Entertainment

Lea Michele Did What Before Meeting Obama?!

by Rachel Simon

Between the news that she once dated Mr. Shue and the casual mention that she drank wine as a toddler, it might've seemed that Lea Michele divulged every secret she had in her memoir, Brunette Ambition. Apparently not, however, as while on Chelsea Lately on Thursday, the Glee star revealed a pretty intimate story not mentioned in her book: While attending President Obama's inauguration last year, Michele was so nervous about meeting the President that she peed her pants right before the big moment.

According to the actress, she and her date, Looking's Jonathan Groff, were in Washington to perform with the Glee cast at the 2013 inauguration. Michele, freaked out about singing in front of the president, asked Groff to calm her down, and he did exactly that — with disastrous results.

"[Groff] decided that the best thing to do before I went on to sing for the president was to make me laugh so hard that I peed my pants, like, everywhere," Michele said. It was bad enough that the the two ended up having to "change the bed," she added.

Strangely enough, Michele isn't the only celebrity who's reacted, um, strongly to meeting the President. Remember back in January 2013, when Al Roker revealed that he pooped his pants ("not horribly, but enough that I knew") while on a 2002 press visit to the White House? At least his accident had a legitimate cause; the anchor had undergone gastric bypass surgery shortly before, and was experiencing some of the more unpleasant after-effects. Unfortunately for Roker, he didn't have the luxury of spare clothing and bedsheets like Michele, so instead, he went to the bathroom, threw out his underwear, and "just went commando" for the rest of the visit.

So, there you have it. Apparently, something about meeting the President throws people off their game. While Michele and Roker are the only celebrities whose nerves have caused them to have physical reactions — at least as far as we know — several others have still managed to embarrass themselves in front of Obama. There's Reese Witherspoon, who forgot her famous co-star's name; Emily Blunt, who "laughed hysterically" in the President's face; even the seemingly unflappable Connie Britton, who, upon meeting the Michelle Obama, stumbled over her words and thoroughly freaked the First Lady out.

So if you ever get a chance to meet the President, don't worry too much. Chances are, someone a lot more famous than you will already have done it worse. And, if you're still nervous, though, you'll have learned at least one big piece of advice, thanks to Michele and Roker: When at the White House, make sure to bring a change of clothes.

Image: Teen.com