Book Clubs To Win Tickets To See Michelle Obama On Tour In Select U.S. Cities, Watch Mrs. Obama’s Video Here
The Instant New York Times Bestseller Has Sold More Than 5.6 Million Units
In All Formats And Editions In The U.S. And Canada
Today, Live Nation and Crown Publishing, a part of Penguin Random House, announced the first set of moderators for the 2019 tour dates of Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama.
Produced by Live Nation, the extension of the highly successful tour kicks off in Tacoma, WA, this Friday, February 8, at the Tacoma Dome with late-night TV show host Jimmy Kimmel. Additionally, Phoebe Robinson will join Mrs. Obama on stage once again as moderator at the Moda Center in Portland, OR, on February 9, with Valerie Jarrett moderating the February 12 event at the Comerica Theater in Phoenix, AZ. (Please see below for moderator biographies.)
“I’m thrilled to get back out on the road for this final round of events at home and around the world, and I can’t wait to continue these conversations in new cities and with such extraordinary moderators,” Mrs. Obama said. “For me, this tour isn’t just about discussing my memoir—it’s about all of us understanding ourselves and our stories, taking comfort in being together and celebrating our own becoming, no matter where in that process we might be.”
This 2019 extension of the tour will include 15 events in the United States and Canada, with Mrs. Obama making stops in previously unvisited cities, including Austin, Toronto, Atlanta, St. Paul, Cleveland, and Vancouver among others. The tour will also include 6 dates in Europe, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London, Paris, Oslo, and Stockholm. The final event will take place on May 12 in Nashville, TN, at the historic Ryman Auditorium concluding the Becomingbook tour. Tickets and a limited number of VIP meet and greet packages with the former First Lady are on sale now at BecomingMichelleObama.com.
Since releasing her memoir last year, Mrs. Obama has been delighted to see the outpouring of support from readers across the country and around the world. One of her favorite parts of this experience has been hearing from book clubs who are reading Becoming,and she released this video today, asking book clubs to share their conversations with her.As part of the ongoing promotion for Becoming, Crown is sponsoring a sweepstakes for book clubs to win tickets to see Michelle Obama on tour this spring. Book clubs can enter the sweepstakes by going to BecomingMichelleObama.com. In select cities (Austin, TX, St. Paul, MN, Milwaukee, WI, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and Atlanta, GA), one book group per city will win 8 tickets to Mrs. Obama’s book tour (travel not included). See BecomingMichelleObama.com for details and official rules.
In keeping with her commitment to make her events accessible to as many people as possible, Mrs. Obama and Live Nation will donate a portion of ticket inventory in each market to various organizations, including, but not limited to, charities, schools, and community groups in each city the tour visits. Those fans will receive free admission to the tour stop in their city.
Attendees at Mrs. Obama’s events will hear her honest reflections on the experiences and events, both public and private, that have shaped her, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her years spent at the most famous address in the world. Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States – the first African-American to serve in that role – she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world.
Becomingwas released on November 13, 2018, in the U.S. and Canada by Crown Publishing, a part of Penguin Random House, and is being published in 42 languages around the world. Since its publication, Becomingbecame an instant #1 New York Timesbestseller after one week of sales, and has sold more than 5.6 million units in all formats and editions in the U.S. and Canada. According to NDP BookScan data, the hardcover edition of Becominghas sold more copies than any other book published in the United States in 2018 and more copies than any other hardcover nonfiction book published since 2007.
After 21 printings, the hardcover edition of Becomingwill have 5.2 million copies in print in the U.S. and Canada and a total of 8 million copies in print worldwide. The book is also a #1 bestseller in 11 other countries around the world. An audio edition of the book, read by Mrs. Obama, is also available in digital and physical formats by Penguin Random House Audio.
