Tom Llamas on taking over 'NBC Nightly News' from 'Iron Pants' Lester Holt
Tom Llamas on taking over 'NBC Nightly News' from 'Iron Pants' Lester Holt
Show Caption
Hide Caption
'NBC Nightly News' anchor Tom Llamas explains why he left ABC News
Tom Llamas, the new anchor of "NBC Nightly News," explains to USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa how he became interested in the news.
NEW YORK - Tom Llamas, the veteran journalist who takes the helm of NBC Nightly News from Lester Holt on June 2, is breaking down a typical weekday and how it'll change with his new gig. Llamas lives just north of Manhattan in Westchester County, New York, with his wife Jennifer and their three children, ages 12, 9 and 7.
"I get up at 6:30 in the morning because I want to be there for breakfast (with my kids)," Llamas, 45, tells USA TODAY. "But I've got to have my energy levels peaking at 6:30 (p.m.) now. I'm going to figure it out; a lot of Cuban coffee."
Llamas admits that he already drank a lot of coffee with his previous schedule, which includes traveling the globe to cover breaking news for NBC in addition to anchoring "Top Story with Tom Llamas," an evening news program that streams on NBC News Now. (The show recently earned an Emmy nomination.) Llamas also served as the main substitute anchor for Holt on "Nightly News." In addition to his new duties as the anchor and managing editor of "Nightly News," Llamas will continue to host "Top Story."
"People are working feverishly at 30 Rock because the moment 'Nightly News' ends in the same studio, they're going to hit a button and the entire studio's going to change," Llamas reveals, as Studio 1A will transform from the "Nightly News" set to "Top Story." In all, he'll be anchoring 90 minutes of live television, five nights a week. "The graphics are all going to change, and 'Top Story's' going to start within seconds."
Who is new 'NBC Nightly News' anchor Tom Llamas?
Llamas was born in Miami to Cuban refugee parents and traces his interest in news to his childhood.
"At the dinner table, we were always talking politics, international affairs, even when we were little," he recalls. "Our parents wanted us to understand what had happened in Cuba, so I was always interested in current events."
His career started at 15 when he landed an internship with Telemundo, now owned by NBCUniversal. Llamas graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and later completed a program at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies. Since 2000, he has spent the majority of his time with NBC News and its local affiliates, save for a seven-year stretch from 2014 to 2021 at ABC News. During Llamas' time at ABC, he worked as chief national affairs correspondent and as the weekend anchor on "World News Tonight," while also handling substitute anchor duties for David Muir on weekdays.
When the world shut down following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Llamas' priorities shifted; he was looking to travel less. A homecoming to NBC News was "always in the back of my mind," he says. NBC News hired him as a senior national correspondent and the "Top Story" anchor.
"The team welcomed me with open arms," he says. "People like Savannah (Guthrie) and Hoda (Kotb) were the first people I told and they were so nice. And I've known Lester since I was 21."
Holt, 66, has anchored "Nightly News" since 2015, when he replaced Brian Williams, who was suspended for falsely claiming that he had been in a helicopter hit by enemy fire during the Iraq War. A subsequent investigation found that he had made other inaccurate statements about his experiences covering events, and he lost the job.
Llamas is the fourth person in the last 40 years to anchor "Nightly News," joining Holt, Williams and Tom Brokaw, who anchored from 1983 to 2004.
Both Llamas and his wife worked for Holt as production assistants straight out of college.
Tom Llamas continues a trend in changing faces at NBC, network news
Holt will stay with NBC as anchor of "Dateline" newsmagazine. But his departure from the anchor chair at "Nightly News" marks the second major change to NBC News' talent lineup this year. Kotb left her post as co-anchor of "Today" in January. All of this comes as Comcast, NBCUniversal's parent company, prepares to spin off MSNBC, CNBC, E! and Syfy into a new company called Versant.
Meanwhile, Norah O'Donnell departed the "CBS Evening News" in January, and was unsuccessfully replaced by co-anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson. Muir, who took over "World News Tonight" in 2014, is the longest tenured of the network evening news anchors.
"There's still close to 20 million Americans that watch the evening news every single night," Llamas remarks of the current landscape. "It's a lot more competitive than people know. We compete for everything in network news, like whether it be bookings on guests, on politicians, live-shot locations, who has the best story, who has the most compelling elements, the video. All of our journalists, besides getting the story right, they're also making sure that they've beaten the competition."
