Your Questions Answered with Michelle and Craig

Summary

Podcast Summary: IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

Episode: Your Questions Answered with Michelle and Craig
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Higher Ground

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Overview

For this special “mailbag” episode, Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson ditch the usual guest format to candidly tackle listener-submitted questions on everything from relationships and finances to reality TV and friendship. Their exchanges are full of sibling banter, practical wisdom, and personal anecdotes, offering listeners both laughs and genuinely insightful advice on common life dilemmas.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sibling Revelations and Work Dynamics

Timestamps: 01:28 – 05:41

• Question: What have Michelle and Craig learned about each other while working on the podcast together?
• Ear Piercings: Craig jokes about noticing Michelle’s new ear piercings before Barack did, sparking a humorous back-and-forth about sibling awareness and attention to detail.
  • Memorable moment: Michelle shares, “In one sitting, I got 10 piercings.” (03:14)
• They reflect on how their childhood memories differ despite sharing the same upbringing, highlighting how even close family members carry unique perspectives.
• Both express mutual respect for each other’s professionalism and diligence as podcast partners.

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2. Moments that Made Them Cry

Timestamps: 05:41 – 10:06

• Question: When is the last time you cried?
• Michelle describes sobbing uncontrollably during the film “Hamnet,” moved by the powerful, wordless emotional climax focused on loss and family (06:41).
  • Quote: “It was so emotional, I couldn’t—I literally was sobbing and I rarely do that in a film.” (07:36) – Michelle
• Craig shares how the documentary “American Symphony,” coupled with Jon Batiste’s music, brought him to tears early on.
  • Quote: "It was... the combination of their story together, which is a love story, and his music. His music touched me in a way that when I met him, I almost started crying." (09:18) – Craig

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3. Relationship Dilemmas: Should You Open Up?

Timestamps: 10:18 – 13:10

• Listener Question: What if your partner wants to open the relationship, but you’re not comfortable?
• Both Michelle and Craig are emphatically against trying this if the listener is not genuinely interested:
  • Quote: “Don’t talk yourself into something like that that you are not into, there’s a reason you’re not into it. That’s not the kind of compromise in a marriage that you get used to and adjust to.” (11:46) – Michelle
• Advice: Address underlying dissatisfaction, don’t use an open relationship as a fix, and don’t be pressured into unwanted situations.

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4. Dealing with FOMO When You’re Broke

Timestamps: 17:21 – 19:19

• Listener Question: How to cope with FOMO (fear of missing out) when friends do things you can’t afford?
• Michelle suggests proactively organizing “broke things”—affordable gatherings—and inviting friends, rather than waiting to be included.
• Craig emphasizes that good friends will happily participate in lower-cost activities.
  • Quote: “If they’re your true friends, they would love to do something broke with you… Real friends don’t—it’s not about what you’re doing or how much you’re spending, it’s being together.” (18:41) – Craig

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5. Surprising Personal Interests

Timestamps: 19:19 – 24:28

• Question: What are they curious about that might surprise people?
• Michelle reveals she’s into sports documentaries, enjoying the psychological insights and athletes’ journeys.
• Craig discusses his love for Formula One racing—a passion even Michelle didn’t know about until recently.
  • Story: Craig describes a “bucket list” visit to a Miami F1 race and how intricate and thrilling the sport is for enthusiasts.

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6. Reality TV Confessions

Timestamps: 24:36 – 28:11

• Listener Question: Favorite scene from a Bravo Real Housewives franchise, and best place to start as a new viewer?
• Michelle recalls the iconic Teresa Giudice table flip on “Real Housewives of New Jersey”:
  • Quote: “Of course, Teresa Giudice’s table flip… She flipped the table… at a nice dinner. There were wine and tablecloths.” (25:33) – Michelle
• She recommends starting with New Jersey, explaining the dramatic real-life family dynamics and even legal troubles that add to the appeal.
• Craig is encouraged to watch with his wife and treat Bravo as a couple’s activity.

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7. Finances & Early Relationships

Timestamps: 34:10 – 38:35

• Listener Question: How to handle moving in together when there’s unequal financial footing early in a relationship?
• Michelle cautions against moving in together too soon, especially if financial need is the motivator.
  • Quote: “If it’s early in the relationship, you shouldn’t be moving in... Wait a couple of years.” (34:10) – Michelle
• Both emphasize taking time before making such a serious commitment, suggesting travel and meeting families first as important relationship tests.

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8. Losing Friends to Politics and Ideological Divides

Timestamps: 39:18 – 43:36

• Listener Question: How to handle friends or exes with drastically opposing political views?
• Michelle admits she’s rarely lost friends this way, but did distance herself when trust was broken over political issues involving Barack.
• They note political divisions are sharper now, especially among younger people, and advise communication, possible counseling, and considering whether the friendship or relationship is worth preserving.
  • Quote: "Try to stay open and have some communication… People grow and change." (42:56) – Michelle

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9. Addressing Expensive Social Expectations: Weddings, Showers, and Parties

