♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
WELCOME BACK TO "A LOT SHOW."
LET'S SAY HELLO TO JON BATISTE.
JON, HOW ARE YOU?
>> Jon: I'M GOOD.
I'M FEELING LIFE RIGHT NOW.
I'M FEELING LIFE.
WE'RE ALIVE.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE OUR LIVES AND LIFE IS ONLY GETTING MORE
LIVELY.
DID YOU HEAR THAT TODAY-- HOW MANY, MANY?
AT LEAST A HALF A DOZEN BROADWAY SHOWS ANNOUNCED THEIR RETURN TO
BROADWAY.
ARE WE ONE OF THEM?
DID WE ANNOUNCE YET?
BUT WE'RE ANNOUNCING SOON, RIGHT?
WE WILL KNOW SOON WHEN WE'RE COMING BACK.
JON, I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU IN PERSON.
>> Jon: MAN, I CAN'T WAIT.
>> Stephen: DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I DIG THE ALBUM.
I BIG "SOUL."
BUT TO BE IN THE ROOM WHEN YOU AND THE BAND ARE PLAYING IS A
WHOLE OTHER LEVEL.
>> Jon: OH, IT'S LEVEL.
IT'S ABOUT TO BE ON FIRE.
COME ON, BROADWAY!
LET US IN THERE!
>> Stephen: I AM DECLARING-- THIS IS AN OFFICIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT-- WE WILL BE BACK IN THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER SOON.
YOU CAN HOLD ME TO THAT AND I WILL ATTEMPT TO HOLD SOMEONE
ELSE TO THAT, ALL RIGHT?
JON, YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING TO IN JUST A MINUTE.
>> Jon: I KNOW, COME ON NOW, THE FIRST LADY.
>> Stephen: MICHELLE OBAMA.
>> Jon: THE ORIGINAL FIRST LADY.
>> Stephen: THE ORIGINAL, ACTUALLY, THE ORIGINAL.
SHE IS-- SHE IS AN ORIGINAL, I WILL SAY THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MUSIC.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROPER TRANSITION MUSIC FROM THIS
MOMENT SPEAKING TO SUCH A LOVELY PARAGON AS MICHELLE OBAMA?
>> Jon: OH, YEAH.
♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: I HOPE SHE WAS
LISTENING.
JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU, JON.
FOLKS AS I ARB LEWDED JUST A MOMENT AGO WITH JON BATISTE, I
RECENTLY HAD THE GREAT PLIJ TO GO DOWN TO WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR
AN IN-PERSON CONVERSATION WITH FORMER FIRST LADY MICHELLE
OBAMA, IN IN THE VERY SAME ROOM I INTERVIEWED HER HUSBAND LAST
NOVEMBER.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
WE HAVE TALKED FOR YEARS AND I ALWAYS CALLED YOU MADAM FIRST
LADY.
AND I GOT AN EMAIL FROM YOU ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
IT'S AN ACTUAL EMAIL, AND IT SAID-- IT SAYS, "HEY, STEPHEN
AND EVIE.
GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU BOTH.
AND YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO CUT OUT THE 'MADAM FIRST LADI'
STUFF.
LOVE."
SO I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, HERE, FOR THE CAMERAS.
THAT YOU WOULD PREFER I CALL YOU BY YOUR FIRST NAME.
I'M ABOUT TO CROSS THAT RUBICON.
>> PLEASE, COME, COME OVER TO THE LIGHT SIDE.
LIKE "MADAM FIRST LADY."
THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE NOW.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT, I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT.
>> OKAY, LET'S TRY IT.
BREATHE IN ( BREATHES )
OKAY.
>> Stephen: SO NICE TO SEE YOU, MICHELLE.
>> DID YOU IT!
GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING DOWN WITH YOUR
HUSBAND IN NOVEMBER, AND I IMAGINE THAT OVER THE COURSE OF
YOUR LIFE TOGETHER-- BECAUSE YOU'RE BOTH INCREDIBLY BUSY
PEOPLE-- THAT THERE HAVE BEEN LONG PERIODS OF TIME--
ESPECIALLY THE EIGHT YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE-- WHERE YOU
DIDN'T SEE EACH OTHER AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE TO.
OVER THE LAST YEAR YOU'VE BEEN TOGETHER--
>> A LOT.
>> Stephen: ALL THE TIME.
HOW HAS THAT WORKED OUT?
IS HE GOOD COMPANY?
>> HE IS.
IT IS GOOD, AND I THINK IT'S EVEN BETTER BECAUSE WE DON'T--
TE PRESSURES THAT WERE THERE ARE ALSO GONE.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
OUR KIDS ARE INDEPENDENT BEINGS.
WE'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT FEEDING THEM OR CURFEW, ALL THOSE THINGS
-- >> Stephen: BUT THEY WERE
LIVING WITH YOU FOR A WHILE.
