From veggie tray to champagne, Obamas revel in Super Bowl rituals

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[February 08, 2016]  (Reuters) - He avoids the veggie tray. She dresses up for the half-time show.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, in their first live joint interview since entering the White House seven years ago, shared their Super Bowl rituals with CBS on Sunday hours before America's biggest sporting event.

Speaking to CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King, the first couple reflected on the fact that this year's will be their last Super Bowl they will enjoy at the White House.

The president said he, like millions of Americans, typically watches the National Football League's championship game with friends, pizza, nachos and chicken wings.

"There's like the little vegetable tray that nobody touches," he joked.

Michelle Obama said she was more inspired by the half-time show, which will be headlined this year by British rock band Coldplay and U.S. pop superstar Beyonce.

"I care deeply about the half-time show, deeply," Michelle Obama said. "I got dressed for the half-time show. I hope Beyonce likes what I have on."

The first lady said they also have what they call a "champagne room" where her mother sits and people "don't really know what's going on but you're close to the champagne."

The Bay Area is hosting this year's Super Bowl, with a week of events wrapping up in San Francisco and the Denver Broncos taking on the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, a city in Silicon Valley.

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Obama, who was a U.S. Senator from Illinois before becoming president, said that as his hometown Chicago Bears were not playing for the title, there likely won't be much screaming at the television, but he added: "We enjoy watching the game and we hope for a good game."

(Reporting by Peter Cooney in Washington; Writing by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Sara Catania and Mary Milliken)

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