Move over Larry King; there's a new kid on the block, and she's a lesbian.
MSNBC announced Aug. 20 that it is giving political commentator Rachel Maddow her own weeknight show. The press statement included mention that Maddow lives with her 'partner,' artist Susan Mikula.
The move is a promotion for Maddow, 35. Although she has been making regular appearances on the network's weeknight 'Race to the White House' show, this one—'The Rachel Maddow Show'—will be her own hour-long, five-days-a-week forum to discuss everything from politics to pop culture.
The program will premiere on Monday, Sept. 8.
In a press release, MSNBC President Phil Griffin called Maddow ''unbelievably talented and brilliant' and said 'her breadth and depth of knowledge of politics and news is astonishing.'
'I'm so excited to give her a place to really showcase what she can do,' said Griffin.
Requests to interview Maddow went unanswered. The press release indicated she will continue to host her original forum, of the same title, on Air America.
In addition to Air America and Race to the White House, Maddow has been a regular guest on MSNBC's on 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann.'
Maddow grew up in the San Francisco area, studied public policy at Stanford University and earned a doctorate in political science from Oxford University. The press release indicates she is working on a book concerning 'the changing role of the military in U.S. politics,' but did not mention whether military policy concerning gays will be part of that. She was reportedly involved early on in such AIDS groups as ACT UP and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel.
Despite her relative youth, Maddow seems at ease going head to head with such seasoned political commentators as Pat Buchanan, who appears to get a kick out of challenging her positions. The publication The Nation, in announcing Maddow's promotion, said she has been able to 'defy cliché and categorization at every turn.'
On Air America radio, she has been known to stray great distances from the political arena to answer questions such as what to do about a hangover. ( 'Don't drink so much.' )
Maddow and Mikula, who have been together 10 years, live in New York's Greenwich Village and in Northampton, Mass., although The Nation quoted her as saying, 'I have no interest in New England, hate winter, don't like the country, not fond of animals.'
In her interview with The Nation, Maddow suggested that her androgynous look might have helped her make the transition into the male-dominated political-commentary world. Although she said she 'looks like a dude,' she acknowledged dressing up in 'lady clothes' for her appearances on television.