Rachel Maddow wins Grammy for audio recording of her book

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow won a Grammy Award on Sunday for the audiobook recording of her most recent book.

The book, titled “Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth,” was published in 2019. Maddow won the award in the best spoken word album category.

Maddow was nominated alongside musician Flea, “Jeopardy!” star Ken Jennings, reporter Ronan Farrow and actress Meryl Streep.

“Wait, what?” Maddow tweeted on Sunday, appearing to joke about her win, which was announced before the start of the annual awards show. 

wait, what?

— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 14, 2021

She followed up with another reaction.

That is exactly what it sounded like in the car when Susan and I heard. We scared the dog awake. https://t.co/Mw0TUx6Wfo

— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 14, 2021

Farrow responded to Maddow’s tweet congratulating her on the win. 

Well-deserved!

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) March 14, 2021

Jennings on Sunday tweeted “I lost a Grammy to Rachel Maddow. But as problems go, that’s a pretty good one to have.” 

I lost a Grammy to Rachel Maddow. But as problems go, that’s a pretty good one to have.

— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) March 14, 2021

The Grammys each year announces winners in several categories before the start of the televised awards show.

Maddow last month told Ellen DeGeneres that being nominated against Streep meant that she did not “have to worry that there’s any threat of winning.”

“It’s really a good news, bad news sort of thing. The good news is you’ve been nominated for a Grammy,” Maddow joked in an appearance on DeGeneres’s show. “The bad news is Meryl Streep is also nominated in the same category. So it at least takes away the suspense, right? I don’t have to worry that there’s any threat of winning.”

The MSNBC host joins fellow winners in the best spoken word album category such as former first lady Michelle Obama and former Presidents Carter, Obama and Clinton, among others.