Megan Alexander: One More Hug
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All right, this week on Live in the Bream, we have someone that I am so excited to have joining us. She is multi-talented. When I say that it is not an exaggeration, she also happens to be a wonderful person. So inside and out, you are going to love her. Megan Alexander, you may know her as a correspondent on Inside Edition. She's a great person.

She reports on the world of entertainment. We often have her on Fox News at night as well. But there's so much more that she does. She acts, she writes, she sings, and she's got a brand new book out. And she is already a well-established author. But this new one, you're going to love for your kiddos. It is called One More Hug. Megan Alexander, great to have you with us.

Thanks, Shannon. It's so great to be with you. Thanks for having me. This book is so precious. I love it. It's for kiddos. It's great for the holidays and everything else and just such a sweet, sweet story. And I was blown away when I saw that when this book deal started coming together, you actually got with some songwriter friends of yours because you were going to talk about your crazy life, how you go back and forth between Nashville and New York. And every time I see your Instagram, you're somewhere else. I don't know how you do it. Mother to three, wife of one. I

You put together a song. So I see, oh my goodness, she's working with these songwriters to have this beautiful song that goes along with this beautiful book. Then I see that you're singing it and you have a music video and I was watching it on the train coming to New York. And to be honest with you, I really got choked up. This is so sweet. What inspired this whole thing?

Oh, thank you, my friend. I appreciated that text message that you sent me that you were getting teary-eyed. I was crying on the train. I thought, mission accomplished. Yeah, you know, Shannon, I have enjoyed being a part of this industry for, gosh, you know, two decades now. And I

I always just enjoyed music as a hobby, knowing that it's difficult to make a living at it. You know, it's very competitive, but I've always just enjoyed the creative process. And when I got out of college, I went to a small Christian college, Westmont College. I moved to Nashville for two years to work in the industry, to work in country music. I did a ton of part-time jobs and quickly learned that

it would be difficult for that to be the full-time job, but I always stayed connected to the music world. And when I got this offer from Simon & Schuster to write my children's story, literally the very next phone call was to two of my friends that I've kept in touch with who are bonafide singer-songwriters, Lucas Hogue and Michael Hunter Oaks. And I said, we have got to write a song to go with this children's book because part of the story is I pick up my guitar and

And I sing songs to my two boys when I tuck them in at night. I'm by no means an incredible guitar player, but I know the basic chords and I have sang them lullabies, you know,

for as long as I can remember. And so we sat down, we got together, we sat down and within two hours, we wrote a children's song that we called One More to accompany the children's book, One More Hug. And I hope it just, you know, people appreciate it and it reminds them of just, you know, cherishing those precious moments with your children because the years fly by so fast. And I think sometimes the best way to express those moments is through art and music. Mm-hmm.

And the book is such a sweet story of the times when your kids might need an extra hug or a kiss or some encouragement. And little things that kids face to them are very big. I mean, scary moments, going off on the school bus for the first time, trying new things, getting hurt, whatever it is. And it's just so touching and powerful.

really personal. I can tell you have your two boys. You have a brand new baby girl too. So tell me about this idea of just trying to cherish the time with them when they're kids because I know that there are times when you may, I don't know, maybe you don't because you seem to juggle everything well, but there may be times that are overwhelming. But you talk about cherishing these moments that you have with them and over the years how, you know, that stays a part of your connection and the sweetness of always being able to find that encouragement and that connection with mom.

Yes. Well, and Shannon, you'll probably be able to relate to this. I mean, with our industry, as fast paced as it is, and as complicated as our world can seem sometimes,

And I've had a lot of fear about being a parent and have felt overwhelmed. I mean, there's been plenty of nights when I just lay awake at night and I'm praying to the Lord and saying, gosh, I just want to be a good parent in today's world. And I'm not sure what to do. Am I reading enough books? Am I talking to enough people? Are my kids doing the right activities right now?

And, you know, for me, the book was the Lord telling me sometimes it's as simple as just being there and offering that reassurance of one more hug or one more kiss as your kids are getting ready to do things in life instead of,

worrying about saying the right things. It's just being there to give them that wink as they're getting ready to go on stage for the school play. Or for me, my son getting on the school bus every day was, he had real anxiety in kindergarten and in first grade, and he'd just run back for one more hug. So I think God is teaching me in this season that sometimes it's really simple and it's just being present for our kiddos and

And saying, hey, you can always come back for more reassurance and love, especially for little boys, Shannon. I think in this world, you know, little boys too quickly are told to dry those tears and be tough. And of course, that's important in life. But, you know, for our little boys, we want them to know it's okay to share your feelings. And, you know, sharing your feelings, I think, makes some of the best husbands and the best daddies down the road. Yeah.

