Bringing truth into focus dale hansen

eight of the 11 jobs he’s held, Hansen has done quite well for himself. He’s received the Radio and Television Digital News Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a prize reserved for luminaries like and . He has earned a Peabody Award for Distinguished Journalism, and a Dupont Columbia University Silver Baton, the broadcast equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize. And the Mayborn School of Journalism awarded Hansen a Distinguished Professional Achievement Award in 2018. But these awards pale in comparison to a feat rarely accomplished in the fickle world of television broadcasting: He has held the same job for the last 37 years. Hansen has cemented his acclaim by going beyond sports journalism and into the realm of social and THE GOSPEL ACCORDING political commentary. His Dale interviews Mavericks owner Mark Cuban highly opinionated Unplugged news segments purposely mesmerized by the fact that director felt he was qualified, him the job. Hansen reminded stoke controversy, offering I knew a person who knew a “because you read,” Hansen him that he had just told him he TO HANSEN an unflinching take on the person that was on TV.” Hansen remembers him saying. He needed a college degree. “’Not topical issues of the day, from has this “entertainer gene” wasn’t sold on the opportunity, to be a sportscaster,’” Hansen racial injustice to sexual abuse in him, he says, that made but it would become the turning recalls him saying. “’You don’t to gun violence. With them, him want to be a comedian, point in his career. need any education at all.” For his 37 years as a Dallas sportscaster, Dale Hansen has he has become something of game show host, some kind of “I just loved everything Hansen credits his hire to that an internet celebrity as his performer. about it.” Hansen says. “It was “angel on his shoulder,” being spoken truth to power — and sometimes that includes sports commentaries have gone viral But first he would serve in just incredible.” in the right place at the right on YouTube and been viewed by the Navy during the Vietnam For his work at the 1000-watt time — at least, until he was millions. Agree with him or not, War, which he considers one of Iowa radio station in a coal fired. “I’ve had run-ins with STORY BY JR. SAUNDERS • PHOTOS COURTESY OF DALE HANSEN love him or not, he has found the defining moment in his life, mining town of 15,000 people, almost every news director I a platform with Unplugged not only because it would orient Hansen received the Iowa have worked for — but those that has elevated his stature he WFAA news studio, located abruptly opens the door for me to enter shaking his head. him toward a more liberal Investigative are professional arguments, from a local sportscaster to a on a prominate corner of the building, and with a whoosh, Hansen’s It dawns on me that he doesn’t feel worldview, but also because it Reporter of the Year award professional disagreements.” nationally renowned pundit Victory Park, has panoramic presence and familiar booming voice spill above the rules like so many people of caused him to suffer the loss of in 1974 for his stories about He moved to Dallas in who speaks from the heart. glass walls, allowing the out with the HEPA-filtered air though he prominence – he just cares about people his best friend, who was killed corruption in Newton. That was 1980 and would go to work Tpublic to stand outside and watch live is still across the room. Ambling towards – a fact that enables him to connect with “Of course, I think I’m right. within weeks of being deployed the moment that gave Hansen for KDFW-TV, the Dallas CBS newscasts produced inside. Unbeknownst me, his form fills the space as I feel I am millions of fans — myself included. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t. to Vietnam. pause “to think maybe I can do affiliate, until he was fired in to me, you’re not supposed to get too shrinking. His great bear of a greeting Hansen is the most popular sports Makes no sense to me to be any Returning to Logan after something here.” 1983. But the same week he was other way.” close to the window. But I stand face reverberates as he towers over me. broadcaster in the Dallas-Fort Worth the service, he did not attend After four years as the terminated, he was hired by pressed against the glass, peering in Then he elbow-dabs me. metroplex with 70,000 followers on Hansen’s confidence may college. Encouraged by his station’s news director, Hansen WFAA, the ABC affiliate where for sportscaster Dale Hansen, who I am And just like that, I relax. We become Facebook alone. This is 15 times the strike some as arrogance, former teacher to