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Why My Daughter Dropped Her Last Name —Barack Obama

Published

9 months ago

November 6, 2024

The former president of the United States, Barack Obama, has shed light on a surprising and deeply personal choice made by his eldest daughter, Malia.

During an appearance on The Pivot podcast, hosted by former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder, Obama shared insights about Malia’s decision to exclude their famous last name ‘Obama’ in her filmmaking career, opting instead to go by Malia Ann.

Malia, now 26, made her mark in the entertainment industry as a staff writer for the Emmy-nominated Prime show Swarm and recently directed her first short film, The Heart, an 18-minute piece that premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

The film has since gained traction, earning the Young Spirit Award at the Deauville Film Festival in France and the Best Live Action Short prize at the Chicago International Film Festival.

Discussing his daughter’s move, Obama admitted on the podcast released to YouTube Saturday, “Malia, she’s making movies. So she made her first movie. And you know, I’ll be a dad, I’ll brag a little bit … her first film went to Sundance and all these fancy film festivals. And she didn’t use ‘Obama’ as director on the credits, it said ‘Malia Ann.’”

He added, “I was all like, ‘You do know they’ll know who you are.’ And she’s all like, ‘You know what? I want them to watch it that first time and not in any way have that association.’”

Obama noted that this decision reflects a trend among children of public figures who wish to carve out identities separate from their famous parents.

Despite the former president’s pride, he noted, “The challenge for us is letting us give them any help at all. They’re very sensitive about this stuff. They’re very stubborn about it.”

Malia’s work has drawn both praise and scrutiny. At Sundance, some critics labelled her a “nepo baby,” shorthand for “nepotism baby,” pointing out that most emerging filmmakers don’t have the luxury of working with industry titans like Donald Glover, who collaborated with her on Swarm.

Reflecting on raising daughters in the spotlight, Obama recounted an agreement made during his presidency with the White House press pool: “I said, ‘You can follow me around. You can talk about me. You do whatever you need to do. Leave my children alone because they have the right to grow up. They didn’t choose this. Let them grow up.’”

He credited the press for respecting this, allowing Malia and her younger sister, Sasha, the opportunity to navigate their formative years relatively privately.

Despite this, he noted that as his daughters have matured, there has been increased public scrutiny.

“Now, as they’ve gotten older, there’s been some paparazzi stuff going on, and it drives them nuts. Their attitude is, ‘We’re not looking for all that.’ So they’re grounded.”

National Post on Monday reported that defenders argue that while Malia’s connections have undeniably opened doors, her talents have helped her step through them.

The Daily Beast underscored this conversation with a piece titled “Nepo Baby of the Week: Is Malia Obama’s Film Debut Any Good?” which offered a mixed review of The Heart: “It’s subtle, it’s somewhat strange, and its visuals are warm and lo-fi,” and concluded, “The Heart is not a bad film … it’s about what you’d expect from a young filmmaker.”

Meanwhile, The New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan described it as “well-shot” and “a promising debut,” hinting at subtle nods in the closing credits: “You wouldn’t even suspect it came from a former first daughter, though in-the-know types might wonder if the ‘Steven and Kate’ thanked in the closing credits are Spielberg and Capshaw, a husband and wife who can ensure a well-connected debut.”

When asked whether he ever longed for the anonymity lost to fame, Obama reflected, “The thing I miss is just walking around and nobody knowing who you are. Like, you don’t realize what a benefit that is until you try it and suddenly you’ve got 100 people asking you for selfies and all that.” But with a characteristic dose of humility, he added, “That’s a high-class problem to have.”

In a lighthearted moment, he joked about the idea of disguising himself: “Put some dreadlocks on, get a beard, a moustache … but I can’t do it. Folks say, ‘Man, I’ve seen those ears before.’”

His wife, Michelle Obama, in past interviews, had been candid about the personal challenges she and Barack faced when starting their family.

In her memoir, she revealed that Malia and Sasha were conceived through in-vitro fertilisation.

Reactions to the Saturday YouTube post from the viewers acknowledged that this openness further underscored the family’s journey of balancing public life with personal narratives, one that Malia’s career path appears to be navigating in its own distinctive way.

Headline

Iran Declares Holiday Amid Scorching Heatwave As Water Crisis Deepens

Published

13 hours ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

Iranian authorities have urged citizens to drastically reduce water consumption as the country battles severe shortages triggered by an intense heatwave, with temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius in some parts.

According to the national meteorological service, this is Iran’s hottest week of the year so far, and conditions are expected to worsen. In Tehran, the capital, temperatures hit 40°C (104°F) on Sunday and are forecast to reach 41°C (106°F) by Monday.

Amid the heatwave in Iran and mounting pressure on water and electricity supplies, Tehran province has declared a public holiday on Wednesday. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced the social media platform X, citing the need for resource conservation.

