How Mary Tyler Moore Inspired A Young Michelle Obama

Mary Tyler Moore's passing at 80 has inspired an outpouring of memories. Whether it's celebrities tweeting their appreciation or ordinary people talking about how Moore inspired them, it's clear that Moore was a giant in the comedy world. One person Moore inspired was ex-First Lady Michelle Obama. Obama laid out how The Mary Tyler Moore Show was an integral part of her childhood in a 2016 Variety interview unearthed by Vulture. “She was one of the few single working women depicted on television at the time,” Obama told the magazine. “She wasn’t married. She wasn’t looking to get married. At no point did the series end in a happy ending with her finding a husband — which seemed to be the course you had to take as a woman. But she sort of bucked that. She worked in a newsroom, she had a tough boss, and she stood up to him. She had close friends, never bemoaning the fact that she was a single. She was very proud and comfortable in that role." Obama said that her show was super valuable, especially as a young girl. “I was probably 10 or 11 when I saw that, and sort of started thinking, ‘You know what? Marriage is an option. Having a family is an option. And going to school and getting your education and building your career is another really viable option that can lead to happiness and fulfillment.”