Michelle Obama once urged Americans to take the high road, famously saying, “When they go low, we go high” — a call for restraint in the face of personal attacks by conservatives.
Nearly a decade later, despite minding her own business, she finds herself facing yet another round of smears from one of the usual suspects.
What began as the former first lady reflecting on her public experiences during an appearance at the Essence Festival quickly became the latest target of Megyn Kelly, who devoted more than 12 minutes of her Monday podcast to tearing down Obama’s image, questioning her authenticity and dismissing her popularity.
The personal broadside has now sparked its own backlash online, with critics accusing Kelly of fixating on Obama while her own standing with audiences has softened over the past year.
Kelly’s remarks landed as new polling suggests the former Fox News host’s public appeal has fallen off even as her name recognition remains high. During the monologue, Kelly repeatedly portrayed Obama as self-absorbed and insincere, while social media users responded by arguing the attack reflected a longstanding obsession with the former first lady rather than anything Obama said during her appearance.
Kelly’s criticism centered on Obama’s live recording of her “IMO: The Look” podcast with host Keke Palmer during the Essence Festival in New Orleans earlier this month.
According to Kelly, Obama has been “everywhere” lately, presenting herself as both wronged and exceptional.
After playing a clip from the event, Kelly unloaded.
“Oh my God, she is dripping in narcissism, dripping in it. Would you at least feign some humility? I’m embarrassed for you,” Kelly said. “You’re actually not that great. You’re fine. But you seem very scripted and artificial to me, if I’m honest. You don’t speak from the heart. You didn’t move me at all at the Democratic National Convention. You felt a little recycled and tired, if I’m being honest.”
Kelly also objected to Obama discussing how media coverage during Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign often focused on her clothing instead of her message.
“Let me tell you something, Michelle. The reason they wrote about your fashion is that, yes, you’re a woman. It wasn’t to diminish you,” Kelly said. “They do it to every female politician, and it’s not to diminish them. It’s because it’s interesting. It’s part of your look. It’s part of your messaging. They would do it to men too, if men dressed differently from one another, but they don’t.”
She then dismissed Obama’s complaints altogether.
“So f–k off with this grievance nonsense. You’re not aggrieved. It’s not — it doesn’t make anybody a misogynist,” she continued.
Kelly expanded her criticism beyond the festival appearance, arguing that Obama had been “beloved by the press” during the 2008 presidential campaign except for what she described as some “mild criticism at Fox.” She also speculated that daughters Sasha and Malia Obama have “fled the coop” and suggested the family’s relatively private public appearances reflected Michelle Obama’s alleged “narcissism.”
That characterization contrasts with events from the 2008 campaign. Fox News publicly apologized to the Obama family three times within two weeks after multiple controversies involving its coverage of Michelle Obama. One of those apologies followed the airing of an on-screen caption referring to her as Barack Obama’s “baby mama” during a segment discussing criticism of right-wing media coverage.
Meanwhile, Sasha and Malia Obama are now adults — 28 and 25 years old, respectively —and have largely stayed out of the public spotlight while pursuing their own careers. Kelly, for her part, typically conceals the faces of her own children when posting family photos on social media.
The monologue also comes as Kelly’s own favorability numbers have shown little improvement despite broad name recognition. According to July tracking data, her fame measured 76.3 percent, continuing an upward trend since April, while 31.6 percent of respondents said they disliked her, a figure that has also increased since the spring. Her overall popularity stood at 26.8 percent, essentially unchanged from April, while 18 percent of respondents remained neutral.
Online, many users argued Kelly’s latest comments said more about her than the former first lady.
One critic wrote, “Does Megyn Kelly really think Michelle Obama has a single f–k to give about what she says? The Obamas are not losing sleep over it. Go be irrelevant somewhere else, Megyn.”
Others characterized the segment as unnecessarily hostile.
“Mean just to be mean. A school-yard bully. Grow up, creep!” another user wrote.
Several reactions suggested Kelly has become consumed by criticizing Obama.
“Who the heck listens to this hateful psychopath,” one said.
Another questioned Kelly’s current relevance.
“Wait, she’s still on the air somewhere?!?! Really?!?!.”
Some turned Kelly’s repulsive style of commentary back on her.
Another posted: “She is such a trashy, miserable soul. The obsession with Michelle is too unreal. I bet she won’t bust a grape if she seen her in person. Miserable Megyn is aging bad due to all the hate that resides within her. She surely should worry more about visiting a cosmetic surgeon to fix that caved-in sunken face of hers.”
Neither Michelle Obama nor her representatives publicly responded to Kelly’s remarks.
The former first lady has largely avoided engaging with media personalities who criticize her, instead continuing public appearances tied to her podcast and other projects.
She also did not publicly respond after UFC fighter Josh Hokit referred to her as a man during a cage event at the White House last month, comments that were later defended by Vice President JD Vance.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s latest comments have once again turned attention away from Obama’s appearance itself and toward the increasingly combative commentary surrounding one of America’s most recognizable former first ladies.