Timestamps: 43:58 – 51:47

• Listener Question: How to discuss not being able to afford elaborate bachelorette parties and baby showers?
• Michelle reflects on the current explosion of wedding-related expenses and highlights the pressure it puts on young adults—often at the expense of their financial security.
  • Quote: “I would strongly urge young people to really understand the financial expense they’re making… You have to talk to your friends.” (48:00) – Michelle
• Craig echoes the importance of understanding and supportive friends; both agree honest communication and financial boundaries are necessary.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|----------|-----------------| | 03:14 | Michelle | “In one sitting, I got 10 piercings…” | | 07:36 | Michelle | “It was so emotional, I couldn’t—I literally was sobbing and I rarely do that in a film.” | | 09:18 | Craig | “His music touched me in a way that when I met him, I almost started crying.” | | 11:46 | Michelle | “Don’t talk yourself into something like that that you are not into…” | | 18:41 | Craig | “If they’re your true friends, they would love to do something broke with you…” | | 25:33 | Michelle | "Teresa Giudice’s table flip… She flipped the table… at a nice dinner..." | | 34:10 | Michelle | “If it’s early in the relationship, you shouldn’t be moving in... Wait a couple of years.” | | 42:56 | Michelle | "Try to stay open and have some communication… People grow and change." | | 48:00 | Michelle | "I would strongly urge young people to really understand the financial expense they’re making… You have to talk to your friends." |

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Episode Structure with Key Timestamps

• 01:28 – Start of listener questions, sibling reveal segment
• 05:41 – Emotional media moments
• 10:18 – Relationship: open vs. monogamous
• 17:21 – FOMO and social finances
• 19:19 – Surprising interests
• 24:36 – Real Housewives reality TV talk
• 34:10 – Cohabitation & finances in early relationships
• 39:18 – Politics & friendship
• 43:58 – Social expectations & financial boundaries (weddings/showers)

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, informal, and peppered with sibling-teasing and laughter. Michelle and Craig mix tough love with compassion, sharing personal stories and advice that is practical, relatable, and sometimes surprisingly vulnerable. Throughout, Michelle’s directness and Craig’s humor keep the conversation upbeat and honest.

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In Short:
This "mailbag" edition of IMO gives listeners an honest, entertaining look at how two very different siblings—one a former First Lady, the other a coach—approach life’s real questions. From straight-shooting relationship advice to hang-ups about Bravo TV, Michelle and Craig offer wisdom that’s both timeless and freshly relevant.

Transcript

[A]

It's hard for me to remember specific scenes, but of course, Theresa Giudice's table flip. You know, prostitution whore. You know, prostitution whores. This episode is brought to you by theraflu.

[B]

Hey, how you doing?

[A]

I'm good. How are you?

[B]

I'm really good. Really good. I'm excited about this. This is going to be fun.

[A]

Yeah. This is a. This is something new that might become something permanent.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

In the rotation. In the IMO rotation.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Tell our listeners what we're about to see.

[B]

So, folks, as we always welcome you to imo, we're going to do something a little different this time because we get a lot of questions and we really appreciate all the questions that we get from you folks, but some of them aren't necessarily made for a whole show. So we took a bunch of those and put them together, and I have them here, and I thought it'd be a good idea for you and I to try and go through some of these, which are. There's a whole gamut of these. So.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, this is more of the Michelle and Craig portion of IMO with Michelle and Craig. So it's just us, no guests. It's just Michelle and Craig.

[B]

So we can do whatever we want.

[A]

Okay. Woo. Let's go. All right, let's kick it off.

[B]

First question.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

What is one thing you've learned about the other from doing the podcast and working together?

[A]

Oh, do you wanna go first or.

[B]

You want me to go first?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

What I've learned is that you tried to get your ears pierced and thought I didn't notice. And I see you got all these new piercings in your ear.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

And then.

[A]

Which I still don't.

[B]

Pretty good.

[A]

I don't think you noticed.

[B]

I did notice. So we have been having a fight this whole session about whether or not I noticed it. And I noticed it, but we were in the midst of a show and I noticed it like this. We were sitting like this.

[A]

We're together all the time. I mean, you know, it's not like we are just. We walk in, we sit in a show. I mean, I've been. We sit in the hole. We had lunch together. It was days. It was days.

[B]

It wasn't being together. I just. I said, ooh, I saw that. But when I saw it, we were in the midst of a show, so I didn't think to comment on it until I saw it again. But. Or until you mentioned that. I'm waiting for the men in my life to notice. And I was like, what is she talking about?

[A]

Well, anyway, just to let you guys know, what happened is that I have always thought about getting some extra piercings in my ear and just never got around to it. I had a second hole that I had got like before I had kids, but then I just got lazy and stopped putting an earring in it. But nowadays, the young people in my life are doing more piercings. They're just more beautiful and dormant. You see, there's more of a cluster, the constellation sort of look of twinkles that go.

[B]

What is five? Yeah, that's five.

[A]

Yeah. I got. So I was going in for a few, and then I did my normal self and was like, ooh, put one there and put one there. Oh, yeah, now let's try one there. So I. In one sitting, I got 10 piercings, so.

[B]

Ouch.

[A]

It actually was not that. That there was not that painful. It's not for me.

[B]

It's really.

[A]

Do you like?

[B]

Beautiful? I like it. I like it. It's. It is.

[A]

If I. I want our listeners to, you know, if I let us know what they think.

[B]

If. If I didn't like it, you know, I would say, I know.

[A]

So that' Brock finally noticed. Took him a couple of days. And he was like, you haven't had your hair up. You've had your hair down. And I was like, I don't know. I've been really. I, like, sleep with you every night, dude. You know, but he noticed yesterday.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And I got them done like four days ago.

[B]

So don't tell him that I noticed before him, because I think.

[A]

I think I did.

[B]

You did. Ouch. Anyway, but the. The more serious thing that I learned from doing the show with you is that you and I grew up in the exact same house with the exact same parents. But our memories are. Can be vastly different. It's true at times, but our experiences have been different, too. You know, I was commenting to our producers earlier how, you know, dad would take me and do stuff that he wouldn't take you and do stuff. So I'm sure that's no surprise to anybody, but.

[A]

And there were conversations that I had with my mom that I apparently, I. I thought she was having with you. Like how she thought about leaving dad every spring.

[B]

Oh, she.

[A]

And.

[B]

And, you know, given.

[A]

She probably. You probably knew your little heart probably couldn't take that.

[B]

I would have been worried. I would have been worried about that every year.

[A]

Oh, my God, it's spring. Oh, well, it has been fun working with you.

[B]

Oh, man, this has been a joy.

[A]

You are you know, you're. I didn't. It's not something I didn't know. You're very professional. You're very, very. You were a great partner to have you take everything you do seriously, but I kind of knew that about you. But it's fun to have a partner that shows up in the same way.

[B]

It is, it is. Everybody knows how diligent you are, so I have to keep the bar high for myself.

[A]

So you're doing a good job.

[B]

All right, next question. When is the last time you cried?

[A]

Oh, this is easy. I watched Hamnet. Okay, Hamnet, this is my. You never watch movies because you're too busy on social media.

[B]

No, I watch movies, but I haven't watched Hamnet.

[A]

But Hamnet is the story of Shakespeare, his early life, his family life, his relationship. So it's a period piece, obviously. And you learn about his son, Hamnet. He had three children, two daughters and one son. And he lost his son. And it talked about how, it explained how that loss, his relationship, helped fuel some of his greatest work. Chloe Zhao is the director. Just beautifully directed and it's just touching and powerful in the ending, which I will not give it away, but it's a 10 minute ending and there are no words. It's the end of. What was it? Hamlet. The first time his wife saw his work after, she was kind of upset with him for, you know, she kind of realized that through this all, I'm alone and yes, you bought us a beautiful home, but I've been here alone dealing with this. So she was angry, but she had never taken the time to see what he had given up so much of his family time to do. And it was her watching a scene in Hamlet that she could see where it was about their son and the pain that he was working through through his art. And it was just beautifully, beautifully done. And I don't like to choke up and you know how you're trying to hold back tears. I could. I was. It was so emotional. I couldn't. I mean, I literally was sobbing and I rarely do that in a film. But just. We watched that the other day.

[B]

Beautiful Amnet. Okay, I'm a buyer.

[A]

Did anybody. Has anybody seen it? Did you all feel the same way? I felt about it? I mean, the actor, all of the actors, the children. Amazing, amazing. It deserves to be in the running. It's a beautiful, beautiful film.

[B]

Oh, neat, Neat.

[A]

Anyway, that was a long one.

[B]

Yeah, that was a long one. That's okay. That's all right. Mine won't be as long I should.

[A]

Get paid by the hamnet people.

[B]

You got you.

[A]

I think I did some Oscars. I'll go watch it for them.

[B]

I'll go watch it. So as you all know, we have been cranking these shows out, so my preparation is always ongoing. And we just had Suleka Jawad and Jon Batiste on. And in preparation for them coming on, not only did I read Suleka's book, which was a tearjerker, but I watched American Symphony for the first time.

[A]

A higher ground production.

[B]

A higher ground that I recommended for everyone. But let me tell you, I was bawling almost. It wasn't quite the beginning, but early on. And let me tell you, it's a little different than bawling over great writing or great acting. It was the combination of their story together, which is a love story, and his music. His music touched me in a way that when I met him, I almost started crying. And he felt that. But it's. You know, there are some movies like the. You wouldn't know this, but the opening of Gladiator.

[A]

Yeah, not a big.

[B]

Gladiator is a guy's movie. And the music, it was like I wasn't expecting. Expecting that the music adds to it. This was the same effect in a emotional way for me. So that was the last time.

[A]

Stay tuned for the episode with Suleka and John. It's a beautiful episode.

[B]

Okay, next one. This is gonna take a severe C turn here. Okay.

[A]

I love a turn.

[B]

My partner has expressed a desire to open up our relationship. I. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this, but I can tell he isn't very happy or satisfied with the way things are going. What should I do?

[A]

Get out. Run. Look, I just. I wouldn't do it. Not something I don't. I don't. I know that there is a polygamy culture. What are they. Is that. Are they calling polyamorous? That's what it's called. Not my cup of tea.

[B]

Yeah, we old. We old. It's hard.

[A]

Not again. Say not my cup of tea.

[B]

Well, and I'm gonna say, if you weren't into it before and want it now, that is a real no go for me. Now, if you met that way, or you have been polyamorous prior and you're thinking, okay, this might work for us, then we can have another conversation. But if you guys went into this and, like, it's supposed to be a monogamous relationship, your typical partnership, and now one person wants to change up the. The details on.

[A]

Sounds a little fishy.

[B]

It does sound fishy, so.

