Michelle Obama: ‘I’ve Met a Lot Of Cool People’ As First Lady

First Lady Michelle Obama impressed a group of children after she explained all of the famous people that she had met.

During a Take-our-daughters-and-sons-to-work Day event in the East Room of the White House, one of the children asked her who was the “most interesting” person she had encountered since she was First Lady.

“I’ve met a lot of cool people — met the Queen of England. I’ve met the Pope. I’ve met George Clooney,” she began, adding that she met “other kings and queens” as well.

She explained that it was a “real honor” to meet Nelson Mandela before he passed away and that she also met Maya Angelou before she passed away.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of really important people who’ve impacted the world — Bishop Desmond Tutu. I’ve met Toni Morrison. I’ve met poets and authors, and actors and actresses, and scientists,” she said. “It’s just too many people to name.”

She explained that on of her favorite traveling experiences was during a state visit to the United Kingdom when she got to sleep in Buckingham Palace.

“When you’re invited as the guest for the state dinner, you actually are allowed to sleep in Buckingham Palace. That was very cool,” she said. “And we got to dine with the king and the queen, and it was very grand. And it was everything that you would imagine that a state dinner would be like at the Palace.”

In spite of all the famous people she listed, the First Lady explained she enjoyed spending time with children the most.

“I’ve had a wonderful opportunity. But you know who I enjoy spending time with the most?” she asked. “Kids like you. I don’t spend this kind of time talking to anybody else in the world except for kids like you. You guys bring me the greatest joy. You really do.”

Another child asked the First Lady if she felt “special or different from anyone else”

“Sometimes I do, and that’s not necessarily good all the time,” she said, pointing out that she was “treated differently” because of her position as First Lady.

“Like, I can’t go anywhere without security,” she said, adding that “there’s a lot of fuss” that comes with living in the White House, including the president’s motorcade.

“Every time he has to go somewhere, there are about 20 cars of people who follow him around, including the press,” she said about the president. “See, these people make you feel a little different. You got the press here. Like, before I lived here, the press didn’t care what I did.”