Higher Ground is positioning this as a strategic expansion of diverse voices, welcoming creators who bring fresh perspectives and build meaningful connections with audiences. The podcast will expand to an additional episode each week.
The Obamas' media empire isn't slowing down—Higher Ground now has seven active podcasts spanning food culture, comedy, history, and celebrity interviews. This deal signals the former first couple is doubling down on audio content.
Jason Lee revealed season one featured Helen Rosner, Pete Wells, Alison Roman, Keith McNally, and Chef Paul Carmichael as guests. Emily Sundberg admitted their dream guest is pop star Dua Lipa. The show launches its second season with Higher Ground on June 22, 2026.
The Obamas continue building a media dynasty through Higher Ground, and this latest acquisition shows they're not done expanding. When even the former Commander-in-Chief is getting into the podcast game, you know audio content isn't going anywhere.
Well, well—looks like Barack and Michelle Obama aren't just retired from politics; they're fully committed to ruling your playlist. The couple's production company Higher Ground announced Tuesday it has acquired Expense Account, a twice-weekly food and culture podcast hosted by renowned food critic Jason Lee. This move marks the latest expansion of the Obamas' growing audio empire, which now boasts seven active shows spanning comedy, history, celebrity interviews, and—apparently—the glamorous world of expense account dining.
The show, co-created with Emily Sundberg who runs the wildly popular Substack Feed Me, will enter its second season under Higher Ground's banner. The podcast originally launched as a spinoff of Lee's column in Feed Me, focusing on conversations with guests from food, media, business, and hospitality industries. But now with the Obamas' backing, expect bigger names, larger production value, and—most likely—a significant audience boost that comes with the Higher Ground brand name.
Dan Fierman, head of podcast at Higher Ground, made sure to frame this acquisition as part of their mission to find creators who bring fresh perspectives. "We're excited to welcome them to Higher Ground's growing podcast slate as they continue to expand the show's reach and impact with an additional episode each week," Fierman said in a statement. Translation: what started as an intimate newsletter-podcast conversation is about to become a full-blown media operation.
Jason Lee didn't hide his excitement either, dropping names from Season 1 that would make any food world enthusiast weak at the knees: Helen Rosner (The New Yorker's food writer), Pete Wells (the notoriously brutal NYT restaurant critic), Alison Roman, Keith McNally, and Chef Paul Carmichael all made appearances. "I'm so thrilled to be working with Higher Ground to take this podcast to the next level," Lee said. "Expect more food, more laughs, more surprises." Meanwhile, Emily Sundberg revealed their ultimate dream guest: none other than pop star Dua Lipa.
Because apparently, no expense account is complete without discussing whether Dua prefers truffle fries or a simple green salad. This acquisition raises questions about what Higher Ground's endgame really is. With podcasts like IMO featuring Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Lemme Say This with Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix, Reconstruction with Barack Obama and Malcolm Gladwell, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, and Stories From A Stranger already in their roster, the Obamas are building something far bigger than a hobby production company. They're constructing a media apparatus that could outlast their political careers by decades—and this latest move proves they're just getting started.
