Michelle Prods Hollywood to Show Military Families

Michelle Obama talks Joining Forces, tapes 'iCarly'
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 14, 2011 10:34 AM CDT
Michelle Obama Goes to Hollywood: Joining Forces Initiative Pushes Portrayal of Military Families
Producer and director JJ Abrams, Michelle Obama, Capt. Kelly Smith of the California Air National Guard, and Marine wife Arnita Moore talk during a panel discussion in Beverly Hills, Calif., Monday, June 13, 2011.   (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Michelle Obama wants to see more stories of military families on TV and in movies, so she came to Hollywood to do something about it. The first lady met with members of the writers, producers, directors, and actors unions at the Writers Guild Theater to discuss Joining Forces, an initiative she created with Jill Biden for increasing public consciousness and support of military families. During yesterday's hour-long program, Obama shared the stage with a National Guard pilot, a retired soldier and the wife of an Army officer. Writer-director JJ Abrams, whose film Super 8 topped the weekend box office, moderated the discussion.

The first lady is doing some military storytelling of her own during her visit to Los Angeles: Obama is set to tape an episode of Nickelodeon's iCarly about the main character's efforts to connect with her dad on his birthday. First daughters Sasha and Malia are iCarly fans, so the first lady's role on the show makes her "the coolest mom on the face of the planet," she says. And though she has been diligently studying her lines, Obama admitted yesterday: "I am terrified." (More First Lady Michelle Obama stories.)

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