Mercury Confidential: Meet the woman who has kept Glenn's TV show on the air every day since CNN

September 14, 2012

Writer

By Meg Storm

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at Mercury Radio Arts? Just how do all of Glenn’s crazy ideas get done? Does anyone ever get a chance to sleep? Well, over the next few months we are going to take you inside MRA, giving you the inside scoop on everything from publishing to special events, 1791 to Markdown to GBTV. We will be interviewing members of our New York, Columbus, and Dallas staff, bringing you all the info, so you can know what it’s really like to work for Glenn. Part 1 (Kevin Balfe – Publishing), Part 2 (Liz Julis – GBTV/Special Events), Part 3 (Joel Cheatwood: CCO & President of TheBlaze), Part 4 (Eric Pearce: VP, TV Operation of TheBlaze), Part 5 (Michelle Vanderhoff Network Operations Manager at TheBlaze)

Imagine leaving your job at CNN to get a call a few days later asking you to return and help launch a show for a radio personality who had virtually no television experience. Imagine then being the only person to leave your job at CNN and follow the now budding cable news star to Fox News, where you work your way up to senior producer in a matter of months. Finally, imagine leaving the comforts of working as an executive producer at a major cable news channel to join a fledgling online streaming network. Well, that just about sums up the remarkable career of Tiffany Siegel, V.P. and Executive Producer of Glenn Beck Programming

Siegel's journey is proof that with risk comes reward, and it is her work ethic and unfailing ability to translate Glenn's mile-a-minute ideas into a broadcast ready reality that took her from producing "all of the entertainment fluff segments" to the person calling the shots.

Life as an executive producer for Glenn can mean a long and stressful day, with Siegel getting into the office each morning in time for the 6:30AM meeting during which Glenn and his team figure out the content for the day and not leaving until after the Glenn's show is off the air each night, but she doesn't mind. After all, she is living her dream.

"Its pretty obvious - for this job at least - I went to Syracuse University, and I studied broadcast journalism," Siegel explained. "This was a lifelong thing for me."

She interned for CNN throughout college, and then took a job there after graduation. "I started in financial news, which was not that exciting. But at the time, it was during the Dot Com bubble, so we were launching all kinds of business programs. It was actually a good place to get your feet wet," she said.

Siegel ended up leaving CNN to work for CBS News, but it wasn't long before she got a call that would ultimately prove to be the opportunity of a lifetime. A producer at CNN, Conway Cliff (now a program consultant at TheBlaze), was launching a new daily show with a man named Glenn Beck, and he thought Siegel would be a good addition to the team.

"I was only at CBS for a few months because I left CNN and then Conway pulled me right back into CNN when Glenn's show came on because it just seemed like something so different then anything that network had done before," she recalled. "So I came in for an interview. I didn't meet Glenn, but I interviewed with Chris and Kevin Balfe. And then I met Glenn about two weeks before we were going to launch."

It was an exciting opportunity for Siegel that came at a very special time in her life. "I actually got married the week before we launched - the day Cheyenne [Glenn's daughter] was born - and then I came back from my honeymoon, and I think we launched the next day," she said with a laugh.

As far as Glenn is concerned, Siegel started at the bottom of totem pole. "I started as a segment producer doing, as Glenn tells the story, all of the entertainment fluff segments," she said. "When he tells a story about how you can make it big in his company he always says: Look at Tiffany, she started doing stupid, idiotic reality TV show segments for me."

"I did start doing a little bit of the lighter stuff," she continued. "I worked my way up - did a lot of field producing, and I guess that is when I really got to know Glenn. I did some stuff in the field, like when we went to Los Angles for a week, which enabled me some time with him working on different packages."

That trip to Los Angeles was actually one of the first chances Siegel got to really make an impression on Glenn, and it is safe to say things didn't quite go as planned.

"I didn't know Glenn that well, and I really wanted to show him that I wasn't just the fluffy reality TV show girl," she recalled. "So we were going to broadcast from the roof of the CNN building, which was pretty cool. I guess Glenn had just had these fancy suits made for his new TV career, and he had on his brand new L.A. suit that day."

"I took him up to the roof to show him this amazing vantage point, and the whole suit rips right before air. It just ripped," she said shaking her head. "I think they ended up putting masking tape on the back of it. And I was just like, 'Ok - this is the worst impression I could be making on this man.' He has these really nice fancy suits and it was ruined... that kind of sucked."

