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10 Questions with ... JD Hayworth
March 12, 2019
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Began radio work at age 14 in his native High Point, NC; attended NC State on a football scholarship, he was recruited at right tackle, but ended up "Left Out;" Sports Dir. at the NC State Student Station, WKNC (1977-79); Student Body Pres. (1979-80); began work as a TV sports reporter his senior year; also regularly appeared on radio during his TV days, guest-hosting for Bob Trumpy & Gary Burbank at WLW/Cincinnati; then joining the K-LITE morning team in Phoenix with the late Barry Chase. Served as the spring training voice of the Chicago Cubs (1991 & '92); the inaugural voice of the Arizona Fall League. Frequent radio appearances during his six terms in Congress (1995-2007), including several guest shots on "Imus in the Morning;" and guest-hosting for both Laura Ingraham and Michael Reagan. After Congress, was a top-rated afternoon-drive host at KFYI/Phoenix (2007-2010), departing that job for an unsuccessful challenge to John McCain in the AZ GOP primary for the U.S. Senate; jokes that he made a lot of money for broadcasters, since the incumbent spent $30 million to defeat him! Returned to radio, guest-hosting for Mark Levin, Michael Savage and Mike Huckabee, then worked in TV for Newsmax TV from 2014-2018. Now back guest-hosting, looking for a full-time gig.
1) You've done television and radio and authored a book and have been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. What makes you want to get back behind the mic?
It's important to note that I'm a broadcaster who got into politics, instead of a politician who wants to get into broadcasting. I used to tell voters that when my tenure in office came to an end, I would return to broadcasting, and that's exactly what happened. There is nothing that can compare with being behind a mic, offering opinions, sharing stories, and talking to listeners. I want to get back behind the mic because I've always got something to say!
2) How have you been occupying your time?
I've been doing some political and public policy consulting, but also keeping busy in broadcasting, guest-hosting from Charlotte (WBT) to San Francisco (KSFO), as I look for my next full-time gig.
3) You're well known as a conservative. Are there broadcasters who come to you these days for your opinions for their television and/or radio shows?
Sure! I've recently been in the "Morning Drive" guest rotation for Fox News Radio, being booked for Fox affiliates' morning shows from the Eastern to the Pacific Time Zones. The broadcasters who seek me out range from nationally syndicated hosts to small-market personalities, and I enjoy visiting with them all.
4) You were a sports reporter in Cincinnati and then a sports anchor in Phoenix. It must have been exciting to do sports in big league cities. What was that experience like for you?
Not only did I have the chance to work in TV sports in major markets like Cincinnati and Phoenix, I also had the chance to begin my television sports career in Raleigh covering NC State, UNC and Duke, then in Greenville-Spartanburg, when Clemson won its first football National Championship. At each stop, I had great radio mentors: the late Woody Durham, voice of the Tar Heels; the late Jim Phillips, voice of the Tigers; Marty Brennaman, voice of the Reds; and Al McCoy, voice of the Suns. All of those broadcasters helped me grow professionally and their guidance prepared me when I became the spring training voice of the Cubs on KCKY-A and then the inaugural voice of the Arizona Fall League.
5) How did your background in sports prepare you for the rough-and-tumble halls of the House?
Covering great competitors helped me embrace the competition that is a constant in Congress --whether in debate on the House Floor, or on the campaign trail.
6) What's a tougher business, broadcasting or politics?
As a Member of Congress, I would tell my broadcasting friends that I had a two-year renewable deal, but that the renegotiation process was a bit arduous! Given the financial swings and the format changes, broadcasting is tougher.
7) Tip O'Neill once said "...all politics is local." The same can be said for radio when you really get down to it. What kind of radio opportunity would make you really happy?
My ideal opportunity could be found in almost any market, large or small; it would include a local emphasis, but more than that, it would be personal. No, not "all about me," instead a chance to establish a personal relationship and rapport with listeners. Talk radio has been called our first "interactive medium," and the "give and take" that occurs in conversation makes for a compelling program.
8) Do you think that there's another book in your future?
Someday I'll write another book, entitled "'Like the Mob, Only Legal': A Political Memoir."
9) Growing up in North Carolina, which radio stations rocked your world and which disc jockeys?
I grew up in "The Golden Age of Top 40," so for me that meant WTOB/Winston-Salem; WKIX/Raleigh; and Big WAYS/Charlotte. My favorite DJs? "The Flying Dutchman" aka "Dutchie" at WTOB; Pat Patterson & Steve Roddy at WKIX; and Jack Gale at WAYS.
10) Who would you say that your mentors in radio have been?
I've listed quite a few already! In the realm of News and Talk, two stand out: Paul Harvey and Rush Limbaugh.
Bonus Questions
Your grandfather was a big-league catcher who played with Ty Cobb. As baseball season gets rolling, care to share a cool family baseball story with us?
My grandfather, Ray Hayworth, not only caught for 12 seasons in the majors; he spent another half-century in scouting and the front office. When the Braves moved to Atlanta, my grandfather was Director of Player Personnel, and the driving distance from our NC home was manageable for my parents. I'll never forget a Monday Night Game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium when the Dodgers were visiting, and which NBC was televising. We were seated right behind home plate in the box seats, and before the game, Pee Wee Reese, decked out in his red NBC Sports Blazer, strolled over and asked my grandfather, "Ray, who's this with you?" PEE WEE REESE ... asking about ME? I was all of eight years old ... and at that moment, I was on top of the world!
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