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---
title: David Letterman Gets Barack Obama as Netflix Show Guest
description: Obama is set to make his first talk show appearance since leaving the White House on the premiere of David Letterman&#x27;s new Netflix series.
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author: Megan McCluskey
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article:published_time: 2018-01-05T19:16:47.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:49:34.783Z
og:title: When You Can Watch Obama&#x27;s First Post-White House TV Appearance
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twitter:title: When You Can Watch Obama&#x27;s First Post-White House TV Appearance
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec13e6c6056d9a80/6988f73dbc6cfc4c583e491d/barack-obama-david-letterman1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Barack Obama Is Teaming Up With David Letterman for a Post-Presidency First

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![Megan McCluskey](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf85e445233dc41d2/698940894ee2620cd9313802/m_mccluskey.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)


![Megan McCluskey](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf85e445233dc41d2/698940894ee2620cd9313802/m_mccluskey.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Megan McCluskey


Staff Writer

Jan 5, 2018 7:16 PM UTC

![US-POLITICS-OBAMA-USO](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec13e6c6056d9a80/6988f73dbc6cfc4c583e491d/barack-obama-david-letterman1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

President Barack Obama shakes hands with David Letterman during a celebration of the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on May 5, 2016.

President Barack Obama shakes hands with David Letterman during a celebration of the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on May 5, 2016. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images

![Megan McCluskey](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf85e445233dc41d2/698940894ee2620cd9313802/m_mccluskey.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)


![Megan McCluskey](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf85e445233dc41d2/698940894ee2620cd9313802/m_mccluskey.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Megan McCluskey


Staff Writer

Jan 5, 2018 7:16 PM UTC

[President Barack Obama](http://time.com/5082975/barack-obama-2017-book-music-list/) is officially set to make his first talk show appearance since leaving the [White House](http://time.com/5089521/michael-wolff-fire-fury-donald-trump-book/) on the premiere of [David Letterman’s](http://time.com/4987364/letterman-on-jimmy-kimmel/) new Netflix series. The streaming service announced on Friday that Obama is slated to be the first guest on the Jan. 12 episode of _My Guest Needs No Introduction_, Letterman’s new six-part, 60-minute talk show.

The series marks the longtime late-night host’s return from retirement following his [departure from ](http://time.com/3891833/david-letterman-finale-last-late-show-review/)_The Late Show_ in 2015 and will feature a different guest — George Clooney, Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z, Tina Fey and Howard Stern — on each monthly episode. “I had a show for a long time and then I didn’t have a show for a long time and I can’t tell you how great it is to be out of the damn house,” Letterman jokes in the teaser.

Obama was a frequenter of the late-night circuit during his Oval Office tenure, racking up [eight appearances](http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/politics/barack-obama-david-letterman/index.html) on Letterman’s _Late Show_ alone.

Watch the full teaser above.

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