The political spectacle is renewed

Until the last century, it was understood that the more visible a person was, the greater the chance of being elected, which is why politicians sought celebrity to access power. Michelle Obama shows how in the 21st century, true success is taking advantage of political notoriety to make shows.

Mrs. Obama is not only more popular online than Kamala Harris. On Instagram she duplicates Donald Trump and surpassed her husband Barack Obama even when he was president. And if that popularity is not transferable to national elections (ask Kamala), it is extremely profitable in global entertainment.

Unlike those presidents who come to power to have their media and their TV program, the Obamas took advantage of their departure to bequeath something more than a library, as is tradition in the United States. The production company Higher Ground is consolidating a film library on Netflix that is so varied as to host a dating series for fifty-somethings called People who date laterof recent international premiere.

The Obamas’ alliance with Netflix began with the documentary american factory (2019), about the changes in the North American industry compared to the Chinese, which won multiple awards including the Oscar for best documentary. And it was consolidated with the film that captures the national presentation of BecomingMichelle’s autobiography.

These films match Extraordinary camp, Work: what we do every day, american symphony, Paternityseveral nature documentaries and some children’s documentaries with one purpose: to do politics through entertainment without being noticed.

The Obamas understood that they changed the policy manuals and that what is most popular is not controversy. Michelle learned from her friend Oprah Winfrey that human stories that the public can identify with win on platforms. The two choose messages of personal improvement with that security that comes from knowing that they are extraordinary examples of success and splendor.

While Barack Obama aged rapidly in the last years of power, Michelle flourished, gaining style and glamor and told about it in books, interviews, and mass conferences. A true influencer of these times, who knows that directing the destinies of the most powerful country in the world is not as important as reigning in the world of social networks and its associated businesses.

Pop politics is updated. Looking for the center of the screens is like politicians from the last century. These days, the truly influential people, those who convert their followers into subscribers, are those who give the spotlight to the community that makes up their network. In their production company’s series, the Obamas only make brief cameos. But they are. Michelle does not appear in the dating series, but from her Instagram account she made it clear who is boss. Watching some scenes, he hinted at his recriminations against a man who was too spicy on his date with a 62-year-old woman. He even suggested that in a future season he should be under the supervision of Logan Ury, the Harvard psychologist who assists applicants for get a partner

A happy ending for the lady and a ridiculous ending for the gentleman in the current series is more effective than the best campaign for equality. It would not be in Netflix’s best interest for these series to become one of those Encuentro channel rubbish that aged so badly and so quickly.

Michelle’s success is precisely that she understood the wear and tear of politics and how powerful human connection is. That is why he loses when he resumes the campaign, and shines in his networks that explode when he dances, talks, advises or allows himself to be interviewed. Popularity is not transferred but, like the public, it is renewed.