Amanda Gorman, the poet whose performance at Joe Biden’s inauguration was widely applauded, says she overheard Michelle Obama whispering to her husband to stop hugging people they met.
Ms Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate, was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday, when she discussed her participation in the US president’s inauguration, and revealed what she overheard.
The 22 year-old said she could hear Ms Obama “yelling at Barack” to stop hugging and approaching people, as they met others who were also at the inauguration, including Ms Gorman, who later posted a picture to social media with the couple.
The outdoors ceremony was scaled back due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with social distancing measures in place among participants and without public participation.
“I remember Michelle Obama being close and she kept yelling at Barack, ‘stop hugging people, stop getting close to people’,” Ms Gorman said, who was seated near the couple.
She went on to describe how she was embraced by Ms Obama after her performance of 'The Hill We Climb', an original poem that called for togetherness and faith in democracy following the 46th president’s inauguration.
“When I was done, she [Michelle Obama] kind of pushed him [Barack Obama] out the way and gave me the biggest, warmest, Michelle Obama hug,” Ms Gorman said.
The pair had met “a few times before” the inauguration, and Ms Obama was said to “always remember” the poet when they met.
“She always remembers and she’s great,” said the 22-year-old. “When I hug her I’m so sore, my forehead is in her belly button, and it's the best to me”.
Following her inauguration performance, Ms Gorman has been commissioned to write a poem for the Super Bowl, and has been signed by modelling agency IMG Models, according to reports.
