10 Things I Love About Rachel

Last September, thanks to the rollercoaster ride that was the presidential election, I developed a sudden, intense interest in politics and current events. At about the same time, a cheerful, snarky lesbian named Rachel Maddow became the official Fresh New Face in cable news, getting her own primetime news show on MSNBC.

One year later, The Rachel Maddow Show is a hit. It's one of the few TV shows I ever watch, and the one show I never miss. So in honour of TRMS's birthday, here's my take on why she's so important.

1. She's my daily affirmation that women can be intelligent, analytical, calm under fire, assertive, ambitious, and successful - all while wearing sneakers.
2. Like me, she taught herself to read when she was a child. (Unlike me, she was four, and she taught herself using the World section of the newspaper.)
3. She hates fashion, which makes it okay for me to hate fashion. Seriously, ever since she's been on the air I've been so comfy. And she's unconventionally beautiful, which is my favourite kind of beautiful.
4. She's a proud, patriotic liberal in an age when liberals are still accused of hating America.
5. She debates conservatives (when they're brave enough to come on her show) without yelling, interrupting, or being rude. The worst she'll do is laugh at them, which is enough to drive some of them nuts.
6. She taught me the meaning of the word "cogent". I love the fact that her arguments are always to the point, thoroughly researched, and persuasive. If you agree with her, she's an invaluable resource; and if you disagree with her, you can have a truly constructive debate about it.
7. She's a dork. She reads comic books, watches EuroVision, is fluent in lolcatspeak, and devotes a regular segment of her show to science breakthroughs.
8. The shoes, obviously.
9. Sometimes during her show, when she is interviewing someone, you can hear her emphatically underlining things and scribbling notes with a pencil. This is adorable.
10. She's gay, and it's no big deal - which is a huge deal.