BECOMING: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH MICHELLE OBAMA 2019 DATES:
| Friday, February 8, 2019 | Tacoma, WA | Tacoma Dome |
| Saturday, February 9, 2019 | Portland, OR | Moda Center |
| Tuesday, February 12, 2019 | Phoenix, AZ | Comerica Theatre |
| Thursday, February 28, 2019 | Austin, TX | Frank Erwin Center |
| Saturday, March 2, 2019 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center |
| Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | St. Paul, MN | Xcel Energy Center |
| Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Milwaukee, WI | Miller High Life Theatre |
| Saturday, March 16, 2019 | Cleveland, OH | KeyBank State Theatre |
| Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Vancouver, BC | Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena |
| Friday, March 22, 2019 | Edmonton, AB | Rogers Place |
| Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Royal Arena |
| Wednesday, April 10, 2019 | Stockholm, Sweden | Ericsson Globe |
| Thursday, April 11, 2019 | Oslo, Norway | Oslo Spektrum |
| Sunday, April 14, 2019 | London, UK | The O2 Arena |
| Tuesday, April 16, 2019* | Paris, France | AccorHotels Arena |
| Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Ziggo Dome |
| Friday, May 3, 2019 | Montreal, QC | Bell Centre |
| Saturday, May 4, 2019 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| Friday, May 10, 2019 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | BB&T Center |
| Saturday, May 11, 2019 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena |
| Sunday, May 12, 2019 | Nashville, TN | Ryman Auditorium |
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, please visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
About Crown Publishing
Crown Publishing is a part of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, which is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 75 percent and 25 percent respectively. With more than 250 independent imprints and brands on five continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With 15,000 new titles, and 600 million print, audio, and ebooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 60 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.
Becoming by Michelle Obama Media Contacts:
Crown Publishing/Penguin Random House
Carisa Hays,[email protected]
Live Nation Media Contact:
Emily Bender, [email protected]
Monique Sowinski, [email protected]
Moderator Biographies
Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of the seven-time Emmy® Award-nominated “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” ABC’s longest-running late-night talk show. Now in its 16th season, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” produces some of the most popular comedy bits in late-night and features a diverse lineup of guests including actors, musicians, athletes, comedians, authors, politicians, newsmakers and the occasional random weirdo. Kimmel’s monologue skewers pop culture and up-to-the-minute news. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at11:35/10:35 p.m. ET, broadcasting from Disney’s El Capitan Entertainment Center in Hollywood.
Phoebe Robinson
Phoebe Robinson is a multitalented stand-up comedian, New York Timesbest-selling author, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the WNYC podcast turned hit HBO series 2 Dope Queens, which is returning to the cable network in 2019. She’s also the author of the new essay collection about dating, money, and her love of U2 entitled Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay. And if that’s not enough, she’s the co-host of another WNYC Studios podcast, “Sooo Many White Guys,” the critically acclaimed talk show where she interviews luminaries such as Tom Hanks, Issa Rae, Abbi Jacobson, and many more. Phoebe wrote the New York Timesbestseller “You Can’t Touch My Hair & Other Things I Still Have to Explain,” which is a collection of essays about race, gender, and pop culture. And she recently made her feature film debut this summer, starring in Netflix’s Ibiza. She’ll next be seen in Paramount’s film What Men Want,premiering in February 2019.
Valerie Jarrett
Valerie Jarrett was the longest serving senior adviser to President Barack Obama, and is one of the Obama family’s oldest and closest friends. In the White House, Ms. Jarrett oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, and she chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Ms. Jarrett served as the chief executive officer of The Habitat Company headquartered in Chicago, and served as chair of several boards, including the University of Chicago, where Michelle Obama served as a senior vice president. She also held several senior positions in city government in Chicago, including deputy chief of staff to Mayor Daley, where in 1991 she first met and hired Michelle Obama. Jarrett has been Mrs. Obama’s close friend, confidante, and advisor ever since. Valerie is currently a senior distinguished fellow at the University of Chicago Law School, and a senior advisor to both the Obama Foundation and ATTN. She also serves on the boards of Lyft, 2U, and Ariel Investments. In her upcoming memoir, Finding My Voice(Viking), Valerie Jarrett shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on the importance of leadership and the responsibilities of citizenship in the twenty-first century, inspiring others to lift their own voices.