“In light of the continued extreme heat and the necessity of conserving water and electricity, Wednesday … has been declared a holiday in Tehran province,” she wrote.

Water scarcity has long plagued Iran, especially in its arid southern provinces. The crisis has been attributed to a combination of climate change, mismanagement, and overexploitation of underground water resources. Officials warn that the reservoirs feeding Tehran are now at their lowest levels in a century, after years of declining rainfall.

Tehran city council chair, Mehdi Chamran, called on residents to conserve water to avoid further supply disruptions. Several provinces have issued similar advisories, urging citizens to cut down usage significantly.

Tehran’s provincial water management company has appealed for a minimum 20 per cent reduction in consumption to help ease the strain. Local reports from Javan, a conservative newspaper, revealed that authorities have already reduced water supplies in parts of the capital, resulting in outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours in some areas.

Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, in a statement on Sunday, apologised for the disruptions, explaining that the measure was necessary “to better manage resources.”

The situation adds to the growing list of climate-related challenges facing Iran, raising fresh concerns about long-term sustainability in the face of extreme weather events.

Headline

VIDEO: Passengers Jump Into Sea As Fire Guts Ferry

Published

21 hours ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

Dozens of passengers were forced to jump into the sea after a fire broke out onboard a passenger ferry, KM Barcelona VA, off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Sunday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred around 1.30pm local time, saw chaos erupt as thick black smoke billowed from the lower decks of the vessel, triggering panic among those onboard.

Harrowing videos from the scene captured the moment passengers, many wearing orange life jackets, jumped into the water in desperation while flames tore through the ferry.

Footage showed dark smoke engulfing the skies above the burning vessel, with screams and cries for help echoing from the ship.

Some videos also depicted ferry staff assisting passengers in fastening their life jackets before they jumped overboard, as the overcrowded deck was quickly overwhelmed by the advancing inferno.

According to TheSunUS, the KM Barcelona VA, a ferry servicing the Manado-Tahuda route and nearby islands, was en route from the Talaud Islands to Manado City when the fire broke out near Talise Island, North Minahasa Regency. The vessel had been scheduled to arrive at Manado Port.

Rescue operations remain underway, with emergency teams racing to account for all passengers. Authorities have yet to confirm any casualties, and the cause of the fire is still unknown. A search and rescue post has been established at Likupang Port to coordinate efforts.

“There are KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and KM Cantika Lestari 9F,” a Manado KSOP officer confirmed, referring to the vessels dispatched to support the evacuation. Local fishermen and residents also joined the rescue operation, surrounding the burning ferry in small boats to assist in saving those trapped.

Images taken after the flames were subdued showed the once blue and white ferry reduced to a charred wreck, with its internal metal structure exposed and its hull completely destroyed.

Some survivors were seen staring in shock at the remains of the vessel from nearby boats.

The head of the Manado Search and Rescue Office, George Leo Mercy Randang, said: “More information will follow. We hope all passengers can be rescued first.”

Families of those onboard have been urged to stay calm and await official updates as authorities continue to gather details.

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Headline

How Thief Stole Aeroplane At Airport 22 Years After Two Men Went Away With Boeing 727

Published

2 days ago

July 19, 2025

Editor

To many, stealing an aeroplane right inside the airport with a watertight security system in place seems unbelievable, but a man in Canada stole a light aeroplane at an airport in the country, circled it around and later landed it before he was arrested by security officials.

This came 22 years after two men entered a Boeing 727 parked inside the airport in Luanda, the Angolan capital, and went away with the big aircraft.

According to reports, the aeroplane had not been found till today and the men had evaded arrest since then.

According to the Cable News Network (CNN), the stolen Cessna 172 aircraft caused a temporary shutdown of the airspace over Vancouver International Airport, one of the busiest in Canada, on Tuesday.

The man stole the aircraft, took off from Victoria International Airport, where it is used for flight training, and flew north about 40 miles to Vancouver.

He started circling, apparently due to his lack of expertise.

“We do have an aircraft that has been stolen and is in the vicinity of the airport,” a tower controller warned other pilots.

“Just in case anything starts heading towards you, you have the ability to move at your discretion.”

The man eventually landed the plane safely at Vancouver International Airport and was immediately surrounded by police.

The thief, who was not identified by authorities, was the only person inside and was arrested.

A similar incident also occurred at Luanda International Airport, Angola, when two individuals successfully stole a Boeing 727 without any security official knowing about the theft until a few hours later.

The Boeing 727, once operated by American Airlines, was retired and left at Luanda airport after plans to convert it were rejected. In 2003, two men—a pilot and a mechanic—illegally boarded the plane and took off with 14,000 gallons of fuel, enough to travel 1,500 miles. The plane and the men were never found.
(TRIBUNE)