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Being a media commentator is not a job for just anybody. But Kelly Hyman is not just anybody. She is quick on her feet, determined, and passionate about politics. And her willingness to step into the lion’s den when it comes to American political debate has made her a sought after voice called upon by countless media outlets to bring a message that is positive, well-informed, and inclusive.
While Kelly’s fluency in legal and political matters opened the door for her to bring her perspective and insight to the national political debate, the unique lessons learned from her unique background kept her in front of cameras.
Kelly was born in Miami Beach, Florida, but moved with her mom to California at a young age and quickly started her first career: acting. Kelly’s mother, Patricia Bindley, was raising Kelly on her own while working as a tennis pro. One of Patricia’s clients, who Kelly knew only as Chuck, was the Hollywood superstar known to the world as Charlton Heston.
Heston saw potential in Kelly and helped her to get an agent. Soon she had a headshot and “Recommended by Charlton Heston” in her agency profile. That opened doors for her to appear as an actress in off-Broadway plays, commercials, and television shows, including roles in John Astin’s TV pilot Getting There in 1980, Charles Matthau’s comedy Doin’ Time on Planet Earth in 1988, and The Young and the Restless in 1986.
Kelly attended college at the University of California at Los Angeles, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1998. Two years later she earned a Masters in Communication at Barry University and in 2003 was given a Juris Doctor at the Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida.
While in college, Kelly began to explore more deeply the world of politics, something that she had loved since she was a child. Her commitment to the Democratic party inspired her to serve an internship at the White House during the Clinton Administration. It would not be the end of her political service. Later she would volunteer with the election campaigns for former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and President Joe Biden. Kelly also served as a poll watcher to protect voter rights during the 2016 presidential election.
As a lawyer, Kelly worked for law firms including Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton in Coral Gables, Florida, and Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PA, in West Palm Beach, Florida, before launching The Hyman Law Firm, PA, in West Palm Beach, Florida. She also was elected President of the Federal Bar Association in Palm Beach County, Florida, and serves on the Women Trial Lawyers Caucus as a representative to the American Association for Justice Board of Governors.
With her law career well underway, Kelly began to build a reputation as a Democratic strategist and legal and political analyst who was not shy about speaking her mind on national television. Soon, however, she responded to a challenge to go beyond the political echo chamber and offer her views to a new audience.
As explained in the introduction to Kelly’s new book, Build Back Better: The First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, and Beyond, she saw an episode of HBO’s Real Time in 2019 during which Bill Maher pleaded for liberals to appear on conservative media and debate ideologies that were different from their own. In Kelly’s words, “From that point on I made it clear that I would welcome the chance to be on Fox, Newsmax, OAN, or any media outlet that was interested — for whatever reason — to have a Democrat on their air.”
The move was not easy for Kelly, but she drew upon the experiences that had shaped her life, including her acting career, and she thrived. She has been featured across the spectrum of networks from ABC to CBS to NBC to BBC and has made appearances on Law & Crimes, Fox News, CourtTV, OANN, and Fox and Friends First. Her work as a commentator now allows her to assist in shaping the public view of a wide variety of issues about which she is passionate, including equality and voters’ rights.
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