What Most People Don't Know About Fox News Anchor Harris Faulkner
Veteran newscaster Harris Faulkner has been in the journalism game for decades. As a six-time Emmy Award winner, Faulkner has called Fox News home since 2005. Over the course of her career, she's covered everything from "killer snow storms in the North to hurricanes in the East to tornadoes and deadly flooding in the Midwest," per Fox News' website. She's also had the opportunity to helm things like "hour-long town hall meetings on explosive topics like racial profiling" and "live newscasts from the nation's second largest state fair."
In her 2006 introduction piece on the Fox News website, Faulkner noted, "My life's goal: Inspire before I expire!" With the launch of her show, The Faulkner Focus, in 2021, Faulkner proved that she is a well-established journalist whose expiration date is seemingly far from over. While Faulkner's certainly a familiar face in the world of journalism, there still might be a few things you didn't know about the Fox News anchor.
Harris Faulkner is Fox's first Black female daytime anchor
Harris Faulkner proved herself as a true trailblazer in the field of journalism when she began headlining shows on Fox in 2014. In April 2014, she was brought on as a co-host of Fox's daytime show Outnumbered before nabbing a gig as the anchor of Outnumbered Overtime in 2017. In 2021, Faulkner Focus hit the airwaves. While she's based in the big city these days, she started her career in the Midwest. Faulkner anchored in Kansas City, Mo. from 1992 to 2000, per The Kansas City Star. She then took her talents to Minnesota where spent four years at KSTP-TV before moving on in 2004, per the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
Faulkner is proud of where she comes from, as well as the hard work it took to achieve her position today. "My rise is more though than just a statistic and it's not just about me and my own ambitions," she told the Canadian publication INBETWEEN. "Having a Black woman sit alone on a set designed for her show is necessary, powerful, and emblematic of real change. And I would not be in that anchor seat at Fox News if I didn't feel celebrated."
There are times when the combination of Faulkner's race, gender, and her news organization's conservatism causes people to make assumptions about her stance on political issues. Seemingly unbothered by this, Faulkner views these situations with optimism."When anybody looks at you and looks at your position and thinks they know who you are, you have the advantage of being able to surprise them," Faulkner told the Associated Press in 2020.
Harris Faulkner is highly respected by her colleagues
Along with the honor of receiving six Emmys over the course of her career thus far, Faulkner's peers have praised her "methodical approach." In particular, Faulkner was commended on the interview she conducted with former President Donald Trump during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"She was neither antagonistic nor admiring," said Bill Grueskin of the Columbia Journalism Review. "She put herself into the interview, framed in her roles as a Black woman and a parent, in a way that journalists rarely do with her skill and care." According to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, Faulkner's response to Grueskin's CJR piece was proud, yet humble. "The facts, the truth, the strength, that's what [journalists are] supposed to do," she said.
As she explained to Fox News, among the memorable moments of her career are her coverage of the AIDS crisis in South Africa, the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, and the Oklahoma City bombing. Throughout her time in the field — and in life — Faulkner said that several individuals helped influence her personal and professional path, including her mother and father, as well as public figures like Nelson Mandela, Barbara Walters, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and Diane Sawyer.
Harris Faulkner is a wife and a mother
Outside of the newsroom, Harris Faulkner and Tony Berlin, her husband of 18 years, have two daughters, Danika and Bella. No matter how busy and chaotic life can get, Berlin, who founded his own media relations company, has always been a consistently strong companion. "There is no secret or magic potion to balancing life — it's about just finding the right answers every single day," Faulkner said during her INBETWEEN interview. "I married a guy who does it with me so well. But some days we don't have the answers. We just figure it out together and get through that day."
Faulkner and Berlin — who is white and has Jewish heritage – told People that they are raising their daughters "predominantly Christian," but also expose them to Jewish holidays and some scripture. Faulkner told the outlet that she tells her children, "You are the example of what society can do together if we all pulled together in a unified way."
As her kids get older, Faulkner said she doesn't shy away from talking with them about tough topics. Despite the societal challenges, Faulkner is determined to raise her children to have a good conscience, confidence, resilience and strength. "I encourage my own daughters and other young girls and women ... to think of themselves as an incredibly important piece of every puzzle they walk into," she explained to INBETWEEN. "Wherever women find themselves, you are part of the answer. You are part of the solution."
Harris Faulkner is a bestselling author
To accompany her other accolades, Harris Faulkner also published two books: Breaking News: God Has a Plan — An Anchorwoman's Journey Through Faith and 9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat's Guide to Life and Success, which became a New York Times bestseller. After publishing the latter, Faulkner spoke to American Military News about the book, touching on how her father's military background became part of her lifestyle.
"Growing up as a military brat, there were expectations of excellence in my family," she said. "Finish what you start, be honest, and have integrity. My Mom would say, 'As often as possible, do something for someone who can offer you nothing more than their company.'"
Faulkner's books exemplify her values and help illuminate the service and sacrifice of veterans, active service members, and their families. Through public speaking engagements and charitable work, Faulkner remains an active philanthropist in the military community.
Harris Faulkner changed her name to be more like her dad
Since childhood, Harris Faulkner was always inspired by her father, Bob Harris, a combat pilot and a two-tour Vietnam veteran. Known as "Harris" among his military crew, his daughter saw this as an opportunity to emulate her hero.
According to The Kansas City Star, Faulkner "actually adopted her father's last name as her first when she was younger, selecting the surname Faulkner from a distant family member." She's used that name as her own ever since, and as she told American Military News in late 2020, she always strove to honor her dad and exemplify his "never quit" attitude in all she worked to accomplish.
