Alex Wagner on Being Persistent to Get What You Want

Growing up with a politico father in Washington D.C., Alex Wagner initially swore off any career that dealt with politics. 25-ish years later, Alex is the primetime anchor of MSNBC's “Alex Wagner Tonight,” a show about the news and politics shaping our world. Talk about a 180. In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Alex tells us how doing everything she was not “supposed” to do jump-started her media career. 

In this episode, Alex shares: 

• How a pair of vintage heels nearly ruined her job interview with George Clooney 

• The influence her father’s political work had on her own career

• How she wiggled her way into media with zero connections in the industry 

• Why writing her memoir was the hardest thing she’s done professionally 

• The lessons she learned from Rachel Maddow when she took over her primetime slot

On the Traits that Got Her Into Media

Alex: Tenacity. Curiosity. Don't take no for an answer. As much as there's an accepted ladder, be creative. You don't have to come at it from the same place that everybody else does. I didn't want to move to New York. I moved to LA. I didn't have any contacts in the media industry. I just literally went to a payphone. From the perspective of someone who's hired lots of young people at entry level positions, people who show that determination, that curiosity, that grit and that confidence to just be like, “I’m not of this world but I really want to be a part of it and I'm here, I'm curious and I'll work really hard,” that matters a whole hell of a lot.

On The Emotional Toll of Writing Her Book

Alex: After getting pregnant and having two children, the book is one of the hardest things I've ever done. That book was really difficult because as you point out, it was deeply personal. It was not gathering facts and offering analysis. It was vomiting forth the emotional language to describe my family and the way it's grappled with the question of identity, just like very theoretical, hazy, nebulous ideas. I just remember sitting down in front of that blank screen with the cursor, it was a form of trauma every day. It's kind of gutting to have to go that deep. But I think I really came out of it looking at the world differently.

On Learning from Her Colleague, Rachel Maddow

Alex: She is a master of the form. It's awesome actually being on set with her when we do these big election night specials because you just see the woman's relationship to the camera, to the teleprompter, to the script, to everything is so unique and specific. She's just so wildly talented, I feel lucky that I have a front row seat to it.

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