Kevin Corke: All We Have Is Now
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It's Live in the Bream with host of Fox News at Night, Shannon Bream. This week on Live in the Bream, one of my favorite people in the whole world, super excited to get a chance to talk to with him for more than like two or three minutes at a time. The one, the only Fox superstar, White House correspondent and frequent, you know, maker of better Fox News at Night, Kevin Cork. How are you doing? Good.

It's great to see you at a normal hour. You know, usually I see you, it's after midnight. I know that sounds nefarious, but it's true. We work so late. It's great to see you with the sun up. I know it is. And Kevin, I want to start a little bit because listen, you got a ton of fans. You got a great social media following. You're really good at interacting with people and they love you and they demand when you're off.

to know when you're back on the show. They get very upset. But give us a little background because I know you've been a lot of different places. You don't just show up at Fox overnight. What was your path to Fox? It was really interesting because I actually got into the business from the other side of the camera. Most people start out in smaller markets, which is what I did. So my first job in TV, I was the bureau photographer for KRDO in Colorado Springs. And I did that for about a year and a half.

But somewhere, somehow, I got a reputation for being a very quick editor. People would say, oh, he puts together really nice pieces and he's really, really quick. So when our chief editor at the main station left to become a photographer up in Denver, which is a great TV market, as you know, they tapped me to be the chief editor. So for me, coming up in TV actually started behind, which has given me, I think, a

really valuable, invaluable, frankly, lesson in how to do television because I don't just view it from the talent perspective, but because I've been a producer, because I've been a photographer, because I've been an editor. I think it's helped me along the way. But basically from there, I did sports in Denver for a long time, went from Denver at KUSA, which again is

arguably the best local station in the country. I went to ESPN for five years, actually total seven years on and off. I'll tell you more about that in a second. Left there, took a sabbatical to go to Harvard to get a second master's degree. And I did that so it would transition me, I thought, more comfortably into making the switch from sports to news. And that's how I ended up at NBC covering the White House. Let's see, I've covered Bush. I've covered

Obama. I've covered Trump and now Biden. So that was the first of four. From there, I made my way back down to local in Miami and then back here to Fox. And I've been at Fox now. This is my eighth year. Seems like just yesterday. I know. I know. Right. I feel like I'm the total rookie and I've been here already eight years. And when you measure, I really am one of the rookies because I work with guys like Mike Emanuel, people like you, like Jen Griffin.

You guys have been here like on average 15 years or more. And still you look 30. I don't know how you got all those things done and still look the way that you do. We will get to those secrets at some point. I think you make such a good point in that if you, especially as a young person getting into the business, really the more that you know how to do yourself,

shooting, editing, chasing interviews, booking, pitching ideas, like the more control that you'll have over your day and ultimately your career. And when things start crashing, I mean, you and I, if we had to could run back there and start, you know, cutting and editing and doing what we have to do. I mean, the, the technology changes, but to, to hammer out a script, you get much quicker at that, um, to pitch a story, to find an interview. Um, I think

All those skills are so good to have no matter what level you're at in this business. No, you nailed it. And it's editorial breadth of knowledge that I think makes all the difference. So when they make you an anchor of a show, they're not just getting a pretty face. They're getting someone who editorially understands, look, I've been out in the field, right?

I've not just hustled at the court, but I've worked with you in local. I know you did your turnover at NBC4 in Washington. So I know that you get it. You get the limitations of this business. You also get what's also possible. And same thing for me, having come up as a photographer, an editor, as a producer, and then a coordinating producer,

In addition to the on-air stuff, I think it really, really helps me understand, again, the limitations of what we can do sometimes, but then also what's possible. What's also possible is for you to tell us how you are the best dressed man on television. And you, people can't see us. I can see you, but you were telling me about this cool jacket that you have. And I have never seen this before. Maybe I'm just not that cool. I will never be as cool as Kevin Cork. That's for sure. But you have something...

stitched inside your jacket. What is going on with your fantastic wardrobe? Well, I'm really lucky. There's a guy, if you want to look him up on Instagram, it's Star Taylor. Just Star Taylor. He's a really wonderful guy. I got to work with him because one of the photographers over at the White House, in fact,

