Christopher Hayes: MSNBC's Next Host?

MSNBC may be turning to an old strategy to groom its newest host.

The New York Times reported Monday that the network is developing a show for Chris Hayes, the Washington correspondent for The Nation. Hayes is a frequent guest host for both Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell. The two of them got their shows by... being frequent guest hosts.

Maddow was Keith Olbermann's first regular guest host. When she got her own show in September 2008, O'Donnell took her slot. MSNBC then gave him his own show. The network's 6 PM host, Cenk Uygur, was also a regular substitute before he was given his own time slot.

The Times writes that Hayes is one of a number of people who MSNBC has preemptively signed to new, long-term contracts to prevent them from making any deals with Current TV in the wake of Keith Olbermann's move there. Olbermann, whose new show starts Monday night, has already announced his own line of regular contributors, including Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas, both of whom will be among his first guests.

Comments

[Carl Muecke]

12:16 PM on 06/22/2011

I hope he doesn't take over the hour that Cenk Uygur has though...I really enjoy Cenk's hard hitting commentary.

[Proxy]

07:41 AM on 06/22/2011

Great news!!! I adore Chris Hayes.

I only ever watch the LO'D hour when Chris Hayes guest hosts!

[lee4713]

09:20 PM on 06/21/2011

Gee, wonder why MSNBC doesn't sign Markos? Yeah, I know - and now he can tell us what he REALLY thinks on Current.

[mkdewboohoohoo]

08:20 PM on 06/21/2011

Chris Hayes is one of the brightest, most articulate guests on MSNBC. Unfortunately he is also just not that interesting to listen too.

[psmarc93]

04:15 AM on 06/22/2011

I kinda agree. Even Maddow admits that he's one of the smartest policy wonks in the beltway, and his analysis is golden. However, he's panicked in front of the camera and he still giggles his way through mistakes like an amateur. I would marry the dude in a second, or pay for dinner even, but honestly Chris ain't ready for prime time.

[freeasabird]

07:11 PM on 06/21/2011

Chris Hayes needs to switch to Decaff. He talkes 90 miles an hour, and just needs to settle down.
He knows his way around Washington, politically speaking, and that is a plus.

[alto2]

06:26 PM on 06/21/2011

No, please. I cannot physically bear to listen to him. He cannot help being a tenor. I love tenors. I married one. But, for the love of heaven, if you, MSNBC, are going to give him his own show, get him a good voice coach to help him learn to use his vocal apparatus properly (he sounds now as if he's speaking only from his throat) and to "place" it in his lower register so that he does not sound like a perpetual screech.

[LynnDee227]

02:55 PM on 06/21/2011

Chris Hayes is great. I will absolutely watch him.

[TaoJones]

02:47 PM on 06/21/2011

you're all missing the point- they are locking him up to keep him from joining KEITH at CURRENT TV- he'd be great- nice to have a real intellectual as a tv host...Re Lawrence- been a big fan of his since msnbc launched- but he floundered at msnbc until olbermann created the mold for smart people to be tv hosts (other than Bill Moyers)- hence rachel, brilliant researcher and news syntheziser-laser bright, focused and fair--keeps emotions out of her hard news reporting...so i cut her slack on her girlishness, humor, - I enjoy her having fun on TV (sometimes) ..BUT she is ethical,and a natural...one of top 5 reporter/hosts on a US tv. She covers under reported vitally important stories that are important to the body politic- ditto Chris HAYES...they make Keith proud i would assume.

[lee4713]

09:16 PM on 06/21/2011

Ditto!!

[PS Nymn]

01:12 PM on 06/21/2011

He needs to switch to decaf.

[ANuttyReader]

11:34 AM on 06/21/2011

oh no... I can't stand him.

[EleanorV]

09:58 AM on 06/21/2011

Does anyone know their plans for Willie Milquetoast? When does he get to graduate from the 5:30am time slot. He's window dressing from 7-9 when Joe throws him an already chewed bone to give him some credibility.

[lee4713]

09:17 PM on 06/21/2011

OMG. I used to think of him as a downmarket Tucker Carlson - until I found out that he was Tuckie's sidekick on a previous show.

[Mr Universe]

08:58 AM on 06/21/2011

Chris, bro, I love you as contributor but I would have a hard time listening to you host. I know that's shallow but what can I say?

[matcyn]

12:18 AM on 06/21/2011

Mr. Hayes go and join K. Olbermann

[unknownsoldier53]

12:04 AM on 06/21/2011

MIrror image of FOX. Boring and predicable.

[Angelia Levy]

12:03 AM on 06/21/2011

How about going outside the 'white guy' box and hire some more females or a person of color? I would really like to see the smart and classy newsman Ed Gordon get a big platform. He was BET's only saving grace and has been an excellent contributor to MSNBC and other news sites. I know it's not going to happen, but one can wish :)

[kfwmcc]

12:26 AM on 06/21/2011

neither Cenk or Rachel are white guys...

[vnomad]

01:06 AM on 06/21/2011

I suppose a person of color would be a change, just one not so Jesus-ee. Joy Reid of the Reid Report or Baratunde Thurston or (somewhat far-fetched ) Melissa Harris [Lacewell] Perry would be welcome with the one minor although not too negligible request that they know something about public policy beyond that of those political-sports-news junkie reporters like Chuck Todd and Chris Matthews......would make for a welcomed change