Alison Stewart, formerly of MTV, ABC News, NBC Nightly News and, most recently, MSNBC, is currently settling in to a comfortable career as an NPR morning show host based in New York City. The Observer -- always obsessed with upward social mobility -- asks The Bryant Park Project host if she ever misses the television paycheck. From The Observer:

''Joking aside, Ms. Stewart said she has never much enjoyed the feverish scrutiny that comes with being a female journalist on TV. 'I was in the makeup room one day at work, and I was like, 'Beauty is a depreciating asset,' said Ms. Stewart. 'When they talk about Katie Couric, she's a great interviewer, but all they talk about is her clothes and her legs. It's almost expected, sadly. So there was a certain element of like, wow, NPR is a place where I could grow old gracefully.'

''Was it hard to trade in a TV paycheck for a radio one? 'NBC offered to pay me a lot more money than I make now, just to have a full time job there,' said Ms. Stewart. 'But, as I said to someone, I don't need any more shoes. I have a lot of shoes.''

Stewart originally aspired to break into journalism after college through Rolling Stone magazine, but after failing to gain assignments, took a position at MTV.

(image via collegeherald)