Let's Talk With Tamron Hall

It if feels like Tamron Hall has been on your TV screen for as long as you can remember, it's not an exaggeration.

Hall, 54, got her start broadcasting in 1994 as a general assignment reporter in Texas. In 2007, she joined the national news network MSNBC and NBC News. Then, in February 2014, Hall became a co-host on the third hour of NBC's "Today," becoming the first Black woman to hold that position.

In 2017, Hall left NBC, and two years later, in 2019, "The Tamron Hall Show" premiered on ABC. The syndicated daytime talk show has won two Daytime Emmys for Hall as host (she is also the executive producer) and was recently  renewed for its seventh season, which will begin airing this fall.

When Hall left NBC in 2017, she had no idea what was next for her. "Many years ago, I was given a book by this woman, Mary Foy, the mother of one of my best friends," explains Hall. "The book was titled 'Path of Life,' and I am unsure if it is still being published. But its message, 'Who am I if I don't have the title under my name?' resonated with me. So, when I left NBC, it wasn't specifically about my career or focusing on my personal life. It was about how I was going to evolve as a person."

Growing up in a small town in Texas, Hall feels lucky to have been surrounded by many amazing people, each with their own unique story. "Where I grew up, the people were sharecroppers, housekeepers, homemakers," she says. "Each one had great, rich, relatable stories. But no one was telling these stories. They weren't being highlighted on the evening news. Walter Cronkite wasn't knocking on their door back then." 

Hall's natural curiosity about people is why she invites such a wide range of guests on her show, from celebrities to reality TV stars to regular people with stories to share, like the ones she grew up with in Texas.

"I have never stopped being curious," Hall says. "Our guests range from ordinary people with stories to tell to celebrities to reality TV stars. I am genuinely interested in hearing what they all have to say and I hope that they share stories that my audience can relate to their lives."

Hall's goal is not to get "clicks" or have videos that go viral. She explains, "I am not Jerry Springer, and if somebody told me I needed to be like that for ratings, I'd have to walk away from the show."

Instead, she wants to create a safe space where her guests feel comfortable. "'Safe space' is a bit of a buzzword, but I really mean it," Hall says. "If you feel safe, I don't have to extract answers from you — you will want to tell your story." 

Hall continues, "I don't want to ask invasive questions of my guests but I do want to have meaningful conversations. When I interview guests, I do think about what it feels like to be them, be in their seats and make sure I'm asking questions that I would be OK answering."

Hall was 48 years old when she got pregnant with her son Moses, now 5. She says, "It's not that I was so focused on my career or that I was waiting to have a baby. I always wanted to be a mother but it didn't seem like my journey until that point."

Given her age, it was a geriatric pregnancy and considered high-risk. "It wasn't a secret; my family and close friends knew I was pregnant," Hall explains. "But I chose not to announce my pregnancy publicly until 32 weeks. I kept my pregnancy private because I was protective. I wanted to surround myself with only positive energy and positive thoughts."

Hall has a very special relationship with her audience, affectionately referring to them as the "TamFam." She is very appreciative of their support and passion for her and the show.

Being in people's homes every weekday, even if it's on the TV, creates as special connection. "My TamFam are always so great and asking me, 'How is Moses?' But I try to be thoughtful about what I share about my son."

Hall describes Moses as a shy kid trying to navigate the big world. "While I can't draw a direct line, I think that his personality changed a lot because of the pandemic and the world shutting down," Hall says. "My mom recently sent me a photo of Moses at a music class when he was 2½ years old. He is wearing a mask — everyone in the class is wearing a mask. I understand we did what we had to do to protect our kids, but the photo filled me with so much sadness because the world became so fearful in his young life."

Helping Moses as he navigates the world was the inspiration for Hall's latest endeavor, a children's book titled "Harlem Honey; The Adventures of a Curious Kid," set to be released at the end of March. The book is about a boy exploring his neighborhood.

"Just like me, Moses has a natural curiosity," Hall says. "We were walking around Harlem and he was asking me questions about all the places we were passing. I realized that like many people, I am always in a rush. But the best gift I can give my son is to be more patient, slow down and take in the world alongside him. When he gets fearful in situations, I need to resist the urge to take him home and instead help him through the discomfort so he can see the joy on the other side."

As they get older, some people find themselves set in their ways. They know what they like and don't, so they avoid trying anything new. That type of thinking is not for Hall. Instead, she continues to evolve and is open to the possibilities that still await her.

She says, "Years ago, as a woman in my 50s, I'd probably be walking around a big box store and a patron would ask me, 'Didn't you used to be on the news?' But today, that is not the case. I am still on television, building my brand and continuing to take on new projects that interest me."

Hall credits the women who came before her for paving the way. "Yes, we are still getting negative messages about what we can't do as we get older or what we can't wear because of our age, but I ignore people who try to place limits on us," she says. "In fact, years ago, someone told me that I was getting too old to wear miniskirts. Since then, I have made it a point to wear a miniskirt on my birthday. I decide what I can do at my age."

Randi Mazzella is a freelance writer specializing in a wide range of topics from parenting to pop culture to life after 50. She is a mother of three grown children and lives in New Jersey with her husband.  Read more of her work on randimazzella.com. Read More