While the current man in the White House was an unhinged reality TV star who became an unhinged president, America's past commander in chief is taking the opposite approach. Barack and Michelle Obama have signed a multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix.
"One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience," Barack said in a statement. "That's why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix—we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world."
The deal can include scripted and unscripted series, along with documentaries and features. In a statement, Netflix's CCO Ted Sarandos said, the Obamas "are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better." As the New York Times reported in March, this content would not be aimed at Trump:
Mr. Obama does not intend to use his Netflix shows to directly respond to President Trump or conservative critics, according to people familiar with discussions about the programming. They said the Obamas had talked about producing shows that highlight inspirational stories.
This is probably the best Obama news we could get other than Michelle running for president. Here's to hoping they make a Bojack Horseman-style animated comedy.
Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries.