Dan Petrelli is a great guy and does lots of audio and great tech stuff with us. Anyway, Dan told me about this guy and he said, you're a sharp dressed guy, Kevin. You want to go next level? Call my guy. So I called this guy and that's literally what happened. You mentioned the jacket I'm wearing. This is one of the ones that I had made. On the inside, there's a stitching and this one says, all we have is

is now. And they ask you, do you want a quote inside your jacket? And the reason I wanted to say that was because I understand

the fragility of this business and the fragility of life. Having lost both of my parents, most recently my mom back in 2016, my brother in 2020, I really am reminded often, not just from reading, but life experience, that it can be vapor quick. So really focus when you can, as my motto, on where you are today. Doesn't mean don't plan for the future. And it doesn't mean don't, you

you know, peep that rear view mirror on occasion. But what I meant by writing that was keep focused on the now brother. And it's helped me and served me well. Yeah. And you also talk about your faith a lot and you have the best posts that are inspirational and kind of uplifting at a time when you

You and I know the news is a rough business just for everybody. I mean, just for the consumer. I mean, it's a tough time. There's unrest around the world. We're fighting into our third calendar year of a pandemic and people are really worn out and worn down. People have suffered a lot of loss in many different ways and there's fear and there's anxiety and there are health ongoing challenges for people.

Talk about how you pick out those inspiring messages. And they always have beautiful photos too. Oh, you're so sweet. Well, most of the photos I'd say about 95% are just pictures that I've taken.

uh in my many travels i've been lucky i've been uh so blessed i've been to 48 countries and all 50 states and so whenever i'm out and about i try to take a moment and just take some pictures and so usually i'll post pictures with the quotes or bible verses that i've actually taken i'd say about nine out of ten maybe ninety percent um but the reason i do that shannon is because

Like a lot of people, I have felt incredible anxiety and stress just going back to 2020 and maybe even late 2019.

Because once the pandemic hit, it changed everything. Community became very different where I live. Friendships became very different. And so for me, whenever I feel unsteady or as I used to say, I feel like I'm in a grocery cart and I'm going downhill, you know, in San Francisco. Yes.

Well, yeah, right. That sometimes life can make you feel out of control. Faith has always helped recenter me. And so I try to share those same lessons with people. And you never know how you might touch someone. It's the funniest thing. Twitter in particular, even Instagram, you make one post and you might get, I don't know, a thousand likes, but you never know of the thousand people that liked it.

If it made the difference for one person in their day to day or maybe their relationship with God, for me, that's a win. And I'm always I'm always out there fishing. You know, I'm a Colorado boy. So I'm always looking. I'm always casting a line. And you know what? I do it humbly, but I do it also for purpose. And I hope that I'm inspiring people. Yeah. I mean, I see the retweets and the people who I.

comment on the messages that you've put out that it has brightened their day, that it's given them a second thought or reminded them that God is there or that they don't have to bear their troubles alone, whatever it is. It is very inspiring. All right. Now you mentioned this in a little, a quick run through your resume. You're yours at ESPN and you said you had more to tell us about that. I always think that would be such an adventure, especially if you're a real sports fan.

Oh, it's the best. I loved my time there. I was there for five years during my first full run. And then what happened was when I left to go to NBC, then I went to NBC Miami. So basically I did another five, seven years with the Universal family, if you will. When I wasn't renewed,

I was the main anchor in Miami. I didn't get renewed and I still bristle about that, but you know, it happens. Well, I got fired from my first TV job. It's a cruel business at times. It's a cruel business. So I immediately made the pivot back to the familiar and I started doing play by play and all those years in Bristol,

Just made such a massive difference because I didn't just have established relationships already. I had real deep knowledge of sports that I didn't grow up watching. Look, on the 9th of 10, my brother James played in the Cincinnati Reds minor league baseball system. My brother Michael played college football, Division I. So I grew up, even me in high school, I ran track, played football, wrestled, played tennis, all varsity letters. My point is I love sports. I always have. I always will.

