Okay, spoiler alert.
This story is seriously too cute, like it should be illegal (and probably the usual conservative trolls are already on the way to decry our nefarious gay agenda).
I’m sure all of you are aware that Barack and Michelle have been busy since they left the White House in 2017. Besides writing their memoirs, working on creating Obama’s presidential library in Chicago, continuing their support for expanding voting rights, and slipping George W. Bush throat lozenges, they’ve also created a production company with distribution through Netflix.
As reported in the DailyBeast, Michelle’s new children’s show on Netflix is aimed at helping young children learn about healthy eating through the help of cute, adorable puppets. In her series “Waffles + Mochi” Mrs. Obama is teamed up with Waffles (what can be described as a part-Waffle, part-shaggy monster) and Mochi (a Japanese rice cake type creature).
Can't get enough Waffles + Mochi? Good news! We're back for What’s Cooking Tonight? 🎉 It’s a fun not-so-late show with some special guests you’re going to love.
Watch it live on Facebook or Netflix's YouTube Channel this Saturday at 1pm ET/10am PT. pic.twitter.com/qqRFCxTww8
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 24, 2021
And I thought Sid and Marty Krofft’s “H.R. Pufnstuf” was some crazy s*** (cue sound of bong water being inhaled).
Besides Waffles and Mochi, however, is Michelle’s sidekick, what is being referred to as a “busy bee.” In the DailyBeast interview with the animated puppet master behind all of these delightful characters, Jonathan Kidder explains that his interpretation of the buzzing bee “Busy” is a personal attempt to give an affirming character to any young boys out there who were like him.
““The way I looked at it is, if I was a gay kid, I would have really valued having a character that felt like I felt inside,” he explains. “That was maybe a little bit more flamboyant. But male. That was maybe a little bit more sassy. But also a dude. Then learning that the person who played that character was an out, proud gay man, that would have been amazing to encounter as a kid.”
Apparently Kidder and Obama get along great, with Michelle cracking up at his jokes, even calling him “naughty.” In the DailyBeast interview he explains:
“…during an episode about the flavor umami (pronounced “ooh, mommy”). Kidder and Obama were encouraged to riff with each other, and at one point, he had Busy say, “All this talk about ‘umami.’ When are we going to talk about ‘udaddy?’”
She laughed and started making “udaddy” jokes of her own. “And that’s the point where she looked down at me and just called me naughty.”
Make sure you watch the official trailer below. Seriously. It is the best thing you will see today. Yay for more sassy children puppets!
What childhood television characters did you most relate to growing up?
Sources; DailyBeast , Wikipedia
I thought Big Mike’s gay BFF Barry.