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10 Questions with ... Brian Kilmeade
June 11, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Be open to insight and block off your critics. I have over 500 rejection letters in folders at home and bring to my live stage show to let them know that people can reject you but they cannot stop you -- only YOU can do that. Be open to improving and learning but do not let the detractors distract you. It's your life and you have the right to pursue success as much as anyone!
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
SportsPhone; Channel One News; KHSC-TV 46/Los Angeles; XETRA-A (XTRA Sports 690)/San Diego (The Jim Brown Show); UFC; WVIT-TV (NBC Connecticut)/Hartford-New Haven; Newsport TV; Fox News. Also author of five books, "The Games Do Count: America's Best and Brightest on the Power of Sports"; "It's How You Play the Game: The Powerful Sports Moments that Taught Lasting Values to America's Finest"; "George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution"; "Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History"; "Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny."
1. You were first known as a sportscaster on radio and TV before you made the transition to news. How did that come about, and was that always the plan or was it unanticipated?
I began in sports, but had the political science background and passion for news since birth. In fact, I worked for 4 years at KHSC-TV in Ontario, California doing 20 news features a week and hosted a weekly news show on Sundays. It seems like every job in sports I obtained always wove in news. Even my first job at Sports Phone, I asked to do a Persian Gulf War Update, and they gave me the format! At Fox, I was hired as the sports guy, but it became clear that sports had a small role on the channel. In fact, almost every time we started our three hour Sunday sports show, we would have to ride the breaking news, smashing the sports format. After 9/11, Fox management allowed me to gradually make the transition to news full time while still covering major sports stories and events. As for news talk radio, my big break was when they allowed me to fill in for Tony Snow and prove myself. When George Bush asked him to go to the White House, Fox gave me a shot.
2. There are a lot of syndicated radio talk shows in the market. What do you do to make yours stand out from the pack? What would you say "Kilmeade and Friends" brings to the table that others might not?
My show is a mix of news, analysis and personality. I do not spend three hours giving my opinion. I let our audience know what’s happening, give them context and then almost always weigh in with my point of view. Thanks to being in the Fox Building with the best anchors and reporters in the country and the best team in radio -- Alyson Mansfield, Eric Albeen and Pete Caterina -- we consistently get the best guests in radio. This gives our show depth, expertise and insight at a level that I believe exceeds any in radio.
3. "Fox and Friends" is, of course, in the news fairly consistently because of the show's biggest fan, who happens to be the president. Knowing that he's watching and often reacting in real time on Twitter to what you say, do you feel a greater responsibility to get the facts right? Is there additional pressure because of the awareness that he's watching and might react? Or can you put that aside and have it not affect what you're doing?
Both are true -- I feel pressure to get facts right but I always felt that pressure. At Fox you always have the scrutiny (on you) because we have the market cornered on detractors and haters. It is an honor to know the President watches and it all began with him as our weekly guest.
4. Speaking of people watching and reacting, like everyone on cable news and in talk radio, you have rabid fans and rabid detractors on social media. How do you handle the criticism and the praise? Do you read the comments, replies, and posts online, or do you try to avoid that?
I do not read much social media. I do have a presence and supply daily content but rarely go out of my way to see and read how much I’m hated or praised. How to handle the criticism? I almost never respond, except for when Jimmy Kimmel attacked me on Late Night -- I look forward to discussing his raft of insults when I see him.
5. Doing double duty -- the TV show early in the morning, then the radio show -- is a tough schedule. What do you do to make doing both TV and radio (and managing to write books, including the new one on Sam Houston coming out this Fall, somewhere in there) easier on yourself?
My double duty sounds a lot harder than it is, because I am just talking, thinking and preparing. When I look at the men and women on the train when I go home and see their fatigue from working on a job site, I think, now, THAT’s work. In all candor, it’s harder on my radio producers. We only talk for five minutes face to face before a show, and I only have six minutes to get upstairs, so if they cannot set me up perfectly, I am dead. They always do get it right, best and first. Constant emails and text keeps us up to date during "Fox and Friends."
6. From your perspective, is the country more polarized than it was, say, 10 years ago? Do you think the country is irreparably divided, or is there hope that the nation can find common ground?
Maybe a little more polarized and passion is really high, basically because we all care so much about the country and because we are Americans, we do not like to lose. I think we will begin to come together as we start to lace together the first big bi-partisan deal, and I sense it will be immigration after 2020. The public will cheer and politicians will respond with other big deals like health care and the cuts will mend.
7. Who have been your inspirations and influences in the TV and radio business?
My first influence was David Letterman. His early shows were so cutting edge and his sarcasm and mockery so unique, I just found him inspirational. Interviewing him for my radio show in college was, and is, one of the highlights of my career
8. Of what are you most proud?
I’m most proud of my work ethic and staying the course, even though for about 13 years, major career success seemed remote.
9. If you were to go back to sportscasting, what would be your ideal job? Which sport? Play-by-play, analyst, studio host?
Hosting NFL and MLS studio shows would be ideal sports jobs.
10. What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?
Be open to insight and block off your critics. I have over 500 rejection letters in folders at home and bring to my live stage show to let them know that people can reject you but they cannot stop you -- only YOU can do that. Be open to improving and learning but do not let the detractors distract you. It’s your life and you have the right to pursue success as much as anyone!
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