Go Gators. Go Gators. Love that. Go Noles. Your symbols are there. All that good Florida stuff. See, we still love each other. It's all about the U, isn't it? Yeah. You can't get away from it in Florida. There you go. You can't. It's hilarious. But I guess what I would say is I took a bit of a sabbatical while I was at ESPN the last couple of years to pick up a second master's degree. And I went to Harvard for that, not because I needed another master's. I already had one. But I did because...

I thought it would introduce me to a different way of thinking, a different community, and maybe just maybe help people take me more seriously. I think sometimes what you do is good and powerful, but sometimes people make decisions based on things before they even get to meet you. If they meet you, they might say, oh, the kid's sharp. I like him. Let's give him a look. But if it just says sports,

they may not have taken me seriously uh the way that they did after they were like well he's coming from the sports world but the guy's got two master's degree including one from harvard and he won an academic award there he obviously proved himself worthy of the brand so little things like that made a difference for me i felt like personally in terms of my marketing but also expanding my knowledge base and that's why i did it kind of like law school look you may be sharp but the fact

The fact that you're an attorney changes the way people view you, maybe intentionally or unintentionally. That's a fact. And so I think for me, it was similar. Having a master's from a great university like that does change the way people view you. And I'm able to draw from the experience and the knowledge I gained there and bring it into everyday life and business.

Yeah, it's such good advice. And sometimes people will say to me, should I run off and get X, Y, Z degree? And maybe they haven't had work experience yet or haven't had other experiences.

And it might not be the right path for them then, but like, you're such a great example that there are times in your life where things make sense. Um, and they're worth the investment of your life and your time and your money and your, and your resources. Um, I mean, the truth is you mentioned my law degree and I did, you know, practice for a little bit when I first met Brit Hume and I've shared this story. He was very nice to me. I was a local anchor at the time. He was like, send me your stuff. I'll give you some professional advice, sort of politely blew me off. Um,

We can laugh about it now. It wasn't until I left that he realized I was an attorney. And when I came back in the room, he was basically like, when can you start? I mean, it clearly changed his perception about my abilities because he needed someone to cover the Supreme Court. So you never know how life is going to work, how these different things will work together. And the impressions, as you said, people get to before you even kind of get to get in the room and make a case for yourself. A lot of what you put on your resume sometimes is the only thing that props that door open. So you then get that chance. Absolutely.

Everybody has a different path. You have to decide what education or what vocational stuff, what makes sense for you and what's good for you. And I think...

Like both of us starting out in a market where, I mean, my first thing was I was, you know, answering phones and working the teleprompter and writing copy for the anchors. Like I think learning from the ground up is such a good thing in whatever you're going to pursue in life. But I know young people can get very discouraged. What's your best advice, whether someone's going to broadcasting or teaching or the military or aeronautics or music, whatever it is, any advice for young people? Cause I'm sure you get asked like I do all the time.

Oh, I get asked a lot and I always say the same thing. Every...

legal job is honorable. You know, I was a water serviceman for the Denver Water Department in the summers when I was an undergrad. And it gave me a real base, a blue collar base, as we like to say. I was out there driving trucks. I was out there even in the winter breaks and we would be out there working on water lines and it's cold. And you're the camaraderie. I'll never forget it. And I mentioned that, Shannon, because as Mike Rowe and others have said,

There's honor in a wide variety of jobs out there. I don't care if you go off to college or don't. If you want to go and cut hair or if you want to get out there and be a welder or a carpenter or if your dream is to work on the next Tesla, whatever that looks like, I encourage everyone. But what I usually tell people, especially young people, is talk. Ask questions because you'd be shocked.

how many people want to desperately want to help and make a difference. I've almost never been able to pin down someone and ask for help and not gotten something, you know, sometimes it takes a little work. Sometimes you have to be a little bit of a pain, but if you're, if you're steady, you're,

And you're genuine. I think people really do want to help. So that's why I always tell people, if you really want to do something important with your life, regardless of what career field that is, ask people who are doing it. Reach out. If you don't know how to reach out, Google, call a company, be willing to go over to an industrial park and knock on a few doors. You'd be shocked how many jobs are actually out there.