[A]

Sounds a little fishy. Look, and for the questioner, if it's. Don't talk yourself into something like that that you are not into, there's a reason you're not into it. And that's not the kind of compromise in a marriage that you get used to and adjust to if you're unsure about it. Um, it's probably because it's not something that you want. And if your partner is unhappy, explore that first. Like, if you don't, don't do that to keep your partner.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Don't. Don't make that kind of accommodation in your relationship because you think it's broken. You know, deal with what if it's broken, figure it out. And it's not because there aren't enough people in the relationship. I can't think that that's ever, you know, the root of the problem is that we need more emotions thrown into the mix.

[B]

I never talked to dad about anything like this, but I could imagine him saying, don't make a communication problem into an intimacy problem.

[A]

Do you think he. Well, that's deep.

[B]

I think he would say something like.

[A]

That, like, dag, dad, way to go.

[B]

I think he would. I think he would.

[A]

Yeah. So we, we're not into it and we don't recommend that you get into it, especially because you're not into it.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So.

[B]

Right. We played a summer tournament about two hours away, and as I think back, I wish we had considered staying in an Airbnb home instead of staying at a hotel. We would have had an opportunity to eat together, watch film together, as well as control the curfew of a bunch of 13 year old boys. I also think that it would have given our parents a break from their children. As you can imagine, coming together as a team outside of the game is as important as what you do on the court. And having the ability to hang out together at an Airbnb would have given us that extra opportunity to bond. And if you're thinking about the big tournaments that come into your town, now is a great time to think about hosting fellow fans and players during the season. February is the month we all start romanticizing a little. Our routines, our goals, even those ideas we can't stop thinking about. And if you've got one of those ideas, Shopify is the best place to bring it to life. Bigger Shopify makes the first step simple. Whether it's a side hustle or a full storefront, Shopify takes the guesswork out of starting something new. Everything's in one place easy to manage even if it's just you, their themes, their tools, even their AI, Shopify, Sidekick. It all helps you save time and stay focused on what matters. So think about it. What's that idea you keep coming back to and what would it look like to finally build it? So if you're ready to build your own empire, whether it's merch products or the next best idea, get on shopify.com imo and make it happen today. Motivation comes and goes. Habits. Habits show up even when you don't feel like it. That's why I love AG1. It's the easiest habit to start right now. Especially in February when January energy fades and winter routines need a reset. Most supplements over complicate things. Tons of pills, confusing timing. He one keeps it simple. Multivitamin, pre and probiotics, superfoods, Antioxidants all in one scoop 20 seconds one scoop 8 ounces of water done. Drink it first thing in the morning before coffee before checking your phone. It becomes a microhabit that anchors your day. The new Next gen formula adds even more vitamins and minerals to fill nutrient gaps, plus energy from B vitamins and superfoods and immune support from antioxidants, probiotics and functional mushrooms. I use this every single day. My favorite berry, but try all the flavors. They're all good. AG1 has over 50,000 verified 5 star reviews and comes with a 90 day money back guarantee for a limited time only. Go to drinkag1.com imo to get a free AG1 flavor sampler and AGZ sampler to try all the flavors. Plus free vitamin D3 plus K2 and AG1 welcome kit with your first AG1 subscription order. This is a limited time offer only available while supplies last. That's Drink ag1.com IMO. Drink ag1.com IMO. All right, next one. How do I combat fomo? I was thinking about explaining what FOMO is. I think everybody knows what FOMO is, but I paused.

[A]

It's not hamnet.

[B]

You know we are in I did pause because I was gonna say and for those of you who don't know what FOMO is. And then I was gonna say but you're right, everybody knows what FOMO is. I'm broke and I barely see my friends anymore because they always go out for dinner, get coffees, or go on vacations together, generally doing things I can't afford to do right now. How do I combat my fomo? Or how do I get my friends to do broke things with me?

[A]

Plan some Broke things and invite your friends. I mean, you know, look, yeah, if you can't afford to do what they do, I'm sure that that is hurtful and you feel a little left out, but, you know, your financial position is what it is. But there's so many more ways to have fun. The question that I have is, are they not a planner? Are they just somebody who is waiting to be invited in? It's like, look, if you're not my thing, if you're not invited to a party, then have your own. Make your own. Invite your friends to a picnic. Do invite people over to your. If you're broke, to your small ass apartment and make it a potluck. Right. You know.

[B]

If they're your true friends, they would love to do something broke with you. So my first thing would be make sure that they're your real friends. Because, you know, my wealthy friends will include me in stuff and will be happy to come and do my kind of stuff. And that's how it should be. Your real friends don't. It's not about what you're doing or how much you're spending. It's being together with people who you enjoy to be around.

[A]

So what you're saying is they may not be your friends.

[B]

It's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. What is something you're curious about right now that would surprise people?

[A]

Gosh, I tell so much about my life, I don't know if anything would surprise people. What am I curious about? It's not that I'm curious about, but that I really enjoy, given how sort of snarky I can be about sports. I actually.

[B]

Snarky is a nice word.

