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(NewsNation) — Michelle Obama is having some private time in Hawaii — recuperating from what I hear is an elective procedure — but she also may be licking her wounds.
The Obamas in Hollywood
While Michelle loathed politics, she dove headfirst into her and Barack’s new Hollywood life and their production company, Higher Ground. The couple received a $65 million production deal from Netflix, but not much has taken off.
While Michelle may have enjoyed producing “Leave the World Behind” with Julia Roberts, some reviewers on Reddit called it “hot garbage,” and it received 3.5 stars on Rotten Tomatoes.
Other projects such as Netflix’s “Later Daters” is similarly in the “blah” mode, as were “Ruston” and “Your Mama’s Kitchen.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 20: Former U.S. President Barack Obama (L) greets former first lady Michelle Obama as he arrives to speak on stage during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic Party supporters are gathering in Chicago, as current Vice President Kamala Harris is named her party’s presidential nominee. The DNC takes place from August 19-22. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) 
Former US first lady Michelle Obama gestures on stage of the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on April 9, 2019 during a tour to promote her memoir “Becoming”. (Photo by Martin Sylvest / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT (Photo by MARTIN SYLVEST/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images) 
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 26: Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks ahead of the arrival of Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign rally at the Wings Event Center on October 26, 2024 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Vice President Harris will be campaigning today with former first lady Michelle Obama in the battleground swing state of Michigan. With 10 days remaining, Harris continues campaigning against Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the November 5 election. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) 
TODAY — Pictured: Michelle Obama on Monday, November 14, 2022 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images) 
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 13: Michelle Obama walks onstage during The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times – in Conversation with Michelle Obama at YouTube Theater on December 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for ABA) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Former First Lady Michelle Obama speaks onstage at the Clooney Foundation For Justice Inaugural Albie Awards at New York Public Library on September 29, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Albie Awards)
Michelle Obama not making Netflix any money, source says
While Michelle — who has been rusticating in Hawaii for over a month — and her husband are still huge draws in Hollywood, for regular people their programming is considered “very 2020”, my source said.
“People think it’s easy to break into Hollywood just because they have a fan base,” my spy said. “It’s not. They are at Netflix for the cache it gives Netflix, but they aren’t making the company money.”
If all goes badly, at least Michelle has her “healthy” soda company, Plezi. She shocked fans in September when she showed up at a Northern California Costco, dancing and shilling the beverage.
“It was just odd,” one insider said at the time. “The former first lady of America selling soda.”
Representatives for Obama and Netflix did not return emails.