I mean, you’re cute, but no. One of the reasons I fell in love with you is [that] you’re guided by the principle that we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers. And that’s how I was raised.” We even loved the chat with her brother Craig Robinson—how he was once the more popular of the two siblings, and understanding now, what it means to be on the other side. Our favourite, though, is the conversation Obama has with comedian friend Conan O’Brien, where the  two discuss their respective marriages and the former First Lady doling out important advice, “You must know who you are, to know who you are looking for.”

You and Me Both with Hillary, on iHeartRadio, is not far removed from Michelle’s. But, her cast is more varied, and the range of issues that she discusses, are also more current and even sentimental. Two seasons down already, Hillary discusses everything from mental health, grief, hope, resilience and faith, to politics, being queer in America, books, and even food. One of the episodes, which was an eye-opener for us, was the one with Bobby Berk, interior design expert on Netflix’s Queer Eye, and Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach and her partner, author Glennon Doyle, who left an unhappy marriage for true love. The episode, titled Doing Hard Things, is rather long—running close to an hour, but it’s imbued with lessons about coming out, and having the courage to do what your heart tells you to. The episode on Disinformation has Tristan Harris—you may remember him from The Social Dilemma—and Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa, who talk about technology as a bane, and how it’s working against humanity, dividing us further. If you are a follower of American politics, Hillary’s show even provides ample room for well-thought-out discussions. That she takes on difficult conversations with ease, not appearing even once as an authority on the subject, but someone, who is eager to learn about what is ailing society today, makes her episodes delightful to listen to.

It’s hard, however, to compare the two shows. Hillary and Michelle are different people, and that reflects in their podcasts, as well. Yet, there’s something that connects them. They believe in freedom (for all), and, that’s the optimism you’ll experience, when you tune in.

What: You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton and The Michelle Obama Podcast
Where: iHeartRadio; Spotify

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