Most people know Jodi Applegate as co-host Good Day New York, or perhaps the "that's not cool" newscaster who was the target of a YouTube-driven practical joke earlier this year. But she's had a starry career - rising from Phoenix, Arizona morning personality to NBC's Later Today and Weekend Today. Applegate also holds the distinction of being at the anchor desk for MSNBC's debut broadcast in 1996. She recently spoke with mediabistro.com about her career.

You were the first anchor of MSNBC for its debut. How was that?

I was working in Phoenix, Arizona for a local morning show. It was like Good Day New York. They ripped off the format. We started getting popular. Then NBC was in town for the 1996 Super Bowl and they saw me and asked if I would be interested in coming to New York. So I was hired.

I went on the air on July 15, 1996. It was like "Applegate, you’re up." I was nervous, it was the network debut. I had (former GE chairman) Jack Welch standing right in the room there watching. I was probably too young and naïve to be really nervous.

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