Balanced TV menu for First Lady

First ladies have appeared on Sesame Street before. In fact,the show,which marks its 40th anniversary with Tuesdays season opener,has also hosted Barbara Bush,Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush. But Iron Chef and The Biggest Loser? Were trying to reach as many people as possible with the first ladys message of healthy eating,and by working with platforms with similar goals like Iron Chef,The Biggest Loser and Sesame Street,were able to do just that, said Katie McCormick Lelyveld,Mrs. Obamas spokeswoman,in an e-mail message to The Associated Press.

While some of the venues may be untraditional,the strategy is actually quite traditional for a first lady,says Mark Jurkowitz,associate director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

If youre trying to lay out a nonpolitical message,you go to nonpolitical media, says Jurkowitz. And whats more nonpolitical than a beloved childrens show,a popular food contest or a show about losing weight? Not to mention the reach 8211; The Biggest Loser, for example,is one of NBCs most successful shows,averaging 9.6 million viewers weekly this season. Whats different here is the ability to magnify the message, Jurkowitz says.

I think its very smart to do what theyre doing, adds Ann Stock,former social secretary for the Clinton White House. Think of all the different ways we get our information these days. If you want to educate people,you go to a variety of different venues,to nontraditional media. People arent using one media outlet anymore. In the nine months since she became first lady,Mrs. Obama has focused on several issues: Shes been a vocal advocate for veterans and military families,for example.

But perhaps her most visible cause has been her emphasis on healthy eating and fighting obesity,particularly in children. She delighted chefs across the country when she had her vegetable garden planted on the South Lawn,and shes appeared there numerous times before the cameras. At a recent health fair nearby,she engaged in a hula-hooping session in which she reached an impressive 142 swivels.

No hula-hooping on Tuesdays Sesame Street, but Mrs. Obama beams as shes introduced by red,furry Elmo himself.

Were here digging up soil so we can plant a garden, she says to Elmo and to the children helping her. Veggies taste so good when they come from the garden,dont they? Big Bird soon arrives. Youre tall like me,maybe were from the same family, he says. Are you part bird? No,Big Bird,Im not, Mrs. Obama says. But she tells the children: If you eat all these healthy foods youre gonna grow up big and strong,just like me! Sesame Street reaches some 5 million viewers each week. Mrs.

Obama may be the fourth first lady to appear,but what made her appearance so special is that shes the first to have actually grown up watching the show, says Carol-Lynn Parente,the shows executive producer. We realized that when we saw her come on the set and make a beeline for Grover to give him a big hug. The Iron Chef America episode,which has been taped but doesnt air until Jan. 3,features White House chef Cristeta Comerford and three celebrity chefs: Bobby Flay,Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse. Comerford and Flay are pitted against Batali and Lagasse in the contest,which brings them to the White House.

Thats where Mrs. Obama comes in,revealing the secret ingredient they all must use: Anything from her garden. The chefs get to work choosing their veggies.

We knew we wanted to do a super chef battle, says Bruce Seidel,the Food Networks senior vice president of special productions. The task was to make it intriguing. The White House garden popped into my head,and I just thought it was such a great message 8211; something we want to do better at the Food Network. The White House was very excited. Mrs. Obama neither cooks on the show nor judges the results,however; The judges are actress Jane Seymour,former Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and chef Nigella Lawson.

On The Biggest Loser episode,which aired last week,the contestants didnt get to meet Mrs. Obama,but they did get to harvest vegetables from her garden.

And then they got to sample her kitchen,making a big salad,along with Comerford and assistant White House chef Sam Kass.

The ingredients? According to the food blog Obama Foodorama,the Biggest Loser White House Salad is comprised of lettuce,a cucumber,two tomatoes,some red onion and fresh basil.