Truth to Power: Al Roker Asks Michelle Obama if She Buys Toilet Paper in Bulk at Costco
In an interview with First Lady Michelle Obama that aired on Wednesday's NBC Today, weatherman Al Roker gushed over recent shopping trip to Target and wondered: "...do you sometimes miss the ability to do something like that on a regular basis?...Do you go to Costco? Do you buy a lot of toilet tissue at once?" [Audio available here]
Obama said of her shopping trips: "I do that more frequently than people realize....we try to sneak out as much as possible and it – and it helps to keep our kids' lives normal." To the challenging toilet paper question she replied: "You know, we pretty much have our supply stocked." Roker observed: "One of the perks." [View video after the jump]
Following the taped portion of the interview, even co-host Ann Curry shook her head and remarked: "You asked her about toilet paper." Roker joked: "You can't get that toilet tissue with the presidential seal on it at Costco."
Roker added that it was "amazing" that the First Lady was able to go on such excursions and co-host Matt Lauer added: "That was cool stuff."
On the September 30, the Today crew was thrilled by photos of Michelle Obama wheeling a shopping cart through Target.
Here is a full transcript of that portion of Roker's interview with Obama on the October 12 Today:
7:01AM ET TEASE:
MATT LAUER: Plus, Al traveled to the White House on Tuesday and talked to the First Lady Michelle Obama. He talked to her about a lot of things, including that secret shopping trip to Target. It turns out that was not a one-time deal. Find out more in Al's interview, coming up a little later.
7:20AM ET SEGMENT:
LAUER: It's nice to have, by the way, have you back with the little people today after spending time at the White House on Tuesday.
AL ROKER: Well, that was fun.
LAUER: You caught up with the First Lady?
AL ROKER: Absolutely, we were there to help participate in her Let's Move event. We're going to tell you more about that later this morning. But we also talked to Mrs. Obama about her recent shopping trip to Target. Check it out.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Secret Shopper; Michelle Obama Talks With Al About Trip to Target]
We all saw those pictures of you at Target. I mean, is that, do you sometimes miss the ability to do something like that on a regular basis?
MICHELLE Absolutely, but quiet as it's kept, although not so quiet, I do that more frequently than people realize, and it's amazing how people don't recognize you. They don't expect to see me at Starbucks or at Chipotle or, you know, I actually took Bo to Petco and the cashier asked me, "Oh, what kind of dog is that?" I said, a Portuguese waterdog. He didn't recognize us because he didn't expect that we would be in Petco. So, you know, my secret's out but we try to sneak out as much as possible and it – and it helps to keep our kids' lives normal.
ROKER: Did the – did the cashier look twice at the credit card?
OBAMA: He recognized me. But plenty of people, I've been in Baskin and Robins a number of times, you know how the kids aren't really paying attention? They're looking right through you, they don't know it's me.
ROKER: Do you like the big budget – do you go to Costco? Do you buy a lot of toilet tissue at once?
OBAMA: You know, we pretty much have our supply stocked, so, you know. I know, it's one of the advantages-
ROKER: One of the perks.
OBAMA: One of the perks.
ANN CURRY: You asked her about toilet paper.
ROKER: You can't get that toilet tissue with the presidential seal on it at Costco.
LAUER: That's funny, but she does it often.
ROKER: I know, that's amazing.
LAUER: That was cool stuff. And we're going to have more of Al's interview with the First Lady a little later on.
- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.