[A]

I do enjoy sports. I really do. I'm, you know, I know football, I know basketball. I know the game. I've grown up with it. You know, if I'm sitting there watching it, I definitely do find myself drawn into it, analyzing, well, why they do that and what's going on here. So I can get into it. But what I'm really into are the sports documentaries of any kind. I mean, I love the story of an athlete's rise, fall, journey. And I tend to. I tend to watch all of it. You know, the, you know, and I'm going to get the Netflix stuff on tennis and the. Our. Our work that we did, starting five. I watch all of that, if that comes up, if something good comes up in sports. So you'd be surprised that I'm into it in sports too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I'm into it in, you know, just watched on. On Apple, a documentary about. And that was old Sidney Poitier. You know, I love just running. I've gone down all the lists of television, you know, bios, and I just love the story of a person's life. But I'm particularly interested in the story of an athlete's life and their. The work that goes into it and their. Their psychology and how they get through a season. I'm fascinated by that.

[B]

That is a surprise. Yeah, that is a surprise.

[A]

So I did it.

[B]

Yes, you did.

[A]

What about you?

[B]

So I think most people now know he likes fashion. That's so funny. That would be funny if I said fashion.

[A]

He watches the spring shows in Paris.

[B]

I think people are well aware that because I've said this a lot and now that we do this show, I probably talked about this a lot, but how much of a race fan I am, because I wanted to be a race car driver.

[A]

Another thing little. You wanted to be a pilot and an astronaut. You wanted to do all things, all.

[B]

The stuff that you can't do. You grew out of your dreams. I grew out of my dreams, and my legs just got too long for the cockpit. They got too long for the driver's seat. But I am a. People don't know that. I'm a huge Formula one fan, and.

[A]

I just found that out a couple years ago.

[B]

And that was funny when you found out that you were so kind to treat Kelly and me on one of my birthdays to a trip down to Miami.

[A]

It was the first Formula one they did in Miami because a dear friend of ours, Melody Hopson, is friends with both of us and George Lucas. Love you guys. True blue. Melody is a Princetonite, but George Lucas is a huge Formula one fan.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And Melody invited me, and I don't know anything about Formula one, but then I heard, you know, that you were into it. I was like, why? Well, let me go for you. Right?

[B]

Yes, you did. You did. Because you had no idea what was going on.

[A]

I did not. It was such a scene, too.

[B]

It was a scene so confusing. It's a scene. But once after we got through all the scene part and we were watching the race, you were interested in trying.

[A]

To figure out, well, like, it's a sport.

[B]

It's a sport. You were like, so why, what's this and that? So that was really fun to see you be open to.

[A]

And you knew everything about it. I mean, I've been watching it. It's a complicated sport to watch. It's A difficult one to watch because there's the qualifying. And what does that mean? And what does that mean for your time? And then I didn't realize it was like the tire rotation thing.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And how many times you visit. You get to. You visit the pit. You visit the pit, you know, and what's the penalty? You know, you were explaining all this stuff.

[B]

Yeah, there were some time penalties for infractions and things and. Yeah, but that was a bucket list day for me. But most people do not know that you're. That I'm an F1 fan.

[A]

You got to walk down in the.

[B]

Oh, we were in the paddock. We got to sit. Sit in the.

[A]

Yeah, that's what it's called.

[B]

The paddock.

[A]

The paddock.

[B]

We got to sit in the paddock, and we got to sit in the seats that are in the paddock and listen to the engineers talking to the racers and. And. And hear what's actually going on, which you and Kelly had no idea. But I was. I was.

[A]

Well, it was good having you there because you were like our little mentor on the side.

[B]

It was really neat. Really neat. So. All. All right, now this one's just for you. No, you can imagine what it is.

[A]

No.

[B]

What is one of your favorite scenes from any Bravo. Real Housewives franchise?

[A]

Yeah, that's right. You in all this time, have you not.

[B]

So I'm waiting any. I'm gonna do it because you recommended it to me.

[A]

Which series are you.

[B]

But there's a new one coming out called the Real Housewives of Rhode island, and since I live there, I was gonna watch.

[A]

Don't start with a new one.

[B]

No, don't start with that. Well, then I'm jumping in, and I won't know the story. No.

[A]

Well, then you have to do two, because it takes some time for the relationships to cultivate. Right. And, you know, we don't know whether the new ones are gonna make it. Right. We don't know. I mean, I wish you all well, but we don't know y' all yet. You know, they may not be interesting. I want you to dive into, you know, one.

[B]

One that you know is good. Yeah, okay, I get that. I get that. All right.

[A]

But scenes that stand out, you know, I mean, I. It's hard for me to remember specific scenes, but of course, Teresa Giudice's table flip. You know, prostitution whore. You know, prostitution on. She flipped the table. A lot of them.

[B]

And was stuff on the table.

[A]

Oh, it was at a nice dinner. There were wine and tablecloths and these Are the Real Housewives of New Jersey?

[B]

Is that one you recommend? Because it said the follow up question here says, what's your recommendation for the best Housewives franchise to get new viewers.

[A]

Into New Jersey Is going through some stuff right now. Because it wasn't even clear that they were gonna film together. Well, because Theresa Giudice and her brother Joe are central, but they haven't been getting along and it got.

[B]

There's a brother sister situation.

[A]

Yeah, they're brothers sisters. And they're, you know.

[B]

And their spouses are on there.

[A]

Yep. Mm. Yeah. Yeah. But I think they are filming. It's a good one.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Because the Jersey folks don't play. So that's. There are a couple of ones from Teresa, who was one of the housewives that actually went to jail.

[B]

Like, real people.

[A]

She served time because her first husband got them into tax trouble. So they both went to jail.

[B]

Really?

