JENIFER LEWIS on Healing, Fame, and Self-Worth: "I Did the Work" | IMO

Jenifer Lewis — actress, activist, author, and the iconic Mother of Hollywood — joins IMO for one of the most raw, powerful conversations of her career.

In this deeply honest episode, Jenifer opens up about living with bipolar disorder, surviving childhood trauma, navigating sex addiction, and why therapy saved her life. From her early days on Broadway to her rise in Hollywood, Jenifer reflects on how fame, mania, and depression shaped her — and what it truly took to find peace.

She shares untold stories about the AIDS epidemic, loss, faith, survival, and the moment she was forced to finally sit down and heal. This is a conversation about mental health, self-worth, aging with wisdom, and what it means to do the work — especially when the world sees you as strong.

[00:00:00] Opening: Love, Sex, and Why Jenifer Never Settled Down
[00:02:16] Introducing Jenifer Lewis — The Mother of Hollywood
[00:04:05] Feeling at Home in Her Skin at 68
[00:06:24] Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis and the Long Road to Therapy
[00:08:04] The AIDS Epidemic, Loss, and a Nervous Breakdown
[00:10:22] Manic Energy, Depression, and Knowing Something Was Wrong
[00:12:04] The Dream That Sustained Jenifer Through Mental Illness
[00:14:18] Growing Up in Poverty as the Youngest of Seven
[00:15:42] Finding Her Voice: Singing in Church at Five Years Old
[00:16:45] From “See Me” to Self-Reflection and Identity
[00:20:18] Mania, Confidence, and the Illusion of Invincibility
[00:22:06] Sex Addiction, Trauma, and the Roots of Survival
[00:24:01] Confronting Her Abuser and Reclaiming Her Power
[00:26:32] Surviving Violence and Trusting Her Instincts
[00:29:14] New York, The Diva Mask, and Living in Mania
[00:31:12] Broadway, Hollywood, and Learning to Tell the Truth on Camera
[00:33:20] Creating Her Own Opportunities When the Phone Didn’t Ring
[00:56:00] Listener Question: Healing, Aging, and Doing the Work
[01:02:00] Final Reflections: Peace, Self-Love, and Living in Truth

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About IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson

Michelle Obama and her big brother Craig Robinson bring their unique experiences and candid perspectives to a range of personal dilemmas, from the everyday to the existential. Each week, they’re joined by a special guest to tackle audience questions with practical advice, terrific stories, and plenty of laughs. From dating and relationships to parenting and financial planning, IMO sees the iconic First Lady at her most relaxed and honest. This podcast will leave you laughing, reflecting, and feeling more prepared to tackle life’s challenges.

About Michelle Obama

Michelle’s passion for storytelling has set sales records, garnered awards and accolades, and earned her global acclaim. Her memoir, Becoming, spent over 130 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers list, sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, and won a Grammy Award. American Factory, the first film produced by her and her husband Barack Obama’s media company Higher Ground, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2020. Upon its release in 2020, The Michelle Obama Podcast was the most successful original in Spotify history, bringing in more women listeners over 40 than any other podcast. Through the Obama Foundation, she founded the Girls Opportunity Alliance, which supports adolescent girls' education and empowerment around the world.

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About Craig Robinson

Craig is the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and host of the Higher Ground podcast Ways To Win with Hall of Fame coach John Calipari. From 2017-2020, he served as the vice president of Player Development and Minor League Operations for the NBA’s New York Knicks. Previously, he was a Division I head men’s basketball coach at Oregon State and Brown, and spent more than a decade working as a trader in the investment banking industry. Most importantly, he is a husband and father of four.

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About Higher Ground

Higher Ground was founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in 2018 to tell powerful stories that entertain, inform, and inspire—while elevating new and diverse voices in the entertainment industry. Learn more at https://highergroundmedia.com/

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