Susan Roesgen is a host on WGNO-TV’s “News With a Twist,” and her style is as fresh and adventuresome as the show she has co-hosted with LeBron “LBJ” Joseph for five years.
“I have enjoyed having the freedom to wear clothes that are a little ‘sportier’ than what a traditional news host would wear,” she says as she relaxes on the set just before airtime wearing a gold leather jacket with zippers on the sleeves and pockets that would also be appropriate for a jazz concert at the Orpheum Theatre or lunch at Galatoire’s Restaurant, not to mention that she would only need to add something purple and green to her color scheme to have just the right Carnival style.
What does she think of the current style adopted by some national female television anchors of wearing sleeveless dresses and fancy outfits with bling and almost costume-like fabrics on the air? “Some of them dress as it they are going straight from work to a cocktail party,” she answers. “And it’s a bit ridiculous to see all these women doing the news in sleeveless dresses in the middle of winter.”
Regardless of what you may think of Susan’s style, you will have to agree that she is always impeccably groomed on the air, with her stylish short, highlighted hair and makeup that seems to have been done by a Hollywood make-up artist. She has been a much-admired fixture on the local television news scene since 1993 when she came to town to co-anchor the news at WDSU with Norman Robinson.
“I quickly decided that New Orleans is one of the best places in the country to be a television reporter,” she says.
Leaving New Orleans in 2001 to become the co-host of “National Geographic Today,” a national show that originated at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., Susan felt it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “I got to be an ‘explorer’ and do fascinating stories, including going to Egypt to do a series about the pyramids and mummification.” she explains. Then she adds that she loves to travel and quickly adjusted to her National Geographic traveling reporter style of making sure her on-air clothes were durable and easy to pack.
New Orleans beckoned her home in 2003, where she became a freelance reporter for National Public Radio (NPR) working on stories for interesting programs such as “All Things Considered” and Morning Edition.” She also started working part time for WGNO, co-anchoring the evening news. “I was still working at WGNO when Hurricane Katrina hit, so I did reports about the storm for NPR and started freelancing for CNN.
When CNN opened its bureau in New Orleans after Katrina, I became its correspondent, covering stories here for two years. Then CNN moved me to Chicago for another two years, to cover breaking news around the country. It was a great assignment with lots of travel and cool stories.”
When Susan came back to New Orleans in 2010, she became a full-time student at Loyola University in the Pastoral Care Program. “I really thought I wanted to take my life in a new direction, which I did for a time until John Cruse, WGNO’s general manager, called and asked me to come back to co-host ‘News With a Twist, “ It was a good career move for her and she is quick to give John the credit for the show’s success.
Now taking the highly successful news show a step further, beginning this week she will be co-hosting four “News With a Twist” shows on weeknights. “In addition to the usual 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows with LBJ, I will also be hosting the 10 p.m. show with Curt Sprang and a fourth 'Twist' at 11 p.m., also with Curt, on NOLA 38.” It all means 20 interesting “News With a Twist” shows a week, and a wonderful opportunity to further enjoy Susan’s fresh and adventuresome style.
