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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 7 September 2019
Tamron Hall’s faith in herself pays off with new show, life

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY the women were making .
Associated Press I’m sitting there going like,
NEW YORK (AP) — When ‘I can’t be thinking about
Tamron Hall decided to myself,” she said.
leave NBC after the net- “From the first words out
work gave her prime “To- there, I couldn’t do that. I
day” co-hosting slot to wasn’t raised that way. . I
Megyn Kelly, the journalist just said maybe that wasn’t
threw herself a party — a meant (to be).”
pity party. But her TV destiny was set,
That included plenty of and soon, Disney came
tears and a bit of feeling calling, and her TV show
sorry for herself— to the was put into motion.
point that “my mother said Unbeknownst to most in-
to me, ‘You can always volved with the show, Hall
come back to your room was also working on anoth-
here,’ and I’m like, ‘Mom er project — having a baby
that’s not in the plan!’” with her husband, music
She didn’t have a specific executive Steve Greener,
plan when she left in 2017. whom she married earlier
All she had was faith that this year.
something bigger had to Hall went through IVF to
be on the horizon. conceive and recalls get-
“I leaned on my mom, and ting shots to prepare for the
my mother has the saying, procedure as she was criss-
‘God didn’t bring me this crossing the country while
far to let you go.’ shooting “Deadline: Crime
And so at some point I With Tamron Hall.”
could not just keep regurgi- She laughed as she re-
tating the line leap of faith called getting a shot from
— I had to believe it,” she This Aug. 8, 2019 photo shows former NBC “Today” show co-host, Tamron Hall, posing for a portrait her celebrity hairstylist
recalled, laughing, in a re- at Ruby’s Vintage Harlem in New York to promote her self-titled syndicated talk show, premiering Johnny Wright while in the
cent interview. Sept. 9. back of an Uber.
“I’ve got to believe in Associated Press It was a process Hall had
something, so why not be- ing a lesser role. Kelly later Another show could focus Though she lives in Har- been through several times
lieve in myself?” imploded in the slot after on motherhood. Perhaps lem and has been a New in the past, unsuccess-
That belief has paid off with making racist comments. dating and relationships. Yorker for years, there’s a fully. Though some women
amazing dividends for Hall, “Tamron Hall” will enter Or crime, which speaks to universal appeal that Hall might have postponed
who not only now has a an already crowded talk Hall’s work on ID and her enjoys that even she didn’t the process during such a
husband and a 4-month- space when it debuts in personal experience from realize until her time off, as busy time, Hall had learned
old son Moses, but her own syndication, including a being the sister of a murder she traveled the country through past experience
eponymous show that will new entry from Kelly Clark- victim. speaking at events. that it didn’t really matter.
debut across the nation on son, whose talk show bows “The beauty about the “I’ll never forget, we were “Both (the show and the
Monday. the same day. show is that it’s not about in Houston, right after I had baby) were so out of my
“She loses her job, her Hall, 48, is not concerned one lane, it’s a reflection of left and there were these control and that was the
dream job of her life, and though, because what she who she is in her entirety,” couples who happened similarity,” she said. “I can
at that moment, she’s thinks “Tamron Hall” will said co-executive produc- to be white, and it was the only put so much into both
what, 45, 46? She doesn’t provide is a unique factor er Talia Parkinson-Jones, husbands (who said), ‘TEAM of those.”
have a job, she doesn’t —herself. a veteran of the Wendy TAMRON! TEAM TAMRON!’” Now that both have come
have the kid she thought “At one point I was on four Williams show. “We know she said, laughing. to fruition, she finds herself
she was going to have, she networks at the same time. exactly what she wants, “That’s what also I think Dis- doing the working mother
doesn’t have the husband I was doing MSNBC, the which is to inspire people.” ney and our partners rec- juggle and relishing the op-
she thought she was going ‘Today’ show, ID (Investi- Don’t expect a show with ognized too, that we were portunity.
to have,” says Bill Geddie, gation Discovery network) lot of shouting about poli- seeing this cross-section of Tears came to her eyes as
“The View” creator who and TLC, coupled with Bear tics. Says Geddie: “I’ve had people saying, ‘When are she recalled having left her
came out of retirement to Grylls and regularly hosting enough of that, and I’d like you coming back?’” son for a recent trip and
be executive producer on the Macy’s Fourth of July. to do something different Hall’s comeback might returning home to find him
“Tamron Hall” with Hall. So at any given time, peo- now.” have come sooner had sound asleep as her mother
“Instead she rebuilds her- ple know me from six differ- It also won’t be heavy on it not been for the Harvey watched over him.
self just though force of will ent, versions of my career,” celebrity guests. Weinstein scandal. She had “I took that as, ‘Mom, “I’m
. and everything comes to- she said, while enjoying a “We both are from the mid- entered into a partnership safe, I’m good, I’m going to
gether in 2019. So, it’s kind glass of wine while sitting dle of the country, I’m from with the Weinstein com- sleep restful right here, right
of an amazing story, one at the Harlem restaurant Oklahoma, she’s from Tex- pany before the sexual mis- now, you go do it Mommy,
you don’t see a lot, and a Ruby’s Vintage. as,” Geddie said. “I think conduct scandal involving you go get it, and that’s
lot of people relate to it.” “And we thought, it’s a both of us are aware that Weinstein broke and the been satisfying for me as
Hall was hosting the suc- range of an audience. most of television is New #MeToo era gave way. a working mom, because
cessful third hour of the Let’s bring all of those peo- York talking to Los Angeles. It was another setback. there’s been a lot of real
“Today” show with Al Ro- ple into one location.” We find that most of televi- “I couldn’t believe that, guilt,” she said.
ker when NBC decided to To that end, “Tamron Hall” sion talks past or through but at the same time I felt She recalled her own
make room for Kelly; Hall might focus on a newsy the middle of the country, so guilty thinking about my mother, a single mom at
decided to opt out of her topic one day, and fashion and we hope to change career, and then thinking 19, working multiple jobs to
contract instead of tak- the next. that.” about the allegations that provide for her children.q