5 Fun Facts About Steve Kornacki: Diet Coke to Khakis
Leave it like that Steve Kornacki and his great Board to break the news.
Whether it’s the start of March Madness or the end of the 2024 presidential election season, Kornacki has been a resource for NBC News viewers hoping to get analysis on the big news of the day.
Dressed in his now-signature khakis, Kornacki did the following as he dissected the ever-changing schedules, data and numbers on his Big Board or “Kornacki cam.”
“A lot of spreadsheets, a lot of numbers, trying to memorize things,” Kornacki told the newspaper. Today show when discussing how she is preparing for the big night of the reunion. “I say that 99% of the things I prepare I will never put on the air, but you don’t know what that percentage is.”
As the Boston University grad prepares to cover another election as a journalist, read on to learn more about his life away from the big board:
Steve Kornacki Needs His Diet Coke
When her work schedule calls for early mornings and long nights with NBC News, Kornack relies on Diet Coke to stay hydrated and energized.
“I couldn’t even tell you how many [I drink],” he said GQ November 2020. “It’s just some kind of permanent supply. … On a normal day, I’ll have a couple. But on election night, I just keep it close and I just use it all the time.”
In response to viewers warning him that Diet Coke might not be a healthy drink choice, Kornacki admits he doesn’t know what’s in the product. “I think it must be bad for you,” he joked.
In November 2024, Kornacki received a basket of Diet Coke and Nutter Butter cookies from Today a show to keep him fired up on judgment day.
Steve Kornacki’s Secrets to Keep Calm and Carry On
Whether he’s talking about football season statistics or election night polls, Kornacki has learned that numbers can change quickly and without warning.
Although he likes to walk six miles to and from his office in New York City’s Rockefeller Center every day, Kornacki doesn’t have a big secret to stress relief.
“Everyone recommends things to me,” he said GQ. “I am very bad about it. I try to do breathing exercises and I end up panicking in the middle of them and it doesn’t go well.”
Steve Kornacki Loves His Mother
Although Kornacki likes to keep his personal life private on social media, the NBC News and MSNBC political reporter gave a glimpse into his family life by sharing photos of his mother on Instagram.
Whether it’s wishing her a happy birthday or giving her records for a night of music, Kornacki can’t help but talk to her mom.
“I look at him in it and I see love, care and happiness,” he wrote on Instagram in September 2024 after his death. “I am lucky that you have been able to see a lot of my life, even if there is not enough time. There was no one who did not stumble, but my mother was the best mother.”
Steve Kornacki Came Out as Gay in a Personal Story
In a 2011 personal essay by SalonKornacki came out as gay.
“I have read stories of people who say they always knew they were attracted to people of the same sex, or that they discovered it when they were young,” he wrote. “I am not one of them. … I was addicted to ESPN since way back in elementary school. I also had an early crush on girls.”
After discussing his journey, Kornacki expressed how happy he was to speak his truth.
“This is not the beginning of a brand new life,” he continued. “Actually, I like the one I already have. But now the fear and confusion are gone. And my life can finally make sense to the people who matter to me.”
Steve Kornacki’s Favorite Khakis
Regular NBC news viewers may have noticed that Kornacki often wears khakis during his live reports in front of the Central Board. New York Magazine in the past, it was investigated whether the journalist had the name of his uniform. According to his producer, Kornacki likes his pants from the Gap.
Although the Kornacki producer was not ready to reveal a specific style, New York Magazine searched the Internet and seemed to decide that the reporter liked the Gap Modern Khakis in Straight Fit.
Watch Steve Kornacki on various NBC News platforms, including MSNBC and Peacock.