Fox News host Emily Compagno turned to Instagram Stories to celebrate a milestone for her close friend and colleague, Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery, known to viewers simply as Kennedy. The two women marked Kennedy’s birthday with laughter, champagne, and a decadent spread that included caviar — but Compagno’s tribute went far beyond the food. It was a reminder of how their friendship has grown from a professional pairing into one of the most enduring personal bonds in the Fox family.
“Anyone who knows Kennedy knows she has this incredible way of making everything around her lighter, funnier, smarter,” Compagno shared in a clip on her Stories, where she toasted her friend. “To celebrate her, you need nothing more than her company — though of course, she insisted we go all out with caviar.”
Compagno also looked back on the very first time they met. She recalled arriving at Fox’s New York studios early in her tenure and spotting Kennedy down the hallway. “I had been a fan of hers for years,” Compagno admitted. “And suddenly there she was, walking right toward me with that signature energy. She said something sarcastic that made the whole hallway laugh — and then immediately gave me the warmest welcome. That was Kennedy in a nutshell. I felt like I had a friend from day one.”
Their friendship began with on-air banter and green room chatter but deepened quickly. Compagno said the connection was effortless, and the two found themselves spending time together outside of the studio. “We started as co-workers,” she explained, “but it became so much more. Kennedy’s the type of friend who’ll call you at midnight if she knows you’ve had a rough day — and also the first one to make you laugh so hard you forget what you were worried about.”
That bond, Compagno noted, is rare in the fast-paced, competitive world of television news. “We’re all running in a hundred different directions, but with Kennedy, there’s this anchor of loyalty. I trust her with everything, and I know she’s got my back, always.”
The birthday celebration, marked by playful toasts and plenty of inside jokes, was a reflection of just that. Kennedy, for her part, appeared in one of the clips raising a glass and joking about the caviar being “a little too fancy” for her taste. But Compagno insisted it was the perfect touch. “Kennedy’s laughter is what made it special,” she said. “She doesn’t need the extravagance — but she deserves every bit of it.”
As the evening wound down, Compagno offered a simple message to her longtime friend: “Happy birthday to my partner-in-crime, my confidante, and one of the strongest women I know. From co-workers to sisters — I’m beyond lucky for you.”
The caviar may have been the indulgence of the night, but for Compagno, the true luxury was celebrating a friendship that has only deepened with time.
