Rob Schmitt is the co-anchor of Fox & Friends First, which airs at 5 a.m. on weekdays, along with Jillian Mele. Schmitt joined Fox News in June 2016 after honing his reporting skills at local TV stations.
Schmitt is not shy about how much he shares on social media. The 36-year-old Indiana native has posted several shirtless photos of himself on vacation. What he does keep quiet are details about his dating life. If Schmitt has a girlfriend, he is keeping her under wraps. He has never been married.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Rob Schmitt Grew Up Near Indianapolis & His Mother Was an Immigrant From Iran
Rob Schmitt was born August 13, 1983. He was raised in the suburb of Carmel, located just north of Indianapolis.
He shared in a Fox News segment in 2017 that his mother’s family immigrated from Iran in the early 1970s. His mother, Farzaneh, met his father, Robert, in Cincinnati. They got married in 1976.
Schmitt stayed relatively close to home after graduating high school. He attended Indiana University in Bloomington, which is about 70 miles south of his hometown. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism in 2005.
2. Schmitt Worked at a Golf Club in High School & Still Enjoys the Sport
Rob Schmitt as a child.
Rob Schmitt loves to golf and he’s been playing the sport for the majority of his life. His mother shared that when she was pregnant with Rob, his father went out and bought a plastic golf club.
Schmitt said he learned to golf alongside his father at the Brookshire Golf Club in Carmel. He then got used to early morning hours when he got a job at the golf club in high school. In the Fox News segment referenced above, Schmitt’s father recalled that he used to ride his bike to the golf club at 5 a.m.
Schmitt has kept up with the sport and has taken to the links alongside co-anchor Jillian Mele, who also enjoys golfing. They both participated in the Ray Pfeifer Foundation Golf Classic in June 2018 at Lake Success, New York. The annual event raises money to help September 11th first responders, firefighters and police pay for medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance.
3. Rob Schmitt Has Never Been Married & Keeps His Dating Life Under Wraps
Rob Schmitt’s marital status is single. He has never shared any photos or dropped any hints on social media about his dating life.
But Schmitt’s not shy about sharing photos of himself being goofy with his friends. And he’s not bashful about posting photos of himself without a shirt. His social media photos include multiple comments from fans praising him for his good looks.
In September 2017, he went on vacation to Italy with his mother. One commenter teased Schmitt about it, writing, “Finally, a pic of you with a beautiful woman.”
Co-anchor Jillian Mele is also single, leading to speculation that perhaps the two coworkers have a relationship that is more than just professional. Commenters on social media have posted messages about a possible “showmance.” But neither Schmitt nor Mele has indicated they are anything more than friends.
4. Rob Schmitt Worked at Three Local Stations Before Making the Move to Network News
I’m 35 today 👴🏻
Rob Schmitt began his news career in Miami, Florida. He was a weekend anchor at the ABC affiate WPLG-TV in 2008, according to his Facebook page.
After three years, Schmitt traded in southern Florida for southern California. He went to work as an anchor and reporter at CBS Los Angeles in 2011.
In 2013, Schmitt made the move to New York City when he was offered an anchor job at WNBC-TV. He served as a weekend anchor as well as the noon weekday show. He contributed to reports for the evening programs as well.
Schmitt transitioned into network news in 2016 with the move to Fox. He indicated on his Twitter bio that he strives for a middle-of-the-road approach to the news. The bio reads, “The answer is rarely to the far left or right… but somewhere in the middle…”
5. Rob Schmitt is Lactose Intolerant
In today’s ever-liberal woke society – I’d like to call attention to lactose intolerance shaming and the biggest bully EVER @JaniceDean
Rob Schmitt cannot handle a glass of milk. He shared on Fox News that he is lactose intolerant.
He has joked on-air and on social media that his fellow Fox anchors have ribbed him for this allergy. On June 27, 2018, the news team was eating ice cream on the show, with Rob quipping, “I love these friggin’ jokes about me all the time.” You can see the video embedded above. Schmitt joked on Twitter, “In today’s ever-liberal woke society – I’d like to call attention to lactose intolerance shaming and the biggest bully EVER @JaniceDean.”
Happy National ice cream cake day @JaniceDean @jillianmele
Schmitt also shared with fans the medicine he keeps with him for the rare occassions when he eats something that includes gluctose. He posted a photo of a Lactaid packet, tagged Jillian Mele and Janice Dean and included the caption, “Happy National ice cream cake day.”
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