The shady side of Rachel Maddow

When it hits 9 p.m. on MSNBC and Rachel Maddow appears on your screen shuffling papers, buckle up and get ready for the Stanford grad and Rhodes scholar to take you on a journey — whether you can keep up or not. With her trademark chunky black glasses and journalistic acumen, Maddow has been hosting The Rachel Maddow Show since 2008, turning it into one of the highest-rated programs in cable news. One of the most influential and popular voices for American liberals, Maddow's deft political expertise and storytelling has attracted millions of die-hard television viewers, but if you dig below the surface of her policy wonk and cheerful brainiac persona, you'll start shuffling some papers of your own.

The New Yorker described Maddow's show as "sleight of hand presented as a cable news show," and evidence suggests that it may be ratings, not the truth, that she's actively seeking. From dealing in unfounded conspiracy theories to disturbingly problematic friends, we'll save you the monologue and dive right into the shady side of Rachel Maddow.