Michelle Obama Admits She ‘Stalked’ Comedian for Years Before Finally Meeting Her

How “Toxically Optimistic” Zainab Johnson Found a Fan (and Hype Woman) in Michelle Obama

The comedian and actress, back with a new Netflix special, talks Hollywood mean girls, how her recent gun jokes land abroad and passing a billboard for a new TV series so white that she almost got in a car accident.

Michelle Obama Admits She ‘Stalked’ Comedian for Years Before Finally Meeting Her

Michelle Obama gushed over how she literally spent 'years stalking' comedian Zainab Johnson before finally meeting in person.

How Michelle Obama Became Comedian Zainab Johnson’s ‘Hype Woman’ and Helped Turn Her Comedy Special Into an Obama Production

Michelle Obama did more than introduce comedian Zainab Johnson’s latest Netflix special. She became a champion of Johnson’s work, publicly praising her comedy and helping open the door to a landmark partnership with the Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground. Johnson’s Toxically Optimistic, released on Netflix on Oct. 27, marks the first comedy special produced by Higher Ground, the company founded by Michelle and Barack Obama. The former fir…

How Zainab Johnson Got the Obamas to Produce Her Netflix Special

“Washington, DC, make some noise for Zainab Johnson.” The intro itself isn’t an original way to start Johnson’s latest special, Netflix’s Toxically Optimistic, but the individual speaking as she takes the Howard Theatre stage marks a comedy first. That’s Michelle Obama riling up the audience. Johnson, the actress and stand-up who saw her comedy profile […]