9 Quick Questions for Robin Meade

Longest-running anchor of a national TV morning show shares tips for puffy eyes and long marriages

Jennifer Bradley Franklin,

AARP

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Published September 20, 2022

JEREMY FREEMAN/CNN

Millions of viewers across the country count on Robin Meade’s signature “Morning Sunshine!” greeting to start their day. At 53, she’s a best-selling author, country music singer and former Miss Ohio, and this year marks her 21st as anchor of HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade.

Have you always been a morning person?

I think so. There may be a time in college where perhaps I wasn't, but I've always been an early starter.

How much coffee do you drink?

I think it tastes terrible. I really do. No matter how much I doctor it up, it tastes terrible, but I drink it for the function. The funny thing is that, in my first 15 years here at CNN Headline News … I did not drink coffee. Seriously, I would drink hot water. Then, somewhere along the line, I started drinking coffee. And I don't know how many cups [I drink]. Maybe four or five by the end of the day?

Any tips for puffy morning eyes?

Yes, I will grab a cold can — like Diet Sprite or whatever I have — out of the fridge, and I just put it on my eyes for a little bit.

**You’ve released two country music albums [Brand New Day in 2011 and Count on Me in 2013]. If you were offered a big recording contract tomorrow, would you leave your day job?**

No, I would not. But thank you for putting in my mind that it could happen. I know what my strength is, and what I get to do for a living is my favorite. I feel passionate about it.

Favorite singer or songwriter?

I love me some Brandi Carlile. Her voice is so stellar. If you go to a concert, you just feel like you're right along with her. She’ll do covers. She's not one of these artists who's too proud to cover somebody else's work. I've enjoyed her immensely.

Robin Meade performs during the Academy of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robin Meade performs during the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam in Las Vegas.

Frazer Harrison/ACMA2012/Getty Images for ACM

Finish this sentence: If I were not doing this job I would be …

I think I would be driving my husband crazy because he'd be the one that would listen to me at 5 or 6 in the morning. [But really] I think songwriting because I think of songwriting as journalism, just a different kind.

You and your husband Tim have been married since 1993. Do you have a secret to marriage longevity?

Marry [for] humor. Don't marry looks; don't marry money. Looks go. Money is never an equation in love. But if they're funny, it's awfully hard to be mad at them.

Where is your 1992 Miss Ohio crown?

This is a very good question because we just moved last week and everything's in moving boxes. … So we think it's in a box somewhere, [but usually] my Miss Ohio crown is in our office at home right next to my PGA trophy.

Wait, what PGA trophy?

It's crazy. Once, as a story here for work, I took part in this PGA promotion that they were doing called Get Golf Ready. If you had never played golf before, [the program claims] you should be ready to golf in six lessons. Then they said, “Why don't you come to Bermuda for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf and you can play in the Pro-Am.” I said yes, but I had no idea what I was saying yes to. I think it was maybe the fifth time I’d been on a golf course. The PGA stacked my team with amazing golfers … as a result, my team won and I have a PGA trophy. Can you believe that?

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Jennifer Bradley Franklin is an Atlanta-based journalist, editor and author who has contributed to the Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, People magazine, USA Today and others. She's an avid traveler, ballroom dancer and is more than a little coffee obsessed. Read more of her work at jenniferbradleyfranklin.com.