Michelle Obama's New Podcast Struggles to Gain Traction Online

The former first lady's latest media venture, IMO, faces low viewership and mixed reception despite a major promotional push.

Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson launched a new podcast, IMO, with two episodes released this week discussing personal stories and interviews.
The podcast's debut episodes received modest viewership on YouTube, with the first episode garnering around 54,000 views and the second approximately 17,000 views.
Critics and commentators have noted that the podcast's initial performance falls short compared to other prominent figures, such as Gavin Newsom and Joe Rogan, in the podcasting space.
The podcast's YouTube comments have been flooded with both supportive messages and abusive trolling, reflecting the polarized public response to Michelle Obama.
Despite the underwhelming start, the podcast ranks No. 1 on Apple Podcasts' top shows list, indicating some engagement on other platforms.