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title: Chris Rock Recaps the Obamas&#x27; White House Farewell Party
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# Chris Rock Explains His Embarrassing Encounter With Michelle Obama 'I've Never Felt So Stupid in My Life'

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by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


May 3, 2017 3:07 PM UTC

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


May 3, 2017 3:07 PM UTC

Back in 2016 when [Barack and Michelle Obama](http://time.com/3611537/chris-rock-obama-racial-progress/?iid=sr-link6) invited a few friends to the White House for a farewell party. Beyoncé, Jay Z, Oprah, Stevie Wonder, and other famous people were in attendance and for comedian [Chris Rock](http://time.com/4240722/oscars-2016-review-chris-rock/?iid=sr-link2), it was like he “died and went to black heaven.”

He stopped by the _Tonight Show_ on Tuesday to promote his first [stand-up tour](http://time.com/4634515/chris-rock-dave-chapelle-stand-up/?iid=sr-link1) in nearly a decade, and gave Jimmy Fallon the play-by-play of the party.

Don’t feel too jealous you weren’t invited, though, because according to Rock, there were a lot of awkward moments. Turns out then when a room is packed with incredibly famous people, you might find yourself in the unenviable position of offering career advice to one of the [the then-First Lady](http://time.com/4421538/democratic-convention-michelle-obama-transcript/?iid=sr-link1). “I’m not really supposed to be alone with Michelle Obama,” Rock joked. “That’s not really my lane. I don’t know how to talk politics.” 

Despite that lack of expertise, Rock persevered. “We’re talking about the election and stuff,” the comedian said. “\[She said\] ‘I don’t know, I don’t know what’s gonna happen. This is such a crazy time.’ And I go, ‘You’ll be aight.’” To prove that she would be “aight”, Rock assured her that she could “get any kind of job” like on “_The View_, _The Housewives of Atlanta_.” That didn’t land well, according to Rock. “[Michelle Obama](http://time.com/4626173/michelle-obama-hope-final-first-lady-remarks/?iid=sr-link3) looks at me like, ‘I was talking about the country. I wasn’t talking about me. I was talking about the country.’”

“I’d never felt so stupid in my life,” he said. “It’s like my GED flared up.” Luckily, according to [Rock](http://time.com/4240618/oscars-2016-chris-rock-monologue-best-jokes/?iid=sr-link4), finding Charles Barkley made him feel much better.

Watch the full clip below.

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