Yeah. And you're so right that I think people are willing to share because like all of us, I had people who I could offer them nothing when I went to them for advice. And I would say, can I buy you a coffee? Can I take you to lunch? What can I do? I just want to pick your brain and get some advice. And nobody said no. I think because if you come to them genuinely as somebody who I'm not looking for a shortcut, I'm looking for good advice. And I'm not looking for a shortcut.

and I respect you and I, you're doing something I want to do. And I just want to know how to get there. And I think, um, people are very generous, generous with their time when they can be, I mean, we're all slammed, but as much as people can carve out time, um, they remember, I'm sure you do. And I remember people specifically who did that for me and I wouldn't be in this job had they not said, okay, I can see, you know, nothing. Let me kind of give you some help and some, you know, some pointers. I mean, sage steel, um,

who is, you know, big sports name now was at the very first station where I started working. I had no idea what I was doing. I was a lawyer trying to transition over. And like I said, I was answering phones and working the prompter and doing whatever grant work they needed done. But I would go out and shoot standups or shadow people, try to buy the photogs dinner. If they would let me go watch them work, you know, that kind of thing. And Sage was kind enough to, along with Elaine Kahano, who ended up, you know, moderating one of the presidential vice presidential debates and

I mean, these are people who were just kind and said, yeah, I can see you need my help. And here, here it is. And I, you know, I had nothing to offer them, but just thanks and gratefulness. And I think if people see that you are genuinely, um,

ready to work, put your nose to the grindstone, they will be willing to give you some free advice. I'm glad you mentioned those two people because I have great respect for both. I know Elaine from having worked over at the White House back when she was at CNN and Sage, obviously we both have the ESPN background as well. They're both tremendous people. And I love the fact that you shared that there is nice to people, you know, again, when there's nothing to gain, that says a lot about them. That's cool.

We'll have more live in the bream in a moment. Jason in the house, the Jason Chaffetz podcast. Dive deeper than the headlines and the party lines as I take on American life, politics and entertainment. Subscribe now on Fox News podcast dot com or wherever you download podcasts. Now, let me ask you, because we have a lot of fun on the show, even though with your Harvard degree and my law degree, we like to talk about snacks and stuff.

Yes, we do. You find all kinds of fun stories for us to talk about. We do good news. Good night also, which we love because we're looking at inspirational people in our community. They are, you know, your neighbors, their first responders, their military people. They're all kinds of people who just step in and do something amazing when they have the opportunity. But we do talk about snacks and food a lot, too. So we we talked last night about one of these things that said three out of five people

adults, I think it was, said that they cannot get through the day without sugar. And when you realize how many things it's in, it is everywhere. We both have a sweet tooth. So what is your favorite snack?

Okay. I'm a chocolate guy. I love chocolate. I honestly, I think I have chocolate every day. I mean, just to be completely honest, I think I have a little piece of chocolate every day. I read some story years ago that said, Hey, chocolate a day is good for you. And I was like, sold, you know, I'm leading the show with that tonight. So I'm a chocoholic. Hi, my name's Kevin. I'm a chocoholic.

We could be in a support group together. Exactly. So, you know, I've always loved that. But I think the other thing that I really have sort of a madness for is Garrett's Caramel Corn Popcorn. You ever been to Chicago? Oh, yeah. Yeah. There's this place called Garrett's and they put it in tens and they can make them, you know, whether it's striped or, you know, fancy or sports. Anyway, so one time I'm in O'Hare.

And I'm coming back from the airport, coming back to D.C. And I see this caramel corn shop and I would normally buy a Cracker Jack or something, fiddle faddle, you know, just generic stuff. I swing over to this Garrett's. I'm like standing in line and the lady next to me, she does this thing where she kind of elbows me a little bit. You know, she's a slightly older woman and she gives me a little elbow and gives me the look like...

