Planet Tyrus – Behind the Scenes: Fox News Life with Brian Kilmeade
Podcast Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, in-depth episode, Tyrus sits down with Brian Kilmeade—a Fox News mainstay, author, former standup comic, and soccer coach—for an engaging, often humorous tour behind the scenes of Fox News life and Kilmeade’s personal and professional journey. Together, they delve into the evolution of Fox News panels, the nuances of delivering opinionated but responsible news, the discipline of sports, handling burnout, and the lessons from history that guide both current events and Kilmeade's bestselling books. The conversation is peppered with stories about sports, live TV dynamics, memorable interviews, and how America’s past continues to shape its present.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Fox News Grind: Wearing Multiple Hats

• Brian Kilmeade’s Workload
  • Brian describes his daily life at Fox News, mentioning his involvement in multiple shows: "You work for your living. No one could ever say that you didn't roll your sleeves up and go to work." (Tyrus, 00:14)
  • Kilmeade explains how Fox evolved from strict show assignments to a more collaborative, personality-driven model where contributors appear across programs—making the network feel "like a family" (00:31-01:48).
  • Noting the benefits, he says: “You get personality. On our channel you get personality.” (01:43)

2. Panel Formats & News Philosophy

• The Birth of Fox Panels

  • Kilmeade credits Bill O’Reilly and then Megyn Kelly for pioneering the cross-show, spontaneous panel format. (00:31-01:10)
  • The hosts note that this cross-pollination of personalities helps develop a deeper viewer connection to contributors across different shows.

• Delivering Facts & Opinions Responsibly

  • Kilmeade defines his approach: "You tell the story, and then you could provide color with time." (05:37)
  • He emphasizes the discipline of factual reporting before offering opinion: "You just have to assume you’re telling these people the story for the first time." (06:34)
  • Distinguishing his style, Tyrus notes, "You always let them know... this is my point of view. You think that's a lost art?" (05:54)

3. Sports Roots & Lessons for Life

• Kilmeade’s Early Passion for Sports

  • Recounts his lifelong love for sports, especially soccer: "Sports was part of her life. So when you do it early... I want to be really good at one sport, and I just chose soccer..." (09:28-10:32)
  • Talks about playing and coaching soccer, earning coaching licenses, and teaching the game to youth by keeping it fun and engaging. (12:00-13:19)

• Parallels between Sports and Broadcasting

  • Kilmeade compares newsroom prep to athletic training and drills: "...if I feel like I studied, then I can just relax and see what comes into my head. You do that with Gutfeld..." (08:21)

4. Stories from Broadcasting and Standup

• Standup Days and Mixing in Comedy
  • Kilmeade shares stories of starting out in radio and standup, and how comedy informs his on-air versatility and ability to improvise. (17:00-18:45)
• Mentors and Memorable Moments
  • Tells of working with Jim Brown on radio, highlighting Jim’s direct, curious style with guests and focus on people’s backgrounds and struggles: "If I ever asked him a question, I gave him choices... he’ll go, 'Don't give me choices. Just ask me the question.'" (21:03-22:21)

5. Writing and History: Finding Relevance

• Book Themes & Historical Perspective

  • Discusses his passion for writing books on U.S. history and race relations, crediting his time with Jim Brown as partial inspiration (23:19).
  • On America’s story: "I don’t run from America. I love America’s past, but I don’t run from it..." (24:07)
  • Kilmeade sees value in tackling the imperfections of America, focusing on stories of evolution and striving for improvement. (26:54)

• Live Events and Bringing History to Life

  • Talks about his live shows, which blend historical reenactments, improv, and audience engagement (“What if I grab one moment in my history books and bring them to life?” 34:11)
  • Encourages Tyrus to join in future events.

6. Reflections on News, Politics, and the Industry

• The Fox News Machine

  • Praises Fox's approach to nurturing the next generation of journalists and remaining adaptable with new media ventures: “This is a machine. This is the 49ers in the 80s.” (52:12)

• Handling Interview Conflicts & Difficult Guests

  • Cites Jesse Ventura as the most unpleasant, combative guest: "I would probably lose but I would love to fight him..." (48:38)
  • Stands by Fox despite critics who come on just to attack the network: “I have no patience for people gonna put down Fox after they're on Fox.” (50:43)

7. The State of American Politics and Media

• Divided Party Futures
  • Kilmeade and Tyrus analyze the potential schism between "classic" and "MAGA" Republicans, and parallel divides among Democrats. (55:02-56:35)
• Media Adaptation Post-Trump
  • Prediction: "What is the news media world going to do without him? Oh, it's going to be crazy." (55:22)
• On Investigations and the Epstein Case
  • Both express skepticism about the political attempts to weaponize the Epstein files, arguing the public is growing weary: "Attacking Trump is officially over." (61:35)

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• On Preparation:
  "You might not like what I have to say, but you can't say I'm winging it." (Brian Kilmeade, 08:09)

• On News Integrity:
  "You tell the story, and then you could provide color with time." (Brian Kilmeade, 05:37)

• On Passion for Work:
  "I'm not looking for the next job. I'm like, this is the job." (Brian Kilmeade, 04:36)

• On America's History:
  "I always looked at America's story as an evolving situation to always get better." (Brian Kilmeade, 26:54)

• On Handling Difficult Guests:
  "I would probably lose, but I would love to fight him." (Brian Kilmeade, on Jesse Ventura, 48:38)

• On the Future of Fox News:
  "This is a machine. This is the 49ers in the 80s." (Brian Kilmeade, 52:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:14-01:48 – The Evolution of Multi-Show Contributors at Fox
• 03:15-05:35 – Kilmeade’s Philosophy: Love of Storytelling over Just Scores
• 08:07-09:03 – On Being Always Prepared On-Air ("You can't say I'm winging it.")
• 09:28-13:19 – Soccer as a Life-Long Passion & Teaching Lessons
• 17:00-22:21 – Standup Comedy Background, Working with Jim Brown, and Priceless Anecdotes
• 23:19-26:54 – Book Writing & The Courage to Tackle Uncomfortable History
• 34:11-36:03 – Live Events: Bringing History Skits to Life On Stage
• 48:38-50:43 – The Most Hostile Interview: Jesse Ventura
• 52:12-53:09 – Fox News' Future–“The 49ers in the 80s”
• 55:02-56:35 – Party Divisions, MAGA vs. Traditional Republicans
• 61:06-61:35 – Kilmeade’s Theory: Why Democrats Shouldn't Want to Win Both Chambers

Tone and Dynamic

The conversation throughout is energetic, humorous, and peppered with friendly “ribbing.” Both Tyrus and Kilmeade are candid, frequently flipping between serious reflection on media and politics, and lighter, self-deprecating anecdotes from their personal and athletic lives. Kilmeade’s humility, professionalism, and genuine curiosity stand out, matched by Tyrus’s comedic timing and frankness.

Conclusion

This episode provides a rich, behind-the-scenes look at Fox News culture, the grind and passion of broadcast journalism, and the broader American conversation—rooted in sports, history, and candid discussion. Kilmeade’s steady hand and storytelling instincts meet Tyrus’s straight talk, yielding an hour of insight, good humor, and memorable tales about real life both on and off camera.