And you have such a unique situation in that you bounce back and forth between Nashville and New York City to amazing, fast-paced, crazy cities. But that means that you guys and your family have done some things that are a little bit nontraditional. Although today, you know, every family is different and different situations.

Tell me how you juggle everything and those different roles of being a parent, being a professional woman, being an author. You travel around and speak. I mean, how do you juggle all those things? Yeah. Well, Shannon, I tell you what. I tell other women to throw that word balance out the window. Forget it. It is unattainable. None of us will ever be able to be perfectly balanced in our lives, and it just ends up making us feel bad. Yeah.

Right. No reason to add to the pressure you already feel. That's right. Throw the word balance out the window. For me, it's more of a dance that I'm checking in with my husband daily about. And we're constantly talking and saying, how are we doing? You know, what's the schedule this week? You know, what's coming around the corner? And just trying to be present in the moment wherever you're at. You know, when I'm at work and yes, that's in New York City a couple of days a week.

I try my hardest to be present for the job. I love what I do. I know you do too. And our jobs demand us to really be engaged. And so I try to be very present there. And then when I'm home in Nashville, a couple other days during the week, my husband holds down the fort. And then when I fly home, I try to really

let work go and then be present for my kids. And this schedule isn't one that I thought I would ever have, but it ended up being our family's path and what we're supposed to do. And thank goodness for technology. It's easier to stay in touch than ever before. And I also have a husband that is very cool about saying, Hey babe, I got this. Go do your thing. And so we're very much teammates and

And, you know, to anybody out there listening, I mean, everyone's situation is different. And that's a beautiful thing about today's world. I don't think, you know, maybe our mothers or grandmothers had the freedom that you and I have, and I'm grateful for it. And it's something that we're continually fine tuning and just trying to check in and say, we doing okay? We doing good? Okay, we'll continue on this path as long as God wants us to. Yeah, talk about that, about communication in marriage and how whatever your situation is, I mean, really, it's the key to

smoothing over hurts and perceived slights. And we're all born with such selfishness, I believe, like our default setting is like, what about me? And that's not really good for marriage. So talk about how you communicate and work through those things where maybe one of you feels more stressed than the other. And sharing the load, you said something important that your partner's

Yeah, absolutely. I tell this story a lot when I speak to groups. You know, I have covered eight Super Bowls for Inside Edition. And I'll never forget, it was Super Bowl XLVII. I was covering the Super Bowl in New Orleans and Beyonce was the halftime performer for that Super Bowl. And we got to interview her as she was done and leaving the field. And I was super excited. It was a big get.

to grab her. And I called my husband on my cell phone after a couple minutes when we had a break. And I said, Hey, honey, I just got Beyonce. And he said, Shannon, hang on, babe, I'm changing a diaper. Yes, life is so glamorous.

Yes. And that is our life. That is oftentimes some of the exchanges that we have. But, you know, what we try to do is when I go on the road, he knows, OK, got to hold down the fort. Meg's doing her thing. And then when I come home, you know, we say, OK, do you need to travel now? What's going on with you? What's your job?

And he just, you know, he just went to a conference for work up in Boston a week ago and that was his time to be on the road. And I thought, okay, he does this for me so often. I need to hold things down here and not call him too often and let him have that, you know, confidence that we're doing okay. So we're just constantly checking in and listen, it's not perfect. There's times when you get frustrated and you get cranky with your partner and

And, you know, you say, gosh, you know, we need to, we need to talk some more. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I think so much, it's just trying to be honest and share your dreams, share your feelings and make sure that, you know, each other is feeling appreciated. And I try to, you know, appreciate him so much for being, you know, such the modern multitasking man that he is. You know, I think that's in true for any relationship, just continuing to communicate and say, how are we doing? Let's keep checking in with each other.

Yeah. And really, I think sometimes men are the butt of jokes on so many of the sitcoms and things out there these days. I mean, I think it's nice to be able to brag about our husbands. No one's perfect. We're not perfect. But my husband and I always say we're not perfect, but we're perfect for each other. I mean, you find a partner that you can work together and like I make mistakes, he makes mistakes. But.

you know, there are a lot of men out there every day working hard for their families, taking care of their kids. And I feel like, you know, fathers and husbands and good men out there need a pat on the back. And so I say bravo to both of our husbands. And we know many, many other people in our families and our lives who they are good men and we really should respect them and they need that. And I think, you know, good for them and good for us that we were blessed enough to find them.

Oh, Shannon, I completely agree. I mean, honestly, you hit on something very important there in terms of how men are represented in media and in television. I completely agree. I think there are so many guys nowadays that are pulling double duty and supportive of their women. And I am grateful to them. I have an awesome dad that also, you know, encouraged me to go after my dreams. And I know I read your book, you know, I know I live in the Bream.