>> TEY WERE BUT THEY'RE ADULTS.
AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE, HEY, IT'S YOUR LIFE.
>> Stephen: MORE LIKE ROOMMATES THAN CHILDREN?
>> IT WAS.
GOOD COMPANY, GOOD COMPANY.
BUT IT'S BEEN LOVELY.
I MEAN WE'VE-- IT'S-- THE FRIENDSHIP THAT WAS THE
FOUNDATION OF ALL OF THIS IS STILL THERE.
>> Stephen: OH, THAT'S WHY I LIKE YOU.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY -- >> Stephen: YOU TURNED OUT TO
BE PRETTY GOOD COMPANY.
>> THAT'S WHAT I TELL YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG COUPLES.
IT'S LIKE, IT'S GOING TO COME FULL CIRCLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU
HAVE LITTLE KIDS AND WORKING AND HAVE A CAREER.
YOU LOOK OVER AT THAT GUY AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHY DID I DO THIS?
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER.
BUT YOU COME FULL CIRCLE, KIDS ARE OUT OF THE HOUSE HOUSE.
AND IT'S LIKE, "OH!
YOU'RE KIND OF CUTE."
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.
"LOOK AT YOU IN YOUR LITTLE GOLF OUTFIT."
WHEN HE GOES TO GOLF, IT'S LIKE, "MMM, YOU LOOK CUTE."
I FEEL IT NOW.
SO IT'S BEEN GOOD.
>> Stephen: THE KIDS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU LOVE YOUR
CHILDREN UNCONDITIONALLY.
THEY LOVE YOU.
>> MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
>> Stephen: AT WHAT POINT DID THEY SAY TO YOU OVER THE LAST
YEAR, "YOU GUYS, WE LOVE YOU.
BUT YOU'RE A DRAG.
WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE."
>> THEY WENT TO THE WEST COAST AND THEY'VE BEEN GONE.
THEY JUST LEFT.
>> Stephen: DID THEY LEAVE A FORWARDING ADDRESS.
>> WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT THEY DON'T CHECK IN MUCH.
BUT IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR, RIGHT.
AND IN THE HEIGHT OF QUARANTINE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SAY IT STARTED
IN MARCH.
BY THE SUMMER, WE WERE, LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY.
OUR YOUNGEST, SACHA, WHO IS NOT AS TALKATIVE AS OUR OLDER ONE IS
LIKE, "I REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO YOU.
I DON'T.
I'M NOT EVEN TRYING ANYMORE."
BUT WE GOT THROUGH A COUPLE GOOD MONTHS OF FEELING GOOD, BEING
AROUND EACH GLRG YOUR HUSBAND EXPLAINED WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WENT THROUGH, WHICH IS THE KIDS ARE HOME, THERE'S MOVIE NIGHT--
>> GAME N95.
>> Stephen: GAMES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
WHO MADE THE CALL ON THE MOVIES?
LIKE, WHO WAS THE-- >> MALIA.
MALIA IS THE MOVIE SAVANITY.
SHE'S VERY CLEAR-- ALTHOUGH WE DON'T LIKE THE SAME MOVIES.
SHE AND BARACK LIKE DARK AND SAD.
AND SASHA AND I WE WANT A LITTLE LAUGHTER AND FRIVOLITY.
>> Stephen: BUT THEY HAVE TO DO IMPORTANT MOVIES.
>> YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY TAKE THEMSELVES A LITTLE
SERIOUSLY WITH THEIR MOVIES, YOU KNOW.
AND THEY LIKE TO REHASH DARK MOMENTS.
BARACK'S TASTE IN MOVIES IS EVERYBODY IS SAD, AND THEN THEY
DIE.
THOSE ARE-- YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.
>> Stephen: ALL THIS YEAR'S OSCAR NOMINEES.
>> RIGHT.
HE RECOMMENDS IT -- >> Stephen: HOW ABOUT "JUDAH
AND THE BLACK MESSIAH?" YOU TALKED ABOUT, SOME AN
EXPERIENCE YOU HAD THIS PAST YEAR WITH LOW-GRADE DEPRESSION,
YOU CALL IT.
AND I HAVE A TWO-PART QUESTION WHICH IS, ONE IS, IT'S VERY
COMMON PEOPLE THIS YEAR-- VERY COMMON IN GENERAL, BUT
ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.
HOW DID YOU COPE WITH IT?
AND WHY JUST LOW GRADE?
BECAUSE I GET THE HIGH-OCTANE.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE AS YOU KNOW, THIS
IS A PART OF..., YOU KNOW.
NOBODY RIDES LIFE ON A HIGH.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPE TO KNOW THAT.
IT'S LIKE, NO, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FEEL GREAT ALL THE TIME.
