Rush Limbaugh’s Most Offensive Comments About Michelle Obama

A list of the Radio Shock Jock's Insults at the First Lady

Radio shock jock Rush Limbaugh has made his living by raising eyebrows. But when the staunch conservative accused First Lady Michelle Obama of “uppity-ism” in November, he had even those who’ve grown desensitized to his political views crying foul. That’s because “uppity” is a term historically used to slam blacks who had the audacity to act as if they were on equal footing with whites. Often whites paired the adjective with the N-word, as in “uppity n---er.”  Given this historical context, using “uppity” to describe a prominent African American reeks of racial resentment. Unfortunately, Limbaugh’s use of the term “uppity” is far from the only time he’s made an offensive remark about Michelle Obama.

Check out what else he’s said about the First Lady:

• Limbaugh has called her  “Moo-chelle” on multiple occasions to knock her figure because he resents the First Lady’s efforts to curb childhood obesity. You’d think a man who’s nowhere near svelte himself would hesitate to critique someone else’s body.

• The “Moo-chelle” mockery isn’t the only time Limbaugh has body snarked about the First Lady. Last month Limbaugh suggested that if (hell froze over and) Michelle Obama actually appeared as a guest on his show, he would welcome her with the Sir-Mix-a-Lot song “Baby Got Back,” implying that she has too much junk in the trunk for his taste. Limbaugh made the remark in response to The Roots playing the Fishbone song “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” when Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachman appeared on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” While the Roots’ song choice was undeniably insensitive, using the incident to criticize the First Lady’s weight only made Limbaugh look like a cad.

• After criticizing Michelle Obama for eating short ribs in February 2011, Limbaugh took aim at her sense of style, particularly her fondness for belts. He said, “And some people are suggesting that my comments are below the belt. Well, take a look at some pictures, given where she wears her belts, I mean, she wears them high up there around the bust line, isn’t just about everything about her below the belt when you look at the fashion sense that she has."

• In May 2008, Rush Limbaugh spread a rumor that Michelle Obama had been videotaped using the word “whitey” at church. Given that then Barack Obama was still dealing with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Limbaugh’s suggestion that Michelle Obama was a racist could’ve seriously undermined the Obamas’ relationship with white voters. No such tape existed, however, so the rumor was put to bed.