Alex Wagner on Becoming MSNBC’s New Primetime Host

In ELLE.com’s month-to-month sequence Office Hours, we ask individuals in highly effective positions to take us by their first jobs, worst jobs, and the whole lot in between. This month we spoke with Alex Wagner, the seasoned journalist and author whose two decade-long resume reads like a well-rounded media food regimen: She’s been the editor-in-chief at The Fader, a senior editor at The Atlantic, an anchor at CBS Information, and the co-host of Showtime’s documentary sequence The Circus—to not point out earlier positions at Middle for American Progress and George Clooney’s humanitarian group, Not On Our Watch.

Now, Wagner is again at her outdated stomping grounds at MSNBC (she hosted Now With Alex Wagner there from 2011 to 2015), the place she’ll be taking up for Rachel Maddow through the coveted 9 p.m. hour Tuesday by Friday on Alex Wagner Tonight. “There was by no means a second’s hesitation,” Wagner says about accepting the position. “I actually do consider it like a dream job.” Under, the newly-minted primetime host shares her objective for the present, the recommendation that’s carried her by her years in media, and the one job she’d by no means do once more.

My first job

My first job the place I acquired paid any cash was babysitting, and I took it terribly critically. The Washington Publish had a bit known as “Hints From Heloise,” and it advised that babysitters ought to deliver exercise kits once they babysit as a result of it would give the children one thing to do. So after I began babysitting after I was 13 or 14, I’d come armed with these. I had a complete artwork package, every kind of little toys and video games that I’d deliver with me, as a result of I believed that’s what babysitters did. I really feel prefer it turned my calling card within the neighborhood; I had truthfully extra enterprise than I may deal with. I used to be overly ready, and I took it actually critically, and people are all good issues, however looking back, I in all probability didn’t have to strive fairly as arduous as I did.

My worst job

I labored at a spot known as Burrito Brothers in a meals courtroom in highschool. I didn’t even have the accountability of rolling the burritos and placing them in a bag. All I did was, on the finish of the sale, I’d be the particular person by the condiments and the napkins saying, “Would you want jalapeño peppers or scorching sauce with that?” I counted as soon as, and I mentioned it 576 instances in a day. Being within the service business teaches you a large number. It makes you resilient. However I believe that the right phrase for that job is hellacious.

Once I knew I wished to be a journalist

In fifth grade, I designated myself the restaurant reviewer for our elementary college paper. Mainly when my dad and mom took me to Armand’s Pizzeria, I’d evaluation the deep dish cheese. Then I used to be an editor at my junior highschool paper. That’s positively the place my curiosity took off. It actually excited me to be one of many folks that helps course of what occurred on the planet or in school, and the accountability and the privilege of being an interlocutor between the studying public, on this case my junior highschool friends, and the occasions of the day. We’d go to this horrible, musty outdated printing place, and me and my greatest good friend, Kate, would eat these terrible, terrible potato chips and lay out the newspaper. I simply keep in mind being so excited by that entire editorial course of. So I at all times wished to be a journalist. I’ve had stints elsewhere, however there’s a throughline of the human story that’s been central to the whole lot I’ve executed.

How being a first-generation American has influenced my profession

My mother comes from a spot, Burma, aka Myanmar, which is deeply, deeply troubled. It was by no means misplaced on me that I may have grown up there and never right here. I by no means forgot the privilege of rising up in America; the freedoms that we now have right here, together with, and particularly, the liberty of the press, is one thing I cherish very deeply. It’s at all times been so arduous to get information out of Burma, and I tip my hat to all of the journalists who work underground making an attempt to shine a lightweight on what’s taking place within the nation. Figuring out the problem of reporting on occasions and abuses of energy in Burma I’m positive pushed me to need to make investments my life in being a reporter and a journalist myself. I believe lots of people who immigrate to this nation perceive the individuality and the opportunity of what America guarantees. There’s a sure hope and optimism that my mother endowed me with that I carry, particularly in difficult, troublesome instances, like those we’re experiencing now politically.

The best way I do know I’m in the suitable job

On my first day masking the White Home for AOL’s Politics Every day, the veteran journalist Lynn Candy walked me by the entrance gates, and he or she mentioned, “Check out that White Home, child. When you don’t get a shiver down your backbone each single time you stroll onto the North Garden, you’re within the unsuitable career.” And it’s true. When you don’t really feel a particular tingle when the ground director counts you down—“5, 4, three, two, one”—and also you’re reside on air, you might be within the unsuitable career. The minute I don’t get that surge of electrical energy, and I’m not feeling extremely grateful for the job that I do, then I believe that’s the minute I ought to in all probability dangle up my spurs.

How I felt studying I’m the one Asian American host of a primetime cable information program

It’s so arduous to consider that could possibly be the case in 2022, however apparently it’s. I really feel an infinite quantity of accountability to a whole neighborhood of people that have been woefully underrepresented typically and, particularly, within the information business. You’ll be able to guess I’m going to take that honor and try to do proper by this neighborhood and guarantee that their tales are lined in a manner that they need to be.

My targets for Alex Wagner Tonight

It’s a unprecedented time to be a journalist, as a result of the stakes are so excessive, and the information is so pressing. We need to inform individuals what occurred that day, however as a result of the second is so schismatic and complicated and unnerving to lots of people, we additionally need to provide them some evaluation about find out how to course of all of this. Serving to individuals perceive how they will navigate these altering instances is de facto crucial. All of us want it to remain sane.

This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.