Michelle Obama may have never served as president of the United States, but this week, she showed off her own approach to international diplomacy with a direct and devastating attack.
A viral video from a celebrity dodgeball game showed former first lady Michelle Obama nailing near-British royalty Harry Styles right in the crotch with a rocket shot. As Sports Illustrated noted, the match took place during a segment for The Late Late Show with James Cordon, with Americans and Brits facing off to determine which country was the better at dodgeball.
The highlight of the celebrity-filled game came when Michelle Obama wound up and delivered a crushing toss that went in one direction — straight to Harry’s most sensitive area. It quickly became the dodgeball shot heard round the world, with a clip of Michelle’s perfectly placed toss making its way around the internet.
The shot was also critical to Team USA’s success on the dodgeball court. As CNN noted, Michelle Obama ended up leading her team to victory, thanks in no small part to eliminating former One Direction member.
“I want you to know that I’m proud of each and every one of you,” she said in the clip. “Strength is not measured on how you throw the ball, it is measured in here. When they go low, we also go low, because that’s how dodgeball works, am I right?”
Michelle herself got tagged during the game from actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who appeared to wince as he nailed the former first lady.
James Corden’s team U.K. challenges Michelle Obama’s team U.S.A in ‘Late Late Show’ dodgeball https://t.co/ImVKEhFMeH pic.twitter.com/x9ZOBQkNiV
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 18, 2019
Michelle Obama was the architect of a Team USA squad that included teammates Kate Hudson, Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Melissa McCarthy, and Lena Waithe. As Mrs. Obama noted, the chance to nail the late-night host was a major motivating factor for the other celebrities representing the United States.
“You would not believe how easy it was to get people to do this,” the former first lady said, via People magazine. “All I had to say was, ‘You’re gonna throw a ball at James Corden.’”
when Harry goes high, Michelle goes low. #LateLateLondon pic.twitter.com/xnEFq137rR
— The Late Late Show with James Corden (@latelateshow) June 18, 2019
It wasn’t so easy for Corden to assemble his team, as Harry Styles joked.
“When James Corden calls you, you initially ignore the call,” Styles said. “Then he keeps calling you and then he starts texting saying, ‘Hey, did you get my call?’ and then he shows up at your house, your work, your hairdresser, your pilates class and your shower.”
Judging by the viral clip of his blow from Mrs. Obama, Harry Styles probably should have trusted his initial instinct.