http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5d859z
Former President Barack Obama caused a mild commotion when he surfaced unexpectedly in public in New York City on Friday. He was treated like a rock star, with hundreds gathering on the street for a glimpse of the former president after he was spotted entering an office building in the Flatiron District of Manhattan on Friday morning.
He looked relaxed, dressed in a dark suit without a tie, as he left the office building in Manhattan on Friday morning. The crowd went wild with excitement when Obama was spotted leaving the office building. Hundreds rushed to have a glimpse of the former president. They cheered, waved, and clapped excitedly as he left the office building and climbed into a black SUV, according to the Daily Mail .
Obama paused several times to wave at the friendly crowd before climbing into his SUV.
Although media reporters were unable to confirm why Obama visited Manhattan, some reports speculated that he might have visited the office of Simons Foundation located in the building he was seen exiting.
The founders of Simons Foundation, Marilyn and James Harris Simons, donated $670,000 to the Obama Foundation, according to the Daily Mail . The foundation funds research in the sciences.
Later in the day, the former president surprised Broadway theater-goers when he and his 18-year-old daughter Malia attended a performance of Arthur Miller’s The Price , produced by The Roundabout Theater Company, starring Danny DeVito and Mark Ruffalo, according to ABC News .
The Obamas later went backstage to meet the cast, including Danny DeVito, Mark Ruffalo, Jessica Hecht, and Tony Shalhoub, TMZ reports .
The Roundabout Theater Company, which produced the revival of Arthur Miller’s The Price on Broadway, later tweeted a photo of Barack and Malia Obama meeting with the delighted cast.
“We are so honored to have had President @barackobama in our theater this evening for #ThePriceBway!”
The photo shows the Obamas meeting backstage with DeVito, Ruffalo, and Hecht after the show on Broadway at The American Airlines Theater on February 24, 2017, in New York City.
They were later seen leaving the American Airlines Theater through a stage door. Passersby stopped to stare and cheer as the Obamas entered their SUV and drove away.
PHOTOS: Barack Obama, daughter Malia attend Broadway play “The Price” w/ Mark Ruffalo, Danny DeVito Friday night https://t.co/tPTqeCUhny pic.twitter.com/2x4pghnIOp
— ABC News (@ABC) February 25, 2017
Barack Obama and Malia attended The Price on Broadway last night, and the Internet freaked out: https://t.co/C3US565SZL pic.twitter.com/xhcELozGqz
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 25, 2017
Barack and Malia Obama catch a star-studded Broadway play as former President is cheered by crowds on New York trip https://t.co/N4Ld8nhZSW pic.twitter.com/D54uMBMT3H
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 25, 2017
Former President Obama, daughter Malia leave theater after watching “The Price” on Broadway https://t.co/tzKPwwakn3 pic.twitter.com/rhZOVzLpKn
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) February 25, 2017
Obama attended a Broadway show with Malia, but inside the theater, many didn’t notice https://t.co/ydx7RbGew4 pic.twitter.com/xgU5M1HBXq
— New York Times Arts (@nytimesarts) February 25, 2017
The Obamas attended several Broadway shows — including Hamilton , Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark , and Motown the Musical — when he was president.
Barack and Malia showed up at Broadway after they were spotted on Thursday evening dining at Emilio’s Ballato, an Italian restaurant in Soho. Emilio’s Ballato in Soho is known as a celerity hotspot. Celebrities known to patronize the restaurant include Rihanna and Naomi Campbell.
Malia, the eldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, currently lives in New York City. She is an intern at the Weinstein Co.
New Yorkers took to social media on Thursday and Friday to chat about Obama’s visit to New York City. People reports that many social media users remarked about the former president’s glowing complexion and speculated that it was probably the result of his vacation in Palm Springs California and the British Virgin Islands.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, spent more than a week in the British Virgin Islands, on the private island of the British billionaire Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.
He’s rested & has a glow about him. The man is back. pic.twitter.com/EGyrjSn8EY
— deray (@deray) February 24, 2017
Wow! At #ThePriceBway preview & @BarackObama is nxt 2 me. So cool! Much respect. Thx 4 supporting the arts @RTC_NYC pic.twitter.com/rsiKh5r9c5
— Fabio Salles (@salles_fabio) February 25, 2017
President Obama leaving 160 5th ave just now pic.twitter.com/kowtqnif9W
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) February 24, 2017
Branson later explained in a post to his website, Virgin, that he invited Barack and Michelle to his island so that they could enjoy a “complete break” after their two presidential terms in the White House.
Barack Obama apparently made the trip to New York alone without his wife, Michelle. Michelle was reportedly seen on Thursday leaving a SoulCycle class in Washington, according to the Daily Mail .
The Inquisitr reported that the Obamas have moved to a multi-million dollar home in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood in Washington D.C. They are neighbors to Ivanka Trump and her family.
The Obamas are reportedly staying in Washington D.C. after they left the White House so that their youngest daughter Sasha would be able to finish her high school education at the exclusive Sidwell Friends.
But Malia is set to enter Harvard later in the year after a gap year spent traveling and at an internship. But she has also found time to have fun with friends. She has been sighted on multiple occasions partying with friends.
[Featured Image by Bruce Gikas/Getty Images]