become a made two moves, each to a he still works today. “I was a there to interview this March afternoon. familiar, and even flout the current followers of any other sports broadcaster but it’s an arrogance born disc jockey, he would listen to small market radio station, bit of a cheerleader in the early This is the beginning of America’s mass strict social distancing guidelines. Just in the area. His trademark confidence out of a passion for sports, the radio all the time, not so before landing at a station in days,” he says. “I was kind of COVID-19 shelter-in-place mandate, which the guys. With that, I follow Hansen into and willingness to speak his mind a heightened sense of much for the music, as for the Omaha, Nebraska. But after building up a following.” explains why Joyce the security guard, a the foyer where we settle into our yellow stems, in part, from his success, but injustice, and a willingness DJs whose styles he would learn he was fired, he turned his Hansen tried to cover what slim middle-aged woman, trots out and, velvet chairs to begin the interview. also from something he says he learned to challenge authority. He from and critique. He got his attention to getting a job in he thought the audience wanted eyes glued on me suspiciously, tells me to But after only 10 minutes, security years ago: that in the full spectrum of credits his prolonged success first big break at a small radio television, even though he him to cover. “It’s not my job leave – immediately. Although I do notice guard Joyce pops out of the studio again life, sports don’t really matter. People to a combination of hard work, station in Newton, Iowa in 1972. had no experience in front of necessarily to tell people what that in her dedication to duty, security to inform Hansen that we can’t even be in will experience suffering, illness, death skill, talent and luck – being But reality set in quickly as he the camera. He interviewed they should be interested in, as guard Joyce herself is not observing the the foyer. — that’s important. But sports? That’s in the right place at the right realized that being a DJ was with KMTV, an NBC affiliate much as it is my job to report time. “I’m not a religious man,” new social distancing guidelines. After “Oh, really?” he says, more sarcastic entertainment. not his dream job. “It was just in Omaha in 1977. But shortly on what they are interested he says. “But I’ve always had an I explain why I am there and show her than surprised. Frustrated, Hansen’s He finds comfort in being good at a the worst job imaginable,” he after the station manager told in.” And in sports-saturated angel on my shoulder.” an email from Hansen, Joyce unstiffens, response is not aimed at the dutiful Joyce job where, unlike the rest of the news recalls. him that they wouldn’t hire North Texas market, he quickly the firmness melting from her voice. but at the draconian rules she has to broadcast, he doesn’t report on mass Even the station manager him in the news department figured out that people were Apparently convinced of my legitimacy, enforce. Abruptly, he jumps up and moves shootings or economic collapse or knew Hansen was miserable, without a college degree, the interested in him covering the GROWING UP IN LOGAN, she makes a phone call to get him. our comfy chairs into the hallway, like pandemic death tolls. “I’m just talking and told him that a news phone rang. It was the weekend . “What we’re IOWA, across the street from As we stand waiting, Joyce keeps only a beloved celebrity can do. sports or commentaries,” he says. “My director position had opened sportscaster, says Hansen, really trying to accomplish here the grandparents of talk show watch for Hansen, and I start feeling the “Basically, what they’re saying is confidence comes from the fact that I up. Although Hanson had no and he was quitting. After the is reaching the most people pressure of interviewing a local television know, nobody dies.” legend Johnny Carson, had an training in journalism and station manager hung up, he most of the time. And that they don’t want you to have any human effect on Hansen. “I was just legend and my childhood hero. She contact for the next year,” Hansen growls, For a guy who’s been fired from no college degree, the news turned to Hansen and offered usually means talk Cowboys 12

