Asked About Other Anchors He Would Hire, MSNBC President Answers ‘Shep Smith’
In an upcoming issue of The Hollywood Reporter, MSNBC President Phil Griffin told the entertainment publication that he would like to poach Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith and give him a new home on his left-leaning cable news network.
When asked if there was an on-air personality at any other network that he thought belonged on MSNBC, Griffin answered “yes.”
“I don’t know if I should say this. [Fox News anchor] Shep Smith. I just like his way. I like everything about him,” said Griffin.
Griffin told THR in the wide-ranging interview that his “little hairs go up” when people offer blanket criticisms of cable news. He says that he wishes more people differentiate MSNBC from other cable news outlets.
They dismiss us when in fact we are doing real, thoughtful, informative segments, whether it’s having a war correspondent talk for an hour about what’s going on in Afghanistan, or the voter ID issue, which we’ve done across the board at MSNBC.
Griffin says he is considering inviting more conservatives and Republicans to appear on his network “I do think this channel is about depth,” said MSNBC’s president. “I love it when Rachel [Maddow] gets a big interview and it’s smart, thoughtful and always polite. Morning Joe obviously gets a wide variety of guests. But people have to be prepared to go on our shows. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you have to be prepared. But everyone is welcome.”
THR asked if Griffin had ever had lunch with Fox News Channel chairman Roger Ailes as CNN’s former President Joel Klein used to. Griffin replied that he had never met Ailes, but he would like to meet and have lunch.
Read the full interview via The Hollywood Reporter