[A]

And the first husband is not allowed back in the country. And they have kids. They have five. Five. Four or five beautiful girls. And we saw all that.

[B]

This is not faked.

[A]

No, no. She went to jail.

[B]

She went to jail. And they. They had her on the show. She. They showed her going to jail.

[A]

Yeah. And then when she got out and then she came back on the show.

[B]

She was back on the show.

[A]

Oh, yeah, it's been that. That's a journey. That's what I'm saying. Go to New Jersey.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But you gotta start. I gotta pick a season that you can start. Maybe right around the time she's about to go to jail would be a good one. But Teresa's a pill. And there was one time in the reunion when she, like, almost knocked out Andy Cohen Fist. She was going after another housewife and he was trying to stop her. This is the host. She takes one arm and just pushes him out of weight. And she's a little. These are little ladies, but she's strong. I love that one. That was another one.

[B]

Okay, all right, all right. Back to reality.

[A]

But that's something. You know, we're going to have to do another one. And by the next time we do a mailbag, you will have to see.

[B]

One and then we can talk about it.

[A]

All right, Aaron, you're in charge. Does Kelly watch any?

[B]

Well, yes, I'll tell you. Oh, then watch with her.

[A]

Watch the one that she. This is a good couple's activity.

[B]

The women in my family, all of them are smart, intelligent.

[A]

This isn't about to be an intelligence.

[B]

This is about Leslie Juice.

[A]

This is about Alayna.

[B]

They all watch this like.

[A]

Tea other people's teeth.

[B]

Okay, all right. This episode of IMO is brought to you by theraflu. Theraflu, makers of Fast Acting Cold and Flu Relief, believes everyone deserves the right to rest and recover when they're sick, no matter where they live or how much money they make. As part of our partnership with Theraflu, we've been asking for listener stories about what it's like to balance caregiving and taking time off when you're sick. And it's been eye opening to hear about the struggle that caregivers in particular have when it comes to choosing between taking time off when sick and putting food on the table. The health policy organization KFF reported that about half of working parents lose pay when they miss work to care for sick kids. In 2021, Fairflu launched the Rest and Recover Fund and they've committed more than $1 million to provide micro grants to families and individuals, helping offset the cost of taking a sick day for those who don't have coverage. Learn more or help someone apply for the [e-mail] right to recover. This episode of Imo is brought to you in part by Acorns. Back when I was coaching basketball, I saw firsthand how powerful consistency can be. With Acorns, it's the same play, show up, stay steady, and let time do the rest. Acorns is a financial wellness app that makes it easy to start saving and investing for your future. You don't need to be rich. Acorns lets you get started with the spare money you've got right now. Even if all you've got is spare change, you don't need to be an expert. Acorns recommends a diversified portfolio that can help you weather all the market's ups and downs. You just need to stick with it, and Acorns makes that easy. Acorns automatically invest your money, giving it a chance to grow with time. This reminds me of the consistent steps it took for me to go from a player into the business world and back into coaching. Sign up now and join over 14 million all time customers who have already saved and invested over $25 billion with Acorns. Plus, Acorns will boost your new account with a $20 bonus investment offer only [e-mail] IMO that's acorns.com IMO to get your $20 bonus investment today from Acorns, Mighty Oaks Do Grow Investing doesn't have to be complicated. Acorns makes it easy to invest for your future, plan for tomorrow, and spend smarter Today paid non client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns Investing involves risk Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. View important [e-mail] IMO New Year fresh Routine and maybe a Quick Upgrade at home Wayfair's got everything from bedding and mattresses to smart storage that actually makes your place feel put together. Even simple updates can go a long way and you can do it all without overthinking it. For me, getting ready for the season ahead is really about making the house work better day to day, better sleep, staying organized, and just having spaces that make life easier. Wayfair makes that simple because everything is in one place. Bedding, towels, storage, kitchen essentials, even desk and office chairs if you're working from home. I grabbed a few basics to get back on track this year. Solid bedding, some storage to clean things up, and a couple of kitchen pieces that make weeknight dinners easier. Nothing over the top, just stuff that actually gets used. What surprised me was how easy it was to find exactly what I needed at different price points. So whether you're upgrading one room or knocking out a whole list, Wayfair makes it easy to shop without overthinking it and have it all show up at your front door. Get organized, refreshed and back on track this new year. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y F A I R.com Wayfair Every style, Every Home. All right, here's the next question. I like this one. I've been seeing this guy for a year. His lease is ending and he asked if he could move in with me. I have a spare room. He can only contribute $500 to the monthly rent while I can cover the rest on my end. But my question for you is, how do you deal with an early with an early relationship with uneven financial footing? I know what your answer is going to be.