You guys talked about that partnership as well. And that is so important. I agree. I think we need to talk more about these men that are helping us live out our dreams. So here, here. Yes. Okay. So again, we're talking to Megan Alexander who does all kinds of things, correspondent for Inside Edition, covers the world of entertainment, um,

She is a talented, as we found out, songwriter, singer, actress. She does it all. She appears with us on Fox News at night. We love to have her with us, too. And we're talking about her new book, One More Hug, a beautiful, sweet children's book that I just keep thinking of who I can give it to as a gift as the holidays are coming because it's just...

Such a great message, and I think it would be one of those things, people, you would read it to your kiddos night after night after night. I love it. So I can't say enough good about it. But I want to talk to you about another book that you have written. Years ago, it surprisingly – well, maybe you weren't surprised. It did spark some controversy out there. It's called Faith in the Spotlight, Thriving in Your Career While Staying True.

Is that the full title? Are there more words? I feel like there's more words. True to your beliefs. Okay, I got it all. I want to make sure we get the full title out there. But you do talk a lot about your faith. And I always wonder, because you cover the world of entertainment, where sometimes people of faith are not portrayed in the most positive light. What has been your experience? And were you surprised by some of the reactions to your book?

Yeah, you know, that's a really good question. And I have been at Inside Edition now for 11 years. And I often get asked by people, what was your boss's reaction when you decided to write this book? And I will just tell you that I've been with the show for probably three or four years.

And the reason that the book came about, Shannon, to be honest, and I'll get kind of personal here, but I don't mind doing it because if it encourages one person, it's worth it. But actually, my pastor's wife called me in New York City and said that she got a call from a Christian women's magazine and they wanted to put someone on the cover of an upcoming issue who had waited until marriage to be with her husband. And she knew of me. And so she said, hey, Megan, would you want to share your story for this magazine?

And I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, that's an abstinence is a choice that my hubby and I made, but we never thought we'd really share it publicly. We just, you know, it was our choice that we made. And so I called my husband and I said, what do you think, babe? And he said, you know, if it encourages one person, it's worth it.

And so when the magazine came out, as you know, Shannon, we've got to keep our bosses informed about activities, charity events that we're hosting, you know, magazine covers. Yes, they need to be the first to know, not the last to know. So when the magazine came out, I just put a little post-it note on it and laid it on my boss's desk at Inside Edition. And I thought he'd literally look at it and go, OK, great. On to the next.

Well, he emailed me that night and he said, Megan, I read this article about you and your faith and your choices in life. And he said, I have a daughter and I love that you believe in girls valuing themselves and making decisions and standing up for themselves. And, you know, he's not necessarily religious, but he said, I'm really proud of you for this article. He said, would you like to do a story for Inside Edition on your marriage?

And I was absolutely the opposite of what I thought his reaction was. And so I share that story because that was his reaction to my book. The magazine article led eventually to my book, which came out a year later. And my boss said the same thing. He said, I'm really proud of you for standing for something, for being true to your values, being a role model for other young women.

And so really, Shannon, the reaction from my show has been very, very positive. And I wonder if it's because at the end of the day, those people that I work with, they know that I'll still make deadline. I'll still get the job done for them. We're teammates. We're in this together. And then in terms of Hollywood, I think there's more people out there that appreciate a message of faith and values, but they just aren't vocal about it. I think they don't share as much because...

you know, the vocal bunch are the ones that tend to poo poo those sorts of things. And so I just say to people, hey, get in there, believers. Come on, Christians, take a seat at the table. We need more people in the mix just to raise their hand and say, hey, I agree with this, too. You know, I have faith as well, and it's important to me. So that's kind of that's kind of my take on things is I just say that, you know, we need to get in there more and be proud of our faith and what we stand for. Yeah.

Yeah, I agree with you because I think often that's the only way to actually connect with people or impact their perceptions of people of faith. Because if they see you and know that you are a kind-hearted, hardworking co-worker or neighbor or friend or whatever it is, I think it can actually lead to really great conversations with people and kind of tear down the phony walls sometimes that are there.

stereotypes on either side or misperceptions on either side. I think, yeah, when you're out there and say, this is important to me, this is my faith, this is how I live my life. But because of that, what I'm called to do is to respect you, to treat you as I would myself. And like I said, we're all so selfish and

If I'm really looking at somebody and saying, I believe that you're made in the image of God and that I don't care what your background is, where you come from or anything else. Like we are equals. We're children of God and I respect you. And I'm more than willing to hear your position on anything. All I'm asking is that you treat mine with respect and that we can at least have a conversation. And I think it's

It's on all of us individually to build relationships so that people know we are trustworthy, that we are kind, and that we are not coming from a place of anything. But our command is to love other people.