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months out of the year.” New York Times he was gay. If initial accounts had all four of His focus would change somewhat selected in the NFL draft, he Bryant’s daughters among the in 1986 when he received a tip from a would become the first openly victims. Hansen gets that there woman who worked in the SMU athletic gay player in the league. Media is a “thirst to be first” within department. Hansen had used her as a reports already were quoting the media but prizes the higher source before, though he thought she NFL sources who said Sam’s value of being accurate. wasn’t terribly reliable. But on this one homosexuality would hurt his “When we live in a world scandal she was right: the university was standing in the draft. That’s where the media is referred to paying its football players even though they when, on February 14, 2014, as ‘the enemy of the people,’ were on probation for similar misconduct. Hansen stepped in. providing our critics with Hansen’s exposé helped put a stop “You beat a woman and drag ammunition hardly makes our to that practice; it also prompted an her down a flight of stairs, industry better.” NCAA investigation that resulted in the pulling her hair out by the Hansen considers his SMU athletic program receiving the roots? You’re the fourth guy Unplugged segments, and the “death penalty,” a one-year suspension taken in the NFL draft. You kill commentary from competing, the harshest sanction people while driving drunk? specifically, as his top the governing body could impose. The That guy’s welcome. Players memories of his lengthy career university reeled under the penalty for caught in hotel rooms with at WFAA. “The opportunity this years, the program only recently regaining illegal drugs and prostitutes? station has given me the last some of its national prominence. We know they’re welcome…You 37 years to write and say the For his efforts, Hansen received lie to police trying to cover up things I do has enabled me to at a Peabody Award and a du-Pont- a murder? We’re comfortable least try to make a difference,” Columbia University Award, two of the with that. You love another Hansen recently said on the air. most prestigious awards in broadcast man? Well, now you’ve gone too “Because I decided a long time journalism. far!” WFAA’s team of sports reporters, from left to right Jonah Javad, Mike Leslie, Dale ago, my life has to be about “I hated that story, I hated everything That commentary gained Hansen and Joe Trahan. more than ball scores and about it, I hoped that it wasn’t true,” such praise, it led to a trip to the professional athletes like Texas high school basketball highlights, and this station, and Hansen has stated. “I wish that story didn’t White House, an appearance quarterback Colin Kaepernick game, where spectators held up you, have given me that life.” have to be told, but I’m incredibly proud of In the sports-saturated North Texas market, Hansen quickly figured out that his audience wanted him to cover the Dallas Cowboys 12 months of the year. Here he is interviewing former Cowboys tight-end Jason Whitten (above), on Ellen, numerous stories in to be fired if they took a knee a “white power” sign. Not only The station has given him the fact that we were the ones who did.” who now plays for the Las Vegas Raiders, and Cowboys owner (below). news publications around the during the national anthem. was this incident reminiscent the autonomy to say what The story had another significant country along with thousands “The young Black athletes of Makenzie’s experience being he wants – within reason. “I consequence: It raised Hansen to a of reactions to the viral video are not disrespecting America the brunt of racist chants while can’t go out on the air and call different professional level. “I do think on the internet. or the military, they are playing in a basketball game Trump a little Hitler,” although it separated me from being just a typical “I had a young man come respecting the best thing about in Flower Mound, but it also he did accuse him of being sportscaster doing ball scores and game up to me at a client party the America. It’s a dog whistle to echoed the bigotry Hansen had a draft dodger. “Oh my God, highlights,” he says. “Once I did that station was hosting, and he the racists among us to say seen as a child in Iowa. people were up in arms.” SMU story, people kind of looked at me cried as he told me his dad had otherwise…. If you don’t think Even though Hansen speaks But he says he “knows for a differently, and to be honest, I was very called him the night before, white privilege is a fact, you out about the importance of a fact” that he has changed the comfortable and very happy with that.” saying his dad hadn’t talked to don’t understand America.” free press to our democracy, attitudes of some people. “And him in 12 years after he came Hansen says his strongest he won’t hesitate to call out I’m going to keep trying to do out,” said Hansen in another the media when he believes that as much as I can for as long HANSEN IS SITTING BACK IN his chair, motivation for doing Unplugged WFAA broadcast. “But his dad they have gone too far. When as I can.” relaxed. I’m leaning forward, making sure is his granddaughter Makenzie, said, ‘If that old fat Hansen says former Los Angeles Laker I didn’t miss anything. Security guard who is bi-racial. “I write for it’s OK, I guess you and I can basketball star Kobe Bryant Joyce has not reappeared, apparently Makenzie, trying to make my figure it out.’ And then we both and his daughter died in a WITH ANOTHER ELBOW- content that we are no longer in breach of granddaughter’s world just cried together.” helicopter crash in January, DAB OUR interview ends. I station rules. Instead, we are interrupted a little more understanding, Hansen says he came to Hansen stressed how the media walk out of the studio into an by WFAA weatherman Pete Delkus, a maybe a little kinder, and realize that covering sports embarrassed themselves in empty Dallas. Even security WFAA rock star in his own right. We pause hopefully better.” could be more than just their coverage of the tragedy. guard Joyce is nowhere to be as he passes us and warns us about social One Unplugged segment reporting about toys. “Sports The story broke before the seen. Victory Plaza, usually distancing. I call him Brian. I should know focused on a racial incident that play such a huge role in occurred at a Flower Mound, families were notified and crowded with visitors looking better. American society and the for entertaining diversions at Even with his celebrity rising, Hansen lessons we apply in sports the American Airlines Center, still recognized the role he was playing on absolutely apply to life,” he is now bereft of people and the 10 p.m. news. “I’m the toy department says, “and I was given the quiet, as most folks seem to at the end of the show,” he says. “Like opportunity and the vehicle to be obeying COVID-19 social tonight – we’re going to have 20 minutes of [talk about] that, so it just kind distancing rules. And even news that’s going to impact people’s lives. When former Penn State assistant you all know me.” of grew from there.” though there is no Dallas The economy, the fact that some people coach Jerry Sandusky was in the news in Hansen had never before spoken about He has sermonized about Mavericks basketball to are going to die, but I’m not going to have 2011, falsely declaring he was innocent of the abuse in public; he even was too among other things, gun highlight, no Stars game to anything close to that.” sexually abusing dozens of young boys, ashamed to tell his own parents. With the control (“stop the madness break down, no fans gathered And yet he yearned to have an impact, Hansen shocked his viewing audience commentary came a call to action. “Talk to of a nut with a gun”); sexual dangerously close to cheer their bored with reporting game scores and when he revealed that he had been sexually your children, and — more importantly — abuse on college campuses teams, that is a good thing. highlights, the bread and butter of molested as a 10-year-old boy in Iowa. make sure that your children aren’t afraid (“no shame in being a victim”— And even though most sporting sportscasting. But never one to shy from “Sexual abuse of our children is the to talk to you.” victims shouldn’t be shamed); events have been put on hold, controversy, Hansen took on several sacred cancer that lives and walks among us. But a The response was overwhelming the hypocrisy of forgiving that hasn’t stopped Hansen cows in his “toy department,” getting into cancer survivor wears their ribbon proudly and the piece served as a prologue to an athletes for their crimes as long from preaching his gospel an on-air spat with then-Cowboys head and we all stand to cheer as they walk by Unplugged commentary that Hansen would as they can play—speaking out about police brutality, peaceful coach Barry Switzer and calling out Texas in their annual parade. But who stands to later say “defined exactly who I am.” whenever the spirit moved him. protests, shut-down orders, and A&M coach Jackie Sherrill for making cheer for the victim of a sexual assault? Former University of Missouri The spirit moved him in yes, even sports. disparaging remarks about his Black And much like cancer, we all know a victim defensive end Michael Sam, winner of September 2017 when he quarterback, according to an article in … We all know somebody. You might not the AP’s defensive player of the year in spoke out against President At left: Hansen finds a different way of Buzzfeed. think you do, but I know you do. Because the Southeastern Conference, told The Trump who said he wanted getting Unplugged.

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