People don’t like two things in the shows they watch regularly- their favorite actor being absent and the show abruptly ending. The same can be said for news and political programs as well.
When a news show’s favorite anchor/ host remains absent for a few days, speculation begins about their well-being and whereabouts.
Right now, this conversation is being held about MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace after she was absent from her trademark Deadline: White House show. So where is she?
Nicolle Wallace is not on MSNBC today because recently, the political commentator had a baby girl named Isabella. She has drastically reduced her working hours for her news and political program, Deadline: White House, to maintain a greater work-life balance. Alicia Menendez is replacing her for the time being.
Who Is Nicolle Wallace?
51-year-old Nicolle Wallace is a highly-regarded and respected host. She anchors a high-profile political show like MSNBC’s Deadline: White House. Wallace is admired for her quick thinking and layered questions, allowing guests to express their views on an issue.
Also, apart from this, Nicolle is respected because of her credentials and the prestige that she has built over the years. She began her career during President George W. Bush’s time. Back then, she was the White House Communications Director.
In 2008, she was a part of the McCain-Palin campaign. Here, she learned about presidential campaigns and just how fast-paced they are. So, she had to be quick and on her feet.
This experience shaped her position as a well-known political strategist. But she didn’t limit herself to just this role for a political candidate. In 2014, she became a journalist on ABC’s renowned chat show The View.
Her profile rose quickly because she was able to showcase complex political issues in an effortlessly simple way that anyone could comprehend. However, her time on the show was cut short, and she left by the end of the 2014 season.
In a 2015 interview with Variety, she revealed that she wasn’t even informed of her firing. She said:
“I loved the job. I had no plans of quitting. I think I thought that I would learn somewhere other than Variety that I’d been fired. It shattered my naivete about television.”
Wallace then jumped on to NBC News and MSNBC and began working as a journalist and political analyst. She has hosted MSNBC’s Deadline: White House show since May 9, 2017.
Also, she has regularly contributed to NBC News’ TODAY program and NBC Nightly News show with Lester Holt for years. However, her frequent absence from various programs has made fans wonder what’s happening with her.
Why Is Nicolle Wallace Absent on MSNBC Today?
Nicolle Wallace was absent from MSNBC today because the family welcomed a new member, a baby girl named Isabella. Nicolle confirmed that she was never pregnant, but the couple had a baby nonetheless.
Nicolle had a call with MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez and stated,
“Mike(Michael S. Schmidt) and I had a baby. Her name is Isabella.”
Nicolle divorced her ex-husband, Mark Wallace, in 2019. They had been together for almost 15 years before going their separate ways. She has been married to Michael Schmidt, an MSNBC contributor and NYT journalist, since 2022.
She has reduced her working hours drastically to basically two hours (4 to 6 p.m.) for the Deadline: White House program to ensure that she gets to spend more time with her child. Alicia Menendez is replacing her on the show till she returns.
On the MSNBC subreddit, user alteweltunordnung wrote:
“I love her very much, and she’s my favorite on MSNBC, but it’s about work/life balance. I do love the special nights she shows up on the prime-time panels.”
This isn’t the first time Nicolle Wallace has been absent from her job as a host of an MSNBC show. Previously, she took a break for Thanksgiving, and a few years back, during the pandemic, it was because she was fighting COVID-19. Alex Wagner filled in for Nicolle Wallace during the pandemic.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Source: Variety
6 Comments
The show is not even close to the same without Nicole Wallace. I will be skipping Deadline Whitehouse until she returns.
The show is not even close to the same without Nicole Wallace. I will be skipping Deadline Whitehouse until she returns.
She and her husband just got a new baby added to their family and she is on parental leave for a couple months with their daughter Isabella. On MSNBC today – called in.. Baby by surrogate or adoption, I’m not sure, but she made it clear she was not pregnant.
Nicole Wallace and her Deadline Whitehouse is probably my favorite of all the programs on MSNBC
She is as good as Rachael Maddox who is another of my favorites
Nicole, Rachael Ari Melber and Lawrence O’Donnell are my other favorites .
All are intelligent ,good interviewers and interesting to watch and listen to.
Hoping Nicole returns very soon .
I will not continue to watch if she is not on the air. Alicia Menendez sucks.
The show just isn’t the same.