Michelle Obama opened up about how her husband, Barack Obama, helped her find humor after the loss of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May 2024.

During the May 7 episode of her “IMO” podcast, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, Michelle discussed the emotional toll of losing their mother and how they’ve coped with it.

Michelle shared that, after her mother’s passing, Barack joked, saying, “You’re next up,” which struck her as both surprising and humorous.

She responded by telling him, “I’m not really ready to be next up” and jokingly pointed out that he and Craig should take the next turn.

Reflecting on the changes in family dynamics, Michelle explained how losing her parents marks a transition into adulthood, where the roles shift and the younger generation takes on more responsibility.

She spoke about the comfort of knowing that, despite her own wisdom and experiences, her mother always had more knowledge and offered a sense of stability.

In the same episode, Michelle also highlighted her close relationship with her brother, even though they live far apart.

She recalled visiting his family and picking up her nephews from school, navigating the logistics of security as a former first lady.