Unfortunately, Harris passed away in December 2020. Faulkner paid tribute to her father on her Instagram account with a heartfelt post that recited her family's creed: "Praise God; Love America and all Americans, especially when we don't agree; Do all you can for those who can offer you nothing more than their company."
Harris Faulkner is a Georgia native with a global footprint
According to Fox News, Harris Faulkner was born in Atlanta, Ga., but due to her father's various military posts, she also spent her youth living on bases around the world, including one in Stuttgart, Germany. These experiences allowed her to experience different cultures, meet lots of new people, learn resilience, and lean into change.
After attending college at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Faulkner's first major internship landed her in Los Angeles. Then, she was offered her first job in Greenville, North Carolina followed by Kansas City, Mo. Her warmth for the Midwest spans both her professional career, as well as her personal life.
"There is a little cluster there in the center of the country that's got it going on," Faulkner said during an interview with Luxury Travel Magazine. Those Midwestern cities are close to Faulkner's heart because they were where she launched her career and won Emmys, as well as where she met her husband. Her nostalgia for those "really goofy" good old days bring back many "fond memories," she told The Kansas City Star.
Harris Faulkner is a Kansas City Chiefs fan
Another reason Faulkner adores the Midwest is her love of football, and she's a loyal fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. Even from her current home in New Jersey, Faulkner continues to root for Kansas City from afar, donning game day attire, and even decorating her home office with memorabilia. In an interview with The Kansas City Star, she humorously talked about her husband's attempts to negotiate space for his own sports paraphernalia. True to form, Faulkner was fairly generous, but still remained firm. "I told him, 'You just get the rug and the wall art. That's it,'" she said. "Pretty much everything else is Kansas. I mean, a girl's gotta breathe."
Since patriotism was a major part of her upbringing, the National Anthem was one of the first songs for which Faulkner, as a toddler, knew all the words. Fast forward to 1999 during her career as a news anchor in Kansas City when Faulkner was invited to sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" before a crowd of 70,000 people at Arrowhead Stadium. It was a moment she will never forget.
"Now whenever I hear the national anthem," she told a reporter for Chiefs Wire, "I will always pipe in, no matter where I am ... It was amazing." As an ode to the event, she posted a throwback photo on her Instagram in February 2021 before the Chiefs played in the 2021 Super Bowl.
Harris Faulkner was parodied on 'Saturday Night Live'
In April 2018, Saturday Night Live alum Leslie Jones portrayed Harris Faulkner in a cold open for the show. Of the SNL nod, Faulkner said, "It was an amazing moment and, I kid you not, they had me so down. It was so crazy, I couldn't believe it," according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Mere months later, Jones popped up as Faulkner again, and the Fox News host was in awe once more.
"She looked even more like me than before," she told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "Even her voice! I was flattered, super surprised and shocked. And my ice blue dress, they literally went out and bought my dress. It was a very surreal moment."
In October 2018, Faulkner spoke with Variety about wanting Jones to play her in a movie. "She did a pretty good job on SNL — I mean, the girl even had my fake news lashes on! Yeah, I'd be alright with that, if she'd like to do a little drama because I can throw a side-eye too. It's not all about the humor, Leslie." Marveling at the uncanny impersonations, Faulkner was definitely a good sport about the spoof.
Harris Faulkner sued Hasbro for using her likeness
Although she had a good sense of humor with the Saturday Night Live skits, Harris Faulkner was not laughing when Hasbro, a national toy company, used her namesake for a small, plastic hamster figurine member of its "Littlest Pet Shop" line.
According to CNN Money, in 2015, Faulkner filed a complaint against Hasbro. The lawsuit read, in part (via CNN): "Hasbro's false suggestion that Faulkner endorsed its product directly impugns Faulkner's journalistic integrity, by suggesting that she has entered into a business relationship with the company (when she has not) and that she has lent her good name to a demeaning plastic rodent (when she did not)."
The lawsuit added (via CNN Money) that certain elements of the toy "bear[ed] a physical resemblance to Faulkner's traditional professional appearance, in particular tone of its complexion, the shape of its eyes, and the design of its eye makeup."
Faulkner reached a settlement with Hasbro in October 2016, also contending that she never has, nor ever will, endorse her name's use with this product, which is no longer manufactured or sold.
Harris Faulkner's loves traveling and the outdoors
In addition to having lived in various cities around the world, Harris Faulkner is also well traveled. The best vacation of her life, as she shared with Luxury Travel Magazine, was her honeymoon in Hawaii. "It's an island that has peace, and quiet, and views," she said. "It really is very special."
These days, Faulkner favors visiting her family's second home in Sedona, Ariz., where Faulkner, her husband, and her daughters enjoy hiking, spas, waterparks, and golf. Faulkner's other favorite destinations include Crane Beach, Barbados; as well as Acadia National Park, Maine; and Montauk, New York. She told the outlet that with her two kids in tow, the East Coast spots make for easy road trips from their New Jersey home.
When she's not taking off on a trip, Faulkner told LTM that she releases stress by spending time outside. Whether she's taking a hike with her family, hanging out in her backyard, or visiting the beach, being in nature helps Faulkner feel more centered. "I like to slip off my shoes and socks and find solid ground...I like to let my feet hit the earth."
Perhaps that's Faulkner's secret for staying so grounded: a steady foundation and a lush legacy with plenty of room to grow.