Michelle Reveals What Makes Her Want To ‘Smack’ Barack Obama ‘Upside the Head’ in Podcast

Former First Lady Michelle Obama shared a personal detail about her marriage during the latest episode of her “IMO” podcast, admitting that she finds her husband Barack Obama’s eating habits particularly irritating, as reported by Page Six.

Michelle, 61, joined by her brother Craig Robinson and couples therapist Dr. Orna Guralnik, discussed life as empty-nesters now that their daughters, Sasha, 24, and Malia, 27, are grown. She reflected on the shift in her marriage with the absence of daily conversations about their children.

“We always have the kids to talk about, but not on a day-to-day basis,” Michelle said. “We’ve noticed how much of our time we’ve spent talking about them, right? So now that we’re empty-nesters, it’s like, ‘Well, what are we going to talk about?’”

Robinson suggested there was always something to talk about with a spouse, but Guralnik countered by saying that silence itself could also be meaningful. “There’s a way to be next to another person, even in silence, that can be very alive,” Guralnik explained.

Guralnik then encouraged Michelle to be open about her unspoken thoughts during meals, asking her to share what typically comes to mind. Michelle responded with an example of her private frustration.

“Because how many times does somebody ask, ‘What are you thinking about?’ And you’re like, ‘Well, let me make up a thing.’ Because I don’t actually want to tell you what I was thinking about, which is like, ‘The way you’re chewing makes me want to smack you upside the head,’” she admitted.

#LIFE | In a conversation with Dr. Orna Guralnik on the IMO Podcast, Michelle Obama revealed the habit of Barack Obama that irritates her the most; Guralnik challenged Michelle to dive into what she is truly thinking about when seated across the table from Barack — “and to… pic.twitter.com/rvDXQDxedq

— Blackish Press (@blackishpress) October 1, 2025

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When Guralnik suggested such a topic might spark a deeper discussion, Michelle considered the idea of bringing it up to Barack. “Why does your chewing annoy me so much? Let’s discuss,” she said jokingly. “Yeah, I don’t know if I’d bring that up.”

Michelle added that her daughters also share her frustration with Barack’s eating habits. “The girls and I are very irritated with the way Barack chews,” she said.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Michelle touched on the broader challenges of marriage, especially in the spotlight. “Even when it’s great, it’s hard,” she noted.

She also addressed speculation about her marriage earlier this year, reiterating that she and Barack, 64, remain together. The couple has been married since 1992.

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