Absolutely. And you said it. At the end of the day, it's about relationships. It's about friendships, about really getting to know people, finding out their background. Maybe they had a bad experience with church or religion growing up, and that's affected how they feel. Really getting to know people and sit down with them. And you know this, Shannon, working in Washington, D.C. I love in New York City how there really is such a melting pot of all different types of people from all different backgrounds. I admire

enjoy hearing their stories. You know, sometimes it's just listening to and hearing where people are coming from. Absolutely. And I think, you know, I do love D.C. and I've lived there forever. But there is something unique about New York in that D.C., almost everybody is tied to something political or government related. But

But then you come here to New York and you're going to have a little bit of that, but you've got publishing and finance and artists and people who are just trying to, you know, maybe a first generation immigrant who's opened their own little stand somewhere and they're so proud of their hard work and what they're doing and they want to tell you their story and just...

There are a million stories on the streets of New York. And I just love that about being here is that it's really kind of to me is the perfect picture of the American dream that you can show up here with, you know, five dollars in your pocket. And there may be a way for you to just hustle your way to your dream. I mean, New York is just a special city in that way, you know.

Okay, so before we let you go, tell me about your job. And when you do, you know, I've seen many of the interviews that you've done and the stories that you chase. What do you enjoy most about your job?

Gosh, I think I just enjoy the variety of stories that we cover for Inside Edition. I mean, we really do give people a bit of everything. You know, Shannon, we still cover the cute puppies. We still tell you if Justin Bieber stubbed his toe, medical miracle stories. You know, I think in today's day and age, people have asked me, you know, Inside Edition has been on the air for 25 years and counting. Yeah.

Why are we successful? How has this show made it so far and stayed on the air? And we maintain good ratings. I think people appreciate the break that we give them in their day. We're an escape. You know, we offer some of the entertainment. We'll tell you what's going on with movies and film. But like I said, we'll also cover entertainment.

animal stories, rescue stories, miracle stories. It really is a variety. And I think in today's day and age, people need that break and they appreciate it. And so for me, it's the variety. It's the opportunity to meet people from all different walks of life. And I'll just end by saying this, Shannon.

I have learned, absolutely, God has taught me, never judge a book by its cover. I mean, you and I both work in this industry, Shannon. Our reality is that we will see someone on the cover of People magazine or on the front page of the New York Post or the New York Times. And within a couple days, I may meet them and do an interview with them. And you do the same thing. And I am continually amazed.

And how everybody has a backstory. Everybody's a person. Everyone is real and gets nervous just like anyone does for important things in life. And so that's what the job has taught me is never judge a book by its cover. Everyone is important. Everyone has something to say. And there's a way to relate to anybody. And oftentimes for me, it comes back to family and kids.

You know, some some hotshot celebrity or some CEO, you know, we all become humbled when, you know, their their kid walks into the picture or they get a phone call from their child or I get a phone call from my child and it breaks the ice. I'm grateful for those moments. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. I have to tell you. So funny. I was in the airport. I don't know where I was going. I think it was to one of the debates or something.

And I could see a guy sort of watching me. You have this experience where you think someone's looking at you. It happened recently in Cracker Barrel, too. It's a lot more common there. Those good folks watch Fox News. I love Cracker Barrel. I love Cracker Barrel so much. I am not sponsored by Cracker Barrel. I just love them.

But I was in a little store in the airport running to get a bottle of water before I got on this flight. And I could tell this guy was sort of looking at me. I had no makeup on. I was kind of, you know, not looking super cute. And he comes over to me and he's like, I know who you are. And I was like, oh, no. I promise I don't usually look like this. But, you know, I'm traveling. He goes, you look just like Deborah Norville.

The host of Inside Edition. And it was like, dude, that is the best compliment you could ever get. He's like, do you know who she is? I was like, of course I do. He didn't know me from anyone in Fox News or anything else. He just thought I looked like Deborah Norville. And I was like, I will take that compliment, sir. Thank you very much. So I've never thought of that. But you do. I said, I'll take it. All

All right. So listen, so excited for all of the happy, wonderful things in your life and just your continued light and faith and witness out there. And just you're such an encouragement and such an inspiration. Again, it's Megan Alexander's book, One More Hug. If you want just something that is absolutely precious, you got kids or grandkids. I mean, I can't recommend it highly enough. Like I said, I've got neither of those, but I was on the train crying reading the book and watching the beautiful music video too. So congratulations, Megan, and just wishing you all the best. Hope we'll see you soon on Fox News at Night.

Thank you so much, Shannon, my friend. Appreciate you. God bless you. You too. Thanks, Megan. This is Jimmy Fallon inviting you to join me for Fox Across America, where we'll discuss every single one of the Democrats' dumb ideas. Just kidding. It's only a three-hour show. Listen live at noon Eastern or get the podcast at foxacrossamerica.com.