♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE BACK WITH MY FRIEND MICHELLE, WHO YOU MIGHT KNOW AS
THE FORMER FIRST LADY.
IN YOUR BOOK "BECOMING" RIGHT HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> Stephen: IT'S CROWN BOOKS, $32.50, CANADA'S $40.
LET'S TRY TO MOVE SOME PAPER HERE.
HOW ARE SALES?
>> THEY'RE GOING OKAY.
THEY'RE GOOD.
>> Stephen: YOU WROTE DURING THE 2008 CAMPAIGN, MALIA'S
DOCTOR SAID HER B.M.I. WAS GETTING HIGH.
>> WELL, IT WASN'T DURING-- I TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT HAPPENED
WHEN SHE WAS MUCH YOUNGER.
SHE WAS, LIKE, FOUR-- FOUR AT THE TIME.
>> Stephen: AND THAT LED YOU TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN YOUR
FAMILY DIET.
>> I MEAN, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I REALIZED WHAT I WAS
FEEDING MY KID WASN'T REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT WE WERE IN THAT MODE.
WE WERE TWO HOUSEHOLDS, PARENTS WORKING, TRAVELING, TRYING TO
GET THINGS DONE.
SO WE WERE DOING A LOT OF QUICK, FAST, YOU KNOW, READY-TO-OPEN,
PROCESSED FOODS, A LOT OF SUGARY DRINKS THAT WERE IN
EASY-TO-CARRY PACKS.
AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THOSE LITTLE THINGS WERE LOADED WITH
SUGAR AND HIDDEN SODIUM AND THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD NOT
BE GOOD FOR YOUR KIDS.
AND I THOUGHT, MY GOSH, IF I DON'T KNOW THIS-- AND I'M
PRINCETON AND HARVARD EDUCATED AND A LAWYER, ALL THIS SORT OF
STUFF-- WHAT DO THE AVERAGE PARENTS KNOW?
>> Stephen: SO THAT INTEREST IN NUTRITION, ESPECIALLY FOR
CHILDREN, HAS LED TO THE NEW NETFLIX SHOW "WAFFLES + MOCHI."
AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH A PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHIER
AMERICA.
LET'S TALK "WAFFLES + MOCHI."
>> AREN'T THEY ADORABLE?
>> Stephen: THERE'S MOCHI, OBVIOUSLY, LOOKING LUKE A MOCHI.
THIS IS WAFFLES, AN INTERESTING BACKSTORY.
WE LEARN IN THE FIRST EPISODE, THAT WAFFLE RIGHT HERE, WAFFLE'S
FATHER SAY FROZEN WAFFLE, AND HIS MOTHER IS A YEDI.
>> IT'S A MIXED MARRIAGE.
>> Stephen: YEAH, THEY MAKE IT WORK?
>> WHEN YOU MEET IN THE LAND OF FROZEN FOOD, ANYTHING CAN
HAPPEN.
>> Stephen: SURE.
WELL, IT'S CURIOUS HOW THAT HAPPENS.
IT PAINT A PICTURE, DAD IS A WAFFLE, MOM IS A YEDI.
>> WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT THAT EXPLICIT.
WAFFLES IS HERE, AND SHE'S MAGICAL.
>> Stephen: YES.
>> SHE WAS-- SHE WAS CREATED WITH LOVE.
>> Stephen: AREN'T WE ALL?
( LAUGHTER )
LEARNED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC IS IT REVEALED SOME OF
THE INEQUITIES IN OUR-- IN OUR-- THE SYSTEM OF FOOD SUPPLY, IN
OUR HEALTH SYSTEM, AND HOW ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE AN IMPACT ON
PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO REACT AND SURVIVE COVID.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HOW DOES THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHY
AMERICA WANT TO ADDRESS THAT?
IS THAT SOME PART OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE SHOW IS A FUN FAMILY ADVENTURE WHERE THESE WONDERFUL
CHARACTERS TRAVEL THE WORLD.
>> Stephen: YOU MEAN WAFFLES AND MOCHI?