[A]

Well, no, I mean, I think an early relationship with uneven financial footing, you know, you probably have to split more. I mean, I don't think that it's necessary for two people to be financial equals to build a relationship. Building a relationship and dating. But moving in, period. You know, if it's early in the if it's early in the relationship, you shouldn't be moving in. First of all, I don't care how much money he has or doesn't have. Like, you don't know him yet, right? Let alone a new person in your life that you've just met that is now going to be living in a room that you have. What happens if, you know, what are you going to do when you find out that he lied about something or you find out that he is different from who you thought he is? And now he's on your, he's a subletter, you know, now you have a contract with him. Why on earth would anybody think to do that early in a relationship? You know, wait, wait a couple of years. I'm not, you know, I'm not even going to speak to whether the male in the relationship should be contributing more. This to me is about you don't do anything that serious in an early part of a relationship. Yeah, I, I, maybe this will be controversial, but I don't, I think you can have like deep, like at first sight, but love to me in most instances because there are always exceptions. It takes time to fully have somebody reveal themselves to you over time to know whether or not your affections and your feelings stand the test of time. There's so many tests you need in a relationship. Have you ever traveled together? Traveling together. And not just traveling to grandma's house, doing a tough trip, like go abroad, you know, use passports, be in a place where there is another language and things aren't comfortable. How do you all resolve those issues? I'm always like, you always want to see how your partner's home life is. What are, Go to Thanksgiving dinner, See how people relate to their, their families. Do they have a relationship? What, what are some of the sticking points? If you meet somebody in January, you miss the holidays, so you gotta wait another year. You wanna get to a holiday where you see people's families. Right. I mean, I just think that, you know, time reveals so much. Of course, there are the exceptions. There are plenty of people that I know who have great relationships where I met him, month one, we were engaged. Month three, we've been married for 20 years. That happens for sure. But my recommendation is always take some time. Make moving in like way down the line.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And if he's that broke, that if, if you're saying he's moving in with you because he can't afford to live anywhere else, I would definitely stay clear of that. Like don't, don't come to the rescue. Because I'd want to know why. How did you get in a position that's a real, you can't afford rent? I just want to know. I want to see your bank statements.

[B]

Yeah, right, Right.

[A]

What do you think?

[B]

There's not much I would Say differently. I will say that I don't think that your take is controversial. I think most people realize that it's hard to have love at first sight. It just, you know, I don't know too many. I'm trying to think of the people in my life who said that they met their partner and knew right away that it was gonna be a long term situation.

[A]

So I met people like, I have met people like that. But it's not the norm.

[B]

It's not the norm. It's not the norm. So I don't think it's controversial. And I think the important thing to peel back what you said is there's no need to hurry to move in together, especially if you're adults. Right? Like, you know, there's absolutely no hurry. Take the time to get to know the person and certainly don't move in together. This is like a shotgun move in together.

[A]

It's like, I'm about to get kicked out.

[B]

I'm about to get kicked out. Can you help a brother out? No, I can't. I cannot. Yeah, all right, that's easy. All right, this one's just for you.

[A]

Ah. Another one just for you. And you can say, are there some that are just for you?

[B]

Well, no, because you're the iconic one of the pair.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. And folks, that's not what the word on the street is.

[B]

So what's a White House secret you've never told? Which doesn't make sense. Cause then it wouldn't be a secret.

[A]

I mean, I've told everything, all the secrets that I can tell. One of my books, they're in there. And anything I haven't told you, I can't. There's a reason.

[B]

That's right. That is correct.

[A]

National security.

[B]

This one is. You know, I laughed when I saw this question, which I shouldn't have said because that might offend somebody, but here we go. I just found out through Instagram that my ex is dating a far right conservative. For context, we are both women. When I DMed her about it, she blocked me. Have you lost friends to politics before? And how do you feel with close friends having such drastic ideological changes?

[A]

Well, you know, I mean, we're the Obamas. I think all our friends are pretty clear on, you know, what they're entering into when they the, you know, endeavor to have a friendship. But before we were the. I can say that there has been an instance where I've felt that because my husband was in politics, I felt that some people that I respected were not supportive. Not In a, like, I'm gonna vote for him, but I'm gonna work against him. I'm kinda. I don't play when it comes to my husband. So there's only been a handful of instances where I've dropped a friend because I didn't trust them around this issue. Or I was like, if you're not with him, then you're not with me. But it's been rare. It's been very rare. And I, you know, I think it's hard for us not to know our friends, political stances because of who we are.

[B]

It's also hard not to know because they're your friends. And if they're your friends, you know what their political leanings are.

[A]

Sometimes people just don't want to talk about politics.

[B]

Not my friends. See, this is an easy one for me. I haven't lost any friends because they're my friends. Right. Yeah. You shouldn't be losing friends over political ideology.

[A]

People today, you know, there are people who are struggling within families because of different views. I think politics is more divisive now in ways that it wasn't the case when we were coming up. So I do think more people are probably confronted with this issue. All I can say, it's a difficult position to be in, especially when, you know, it is hard not to see certain positions as contrary to some fundamental things that you believe in. And it can get tough. But I haven't, I haven't had to deal with that. And what I would tell the questioner, you know, try to stay open and have some communication, you know, because there was something in your partner that you saw before politics got in the way. And people grow and change. So if you were really into and cared about this person, I would urge you all to maybe seek some counseling to find a way to have a mediated conversation. Maybe you have to draw some lines in the sand and just say, we love each other, but we can't go here. I wouldn't throw out the baby with a bathwater because political ideologies change. I'm not sure how old they are. If they're young, people can be playing around in a space. They could be exploring different beliefs. I would say try to work on some line of communication. And you might need a third party person to help you do it if you think the relationship was worth it before the political divide happened or you were aware of it.

[B]

Right, right. As in most relationship questions. Communications key.

[A]

Try it out.

[B]

Try it. We have one more question from our listener who is here in studio with us. It Will be Crystal from Alaska.

