There were more than a few raised eyebrows when Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett announced he was moving to Los Angeles earlier this year.
The Diary of a CEO host signed a headline-grabbing deal with the world’s No 1 talent agent, WME, to represent him in the USA.
History is littered with failed attempts by Brits to try and crack America so why would 32-year-old Bartlett be any different?
An interview with the former First Lady was a perfect way to announce himself to a US audience.
The timing made it newsworthy as speculation has been rife about Barack and Michelle Obama’s marriage, fuelled by her decision not to accompany her husband on several high-profile engagements.
Steven Bartlett with former First Lady Michelle Obama
Unsurprisingly, Mrs Obama’s emphatic ‘I’m not a martyr’ quote and flat refusal of the rumours on Bartlett’s podcast travelled around the world.
The interview was covered by everyone from USA Today, Newsweek, The Mirror and Times of India. Bartlett had announced himself to America.
Bartlett had appeared on Obama’s IMO (In My Opinion) podcast, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, before they returned the favour the following day by appearing on his show.
I have to be honest and say I stopped listening to The Diary of a CEO when the podcast focused on health-related guests.
The podcast initially focused on entrepreneurship and business when it launched in 2017 but has concentrated more on health-related issues since 2020.
The approach may have boosted listener numbers but it also resulted in a BBC investigation accusing the podcast of spreading harmful health misinformation.
Bartlett didn’t comment on the allegations directly but his production company Flight Studio denied any wrongdoing.
However, I did listen to the much-hyped interview with Mrs Obama and her brother.
This was never going to be a bruising political interview as the former First Lady covered a range of issues including fertility struggles, her childhood, race, and the challenges of parenting.
Steven Bartlett with Michelle Obama and her brother brother Craig Robinson
Bartlett will have been acutely aware that the world was listening for her comments on the speculation of her marriage and he waited until the end of the podcast to ask about it.
“If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,” was her reply.
He also asked her about the reason why she didn’t attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, knowing her answer would be like catnip to American listeners.
Listening to the episode made me think that Bartlett was deliberately pitching it to a US audience.
For example, one of the adverts on the show offered a discount in dollars.
Interestingly, his latest guest on DOAC is fashion designer Emma Grede, who has also been busy promoting her own podcast – Aspire With Emma Grede.
Grede is a big name in the US given her numerous collaborations with the Kardashian family.
Bartlett said interviewing Obama gave him serious feelings of ‘imposter syndrome’ before adding: “The Diary Of A CEO has allowed me into rooms I never thought I would be invited into as a young black guy from…Plymouth, it’s allowed me to see behind the curtain – study some of the most successful people in the world and to understand their deepest, darkest, realest thoughts.”
He and his team will be aware of the importance of future guest choices if he’s to truly fulfil his dream of cracking America.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Meghan Markle, a Kardashian or two or even a former US President on the show.