>> WAFFLES AND MOCHI, AND THEY EXPLORE FOODS, AND THEY LEARN
ABOUT THEM.
IT'S DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO TRY NEW THINGS.
IT'S NOT JUDGMENTAL.
IT'S FUN.
EXCITING.
IT'S A TRAVEL SHOW.
SO WE WERE THINKING WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD
THIS FOOD, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT, YOU KNOW?
THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF FAMILIES
IN AMERICA THAT ARE GOING HUNGRY IN ONE OF THE RICHEST NATIONS ON
THIS EARTH, WE'VE GOT FAMILIES GOING HUNGRY.
AND IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE FOOD.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SYSTEM OF EQUITY THAT MAKES SURE
THAT PEOPLE CAN EAT.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED SOMETHING CALLED "PASS THE LOVE" CAMPAIGN,
WHERE WE'RE WORKING TO PROVIDE MEALS TO FAMILIES, MEAL KITS
THAT ALLOW ONE MILLION FAMILIES TO PREPARE THESE WONDERFUL
MEALS.
>> Stephen: HOW DO THEY GET THEM?
>> FOR THEIR KIDS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHIER
AMERICA, ALONG WITH WALMART AND BLUE APRON, BIRD'S EYE AND
BOUNTY.
SO WE'VE GOT PARTNERS THAT ARE GOING TO WORK TO, YOU KNOW,
RAISE THIS MONEY AND GET THESE MEAL KITS TO FAMILIES.
BUT THAT ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE THIS ISSUE.
AND -- >> Stephen: I HAVE A BIG
QUESTION, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T FIND THIS A STRANGE QUESTION.
BUT WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
BECAUSE THIS SEEMS VERY MUCH LIKE THE SORT OF THING A FIRST
LADY WOULD DO.
AND YOU ACTUALLY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO ACTUALLY BE
HELPFUL TO THE REST OF SOCIETY RIGHT NOW.
YOU PAID YOUR DUES.
YOU DID YOUR TIME AS THE FIRST LADY.
DID A GREAT JOB, "LET'S MOVE" WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT THERE IS NO EXPECTATION THAT YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AT
THIS POINT.
>> NO, NO.
>> Stephen: WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO DO IT?
>> IT'S MY OWN PERSONAL EXPECTATION.
WE STILL HAVE AN AMAZING PLATFORM, AND WE'RE STILL YOUNG.
BARACK ISN'T, BUT I AM.
>> Stephen: THAT'S TRUE.
( LAUGHTER )
AND IT'S HARD TO JUST SIT BACK AND NOT CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED
IN ISSUES THAT MATTER.
AND WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING THIS AMAZING DEAL WITH
NETFLIX THROUGH OUR HIGHER GROUND PRODUCTION COMPANY, WHERE
WE CAN CREATE SHOWS AND DO THINGS.
WE'VE GOT THIS NEW PLATFORM.
WE STRIL US.
WE'RE THINKING OKAY IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SHOW, WHAT
ABOUT FAMILIES IN NEED THAT CAN'T ENGAGE?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRIDGE THAT GAP?
AND WE STILL HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A
HEALTHIER AMERICA WHICH WE STARTED AS FIRST LADY THROUGH
OUR "LET'S MOVE" INITIATIVE, AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THESE
ISSUES.
SO WE'RE NOT DONE YET, NOR SHOULD WE BE.
THAT'S PART OF KIND OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORMERS.
WE STILL HAVE A PLATFORM.
AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON GIRLS' EDUCATION.
EVERY ISSUE THEY WORKED ON AS FIRST LADY I'M STILL WORKING ON.
WE STILL DID A COLLEGE SIGNING DAY WITH "REACH HIGHER."
WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND
MENTORSHIP THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.
SO YOU CAN DO BOTH.
YOU CAN DO WELL AND YOU CAN DO GOOD.
AND IT-- IT'S JUST A LOT MORE FUN.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
YOU AND I STAY HERE, BUT THEY LEAVE.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
♪ ♪ ♪