When the world stops, you can depend on Ms. Montgomery County | The Triangle

When the world stops, you can depend on Ms. Montgomery County

A sit-down with Lexi Brooks

Photograph by Ben Ahrens of The Triangle

Listen to the season two premiere of “Last Call” online!

There is an overheated wrestling practice room in the Drexel Athletic Center that, as an alumnus of the university, will forever hold a special place in my heart. If the walls could talk, it would tell the tale of two people, each non-wrestlers, sitting on the floor with two microphones and two drinks.

Both of them members of the media, both of them contributing on some level to society. Both of them with plans that would be thwarted by a danger far off in the distance. However, it was clear that bright days were ahead regardless, especially for my interviewee. Lexi Brooks, sitting with her Wawa Smoothie, was always going to be a great interview. I knew it from the start. Ever since ending the first season of “Last Call,” I knew that, if I was given the chance to do a second season, I would want her as a guest.

After all, the two of us had crossed paths so many times. First, in London, where we were both entranced not only by the sights and sounds, but also, the draw of working in multimedia. Hell, she even learned that she would begin work at NBC10 at NBC’s London Bureau. Not a bad way to start off a career.

A few months later, we would cross paths again, working side-by-side as reporters. The talent that I had sensed in London was now on full display, and it was undeniable! Lexi Brooks had the experience, knowledge, and most importantly, people skills necessary to make a massive impact in the field of journalism.

Not to mention, she is a pageant queen. Literally. 2019’s Miss Montgomery County, a title she still holds due to a pandemic that will not be named. She’s got the beauty, the talent, the smarts — everything needed to succeed.

However, none of those were the reason why I wanted to interview her. Those were just bonuses. As it has been with the five guests I’ve had on the podcast and numerous people I’ve talked to even without a live microphone, it was about learning more about the person. Seeing if there was more underneath the surface that not only I couldn’t see, but that others couldn’t either.

Lexi, on the surface, is kind, confident, compassionate and intelligent. Beneath all of that, however, is a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty about numerous aspects of her positive attributes that will equate success for her in the future, no matter what avenue she ends up going down.

It also speaks to how much she cares about others that she was able to do this interview. In between her busy schedule, including her job at NBC10 and preparing, at the time, for the upcoming Miss Philadelphia competition that has since been postponed, she had replied to my public Instagram call-out asking if she’d do the show with one simple response: “Let me know the time and place.” Can you say amazingly gracious? I sure can.

This episode, for me, was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in my short career. Sitting on the floor, talking over drinks with a woman who I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for, she made the first episode of my final run as host of “Last Call” completely unforgettable for all the right reasons.

When Miss Philadelphia comes back, they better give her the crown and sash that she deserves, because honestly, she more than deserves it. Don’t believe me? Listen to this episode and learn for yourself.