The height of etiquette: Michelle Obama towers over Japanese emperor

DM ^

[traumer]

Michelle Obama has had an awkward start to her visit to Japan as she was pictured towering over Emperor Akihito and stumbling as she tried to bow, shake his hand and curtsey at once.

The First Lady, dressed in a florid combination of a blazer and skirt, dwarfed the Emperor in her silver stilettos, while he maintained his composure and smiled politely. She then squatted slightly while shaking his hand, seemingly trying to disguise the difference of height between them.

Mrs Obama, who is 5ft 9in tall, also caused embarrassment earlier in the day when she grabbed Akie Abe, wife of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a hug-and-handshake combination while the Japanese First Lady was trying to bow.

[Tax-chick]

I agree. She looks and acts clunky around tall people, too.

[humblegunner]

She should watch how Diana Princess of Wales did it

Yeah, she screwed some greasy Arab dude while she was married.

She's pretty awesome, huh?

[trisham]

She married a much older man who was having an ongoing affair with another woman. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but I’m not either.

[Mears]

“What kind of people vote for such as these Obamas.”

==

Two of my kids——but I still love them and they love me.

,

[humblegunner]

She wasn’t perfect by any means, but I’m not either.

True, but neither are millions of people foaming at the mouth to kiss your butt even after you're dead.

[trisham]

Good for you. Families have to forgive, understand and love each other.

[trisham]

I can’t argue with that.

[ApplegateRanch]

Well, at least the First Boob lost the boob belt.

Now, if only they could keep her secured with a boob leash.

[ApplegateRanch]

>>>florid combination<<<

A polite way of saying “garish”.

[kalee]

Diana was thin and had a nice figure, so clothes draped elegantly on her. Michelle, well...bless her heart.

[kalee]

Suffered embarrassment? I doubt that, I doubt anything embarrasses her.

[21twelve]

“dressed in a florid combination of a blazer and skirt”

I thought it was a typo.
They meant horrid.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

How is it that we have to pay for Michelle Obama to go to Japan, on what seems like some sort of official visit? Michelle Obama is a private citizen, holds no official position, holds no elective office, has no official role in foreign policy or relations with Japan. So why the heck is she there???

Why??? To tell them what to eat, of course!

[yldstrk]

well Diana didn’t slump or stoop to hide her height

[ilovesarah2012]

I read Michelle is 5’11” and Obama is 6’1”.

[WayneS]

That’s a definite possibility. I’ve seen a lot of photos where she appears taller that he, though.