Former First Lady Michelle Obama reignited her book tour on Wednesday as she stopped by NBC’s The Tonight Show for an interview with host Jimmy Fallon, who was espicially interested in one specific chapter.
Fallon led Obama with more of a statement than a question when he reported, “There’s also a chapter dedicated to, ‘When they go low, we go high.’”
After Obama recalled, “Well, people still keep asking me, “you still mean that?,” Fallon continued, “But, that was -- that was an epic line. That was just -- it just - it stuck in everyone's head… Did you realize how powerful that would be years after you--?”
Recently, Obama went low by insisting that racism wouldn’t let her wear her hair in a way she may have preferred while she was first lady.
As for Obama’s response, she claimed, “I didn't know I'd be known for that line, but I'm proud of that. People ask me, do I still -- do I ever go low and yeah, I go low. I go low a lot of times. But I think for people who have a platform, who are being looked up to, we have a responsibility to stay high because kids are watching us. If you need to go low, go low at home.”
She continued:
Do it with your kitchen table, with your spouse but we set the example because leaders set the tone and we felt what it's felt like to be led with low and it didn't feel great. That's why it's important. It's a practice. It's a habit, it's something we show the next generation that we don't -- that doesn't mean we settle, that doesn't mean we're complacent, it means we think before we speak, because words matter.
And I still believe that and I try the best that I can when I'm in the public eye, when I know that kids are watching to stay high because high begets high.
All in all, Obama spent 20 minutes on The Tonight Show including two interview segments one pre-recorded segments where she and Fallon surprised people at a book store.
This segment was sponsored by Applebee’s.
Here is a transcript for the April 19-taped show:
NBC The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
4/20/2023
12:06 AM ET
JIMMY FALLON: There’s also a chapter dedicated to, "When they go low, we go high.”
MICHELLE OBAMA: Well, people still keep asking me, “you still mean that?”
FALLON: Yeah.
OBAMA: Still.
FALLON: But, that was -- that was an epic line. That was just -- it just - it stuck in everyone's head.
OBAMA: Yeah.
FALLON: Did you realize how powerful that would be years after you--?
OBAMA: No, no. I didn't know I'd be known for that line, but I'm proud of that. People ask me, do I still -- do I ever go low and yeah, I go low. I go low a lot of times. But I think for people who have a platform, who are being looked up to, we have a responsibility to stay high because kids are watching us. If you need to go low, go low at home.
Do it with your kitchen table, with your spouse but we set the example because leaders set the tone and we felt what it's felt like to be led with low and it didn't feel great. That's why it's important. It's a practice. It's a habit, it's something we show the next generation that we don't -- that doesn't mean we settle, that doesn't mean we're complacent, it means we think before we speak, because words matter.
And I still believe that and I try the best that I can when I'm in the public eye, when I know that kids are watching to stay high because high begets high.