Llamas' goal with "Nightly News" is to "modernize the storytelling little by little," employing more user-generated content. He'll judge the program's success on gaining viewers' trust, although he wants "Nightly News" to be No. 1 in the ratings; ABC has led for nearly a decade, with CBS a distant third. However, his conversations with Holt on the anchor role have focused less on ratings and more on their personal lives.
"(Holt) did this job while being a father and a husband," Llamas says. "He had two sons and he came up in local news, cable and the network. He was always a hard worker. I mean, his nickname is 'Iron Pants.' So I've asked him about that and the tough calls he had to make."
The work-life balance, while now on a more national level, isn't new to Llamas or his family. He says his kids are excited for him and he credits his wife with being the "rock" of their family.
How will Tom Llamas cover the Trump administration?
Llamas is aware that President Trump is a news consumer. And while the current president has probably seen some of Llamas' work on NBC, the anchor is also aware of his new platform.
"You've got to be tough but fair," Llamas says. "If you're tough on the Republicans, you've got to be tough on the Democrats, and you've got to be fair about it. I think NBC has always done that. And then you've got to report the news without fear or favor.
"I work for NBC News, but I really work for the viewers. And so when I do have the opportunity to interview the president" – he has not thus far – "I know I'm not asking questions for me or for NBC, I'm asking questions for the people at home. (The challenge) comes with the territory. I've had conversations with Lester about this as well. But I know what I've signed up for, and I'm looking forward to it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Losing Marc Maron's incredible podcast WTF is going to stink so badly
Losing Marc Maron's incredible podcast WTF is going to stink so badly As hard as it is to believe, there was once a time where a comedian having a podcast wasn't the industry standard. However, if it weren't for Marc Maron, the world of podcasting doesn't look like it does now in part. Maron's decision to interview noteworthy people on his WTF helped pave the way for podcasts as we know it, as Maron pioneered in the same way fellow comics Tom Green, Ricky Gervais and Joe Rogan did in the space ... for better or for worse. Maron's show absolutely falls on the positive side of that equation. For the last 16 years, Maron has invited his fellow "What the [expletive]-sters" to his garage for wide ranging conversations with all types of people, from brilliant comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff to a sitting United States president in Barack Obama. He's interviewed legendary actors and filmmakers, beloved musicians and seemingly all of the working comedians of note in the last two decades and beyond. If you listen to Maron regularly, you feel fully in on the experience. Twice a week, Maron invited far-flung fans from across the globe to pull up a chair in the basement, hear what Maron's been up to in the last week or so and soak in on some of the best conversations you could possibly hope to hear on a podcast. Maron's interview style is strikingly disarming while fully on key with the podcast host's cranky-warm personality. You get the feeling guests are being honest and vulnerable with Maron in ways they aren't elsewhere. Since his show has been around for so long, it's just comforting to know it's always there. Even if you spend six months away, it's so easy to slip right back in and listen to one of Maron's excellent interviews. News of the show ending hit like a pillow case full of bricks on Monday, as Maron and his producer Brendan McDonald made the joint decision that WTF will be put to pasture this fall. "Both of us are tired," Maron wrote on his website. "We've done great work. There's absolutely no reason to just keep plugging along because we can. It's okay for things to end. We've been very fortunate to do things exactly how we wanted to do them, all on our terms. We started the show on our terms and we are ending the show on our terms." Maron is right that it's absolutely okay for things to end, but boy, this one stings. WTF has felt like a constant in a pretty inconsistent world, a particular balm during the COVID-19 pandemic when Maron's pre-interview segments felt like sanity checks for those of us who processed with Maron the world being on fire. It's hard to really explain what listening to WTF regularly is like, but it always fells like a place to call home. Even though the show still has the summer to go before its conclusion this fall, just knowing it's going to end will put added weight on future listens. The show will always be there, of course, but it's hard to let go of art you find meaningful once it's at its end. WTF really became an art as it went on, as Maron's podcasting style was singular and refreshing. There's nothing else like it, and nothing will replace it. Maron wouldn't want anybody moping around about the end of WTF, but his show deserves to be celebrated in the months to come. Boomer lives, and so will WTF when it ends. We hope Maron and McDonald gets all the flowers they could hope before signing off for the last time. Losing WTF stinks, but we're so glad it we had it while we did. As far as podcasts go, it probably was and is the greatest ever.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Jason Sudeikis remembers 'incredible influence' of uncle George Wendt: 'An amazing guy'
