by Sana Butler
It’s minutes before Tamron Hall steps onto the set of her MSNBC daytime show, NewsNation, and right now the host is on the hunt for printouts of the day’s top stories she’s been following since 9 a.m.: a gay Syrian blogger (which later was found to be an Internet hoax), the GOP primary debates, Los Angeles schools’ budget gap, and a D.C. serial rapist’s revived cold case. Her interviews are live. Her bulleted questions are ready. Hall is so well prepared that she even comfortably tweets five minutes before going on air about the upcoming Father’s Day segment: “Executive editor of People magazine on live, to discuss essay Pres. Obama wrote to fathers 2 p.m. ET.”
Then, a monkey wrench.
President Obama is speaking from North Carolina discussing jobs and the economy. The control room takes the feed live and as a result, Hall’s show will be delayed. She now has to listen to Obama for a few minutes and then cogently convey the details for the breaking-news segment.
“I’m running and gunning every day,” Hall offers with equal ease and seriousness.
NBC News President Steve Capus describes the Emmy-nominated anchor as one of the busiest people at MSNBC who “always has great enthusiasm and an energy that’s infectious.” For 10 years, Hall honed her skills at WFLD in Chicago. While there, she was handpicked by NBC execs after they saw the one-on-one interview with then Senator Obama she had landed shortly before he announced his national candidacy.
Hall was born in 1970 in Luling, Texas. Her father was a master sergeant in the Army and her mother was a teacher. After studying broadcast journalism at Temple University, Hall went on to eat spiders dipped in chocolate on a morning show at WFLD. In addition to her MSNBC program, she is a frequent substitute host for NBC’s venerable Today and Weekend Today.
Beyond work, Hall volunteers for Day One, a New York City–based nonprofit devoted to the issue of teen domestic violence. She joined the organization after her younger sister, Renate, was found dead in the pool of her home after what appeared to be a violent struggle.
[originally published September 2011]
Hall remains very close to her family, and it is her devotion to keeping them informed that keeps her connected to her larger audience. “She wants to get answers America wants to [know],” said friend Tiffany Adams while at the Lew Klein Media Awards, where Hall was honored.
Decidedly curious and engaging, Hall is interested in people and listens, which makes for provocative interviews. She doesn’t play “gotcha!” but relies more on common sense to ignite a conversation.
“What made you change your mind?” Hall asked former D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee on her decision to order an investigation into the school system’s standardized test scores after a USA Today report found irregularities. Hall’s approach resulted in an insightful discussion with a nondefensive Rhee.
Hall also skillfully checks tone in an interviewee’s response and observes body language. Little gets past her. Just ask today’s guest, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who, unwilling to answer the host’s questions on specific federal programs his party planned on cutting, responded, “Calm down,” while gesturing in a downward motion with both hands.
Hall swiftly ended her pressing and laughed, still expressing her “tell it like it is” style until the end: “Chairman Steele, it was a great pleasure having you on despite the fact you told me to calm down like I was 5.”
If she does look for approval, it’s certainly not from a politico. “My mom will e-mail me after an interview and say, ‘I am happy you stuck in there,’” says Hall. But her social media–savvy mother doesn’t stop there. “She also tweets me about my hair and lipstick all the time!”
The Hall Closet
FASHION PLATE: “I am a high/low shopper,” says Hall. “I can [pair] a top from Barneys [with] a skirt from H&M, or a dress from Zara with a YSL belt.”
DESIGNER DETAIL: Her favorite labels include Geren Ford and Elizabeth and James, and she recently added the beige Christian Louboutin sky-high Alti pump to her already sizable shoe collection.
THE CUT: She goes to Vanessa at Louis Licari salon on New York’s Fifth Avenue once a week and maintains her tresses with a daily dose of Moroccanoil hair treatment.
ABOUT FACE: “I am a girly girl,” admits Hall, whose looks get as much coverage as her interviews. She does her own makeup, using brands like Bobbi Brown, as well as Kevyn Aucoin foundations, Chanel and MAC lip glosses, and Giorgio Armani mascara. “Because I have short hair, I joke that I come in to the building every day looking like a boy with no makeup.”
ON CONSTANTLY RECEIVING COMPLIMENTS: “I say, ‘Let me tell my mom and dad! I had nothing to do with it!’ ”