Tracee Ellis Ross Says Barack Obama “Failed” Her as a Friend — Dating Advice Drama with the Obamas
Hi, I’m Jordan Collins. Okay, I’ll explain, but try to keep up: Tracee Ellis Ross admits she leans on Barack and Michelle Obama for dating counsel, and she publicly called out the former president for one very specific lapse.
Tracee Ellis Ross, the Emmy-winning actress and fashion-forward star known for Black-ish and her frank takes on life, revealed on August 14 during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live that she often taps the Obamas for relationship perspective. According to Ross, Barack Obama didn’t exactly earn full marks when she needed a heads-up about a breakup. “I broke up with someone,” Ross recalled on the show, quoting a candid exchange with the former president who said, “I could have told you that.” Ross fired back, “Well, you failed as a friend!” That cheeky rebuke was as much a boast about her proximity to the former first family as it was a complaint that she expected more proactive honesty from a pal with presidential instincts.
This anecdote illustrates two things: Ross’s closeness to the Obamas and the playful, no-nonsense dynamic she shares with them. She also confessed she has not yet asked Michelle Obama to set her up, calling the omission “perhaps dumb” and suggesting she might need to remedy that oversight. Given Michelle Obama’s media savvy and social network, that admission feels equal parts charming and strategic.
The Obamas, of course, are no strangers to public speculation about their marriage, and they have repeatedly pushed back on tabloid narratives that misread normal life choices as relationship turmoil. In April on the Work in Progress with Sophia Bush podcast, Michelle addressed rumors about her absence from public events and clarified that choosing personal boundaries does not imply marital crisis. “When I say ‘no,’ for the most part people are like, ‘I get it, and I’m okay,'” Michelle said, explaining that society often interprets a woman’s autonomy as a sign of trouble rather than agency. Her remarks emphasized that private decisions shouldn’t be conflated with public drama.
The couple also joked about the chatter on Michelle’s IMO podcast in July, where Barack quipped, “She took me back. It was touch and go for a while,” prompting Michelle to retort, “Now don’t start.” The exchange captured their lighthearted approach to persistent rumors and reinforced the idea that seasoned couples often deploy humor to defuse public curiosity.
Ross’s playful rebuke to Barack is more than a one-liner; it taps into a larger cultural fascination with how public figures manage private lives. Celebrities often lean on close friends for candid feedback, and when those friends happen to be a former president and first lady, the moment becomes a headline. Tracee’s story also gives readers a peek at the Obamas’ relational tone: direct, witty, and resistant to melodrama.
Beyond the Ross-Obamas trifecta, the source material also nods to other long-standing celebrity marriages that survive through communication and humor, such as Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, and Chip and Joanna Gaines, each offering different but dependable strategies for sustaining long-term partnerships.
Tracee Ellis Ross calling out Barack for not “nipping it in the bud” is a reminder that even A-list friendships come with expectations. It’s both a humblebrag about celebrity kinship and a genuine point about honesty in relationships. If nothing else, Ross’s quip proves that even former presidents can be roasted for poor timing in the friend department. Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Work in Progress with Sophia Bush, IMO podcast
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