The incident was definitely an icebreaker, and it clearly didn't affect her chances for success. In fact, in retrospect it proved to be the beginning of an incredible partnership.

One of Siegel's fondest moments of her time at CNN came when a segment she produced made Glenn cry on television... for the first time.

"I think I made him cry for the very first time on set - at CNN anyway - we all know he has cried many, many times," she said sarcastically. It was a segment about a woman who had lost her son in Afghanistan, and she set up a foundation in his honor that would send packages to soldiers overseas. The woman was brought to the studio to talk about her story with Glenn.

"We had done a profile on her and her story, and she was on the set," Siegel explained. "So she watched the package with Glenn, and we came back from the piece, and he was just - you know Glenn - so hysterical that he could barely compose himself."

Considering how many tears Glenn has shed on the air, it is no small feat to say a story you produced caused him to cry for the first time. Siegel is one of the few people who have had the chance to work with Glenn since day one of his television career, and she has witnessed his evolution from novice to expert.

"Glenn, in the beginning, did not understand TV at all. He would say, lets get an expert on X, Y, and Z, and then they would be on the set that night, and he would be like, 'How did this happen?' He couldn't fathom how it worked," she said. "Now he is like, get me an elephant, two wild turkeys, and a monkey at five o'clock. And he expects it to be done. He has caught onto TV, the lingo, all of it. And now he is an expert on all of these things."

When Glenn decided to make the move to Fox News in late 2008, Siegel jumped at the chance to continue working with him. Of the entire production staff at CNN, she was the only one to follow Glenn. "I was the only one who took the risk at the time," she said. "That was scary, but exciting. And I knew that if Glenn was behind it, it was going to be fine. I knew him at that point, and I was comfortable with what he was doing."

With her days as the "fluff producer" long behind her, Siegel moved to Fox News as the second in command. "I was not running the show at first, but they had a senior producer that didn't work out," she explained. "So after about six months they put me in the driver's seat, and I was so excited. At that time we were the number two show in all of cable news, and I couldn't believe that I was running it!"

As executive producer, Siegel's job is to oversee the production and content of the show, providing Glenn with as many ideas as possible and keeping things organized - responsibilities that are much easier said than done when it comes to working with Glenn.

"I guess the thing with Glenn - what is that saying? The only thing consistent is change. That's Glenn. It is legitimately different everyday," she said. "He is not someone that likes to plan ahead, and even if he does plan ahead he will pretend that he didn't plan ahead. He'll be like, 'What are you talking about? I never said I would do that.'"

"For Glenn, I just like to come up with as many different story ideas with as many different topics as possible - so a ton of research, creative ways that he can tell stories," she continued. "We build that rundown from scratch everyday. We come in at 6:30 in the morning, and we meet with him and give him ideas. And then he marinates them in his head and comes out with that day's monologue, which has become the signature of the show."

There is no question that the opening monologue has become the hallmark of Glenn's program - lasting upwards of 20 minutes and packed full of thoroughly researched material that sets the tone for the rest of the show. "When we started with Glenn he was doing maybe four or five minute monologues, and people said that was too long, and you can't keep that up," Siegel explained. "And then we expanded them to twenty minutes, and now they can be up to an hour long. He is the only one on TV that I think can pull that off everyday."

Working with Glenn is also unique in that he generates so many of his own ideas. Siegel describes Glenn as "an idea factory," a quality that makes her job exponentially easier and more difficult at the same time.

"He is so not the typical TV host," she said. "He changes everyday. His ideas get bigger. No one works harder than Glenn, so just trying to - I don't want to say keep up with that - but I love the fact that he is absolutely the hardest working man in this building. To surround yourself with that just pushes you to do more."

"He is absolutely one of a kind, and completely unique. I have worked with a lot of other anchors and they are nothing like Glenn," she continued. "Glenn's vision is all his own."

Siegel has learned that a sense of humor is often necessary to ensure she keeps her sanity. "And then there is the silly factor of Glenn," she said with a laugh. "Like when the Supreme Court health care decision came down, he said that morning, let's have a circus on set. Let's have an elephant and horses and clowns. And he is dead serious! I have to be the magic fairy that makes that happen. It's a challenge, but fun... really fun."

It is running joke around the office that certain people have learned to 'speak Glenn,' and Siegel is one of those people. Her ability to anticipate his needs and understand the big picture is what makes their relationship work so well.