[A]

How can I as a single woman talk to my friends about not being able to contribute to bachelorette parties and baby showers? I'm building a financial future for myself that might rely solely on me and I need to hunker down asking for a friend. There is sort of the expectations of weddings has exploded since you and I got married. Okay, Right. I mean, when, when we were coming up, you got, you got engaged on your own, your fiance came, asked, it was an intimate experience. There was generally not an engagement party.

[B]

No, I've never been to an engagement party.

[A]

We've never been to an engagement party any time in our life. When we were broke and when we were with even a higher class of people who had resources, our peers who were all professionals and bankers and lawyers, this never happened. Never went to an engagement party. Never went on a pre engagement trip, you know, never. So now the expectation is that everybody flies in. So the engagement becomes an event in itself where friends are expected to fly in after the engagement to then celebrate the couple after they've been engaged. So that's an ask. And then there's the bachelorette party or the bachelor party, which oftentimes is a destination place. So now your friend got married. Now not only were you expected to fly and sometimes you're flying to in Paris for their engagement because they wanted to get, they're from the south side of Chicago, but they've dreamt of getting engaged in front of the Eiffel Tower. And now they want you to join in. And the bachelor party is like that. The bachelor party is like that. And this is before you get to the wedding, which a lot of times this day and age people are having these destination weddings. I'm from the south side of Chicago, but we're going to get married on the Amalfi coast and you're in it and you have to fly there. This is what this caller is talking about. In order to participate and celebrate your friends. Just imagine you're at the stage where you have five friends getting married in one year.

[B]

And it's early in your life, your.

[A]

Career, your career, you're in your right. We're not talking about people in their 40s. Right. And so what I'm finding is that the young people in my life are spending so much of their early wealth on attending other being involved in each other's weddings. I've talked to people in their 20s who've, they've got like 10 weddings and they're traveling to all of them. So it's a Plane ticket, it's a hotel. Not to mention what you're wearing. This is if you're not in the wedding party. I just think that in this culture, what I would say to young people is count. Really. It's like what I say about college. If you can't afford to do it, then you really have to know how much it costs. You have to know how much money you're spending, what those loans are gonna mean that you're taking out, what those payments are gonna do to you, what that means at the tail end your experience. So that at the end of it, you don't. You don't wind up with nothing or surprised that you don't have wealth. I mean, if you're going to that many weddings, I can tell you, I've heard young people say they're spending 8, $10,000 a year going to other people's weddings. What I will say is that is the beginning of a down payment on a home. That is the beginning of a down payment if you decide to have kids, of putting your kids in college. And I'm not saying that people can't have the wedding that they want. But what I advise young people is you better really think about what you can afford and set a budget for yourself that you can afford. And then you have to talk to your friends. Now we're on the broke part. You know, you should tell your friends, I love you, I am happy for you. I can't afford it. And I'm going to be able to afford to do three things this year. Because once you do that now, you don't have your vacation. This is your vacation, this is your trip to visit your family. You know, you're compounding all of this. I would strongly urge young people to count to really understand the financial expense that they're making. And if you can afford to do it, and this is how you want to spend your money, of course, have at it. You know, it's wonderful to support your friends in weddings. Maybe you'll find the love of your life at somebody's wedding you don't want to miss. You don't want to miss out. That's the FOMO part of it. But to do it blindly, to do it and then look up in 10 years and go, I don't have any savings because I've been. And then that means that friends have to understand.

[B]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I am going to. Cause it all goes back to, you know, my really good friends would either have a wedding that people that their Friends could attend or they would understand that their friends couldn't attend because it was gonna be too expensive for them. So I'm in total agreement with you. I just didn't realize that it had gotten to the point of this nuclear explosion.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The expectations of folks having these big wedding, big destination weddings.

[A]

We had a. Barack and I, we had a big wedding. It was 300 and something people. But, you know, we did it in Chicago. We did it in a venue. We got a local caterer. We didn't have a wedding coordinator. We didn't have a. It still costs a lot of money now. We. And a lot for the time it was $12,000, which felt like a lot. It was a lot for us. That was a lot starting out. But even looking back, we were glad we did it because our families were from Barack's family, lived in Hawaii. There wasn't sort of a regular way for our families to get together. It felt good to have all of our friends from all parts of our lives come together and to meet each other, and they stayed friends with each other. That was all good. But it wasn't the venue or the flowers or the, you know, any of the things we spent money on that made it special. And I probably didn't know that then. Cause I was young and you dream of your wedding. And I would have spent less, you know, but it's easy to say in hindsight. Right? So I get, you know, you have this dream wedding, and, you know, we have the resources. I would want to help Malia and Sasha have the weddings that they wanted. But I would definitely be talking to them about the burden some of their choices would have on their friends. You have to sort of talk about that up front and figure out what that means and what they want. And I'd also offer money over the cost of a wedding.

[B]

Yeah, I know that's true. You want the wedding or do you want the chest?

[A]

Let's make a deal. Do you want the box? What's behind door number three? Or do you want to take what's in the box?

[B]

That's my sister. That's great. My sister's movie.

[A]

What?

[B]

Do you want the box or do you want the curtain? Most people take the curtain. Well, this has been fun.

[A]

That does it for our mailbag. Our first attempt. If the listeners like it, we'll do more of it.

[B]

Let us know because we'll do more of this. This was really fun.

[A]

Yeah. And we're in no shortage of opinions on imo.

[B]

Sam.