Fox News contributor reveals her favorite comedian, the opportunity that changed her life and more
You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera?
For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes.
What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand?
But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.
This week we're excited to shine the spotlight on Kennedy. She joined FOX Business Network (FBN) as a contributor in 2012 and most recently hosted the primetime program "Kennedy" there through June 2023. She appears frequently on FOX News Channel’s (FNC) "Outnumbered" and "The Five" as well as a variety of daytime and primetime programming. She also hosts a podcast on FOX News Audio entitled "Kennedy Saves the World."
P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below!
Kennedy reveals to Dana Perino her signature cocktail, the career opportunity that changed her life — and the artist who's had the most impact on her. (Fox News)
Q: What should every woman try at least once in her life?
K: Seeing the sunrise in Africa. It changes your soul and connects you to the earth in an indescribable way.
Q: What is your signature cocktail?
K: The Kennedalia! It’s like a mojito and a paloma had a delicious baby.
Muddle lime and mint in a tumbler, add ice, then 1.5 ounces of coconut tequila, 1 ounce of regular tequila (I like casamigos blanco), and top off with either Fresca or pamplemousse La Croix.
It is deceptively smooth, so make sure you have a rickshaw driver to get you home.
Q: Do you have a secret party trick? Or what’s the secret to throwing a great party?
K: Separate the drink station from the food station. People tend to converge around the drinks, so put that in the most spacious part of your party space.
Also, make sure you have three distinctive food servings: niblets for when people arrive (cherry tomatoes and hummus, or chips and guac, or even a few cheeses and crackers on a cutting board), then the first meal and finally something like buffalo chicken nachos at the end of the night, when people get hungry again, to sop up the booze.
The first meal can be your impressive one; the last one is fun, greasy bar food that people enjoy after a social tipple.
And make as much in advance as possible so you are free to mingle!
Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island, which three items would you want to have with you?
K: A knife, a tarp and some sort of water filtration device.
Q: Name a moment or opportunity that changed your life.
K: When I was an intern at KROQ, I had been hounding our program director Andy to put me on the radio with no experience.
Finally, one day he called my bluff and gave me a two-night audition, hired me to do part-time overnights and thus my broadcast career was born.
He’s still one of my best friends!
Q: Who is your favorite comedian?
K: When I was a kid I was obsessed with Steve Martin, but I was always worried he was going to die because he had white hair.
I got to meet him at a party several years ago and told him that, and it actually made him laugh. He assured me he’s still very much alive.
Q: You love dogs (me, too!). If you were a dog, what breed would you want to be?
K: A blue heeler. They’re cool, sturdy, weird and smart. Plus, they’re from Australia and I love Australia.
Q: Being a music lover yourself, which artist or band has had the biggest impact on your life, and why?
K: I just visited Graceland and I remembered how much of an impact Elvis had on me in high school, and the gravity of his influence — especially in this moment — coupled with the ongoing tragedy of his family really hit me.
"Anyone who has an ounce of showmanship owes eternal gratitude to The King. I also love Ella Fitzgerald."
Even my favorite band, Rocket From The Crypt, is directly, stylistically influenced by Elvis.
Anyone who has an ounce of showmanship owes eternal gratitude to The King. I also love Ella Fitzgerald.
Q: What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?
K: When I was 20, I had to go on a date with the late Screech (from "Saved By The Bell") when he was 16 for a magazine story.
He took me to a place at Universal City, which sold him margaritas and he tried to make out with me at the Hollywood sign. I declined, thank God.
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
K: I wanted to be a writer and a comedian. When I was in high school, I was voted "most likely to be a talk show host." Wooo!
Q: If you could invite three musicians or music industry figures to join you for a roundtable discussion on your show, who would you choose and what would be the main topic of conversation?
K: James Mercer, Gillian Welch and Bob Dylan. I would ask them all how you turn poems into songs, because when that’s done effectively there is, to me, no higher art form.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
K: I’m actually very calm. I’m a mean cook and baker. I also swear a lot when I bake. The more I swear, the better it turns out, which I realize doesn’t sound calm — but the end result is worth the cursing.
Q: If you had to create a soundtrack for your life, what songs would definitely be on it and why?
K: "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga. "Young Livers" by Rocket From The Crypt. And "I Would Die 4 U" by Prince.
These all make me really happy. That’s the only thread.
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To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!
For her interview with John Roberts, click here.
For her interview with Janice Dean, click here.
For her interview with Charles Payne, click here.
For her interview with Trey Gowdy, click here.
For her interview with Johnny "Joey" Jones, click here.
For her interview with Bill Melugin, click here.
For her interview with Jimmy Failla, click here.
For her interview with Tyrus, click here.
For her interview with Ainsley Earhardt, click here.
For her interview with Lawrence Jones, click here.
For her interview with Dr. Arash Akhavan, click here.
For her interview with Martha MacCallum, click here.
For her interview with Bret Baier, click here.
For her interview with Kayleigh McEnany, click here.
For her interview with Harold Ford Jr., click here.
For her interview with Shannon Bream, click here.
For her interview with Jessica Tarlov, click here.
For her interview with Leo Terrell, click here.
For her interview with Geraldo Rivera, click here.
For her interview with Clay Travis, click here.
For her interview with Bill Hemmer, click here.
For her interview with Greg Gutfeld, click here.
For her interview with Benjamin Hall, click here.
For her interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro, click here.
For her interview with Jesse Watters, click here.
Dana Perino currently serves as a co-anchor of "America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino" (weekdays 9-11 a.m. ET) and also serves as co-host of "The Five" (weekdays 5-6 p.m. ET) and "Dana Perino's Book Club" on Fox Nation. She joined the network in 2009 as a contributor. Follow her on Twitter@DanaPerino.
