Lisa Rogak
Lisa Rogak's new book is Rachel Maddow: A Biography.
From Rogak's Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: You've said that "it's really important for me to dig through the early stuff" when it comes to researching the lives of well-known people. Did you find anything surprising when you researched Rachel Maddow's life?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I didn't find anything surprising; then again, I'm never surprised by what I find. Some of which, of course, never makes it into the final book. But the early stuff helps me to connect the dots later on, and to also occasionally say *that's* why she's like this or did this later on.
Q: You write of Maddow, "She considers herself to be an outsider, first and foremost and that has shaped her philosophy and career like nothing else." Can you say more about that?
A: She came out as lesbian with great defiance when she was in college, and she never wanted to fit into any group; she's always taken great pride at being on the outside looking in, perhaps providing a great way to provide commentary on public figures who don't necessarily welcome it.
This outsider philosophy has naturally extended throughout her career as she's been able to succeed on TV (and elsewhere) without having to mold herself to the photogenic norms of such a visual medium; instead...[read on]