Jason Sudeikis remembers 'incredible influence' of uncle George Wendt: 'An amazing guy' Show Caption Hide Caption 'Cheers' actor George Wendt dies at 76 George Wendt earned six consecutive best supporting actor Emmy nominations playing Norm Peterson on NBC's "Cheers." To the world, George Wendt will always be Norm. But for Jason Sudeikis, he was just Uncle George. Less than two weeks after the beloved "Cheers" star's death, Sudeikis opened up about the impact of his late uncle during an appearance at Big Slick Celebrity Weekend, an annual fundraising event for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 30. Wendt died "peacefully in his sleep" on May 20 at the age of 76. "He was an amazing guy," Sudeikis, 49, said. "With regard to my Uncle George, I mean, there's that old saying of, 'Don't meet your heroes,' usually because 'they let you down,' I assume, is the back half of that statement. But he's not one of those people." 'A well-loved friend': George Wendt, beloved bar regular Norm on 'Cheers,' dies at 76 Wendt was best known for his portrayal of the beer-quaffing barfly Norm Peterson on the classic NBC sitcom, and Sudeikis reflected that the actor's everyman charm wasn't limited to the TV screen. "He's as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films," the Kansas-bred actor said. "He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that blazed the trail being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, if you really care about it." George Wendt remembered: 'Cheers' stars Ted Danson, John Ratzenberger and Rhea Perlman pay tribute Aside from Wendt's commitment to the craft, Sudeikis added that the Illinois-born actor's humility was just as much of an inspiration. "He also always kept connected to his family, to his roots, both in Chicago, of course, where he's from, but then also the time he spent here," said Sudeikis, referring to Kansas City, where Wendt attended college. "We miss him greatly, and I love him dearly." Contributing: Bryan Alexander and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tom Llamas Marks the Start of a 'New Adventure' as He Anchors First 'NBC Nightly News' After Lester Holt's Exit
Tom Llamas celebrated his debut as the new anchor of NBC Nightly News on the June 2 episode, calling it the start of a "new adventure" Llamas, who is also host of Top Story with Tom Llamas, succeeds Lester Holt in the role The journalist spoke to Today ahead of his first episode behind the Nightly News desk, revealing how he feels as the first Latino weekday evening news anchorTom Llamas is signing on. Llamas made his debut as the new anchor of NBC Nightly News on the June 2 episode, taking over the reins from Lester Holt. "That's Nightly News for tonight, my first as the anchor of this great broadcast," Llamas said at the end of the episode. "My thanks to all of you as we start this new adventure together. Tonight, and always, we're here for you." Llamas also introduced a new series during his debut episode called "The Cost of Denial," which he explained is "a spotlight on the issues millions of American face across healthcare and homeownership when it comes to insurance coverage." Ahead of his first episode anchoring Nightly News, Llamas sat down with Savannah Guthrie on Today to discuss his new role. "I feel excited. I'm so looking forward to this. I can't wait," he said, adding that he "never in my wildest dreams" thought he could get to this point in his career. "I'm a little nervous, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I think it's good to be a little nervous." With his new gig, Llamas is the first Latino weekday evening news anchor — something he called both a privilege and an honor. "I thank all the Hispanic journalists that came before me because when I was watching news and growing up, we'd watch news in English and Spanish, I saw people like José Díaz-Balart, people that I could look up to. And I saw, well, if they can do it, I could do it," said Llamas, who is Cuban-American. "I think even bigger than that, my parents came here as immigrants. They came here with nothing. Their son is now going to be the anchor of Nightly News, one of the biggest and most important newscasts in our country," he continued. "What it tells me is that the American dream is still alive. I know that because I'm living it." Llamas also called his wife, Jennifer, and their three children "my biggest cheerleaders." Holt signed off as Nightly News anchor on the May 30 episode after more than a decade in the role, calling his stint on the evening news show "the honor of a lifetime." "Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters and you matter," Holt said in his farewell. "Over the last decade, we have shared some dark and harrowing days and nights from our country — the pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters — each testing our resilience and our compassion. That's why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us." "Please continue to take care of yourself and each other, and I'll do the same," he added, also wishing Llamas "great success." Read the original article on People
