Inside with Jen Psaki premiere to feature Hakeem Jeffries, Gov. Whitmer, and Eric Adams
Julia Johnson
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Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who served in the role for the first 16 months of President Joe Biden‘s administration, is gearing up for the first episode of her new MSNBC Sunday show, Inside with Jen Psaki.
The premiere episode will air on Sunday at 12 p.m.
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Last week, Psaki attended 2023’s South by Southwest conference, where she unveiled her new show’s logo, as well as several big-name guests who will join her for the first episode.
The first three guests will be House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to a reporter who attended SXSW 2023.
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According to Variety, one of the show’s segments, “Don’t Freak Out,” aims to offer more nuance to news and “lower the temperature” around some current events.
“I have found there are certain five-alarm fires, especially in the world we are living in today, and we will talk about them,” Psaki told the publication. “I will tell you, everything is not a five-alarm fire. Sometimes, you get focused on one aspect of something when, really, the bigger story about it is largely different.”
One of the program’s other segments is called “Weekend Routine.” This portion of the show will reportedly try to give viewers a better understanding of various influential politicians and public figures. The first subject: Mayor Adams.
Freshmen Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), 25, is said to be a future focus of this segment.
“I will always be transparent when I believe in something,” Psaki explained ahead of her hosting debut. “I have done work before for Planned Parenthood. I’m not going to pretend I see both sides of that issue.”
“I believe that people should be able to marry anyone that they want. I’m not going to both-sides that issue,” she continued. “But I also hope that I can have people from different political viewpoints on the show. I do think there is a space and a place for engaged poricidal discussion and debate. That’s something during the Trump era that we lost a bit, and I think it’s important to try to bring some of it back.”
The program’s executive producer Alex Lupica told Variety, “What you can’t teach is 20 years of experience on campaigns and in government.”
According to her, Psaki “has a deep curiosity about issues and the news, and an incredible work ethic. All the others stuff you can practice and learn.”
On Wednesday, a group of influential members of the Biden administration, as well as powerful media players, reportedly gathered to celebrate Psaki’s debut.
One report indicates that the guests included: MSNBC President Rashida Jones, MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart, MSNBC host and former Chief Spokesperson to the Vice President Symone Sanders Townsend, White House Senior Adviser Anita Dunn, and journalist Kara Swisher.
The event took place at Maydan, a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
After it airs on Sunday, Psaki’s show will be available for streaming on Peacock.
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This won’t be the former press secretary’s only gig at the network, however. She will still be included in special coverage across programs and is also developing two more of her own projects. MSNBC previously announced she will begin both an original streaming show and a social show this Spring.
She will also write a regular column for MSNBC Daily, a morning newsletter.