"I guess Daddy's better than the alternative" - ABC's David Muir opens on his TikTok fame and life outside work

ABC's World News Tonight anchor David Muir is now a viral TikTok hit, affectionately referred to as "Daddy" by internet followers, in addition to being America's most-watched newscaster. Muir discusses his off-camera life, the unexpected acceptance of his online celebrity, and how his origins continue to firmly anchor him even after decades in the limelight in an open and honest new interview.

He said:

"I guess Daddy's better than the alternative."

Since taking over as host of World News Tonight in 2014, David Muir has received praise from critics for his coverage of world events like the murder of Osama Bin Laden and the climatic crises in Madagascar and South Sudan. His status is confirmed by his recent selection in the 2025 Time 100 list, where he was honored by Diane Sawyer. However, Muir never lets his career overshadow his modest upbringing.

With his trademark sense of humor, David Muir said in response to a question concerning the internet phenomenon known as "Daddy Muir," which includes thirst edits, fan pages, and viral TikToks:

"People will forward TikTok videos, but only because they are laughing out loud at them and making fun of me and saying, 'When did you become Daddy?' So I don't know whether that happens when you hit 50 or what, but I'll take it as a compliment, I think."

He smiled and continued:

"Anyone who works with me knows that I am so uncomfortable even having to put on the tux. So the fact that I survive those events is still a surprise to me without looking like a total nerd."

He added, while laughing:

"So maybe it's lost on me, but I guess Daddy's better than the alternative."

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More about David Muir:

Rooted in Upstate New York and loves the outdoors:

Despite his fame, David Muir claims that he finds calm on the muddy docks of his upstate New York lakeside village rather than in studios or overseas projects.

"I'd say my most comfortable element is being outside, covered in mud like this weekend. It was pouring rain and I loved every second of it."

He added:

"I have a German short-haired pointer, and for him, the biggest event of the weekend was discovering there was a beaver who had begun to build a dam inside the little boathouse. So I spent more time at nightfall standing on the dock with the dog who was waiting for a glimpse of this beaver coming out of the boathouse than I did doing anything else."

He concluded:

"When you're out there on the lake, smelling the same air that you smelled when you were on your BMX bike back when you were a kid, there's something really fueling about that and connected about it. You just feel like you're home again. I couldn't have been happier."

From News Nerd to Daddy National Anchor:

When he was twelve years old, David Muir skipped games to watch the local news, sparking his interest in journalism. Muir interned at local stations, even riding in the back of news cruisers as a teenager, after being inspired by Peter Jennings, whom he called "the James Bond of the evening news." He recalled:

"I was a nerd who felt this gravitational pull to the news, starting back when I was 12 years old. I remember being outside, playing with the rest of the kids in the neighborhood and being the only kid who would go inside when the local news came on, and then watching Peter Jennings, who I thought was sort of the James Bond of the evening news, the globetrotter."

Jennings showed Muir that there was "an opportunity to get out there beyond your backyard and see the world." Muir claimed:

"There was always this incredible pull."

The man behind the desk:

After spending more than a decade as World News Tonight's host, David Muir shared some of his personal peculiarities. He still feels anxious in tuxedos, frequently anchors in jeans, and frequently asks his floor director which day it is. He said:

"I generally have jeans on from the waist down. So the first thing that we try to do is make sure my jeans aren't showing..."

He chuckled and said:

"I really don't try to take myself too seriously but I always just joke, 'Don't tell anyone about the jeans and the boots!'"

Proud family man and dad to a dog:

Raised in a mixed household, David Muir remains close to his mother, father, sister Rebecca, and several nieces and nephews throughout his life. He takes great pleasure in his job as an uncle and demonstrates his love for his roots by referring to his extended family as his "squad."

He is also a dad to his German shorthaired pointer named Axel, who is quite famous. Talking about his dog's popularity, he said:

" I have a dog walker who has been with me for six years now. And so I love the stories of even when the dog walker is out in public, people will say, 'Is that David Muir's dog?' It kind of puts it all in perspective. The dog is always the most important."

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