Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966)[1] is an American media entrepreneur,[2] television host,[3] and author.[4][5][6] He is currently the host of On Patrol: Live on Reelz,[7] and The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law[8] on SiriusXM's[9]P.O.T.U.S. channel. He is also the Chief Legal Analyst of ABC News.[10] In 2021, he became the host of the primetime show Dan Abrams Live on NewsNation, which will have its last episode in February 2025.[11]
Abrams was the host of Live PD on the A&E cable network and created and hosts Court Cam, a Law&Crime production on A&E.[12] He was formerly an anchor of Nightline. Abrams also worked as the chief legal correspondent and analyst for NBC News and general manager of MSNBC and was a substitute anchor for the same network.[13]
After leaving Court TV, Abrams was a general assignment correspondent for NBC News from 1997 to 1999 when he was named Chief Legal Correspondent.[18] Abrams then began hosting his own show at MSNBC, and The Abrams Report began in 2001.[19][20] Abrams hosted The Abrams Report until he accepted a managerial position at MSNBC.[21] Abrams held the position of General Manager of MSNBC from June 12, 2006, until October 2007.[22] He left to concentrate on his program Live with Dan Abrams, which replaced Scarborough Country due to Joe Scarborough's move to mornings. This show would eventually be revamped and renamed Verdict with Dan Abrams,[23] which aired until August 21, 2008. MSNBC announced on August 19, 2008, that Air America Radio host Rachel Maddow would take over that time slot beginning September 8, 2008,[24] and Abrams became a substitute anchor on the Today show. Shortly thereafter Abrams launched his own media company consisting of Mediaite and other sites.[25]
ABC
In March 2011, Abrams left NBC to become the Chief Legal Analyst for ABC News and a substitute anchor on Good Morning America.[14] ABC announced in June 2013 that Abrams would become the network's Chief Legal Affairs Anchor, as well as an anchor of Nightline.[26] He stepped down from his full time role as Nightline anchor in December 2014 to focus on his expanding media businesses, and returned to his freelance role as the network's Chief Legal Analyst.[27]
In 2021 Abrams joined NewsNation to host a nightly prime-time show called Dan Abrams Live.[31] On December 19, 2024, Abrams announced that he would end his show effective in February 2025, though Abrams will remain with the network.[32] He told viewers that “it’s impossible to keep devoting the time needed for this show while also running and growing my other businesses.”[33]
Reelz
In 2022 Abrams was host and executive producer for On Patrol: Live, a new show on Reelz following the same format as A&E's cancelled Live PD.[7][34]
Abrams Media
Bottle Raiders
In December 2020, Abrams launched Whiskey Raiders, a site that uses a proprietary algorithm to rate whiskeys on a scale from 50 to 100.[35] Abrams purchased Jay West's spirit review site, t8ke.review, as part of the launch. In September 2022, Abrams Media launched sister sites Gin Raiders, Tequila Raiders and Rum Raiders before merging them under Bottle Raiders.[36]
Law&Crime
In 2016, Abrams started LawNewz, a legal news website which also live streams trials as part of its online network.[37] The new live trial network, promoted as the new Court TV, launched on February 24, 2017, with A&E Networks taking a stake in the site.[38][39] In 2017, LawNewz was rebranded to Law&Crime.[40][41][42] In October 2023, Abrams sold Law&Crime to video content startup Jellysmack.[43]
SportsGrid
Launched in May 2010, SportsGrid offers a mix of sports news, video clips and other media tracking both sports and the media world surrounding it. Like the other Abrams Media properties, the site features a Power Grid "tabulated by using a specially developed algorithm that pools a variety of metrics, including TV ratings; Web traffic and circulation counts; attendance; number of Twitter followers; on-field performance for players and coaches; and franchise values."[44] In 2013, SportsGrid was acquired by Anthem Media Group in a stock and cash deal.[45]
The Mary Sue
"The Mary Sue" redirects here. For the character archetype, see Mary Sue.
In 2011, Abrams Media started The Mary Sue,[46] a partner site to Geekosystem with the goal of "highlighting women in the geek world, and providing a prominent place for the voices of geek women."[47] In 2014, Abrams folded Geekosystem into The Mary Sue.[48] On November 17, 2021, The Mary Sue was acquired by GAMURS Group.[49]
Gossip Cop
On July 29, 2009, Abrams and Michael Lewittes launched Gossip Cop, about celebrity gossip. The site rates gossip rumors on a 0–10 scale.[50] In 2019 Gossip Cop was acquired by Gateway Blend.[51]
Writing
In March 2010, Abrams published the Washington Post bestseller Man Down: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers and Just About Everything Else.[52][53] In 2018, he released his second book, Lincoln’s Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him to The Presidency.[54]
Abrams’ third book, Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense: The Courtroom Battle to Save His Legacy, was published on May 21, 2019.[55]
Abrams' fourth book, John Adams Under Fire: The Founding Father's Fight for Justice in the Boston Massacre Murder Trial, was published on March 3, 2020.[56]
Abrams' fifth book, Kennedy's Avenger: Assassination, Conspiracy, and the Forgotten Trial of Jack Ruby was published in 2021. It tells the story of the trial of Jack Ruby, who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald.[57]
Personal life
In June 2012, Abrams had his first child with girlfriend Florinka Pesenti,[58] who was part of the winning team on The Amazing Race 3.[59] They had a daughter in 2021.[60][61][62]
In 2021, Abrams purchased Laurel Lake Vineyards on Long Island's North Fork,[64] which he relaunched in Summer 2021 under a name inspired by his two children, Ev&Em Vineyards.[61][62]
