Maddow Walks the Talk

Scholastic Kids Press Corps goes behind the scenes of "The Rachel Maddow Show."

Recently I visited the set of “The Rachel Maddow Show” and interviewed its host, Rachel Maddow. For those of you who are not familiar with the show, it is an hour-long whirl-wind of political and social commentary on MSNBC, a cable news channel.

Much like her on-screen persona, Maddow proved to be as energetic off screen as she is on. When I first met her she was not afraid to take off her makeup and change into a T-shirt and jeans for the interview. With a shock of tousled hair to finish the look, Maddow was ready to sit down and talk.

I have to admit that this was one of my all-time favorite interviews. Smiles and laughter, along with serious conversation, gave me an inside look into the world of Rachel Maddow.

With little, or no hesitation, she answered all my questions thoughtfully and honestly. Perhaps the most impressive part of the whole interview was the sheer sense of confidence she exudes. She claims that comes from hard work and research: always know more than the person you are interviewing!

Her relatively small office is crammed with books on a wide array of subjects. There is also a clothing rack where at least six blazers in varying shades of gray hang. The mono-tone blazer is her signature wardrobe piece.

Never without her radio equipment, Maddow has a large microphone shoved into the side of her large wooden desk. Her view from that desk is of the famous Radio City Music Hall sign. The lights shine right into her office.

Throughout the interview, Maddow was in constant motion, always changing from one position to the next, in many ways reflecting her outgoing personality.

f you want to know more, you can check out my story in Scholastic’s Tips from the Pros. Then, like me, you will learn the secret to success from one of TV’s top personalities.

—Lya Ferreyra

PHOTO: Rachel Maddow on the set of MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show." Photo Courtesy "The Rachel Maddow Show"