AND THERE ARE MOMENTS IN ALL OF OUR LIVES, PARTICULARLY IN THE
MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, AND, YOU KNOW, UNREST, RACIAL UNREST,
YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL KIND OF A WAY ABOUT IT SO GIVE YOURSELF A
BREAK.
BEING 57, I KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF WHYURE ADULTHOOD YOU DEVELOP YOUR OWN
TOOLS, AND FOR ME, IT'S TURNING OFF THE NOISE THAT IS UPSETTING.
UN, KNOWING THAT I CAN'T KEEP READING ALL THE FEEDS THAT ARE,
YOU KNOW, FUELING MY ANXIETY AND TAKING A BREAK FROM IT.
I DID THAT AS FIRST LADY.
THERE WERE JUST TIMES THAT I COULDN'T HEAR THE BAD NEWS ABOUT
THE COUNTRY THAT I HAD TO SERVE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE NEWS
ISN'T A FULL REFLECTION OF WHAT THE COUNTRY IS.
AND IF I -- >> Stephen: THEY ALL KIND OF
NEED THE BAD NEWS BECAUSE THE DRAMA OF THE STORY OF THE
CONFLICT IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE BUSINESS MODEL.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT IT'S NOT REALITY.
IT'S NOT HOW PEOPLE LIVE THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
SO I PULLED BACK FROM IT.
I SURROUND MYSELF WITH THINGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD-- FAMILY,
FRIENDS, WALKS, EXERCISE.
SO WHEN I TALK TO MY KIDS ABOUT THAT, I TRY TO URGE THEM TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE VALLEYS ARE TEMPORARY, AND SO ARE THE PEAKS.
THEY CAN BE TEMPORARY.
AND THEY HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HANDLE THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET THEM AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE TO START
THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR TOOLS, THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU
JOY, THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU CALM AND PEACE?
I KNOW THOSE THINGS FOR MYSELF NOW.
BUT IT'S TAKEN DECADES TO DEVELOP THOSE TOOLS.
SO WE HAVE TO BE PATIENT WITH OURSELVES, PARTICULARLY IN TIMES
THAT ARE HARD, YOU KNOW,.
>> Stephen: THE DIFFICULTY FOR ME IS I KNOW THE THINGS THAT
WILL ACTUALLY MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO
THEM.
>> WELL WHAT-- THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: NO, BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE YOU TO DO SOMETHING.
WHEN I'M DEPRESSED I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING.
>> Stephen: THAT'S PART OF THE ODD TRAP OF DEPRESSION.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
FOR ME, I HAVE TO PUSH BEYOND THAT, RIGHT.
SO THAT-- HAVING A SCHEDULE, EVEN IN QUARANTINE, WAS
SOMETHING THAT I DID.
I WOKE UP, I TOOK A SHOWER, I WORKED OUT, I GOT DRESSED EVERY
DAY.
YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A DAY THAT WENT BY THAT I DIDN'T DO
THAT BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE DOING THAT GETS YOU OUT OF THE FUNK.
I FIND IF I SPEND THE WHOLE DAY IN A SOUR MOOD, LIGHTS OUT, IN
THE BED, THE NEXT DAY I'LL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
BUT FIGET UP AND I SHOWER-- SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE
COURSE OF ME DOING SOMETHING THAT REALLY KNOCKS ME INTO A
POSITIVE PLACE.
SO I TRY TO FIGHT THE TENDENCY TO NOT-- TO SORT OF WALLOW IN MY
LOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M SAYING?
>> Stephen: I DO KNOW, I DO KNOW.
>> DON'T WALLOW IN YOUR LOW, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: I KNOW THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
>> OPEN THE BLINDS, GET OUT OF BED.
COME ON, GET UP, TALK A SHOWER, SHAVE.
>> Stephen: CAN I GET THAT AS MY ALARM IN THE MORNING?
CAN I GET A COPY OF THAT AND HAVE MY iPHONE PLAY THAT FOR
ME?
YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO THAT YOU'RE 57 YEARS OLD.
I'M GOING TO BE 57 IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
>> WOO-HOO.
>> Stephen: YOU AND I ARE ABOUT THE SAME AGE.
YOUR HUSBAND IS ABOUT TO TURN 60.
>> HE'S AN OLD MAN.
>> Stephen: AS A FELLOW EXEN-XER, IS IT HARD TO RELATE?
>> IT'S THE WAY HE TALKS, THINKS-- I'M KIDDING.
DID YOU HAVE TV WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
YEAH, NO.
HE'S GOING TO BE OLD!
60!
( LAUGHTER )
I LIKE HIM.
SO IT'S LIKE -- >> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND.
>> YOU'RE CUTE.
>> Stephen: YOU LOOK GOOD FOR A 60-YEAR-OLD.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
STICK AROUND E'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE OF THE STAR OF "WAFFLE
AND MOCHI" ON NETFLIX.
MICHELLE OBAMA.