Jessica Tarlov, who already frequently appears on Fox News, was hired as a new contributor for the network and Fox Business Network. She’s appeared on the network before, sparring with Sean Hannity and other conservative pundits on the network. Now, you can expect to see even more of her on Fox News.
Tarlov is the senior director of research at the Bustle Digital Group, which owns Bustle, Romper and Elite Daily. She previously worked as a Democratic strategist for Douglas Schoen, LLC.
The 33-year-old Tarlov is not married and doesn’t have any children. You can follow Tarlov on Twitter. She frequently sparks intensive Twitter commentary when she appears on television.
Here’s what you need to know about Tarlov.
1. Tarlov’s Sister Is ‘Awkward’ Actress Molly Tarlov
Tarlov comes from a show business family. Her father is Mark Tarlov, a producer who worked on The Man Who Knew Too Little, Copycat, Christine and Serial Mom. Mark Tarlov also directed two films: 1999’s Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar and 2004’s Temptation with Zoe Saldana. Her mother is Judy Roberts.
Tarlov’s younger sister is Molly Tarlov, who played Sadie Saxton on MTV’s Awkward.. Molly Tarlov also appeared in Everlasting, G.B.F. and iCarly. She’s working on a TV series called Nasty Habits.
According to IMDB, Molly Tarlov “is an actress, known for G.B.F. (2013), Everlasting (2016) and Simply Irresistible (1999). She has been married to Alexander Noyes since March 4, 2017.”
2. Tarlov Attended Bryn Mawr College & Earned a Ph.D. at the London School of Economics And Political Science
According to Tarlov’s LinkedIn page, she earned her B.A. in History at Bryn Mawr College in 2006.
That same year, she enrolled at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2012, she earned a Ph.D. in Political Science and Government. She also earned a Masters degree in Public Policy and Administration.
In 2007, Tarlov worked at Merill Lynhc as a project manager. In 2008, she workedfor Douglas Schoen for the first time, joining him as a research assistant. She re-joined Schoen in May 2012 as a Democratic political strategist.
3. Tarlov is an ‘Admitted’ Hillary Clinton ‘Fan-Girl’
Tarlov, who was dubbed “Fox’s Liberal” by The Washingtonian, openly supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. After Clinton lost, she wrote “Thank You, Hillary Clinton” on FoxNews.com.
“I’m an admitted Hillary fan-girl, but even the coldest hearted Republicans will have to admit that she has always wanted every American to have health care, a chance at a quality education and opportunity for a bright future,” Tarlov wrote. She later added, “I was disappointed to see that female voters didn’t come out for Hillary in the way the polls predicted because I do think it’s meaningful for women to support other women. And not just any woman. This woman.”
In a Garzia Daily interview, Tarlov said there is still interest in seeing a woman become president.
“There’s still widespread interest – upwards of 80% – in a female President, it’s just clear that Hillary wasn’t that choice for Americans,” Tarlov told the site. “Feminism in the 21st century is radically different than in previous decades and Clinton ran up against a group of women who see their identity as much more complex than just gender first and foremost.”
4. Alex Jones Once Referred to Her as an ‘8-foot arrogant Brunhilda’
During Tarlov’s previous two years at Fox News, she’s become known as one of the few liberal voices. That has made her an easy target for other members of the conservative media. For example, InfoWars’ Alex Jones once referred to her as “the 8-foot arrogant Brunhilda” after she appeared on a Tucker Carlson segment about fake news. Tarlov asked when Jones would finally lose his credibility.
In a March interview with The Washingtonian, Tarlov said her Twitter feed became a “sea of nastiness.”
“But there are conservatives who have watched me go from you-are-super-scared-to-be-on-TV to as comfortable as I am now who will defend me if they see people going after me,” she told the Washingtonian.
Tarlov even earned praise from Tomi Lahren.
“She’s a level-headed liberal and opposition voice,” Lahren told the Washingtonian after the two of them appeared on Fox News together. Lahren told the magazine that when Sean Hannity saw the two getting along before a segment, “The first thing he said to us was ‘Remember, you guys have to fight in a minute.’”
In the same interview, Tarlov said she “never had any issue” herself at Fox News and only heard about the allegations of sexual harassment against Roger Ailes when it was reported.
5. She Co-Wrote ‘America In The Age of Trump’ With Douglas Schoen
Tarlov co-wrote the book America In The Age of Trump: A Bipartisan Guide with Douglas Schoen. The book will be released in July.
According to the publisher’s synopsis, the book offers a “definitive and unique assessment of a nation in turmoil, looking beneath well-known problems to identify underlying yet poorly understood causes. Readers will confront the crises, one by one: of trust, values, and governance; of education, economic opportunity, and fiscal solvency; of national security, domestic tranquility, and race relations.”
Tarlov’s boss, Schoen, is also a Fox News contributor. He was named Pollster of the Year in 1996 by the American Association of Political Consultants. He’s worked for President Bill Clinton, Michael Bloomberg, Evan Bayh and Tony Blair. His other books include The Power of the Vote: Electing Presidents, Overthrowing Dictators, and Promoting Democracy Around the World and The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House.
Back in August 2014, Tarlov and Schoen wrote a piece for the Washington Times about the importance of a political center.