MSNBC’s second daylong live event in New York has infused the cable-news ecosystem with the podcasting wave that’s threatened it, as primetime host Jen Psaki will host a live taping of her podcast “The Blueprint” with the hosts of “I’ve Had It,” Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan.
The live taping will take place at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Oct. 11 during “MSNBC Live ‘25: This Is Who We Are,” the network’s second live event celebrating its suite of hosts and anchors. The episode will serve as one of two episodes to launch the show’s second season, which debuts Oct. 15.
Welch and Sullivan have become a stop for liberals on the campaign trail, infusing a Southern charm and practicality while tackling their grievances with the political system. They’ve featured Kamala Harris, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, among others.
Psaki’s podcast,“The Blueprint,” which debuted earlier this year, featured Psaki speaking with a series of Democrats to analyze the 2024 election results and Democrats’ path toward success. First season guests included Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, social media star Jack Schlossberg and Don Lemon, among others.
Psaki has seen her star ascend at the network since she joined it in 2022. She launched her show “Inside with Jen Psaki” in early 2023, becoming a once-a-week primetime star later that year. As part of a programming overhaul at the network in February of that year, she was given a new show — “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” — and star Rachel Maddow’s slot at 9 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, joining MSNBC’s regular primetime lineup.
The event appearance comes as MSNBC is set to rebrand itself as MS Now (My Source for News, Opinion, and the World) later this year, as part of its parent company Versant’s split from Comcast and NBCUniversal.
