There was no encore of “Raise the Roof” or “the Dougie,” but Jimmy Fallon was in drag again for First Lady Michelle Obama’s appearance on The Tonight Show. Will Ferrell joined in Fallon’s gender-defying dress, and the two hosted “Ew,” a talk show within a talk show featuring FLOTUS as a guest. Ferrell and Fallon channeled the teenage girl stereotype superbly — Ferrell even made out with a poster of Harry Styles — while the First Lady focused on her “Let’s Move!” campaign.
She said “Ew” to jelly donuts and potato chips — suggesting kale chips instead. Obama promoted daily exercise, saying she tries to workout everyday. When the lovely ladies (Fallon and Ferrell) were put off by this, Obama said that dancing counted as working out, leading to a brief chance for Obama to show off her moves. Sadly, the trio was interrupted by Sara’s (Fallon) geeky stepdad, Gary.
Obama’s appearance on The Tonight Show was the beginning of a week-long celebration for the fourth anniversary of the “Let’s Move” campaign. “Mrs. Obama launched Let’s Move! on February 9, 2010 to unite the country around our kids’ health and create real support for families to live healthier lives,” a White House press release states. “Since then, parents, business leaders, educators, elected officials, military leaders, chefs, physicians, athletes, childcare providers, community and faith leaders, and kids themselves have stepped up to improve the health of our nation’s children.”
Fallon has been part of anniversary celebrations for the past several years. He asked Obama about how the campaign has changed since it started four years ago. She responded that when she first began encouraging a discussion about obesity, people were skeptical that it was an appropriate topic of discussion. Now, that dialogue has sparked changes in communities, programs, and schools around the country.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity affects approximately 12.5 million children in the U.S. who are between the ages of 2 and 19 — about 17 percent of the demographic. There was a slight decrease in the rate between 2003 and 2010, but it remains almost three times higher than childhood obesity rates in 1980.
Prior to the talk show, Obama saw the Taking Back the Streets exhibit at New York City’s New Museum. WAT-AAH, a brand focused on making drinking water more appealing to kids, developed the exhibit to honor Drink Up, an initiative by the Partnership for Healthier America to get all Americans to gulp down more water. Next week, the First Lady will turn her attention to health and wellness for children, both in and out of school. She will focus on parents making healthier choices for children, and better options being available in school settings.
On the show, Obama also promoted the healthcare law, underlining the importance for young people to have healthcare. Later, she talked about “firsts” and her kids with Fallon. The First Lady said the first meal she cooked for herself was probably a pasta dish, like macaroni and cheese. (Fallon’s first culinary masterpiece: Ramen Noodles.) Her first job was working in a factory that bound books, and shared stories about first high school dances. Obama admitted that her daughters Sasha and Malia, like most adolescents, are not overtly eager to hang out with their parents in their spare time. “They want nothing to do with us,” Obama stated.
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