NEW YORK — Jillian Mele was already in full makeup and wardrobe whenI walked into the Fox News office she shares with Fox & Friends weekend host Abby Huntsmanjust after 4 a.m.
Morning news hosts live in a worldalien tothose on 9-to-5 shifts.But Mele became accustomedto thepredawnhours during her 10-year stint on Philadelphia television,when she woke up early for NBC10 and the now-defunct Breakfast on Broadon the network formerly known as Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.
Mele, 35,joined Fox News inApriland began cohosting the 5 a.m. hourof Fox & Friends Firstin October. The Glenside native also providesnews updates on Fox & Friends, where she’s seen by 1.6 million viewers a day, according to Nielsen. She keeps anoddschedule that involves mad sprints down hallwaysinheels and stretches of silence in a dark room waiting for her next segment.
She’sbecomepart of the cast of one of the nation’s most popular news shows, and her segments sometimesend up shared on Twitter by President Trump, an outspoken fan of the show. Butshe hasn’t been intimidated.
“Honestly, I don’t get flooded more with any of that stuff than I did when I talked about Philly sports,” Mele said. “Yes, I’m doing this in front of the country now instead of just the Delaware Valley, but one way or another, it doesn’t faze me.”
Mele, who has drifted from sports to news throughout her career,is a straight-news anchor on a show that makes no qualms about providing right-wing viewpointsfor its largely conservative viewership.
“I have people coming up to me all the time asking me if I’m a conservative,” Mele said. “I consider myself a news anchor, and I always say to people you shouldn’t know what I am.”
Beyondits large audience, Mele’s Fox & Friends gig has also allowed her to do live reporting, something new for her. She went to MiamiafterHurricaneIrmaand Las Vegas after October’s mass shooting.
But most days, she does her news updates from the confines of Fox News headquarters in Manhattan. Here’s what her days are like:
1:15 a.m.: Wake up
Mele’s alarm goes off at1:15 a.m. Likemany journalists, her first move is to scan the latest news on Twitter before showering and heading to work. Once there, she picks an outfit from the extensive wardrobe hanging in her office and heads to makeup. Despite the early wake-up call, she allows herself only one cup of coffee, which she drinks in her office as she reviews guests and segments forthat morning’s show.
4:40 a.m.: Studio J set up
Mele heads to Studio J, where Fox & Friends First is taped. The set is quiet — just afewcrew members to move cameras and mic her up. Things liven up when cohost Rob Schmitt arrives.They’ve worked together for onlyafew months buthave become fast friends — even thoughSchmitt mocksMele’s boring social life by sending her grandma emojis.
“Rob’s a great guy, and we have terrific chemistry on camera, which is so important for an early-morning show like ours,”she said.
5:15 a.m.: On-set downtime
Melemakes her first of many moves on the set. She’s not part of the next segment, which involves Schmitt interviewing Fox News contributor and conservative talk show host Tammy Bruce, so she scans through email and browses Twitter.
5:43 a.m.: Live interview
Mele interviews Emily Compagno, a legal and sports business analyst, about a New Orleans Saints season ticket holderwho suedthe team over players protesting during the national anthem. Writers and producersdo most of the story selection on her show, but in this case, Mele, an avid sports fan, suggestedthe story to her staff.
5:51 a.m.: Commercial break Twitter check
During a commercial break, Melelooks at Twitter and is amazed at how many people are upset that she’s never seen a Star Wars movie (which she revealed in an earlier segment).
6 a.m.: Shift from host tonews anchor
“We’re clear,” floor director Ashlee Foster announces,which kicks off a mad dash for Meletoget into place for her first Fox & Friends news segment. She has to remove her microphone, grab her stuff, and head down 12 stories to StudioF, the expansive, two-story streetside studio where Fox & Friends is taped.She sets herself up at small table behind the mainset, where she typically remains throughout the show.
6:07 a.m.: First news update
Mele has just a minute or two toreview the stories she’ll be delivering during her first news update. Shegoes over the copy written by her producers as her makeupgets a quick touch-up. Then she heads onto the set for the first of typically six updates she’ll deliver during thethree-hour run of Fox & Friends, at the top and bottom of every hour.
6:15 a.m.: Last-minute tweaks
After delivering her headlines, Mele makes her way back to her nook behind the set, where she grabs a granola bar and looksover her next news update.
Shehas a question about a segment involving former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newmanhaving been physically removed from the White House. “We’re using the word reportedly, but I think it’s worth citing the source,” Mele tells a copy editor in the studio’s main control room, who updates the report to cite the Wall Street Journal as the source. “Thank you,” she says.
6:43 a.m.:The wait
After her second news update, Mele returns to her crowded desk. In theory, Mele could be anywhere, including the spacious green room, when she’s not needed on the set. But she chooses to remain close to the production incase a segment’s timing changes.
7:42 a.m.: Interacting with viewers
“This is when the day starts to drag,” Mele admits after delivering two more news updates. As she waits for copy to be finalized, she interactswithviewers on social media. In recent weeks, she’s had back-and-forths with fans over Malcolm Jenkins and the national anthem protests, her wardrobe choices, and a light segment on National Cookie Day.
No one makes me do anything. I’m covered up fully besides my shoulders. At last check, shoulders weren’t offensive or too sexy. But maybe I missed that memo 🤦♀️ https://t.co/D8OvczxZmJ
— Jillian Mele (@jillianmele) December 13, 2017
I anchor an hour of news at 5am M-F and read major breaking news every 30 minutes for 3 more hours. But yea, I did nothing today 😂 https://t.co/PgS18rslVA
— Jillian Mele (@jillianmele) December 4, 2017
8:54 a.m.: Nearing the end
Afterherfinal update was pushed back 20 minutes foran extra weather segment, Melejoins the rest of the crewfor a cooking segment. Mele is a vegetarian, and despitehaving grown up in the Philadelphia suburbs, she admits she’s never eaten a cheesesteak.
9:15 a.m.: Post-show
Mele concludes her work day withan appearance on theFox & Friends FacebookprogramAfter the Show Show andheads back to her office, where she immediately changes into something more casual, in this case a flannel shirt and jeans. By 11 a.m., she’sgenerally backin her apartment, where she eats her largest meal of the day before succumbing to a much-needed nap. Melelargely avoids news until around 4 p.m., when she begins to prep for the next day’s show. She also tunes in every day to watchher colleagueBret Baier on Special Report at 6 p.m..
“It is the absolute best roundup of all the day’s top stories,” Mele said. “For me, it’s a must-watch.”
