Anti-Michelle Obama humor

Before and after Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States, his wife Michelle Obama has frequently been the target of derogatory jokes, many of them politically charged, racist, or sexist in nature. Such jokes, which have sometimes taken the form of doctored photos or Facebook and Twitter postings, are highly controversial, and in at least one case, a celebrity received death threats for making them.

The New Yorker cover controversy

In mid-2008, The New Yorker magazine caused controversy by featuring a cover that included a painting of Michelle Obama with an afro wig and carrying a gun, similar to a caricature of a 1960s-era black radical. A spokesman for the magazine insisted that the cover image was intended to parody right-wing depictions of the Obamas; however, the controversy over the magazine cover continued. A blogger for the Huffington Post wrote: "Anyone who's tried to portray Michelle as angry or a secret revolutionary out to get Whitey, anyone who has questioned their patriotism — well, here's your image."

Comments by radio and TV personalities

Television host Bill O'Reilly caused controversy in 2008 by joking that he didn't want to "go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels." He also suggested that Obama might believe that "America is a bad country".

During the 2008 campaign, FOX News commentator Juan Williams compared Michelle Obama to "Stokely Carmichael-in-a-designer-dress". Also, during an interview with Michelle Malkin, FOX news flashed a headline referring to Michelle as "Obama's baby mama", a comment that was criticized by Salon.com editor Joan Walsh. Bill Shine, senior vice president of programming at FOX News, said that a producer exercised "poor judgment" during the segment, but that no one was fired and no disciplinary action was taken.

In early 2009, radio host Tammy Bruce referred to Michelle Obama as "trash" while filling in for Laura Ingraham on the radio. Bruce clarified her statement by saying "Trash are people who use other people to get things, who patronize others, who consider you bitter and clingy."

Radio host James Edwards posted an item on his Political Cesspool blog titled "Does she hate Whitey? Michelle Obama, that is. I'm pretty sure she does. Just like her husband. Just like about 95% of blacks."

Scott Baio

In January 2010, actor Scott Baio, who appeared in Happy Days, posted an unflattering photo of Michelle Obama on Twitter with the caption "Wow-he wakes up to this every morning". Following the incident, other Twitter users accused Baio of being racist. One user, who claimed to be a Republican, told Baio that he was going to "find your house" and "finish you", referred to Baio as a "grand wizard" and said that he and his family should be "put down". As a result of the death threats, Baio contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Baio insisted that the photo was not altered, and said "Stop bashing my charity just because I post an unflattering pic of a woman. Grow up people, have some humour." The offending user's profile was deleted, and Baio subsequently stated that he was not racist, pointing to his collaboration with Victoria Rowell as proof.

Comments by political activists

In mid-2009, Rusty DePass, a leader of the Columbia, South Carolina Republican Party, apologized for making a comment on Facebook that likened Michelle Obama's ancestors to a gorilla that had escaped from Riverbanks Zoo. DePass referred to his own remarks as "offensive", "flippant", and "indefensible".

Google Images controversy

In late 2009, Google Images ran into controversy after it was discovered that the number-one search result for the phrase "Michelle Obama" was a doctored photo of the First Lady with monkey-like facial features. This photo, which had appeared on a Chinese blog called Hot Girls, was widely described as racist. Google initially refused to remove the picture from its search listings on freedom of speech grounds, but it did run an ad next to the picture explaining its policy on how search engine results work, similar to its response to the Jew Watch controversy. However, Hot Girls' owner subsequently removed the image in response to the controversy.

Internet caricatures of Michelle Obama

Besides the doctored photo that caused the Google Images controversy, unusual pictures of Michelle Obama abound on the Internet and include paintings of the first lady wearing a pancake on her head, singing in the [...] with a pink dolphin or tied up and threatened by the Ku Klux Klan.

Walt Baker

In March 2010, Walt Baker, the CEO of Tennessee's Hospitality Association, apologized as a result of a controversy that stemmed from his forwarding an e-mail comparing Michelle Obama to Cheeta the Chimpanzee. As a result of the controversy, the president of Nashville's Convention and Visitors Bureau severed all ties with Baker and his group; Baker was subsequently fired. In addition, several potential tourists called the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and said that they had decided not to visit the state as a result of the e-mail.

Criticism

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has denounced anti-Michelle Obama blog postings as "vile and hateful", blaming "the political climate today" for the problem.