"I think from listening to him and working so closely with him, I do feel like I can often finish his sentences," Siegel admitted. "And I have a good memory, so if we did a show in 2009 where there is a certain sound bite that Glenn recalls, I can recall that too."

It also helps that in the six plus years Glenn has been on television, Siegel has only missed a handful of shows. "The only time I have ever missed a show was when I gave birth - and I only missed four shows," she said. "So people definitely think I am nuts, but just literally being on every show he has done on TV, allows you to remember all that stuff."

It also helps that Siegel has surrounded herself with a fantastic group of writers, producers, and directors. It is a team effort through and through. "Our team is unbelievable," she said without hesitation. "This team is all in it. Go big or go home."

When Glenn made the decision to leave Fox News and start his own online streaming network, Siegel was once again ready for the challenge. "Exposure wise it is obviously harder because you go from being part of the mainstream to being sort of under the radar," she said in regards to GBTV (now TheBlazeTV). "On a positive note, there is nothing we can't do. At the networks - at Fox or at CNN - we always had to get approval. If Glenn wanted to do a stunt or say something or do a show on location, we had to go to the 'second floor' - that's what they call it at Fox - or run it through executives."

The freedom to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants is something that Glenn was particularly excited about when he started GBTV. The freedom for Glenn to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants is something that can pose a bit of challenge for Siegel. "Now, we have no limitations, which is a blessing and a curse because sometimes if Glenn wants to do something nuts, we used to be able to say, 'Oh the second floor said no,'" she said with a laugh. "I'll say to Joel [Cheatwood, President/Chief Content Officer at TheBlaze] sometimes, 'We are the second floor. Help!' We can't say no now. It's just us. If Glenn wants to ride a horse into the studio, well, okay, make sure you are wearing your cowboy hat."

Despite all of the television wonders she has seen and produced over the years, one of Siegel's most memorable moments working for Glenn actually had nothing to do with TV.

"We were at Fox, and it was probably a Tuesday," she recalled. "Glenn decided it was his 10 year anniversary, and how could he let that go by without splurging on a last minute trip to Rome with Tania [his wife]."

Considering Glenn's show stars Glenn and Glenn only, taking the rest of the week off was going to be a little tricky. "So we had not been on Fox that long. We didn't have the liberty like we do now to just get a guest host," Siegel explained. "The only way to make this work was to tape like two or three shows back to back at one o'clock in the afternoon, and then he was going to get on the plane with Tania and go."

As if preparing for and taping three shows in one day was not complicated enough, Glenn added another piece to the puzzle when he decided the trip was going to be a surprise. "This was a really big ordeal, and it was like, no one tell, no one tell, no one say anything. This is the biggest surprise, and everyone managed to keep their mouth shut."

During the taping/broadcast of his show, Glenn can hear Siegel through an earpiece he wears, and when he speaks, she can hear what he is saying as well. Just as they were about to begin taping the first show, Glenn had a request. "We are right about to go on the air to tape the show," she said. "And I am in his earpiece, and he is like, 'Tiffany, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to ask my wife - (who is now waiting in the Green Room with no idea what is going on - she thinks she is here for this early show) - I need you to get her pocketbook and take her passport out because they need it so she can get on the plane.'"

"And I am like, you know, we can get you your circus elephants, but why would Tania give me her purse. Like I am supposed to take her pocketbook? She didn't really even know me at the time," she said.

As usual, however, she figured out a way to get it done. "But we somehow managed to sneak her passport out of her bag so she wouldn't know, and she was still surprised when she got to Rome. Its just so Glenn - go steal my wife's pocketbook, and steal her passport, and she won't notice."

It may sound nuts, but it is just another day at the office for Siegel, and she wouldn't have it any other way. "It sums up my job," she said with a smile. "I am responsible for everything from making sure the show gets on the air to making sure he has a Coke Zero at all times."

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images

"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

Dan Mullan / Staff | Getty Images

"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

VALERIE MACON / Contributor | Getty Images

"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

Oleg Nikishin / Stringer | Getty Images

Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

New York Daily News Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

Galerie Bilderwelt / Contributor | Getty Images

Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

Nick Ut / Contributor | Getty Images

The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

Bill Hinton / Contributor | Getty Images

Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

WPA Pool / Pool | Getty Images

Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

NICHOLAS KAMM / Contributor | Getty Images

The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

Fiona Goodall / Stringer | Getty Images

Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity