Short questions with Dana Perino for Max Gorden of Fox Weather

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 Los Angeles-based field correspondent Max Gorden of Fox Weather. 

Prior to joining the company in 2021, he served three years as a multimedia journalist for KPHO-TV (CBS/Meredith) in Phoenix, Arizona. A graduate of New York University, Gorden holds a bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism and English. 

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. 

This week, Dana Perino talks with Max Gorden of Fox Weather — who shares the best advice he ever received, what he wanted to be when he grew up, and how he defines "my favorite assignments" on the job.  (Fox News)

Q: Let’s start with a little background. Where are you from? Where’d you go to school? And what local markets did you work in prior to joining Fox?

I’m originally from a small town in Northern California called Sebastopol. I went to school at NYU and then worked in Wausau, Wisconsin, Austin, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona before coming to FOX Weather.

Q: You’ve covered a number of big stories since starting here at Fox. Which one stands out to you as your favorite assignment to date and why? 

I’ve gotten to go on so many adventures at FOX Weather — from going up in a stunt plane to traveling to a remote Alaskan glacier to covering a man attempting to recreate an escape from Alcatraz by swimming across San Francisco Bay. 

My favorite assignments are the ones in which I’m able to deliver incredible pictures and unique stories to our viewers.  

Q: Living in the heart of Hollywood, I'm curious – what's your absolute favorite movie of all time? 

"The Big Lebowski" — I could watch that movie a million times.  

"My favorite assignments are the ones in which I’m able to deliver incredible pictures and unique stories to our viewers."  

Q: If you could be a character in any film, who would you choose to be and why?

Matt Damon in "The Martian" would be my pick. 

He keeps his sense of humor and is able to use his intelligence to escape a situation where others would likely give up.

Q: Hollywood isn’t only home to movie stars — you have your fair share of rock stars, too. If you could invite any three musicians, dead or alive, to a dinner party where you would collaborate together on a song — who would you choose?

I would invite Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash for a Highwaymen reunion. 

Q: What is the best advice you've ever been given?

My grandmother always said to "buy tickets, not things" — that way, you prioritize experiences over just acquiring a bunch of stuff. 

Q: Let’s pivot to technology and innovation. In your view, what stands out as the greatest invention to emerge from Silicon Valley? 

The iPhone revolutionized how we communicate and how we as journalists work in the field. 

Researching stories, sending in scripts, shooting pictures and video … It’s even how I’m able to hear the control room when I’m dialed in for a live shot. I can’t imagine doing my job without my (two) iPhones.  

Q: Follow — what is one app on your phone that you swear by, but it might not be on mine? 

You should definitely download the Fox Weather app.

"If I put my mind to it, I can whip up a pretty good chicken Parmesan." 

Q: Who is your favorite person you follow on Twitter?

My mom, mostly because she’s my mom and she doesn’t actually post any tweets. 

Q: When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a firefighter to follow in both of my parents’ footsteps. 

Q: If you were a contestant on a cooking show, what signature dish would you prepare to impress the judges?

I’m known for burning water, but if I put my mind to it, I can whip up a pretty good chicken Parmesan. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with Jared Cohen, click here. 

For her interview with William La Jeunesse, click here.

For her interview with Matt Finn, click here.

For her interview with Rich Edson, click here.

For her interview with Gov. Chris Sununu, click here. 

For her interview with Ross Rayburn, click here. 

For her interview with Mark Meredith, click here. 

For her interview with Emily Compagno, click here.

For her interview with Chad Pergram, click here. 

For her interview with Mike Emanuel, click here. 

For her interview with Gillian Turner, click here. 

For her interview with Madison Alworth, click here. 

For her interview with Nate Foy, click here.

For her interview with Laura Ingraham, click here. 

For her interview with five New York FOX reporters, click here. 

For her interview with Katie Pavlich, click here.

For her interview with Guy Benson, click here. 

For her interview with Pete Hegseth, click here. 

For her interview with Sandra Smith, click here. 

For her interview with Nicolas Yannicelli, click here. 

For her interview with Abby Hornacek, click here. 

For her interview with Elise Bitter, click here. 

For her interview with Brian Kilmeade, click here.

For her interview with Kennedy, click here. 

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.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

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.