I am a superstar in my own mind, and this was recently confirmed when I learned I inspired a sneaker

Just like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant, y’all. Big time!

But Michelle, you’re not even a pro athlete, say the naysayers.

Skk skkk skkk.

I can explain.

Over the summer, I was interviewed by a writer at Reebok who was doing a story on the athletic company’s heritage with women. She wanted to chat with me about a television campaign I wrote for the brand back in 2001 called, “It’s a Woman’s World.”

Some of you may remember it. All the commercials playfully imagined a world where women run the show, reversing gender roles and flipping the script on stereotypes.

I’m talking female basketball players being rooted on by a squad of male cheerleaders

Buff chicks intimidating a scrawny, out-of-place guy who dares walk into their weight room.

A gender-reversal of Hooters called Bananazz – complete with well endowed male servers.

Femme football fans watching a game while one’s man serves them snacks and cleans up after them.

One ad even featured the first female president.

Another showed tennis star Venus Williams being her unconventionally strong self.

For the campaign’s soundtrack, my partner Matt and I got rapper Missy Elliot to sing a remake of James Brown’s chauvinistic hit, “It’s a Man’s World.” The main hook?

You guessed it: It’s a Woman’s World.

In my interview, I told the Reebok writer that I thought this work was ahead of its time. Back then, critics called the campaign groundbreaking, but today, many of the scenarios my creative partner and I conceived are actually a reality.

She thanked me for the chat and went off to write her piece. It was only once it was published and she emailed to thank me that she dropped this little bit of a bombshell:

“I’m super happy to share that we’ve just announced today that the 2001 campaign has inspired a new campaign for 2019 that’s launched, entitled, It’s A Man’s World.”

And the best part? The campaign inspired by my campaign features it’s very own line of sneakers!

Say whaaaat?

They were designed by an all-female team, and have cool nods to my work, like the words ‘It’s a Man’s World’ etched into the back and crossed out.

See? I’ve got my very own shoe!

So does that mean, like Michael Jordan, that I get a $110 million endorsement deal?

Uhm….no.

But Reebok did send me my very own pair when they launched, and they were, like, totally free.

When the box arrived, the big convo among my kids was whether or not I’m going to wear them.

NINA: Mom, you’re not going to wear those, are you?
LUKE: Can I wear them?
ME: Luke, you’re a 12 wide. These are a women’s 9.
JACK: You can’t wear them. You need to put them on a shelf, like a trophy!

I do think Jack is a little bit right. These sneaks are a badge of honor commemorating how far women have come. And how far I’ve come.

And they’re leather and lace proof that the things we put out into the world have impact far beyond what we can imagine.

But I’ll probably wear them to workout class anyway. Because Reebok does make the comfiest aerobics shoes.

And Jordan played in his sneakers, didn’t he?

So now that I’ve reached what is arguably the epitome of any baller’s career, here’s what I’m wondering.

Does this mean I can retire now?

Watch the original “It’s a Women’s World” ads: