# Becoming: Netflix Documentary on Michelle Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix\ **Created:** [May 7, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343 "2020-05-07T17:33:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/1 "2020-05-07T17:33:47Z")
This dropped yesterday and we watched it last night. Sheesh, what an incredible and intelligent person she is. She made (and is making) an actual difference in the lives of young women (and men) everywhere. Her daughters appear to be every bit as insightful and delightful as their mother is. Her book tour was sold out everywhere she went and adoring crowds greeted her every appearance. The documentary was very candid, rather than being setup pieces, and I have to think that there was not much that hit the editing room floor, other than for continuity. The only downside was the inevitable comparison to the current occupant of the White House. Michelle has done more in the past 12 years than Melania will accomplish in her entire life. Damn, but we miss them. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/2 "2020-05-07T19:28:40Z")
She produced her own documentary, a bit self-serving. Also, you don’t strike me as someone who had any doubts about their feelings towards her. Also, how is it a downside the comparison with Melania if you say she’s useless? ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/3 "2020-05-07T19:38:39Z")
I like the Obamas a lot so might catch this at some point. Long thought however that Netflix should consider doing _The Art of Painting with George W Bush_ or _Jimmy Carter’s Guide to Peanuts_ as an original series. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/4 "2020-05-07T19:47:01Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > She produced her own documentary, a bit self-serving. Also, you don’t strike me as someone who had any doubts about their feelings towards her. > > Also, how is it a downside the comparison with Melania if you say she’s useless? Eh, producer credits are essentially meaningless. It probably just means she had input. Since it’s based on the book she wrote that doesn’t seem especially nefarious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/5 "2020-05-07T20:09:49Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > She produced her own documentary, a bit self-serving. Also, you don’t strike me as someone who had any doubts about their feelings towards her. > > Also, how is it a downside the comparison with Melania if you say she’s useless? Is writing a book self-serving? That would mean that working at any job is also self-serving. Downside may be the wrong word, or my construction was just off. It was a downer because it is a reminder of just how low things have gotten with this administration, compared with the last: the name-calling, the racism, the lying, and on and on. We went from an administration that took the highest road possible to one that wallows with pigs. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/6 "2020-05-08T19:02:07Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Eh, producer credits are essentially meaningless. It probably just means she had input. Since it’s based on the book she wrote that doesn’t seem especially nefarious to me. The production company that made the documentary, Higher Ground Productions, is owned by the Obamas and only them. They made a hagiographic movie about themselves. Also, they sued a small production company to get their name un-trademarked because the wanted the name Higher Ground. > [@Chefguy](#): > > Is writing a book self-serving? That would mean that working at any job is also self-serving. > > Downside may be the wrong word, or my construction was just off. It was a downer because it is a reminder of just how low things have gotten with this administration, compared with the last: the name-calling, the racism, the lying, and on and on. We went from an administration that took the highest road possible to one that wallows with pigs. Writing about yourself in heroic terms while taking advantage of the free publicity of being (former) first lady is self-serving, yes. You must recognise that you are so clearly biased for Michelle and against Melania that you cannot ascertain their value honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/7 "2020-05-08T19:53:06Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > The production company that made the documentary, Higher Ground Productions, is owned by the Obamas and only them. They made a hagiographic movie about themselves. > Also, they sued a small production company to get their name un-trademarked because the wanted the name Higher Ground. > > Writing about yourself in heroic terms while taking advantage of the free publicity of being (former) first lady is self-serving, yes. > You must recognise that you are so clearly biased for Michelle and against Melania that you cannot ascertain their value honestly. I’m assuming that you have not seen the biopic in question, so your opinions of it are irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/8 "2020-05-08T20:19:02Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > You must recognise that you are so clearly biased for Michelle and against Melania that you cannot ascertain their value honestly. Sorry, anyone who has access to any form of news can ascertain their relative value. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/9 "2020-05-08T20:37:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m assuming that you have not seen the biopic in question, so your opinions of it are irrelevant. So, your answer is “lalalala I can’t hear you lalalala”? > [@Colibri](#): > > Sorry, anyone who has access to any form of news can ascertain their relative value. That wasn’t my point. My point is that if you are biased, your opinions are less valid; nothing controversial. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/10 "2020-10-01T18:32:20Z")
It took you four months to come up with that witty riposte? ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/11 "2020-10-01T22:10:05Z")
No. Maybe checking the dates might be of some help. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/12 "2020-10-02T03:38:39Z")
Obama took the high road a lot, 25,000 feet then quickly descending! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-netflix-documentary-on-michelle-obama/853343/13 "2020-10-02T17:00:34Z")
Huh, it just showed up on my feed. Weird.