Craig Melvin Launches New Show Away From NBC’s ‘Today’

Craig Melvin is taking a step back from the small screen for his brand-new project.

On Tuesday, March 10, Melvin dropped the first two episodes of his first-ever podcast, Glass Half Full. “Every morning, we get to interview really fascinating people from all walks of life under the bright lights of Studio 1A,” Melvin said on Today. “But for this podcast, we went for a change of scenery for conversations, conversations that are longer, more relaxed, and often pretty surprising.”

Melvin opened up about his podcast in a prerecorded package, revealing he films episodes from his at-home “bourbon bar” in his basement, where he frequently hosts his friends. “Now, I’m inviting some people you know to toast the moments they say changed their lives,” he said via voiceover.

Some of Melvin’s star-studded podcast guests will include Jim Gaffigan, Roy Wood Jr., Regina Hall, and Carmelo Anthony. His first two episodes, featuring conversations with Shonda Rhimes and Shaquille O’Neal, dropped on Tuesday.

“We have a lot in common, collectively, but then you get to a point where you forget that the camera’s on,” the anchor said of his celebrity guests. “It’s like you’re just having a conversation with a friend.”

Melvin said he hopes the podcast will serve as a break from the fast-paced lives of listeners. “I think we live in a time where everything’s like this,” he stated, snapping his fingers. “I think the pendulum’s starting to swing. There’s a real audience for people who want to connect through storytelling, through laughter, through tears. And this is the perfect medium for that.”

The video went on to show clips from Melvin’s podcast episodes, including him asking guests whether they are glass-half-full or glass-half-empty people. “Half-full, half-empty, but whatever half you fall into, the bar is open. So, let’s discuss,” he said via voiceover at the end of the package.

Back in Today‘s Studio 1A, Melvin admitted he was initially hesitant to launch a podcast. “God knows, we don’t need another podcast in the world,” he said. “But when someone approached me, I was like, ‘You know, actually, I enjoy having the four or five-minute conversations we get to have live on the show. It would be nice to be able to spend 40, 45 minutes talking to someone, digging deeper.”

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Carson Daly quipped, “And a little liquid courage doesn’t hurt.” Melvin replied, “By the way, that was part of the motivation.” Hoda Kotb, for her part, told Melvin, “I bet you, coming out of these interviews, had a whole different understanding of Shaw, of Regina, of all these people you’ve talked to before.”

Melvin said “peel[ing] back the layers and [figuring] out what makes someone tick, what makes them successful” is “one of the most fascinating parts of the job.”

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