Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 10 February 2020
Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey headline arena like rock stars

By MESFIN FEKADU we bawled like little babies. point where we see each
Associated Press Barack gets that ugly, loud other again because some
Entertainment Writer cry," Obama said, imitating of the hardest times in our
NEW YORK (AP) — Michelle his cry and earning laughs lives we just escaped it,
Obama and Oprah Win- from the crowd. we survived it," she added.
frey headlined Brooklyn's "He did that at Malia's grad- "And we went through a
Barclays Center like an A- uation," she added. "We're tough time. We did some
list duo Saturday, getting sitting there, and he had his hard things together and
a rock-star like applause glasses on and speeches now we're out on the other
from a feverish audience are happening and we're end and I can look at him
of fans on a stage typically all chatting, and we hear," and I still recognize my hus-

Michelle Obama, left, and Oprah Winfrey speak onstage at reserved for pop, rap and she said, imitating his cry band. He's still the man that
"Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus" tour at the Barclays basketball stars. again while laughing her- I fell in love with."
Center on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in New York. It was the fifth tour stop of self. This year the couple is cel-
Associated Press "Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your "And I'm looking at him like, ebrating 28 years of mar-
Life in Focus," Winfrey's full- 'Are you OK?'" she recalled. riage.
day wellness event with "He's going to kill me." Winfrey's event featured
WW (Weight Watchers When Winfrey asked if the the mogul discussing her
Reimagined) that had the energy in their home was own wellness journey,
New York venue usually different now that the kids a dance exercise from
holding concerts at night are gone, Obama ex- choreographer Julianne
buzzing with bright-eyed claimed: "It is so good, y'all." Hough, a pre-show dance
attendees lined up as early "OK, you guys, get out of party and a performance
as 8 a.m. the gutter!" Obama add- from Grammy-winning gos-
It marked Obama's return ed. pel singer and WW Ambas-
to Barclays just 14 months "Parenting takes up a lot of sador Tamela Mann. Ce-
after appearing at the are- emotional space. And my lebrity guests in the crowd
na for her own sold-out tour husband was busy being included Lupita Nyong'o,
to promote "Becoming," president," she said as the Niecy Nash, Hoda Kotb,
which has sold more than audience cheered loudly. Nate Berkus, Merle Dan-
11.5 million units worldwide "Don't we wish. Don't we dridge and Winfrey's BFF
and won a Grammy Award wish," Winfrey said. Gayle King, who faced
last month. "Just vote y'all, that's all I'm backlash this week for
"Does this feel like déjà vu saying," Obama contin- asking WNBA star Lisa Les-
for you?" Winfrey asked. ued. "Just vote." lie about a sexual assault
"Because you were here The conversation turned charge against the late
wearing those bad, Balen- slightly political, again, Kobe Bryant.
ciaga gold boots!" when Winfrey asked Winfrey, who said in an in-
"Barack is like, 'Where are Obama what the next terview Friday that King is
those boots?'" Obama chapter of her life would facing death threats, sort
said. "I was like, 'They're put entail. of referenced the drama
away, honey. Just settle "President," some audience when she told the audi-
down.'" members yelled. Others ence Saturday, "I had no
The former U.S. president screamed, "White House!" peace this week."
was one of the main topics Obama, 56, said she didn't But Winfrey put the main
discussed during the wide- want to get political during focus on Obama and en-
ranging, hourlong conver- the chat but that she wants couraged the audience
sation which, at times, had to spend her career em- to make 2020 their year
the former first lady coming powering young people, of transformation and tri-
off like a comedian head- calling them the "next gen- umph.
lining a sold-out show. eration of leaders." When the topic turned to
"All of the people in this "To help them understand health and Winfrey asked
room paid money to come a broader sense of val- Obama what she appreci-
out, to give up a Satur- ues that they can operate ates about her body, she
day...," Winfrey said before within because I do think said: "It's mine. All mine. It's
Obama chimed in with: that we are short on that a healthy body that works
"And as I said — ain't no- right now, that are lead- every day and I try not to
body twerking onstage." ers are not paving a good judge it."
The audience erupted in path for what we want our "As a child growing up
laughter. kids to be," she said. "I'm with a father with a disabil-
Obama cracked more sorry to say that. I don't ity who could not walk; my
jokes when she told Winfrey want to make this political father would have given
that she and her husband in any way." anything to have any one
were now empty nest- She also opened up about of my legs, for me to judge
ers since their 18-year-old her marriage, saying that that and not to just em-
daughter, Sasha, began going to therapy taught brace it and be happy that
college last fall (Malia, 21, is her that she is responsible I am alive, moving, able
a junior). for her own happiness. to move, I have to tell my-
"We tried to hold it togeth- "I didn't marry Barack for self: 'Appreciate what God
er, to get (Sasha) in the car him to make me happy," gave you and take care
so she wouldn't start crying, she said. of that, and be balanced
and then me and Barack, "We're coming back to the about it,'" she added.q