Mm-hmm. You're going to love this. Good stuff. Yeah. I didn't know, right? I didn't know. Who knows? So I walk in there, I go, whatever the lady right there had. So she gives me, the salesperson gives me this mixture, this caramel corn cheese popcorn mix. Oh my goodness. I'm going to start crying. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

So I think that's like one of my obsessions. Sometimes I'll just buy it from the newsroom and just sneak a tin in there and just leave it just so everybody else can enjoy it. But I think other than chocolate, those are my two. How about you? Listen, there is no way I'm eating less than a tin. That's the problem. You get the tin and it's like, I have no self-control once I open it. That's why I like a lot of the chocolate that I eat is in these little serving squares, like the Ghirardelli stuff. So I'm like, all right,

I got to make an effort. I'm going to open a little package. I want a square. I try to give myself a square. But I really love chocolate chip cookies. I'm sort of obsessed with them. I consider myself a connoisseur. And I stumbled upon last time I was in Franklin, Tennessee, where I love to hang out outside of Nashville.

And one of my favorite shops I went in, there was this young woman standing there and her name's Whitney. And she's got these cookies that are like the size of my head. And I was like, I need to meet Whitney and find out what's going on here. And, um, she had all different kinds, you know, vegan and, um, you know, gluten-free and traditional and all kinds of stuff. And there were, um, a few of my friends, girlfriends with me and my sister was there. So we all got a different cookie and they're like, you know, gingerly eating off a bite, like, oh,

I could probably stretch this out all day. And I'm like, I'm gonna have this done before we get to the next door. It was so good. And Whitney, by the way, turns out, Whitney's Cookies, I think is the website. And it turns out she won a TV show, a cooking show with a mean guy. Who's the guy who yells at everybody? And is that Gordon Ramsay? So yeah, Gordon Ramsay. I think that's the show that she won. I can't cook. So I don't know who these people are. But anyway, her cookies are so stinking amazing. And so I started sending them as gifts.

And I just got an email from them today. Like Valentine's is coming up. Check out what Whitney has for Valentine's day. And I'm like, I will be self-gifting. So why did she was one food to eat the rest of my life? It's either going to be pizza.

bacon cheeseburger or cookies or all, but chocolate chip cookies top of my list. I like all, but really fast on pizza. I'm obsessed with all pizza, like Chicago, New York style, doesn't matter, Detroit style. I don't care. Do you have a preference? There is not a bad pizza. Really? I mean, I am not picky, which I should be, I guess.

Um, but when we lived in Tampa, my two favorite pizza places, one was a deep dish Chicago place that was unbelievable. Cappies and also, um, the thinner crust of things like the chicken barbecue and a little bit different Sally O'Neill's. So my two, even though I've moved all over the country, um, those two of my tan in Tampa are my favorite. Do you have a favorite one around here? I will say pizza in the, in the DC area. We, the pizza. I love it. Yeah. We, the pizza, if you're going to be in DC, I actually like and pizza as well. And I'll tell you why.

You can create your own. I kind of like this idea. You know, it's pretty cool. I'm a New York style guy, so I like to fold my pizza and eat it. There's a couple of places right on U Street. But when I'm in Chicago, lupinatis. Come on. Yeah, just stop. You know, what's there not to love? But I'm with you. I don't think I've had a terrible pizza. And even when I don't care for it, like some people like it really healthy. It's like, oh, yeah, there's my father.

Yeah. And it's got broccoli. Good for you. Good for you. If you want to eat a piece of cardboard dry with broccoli on it, be my guest. Otherwise I'm always ordering the extra cheese. Amen. Now you're talking. All right, Kevin, you are the lifeblood of Fox News at night. You bring all the fun and all the serious news. And so I'm just grateful that we get to work together and you are not just my coworker, that you are my friend. I'm grateful.

Thank you. And I can't tell. Oh, I'll tell them in brief. You mean the world to me. She is as nice as she seems. People ask me that all the time. And I always say, absolutely. She's as nice as she seems. And you're a real delight. So thank you for having me, my dear. Thank you, Kevin. That's it for this week's Live in the Bream. Kevin and I will be up to our usual shenanigans every weeknight, Monday through Friday, 12 o'clock, midnight Eastern, nine o'clock Pacific. And we'll see you there. Thanks, Kevin. See ya.

From the Fox News Podcast Network. I'm Janice Dean, Fox News Senior Meteorologist. Be sure to subscribe to the Janice Dean Podcast at foxnewspodcast.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And don't forget to spread the sunshine.