Sean Hannity is preparing to show fans a completely different side of his personality.
When his new podcast, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” goes live on Tuesday, followers will see the verbose Fox News Channel host (in addition to his cable prime-time slot, he hosts several hours of weekday radio shows) bounce back and forth with interesting guests as well as his go-to TV commentators. Hannity said upcoming guests will include ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, Team USA Hockey player Matthew Tkachuk and at least two Democratic members of Congress, Sen. John Fetterman and former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“We talk about personal things, real things, politics, sports, cultural issues,” Hannity said in a recent interview from his base in Florida. And that story could be looser and longer than anything he says in the mainstream media that has covered him for more than 30 years. “I can say shitty things and no one will yell at me. I talk like that in real life,” Hannity says on the podcast. He says you can also wear casual clothes rather than the sports jackets expected of TV hosts.
Hannity tested this format in the not-too-distant past. In 2024, he launched a long-form interview show on the Fox Nation streaming service, where he spoke with Smith and celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels, among others. That show, “Sean,” is ending, and the decision to make Hannity a podcast will make him available to people who don’t pay for cable or streaming. This is a major move that will make one of Fox News’ truly defining personalities available to consumers through traditional subscription-based platforms, with corporate support.
For months, Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corp., have delved into the world of so-called creator-based media, which relies on smaller programs to reach younger audiences. Many of the company’s efforts have relied on partnerships with people outside the Fox umbrella. Last year, Fox expanded its reach into emerging conservative media by signing members of the popular conservative podcast Ruthless to become contributors to Fox News and acquiring Red Seat Ventures, a digital content studio that works with Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson. Fox News has already tapped some of its talent, including Will Cain and Tyrus, for imprimatur podcasts.
Those who tuned in to “Hang Out” may not see Hannity the way they expected. The host says he wants a more free-wheeling conversation than lecturing about the Biden crime family and the liberal media, which have been popular targets in recent years. In his research on podcasts, Hannity said there are “a lot of people who are very angry and attacking” some hosts who “have points to settle, and I don’t have points to settle.”
Off-camera conversations between Hannity and Stephen A. Smith could extend into the early morning hours. Hannity now wants to shine a spotlight on these interactions. “I do a gritty news show every night. I do it in six- or seven-minute blocks, and I have to take breaks.” He hopes his podcast interviews will be less demanding and “go everywhere.” He’s even said he’d be open to doing shows more frequently than the currently scheduled twice a week.
At age 64, Hannity expands his media palette. At this age, some personalities tend to stick to what they already know works. He said he’s not looking for immediate success in the podcasting field and doesn’t plan to find success by imitating others. “I always maintain my own identity,” he says. I’m always open to ideas. But to be honest, I like to be myself and not copy what other people are already doing. ”
He said he’s grateful for the success he’s had so far, as such results weren’t guaranteed when he first joined Fox News. Longtime viewers may remember that Hannity, a former local radio host, was initially paired with liberal commentator Alan B. Colmes in hopes of sparks flying between the two on television. “At one point, I was really bad at it,” he said in a candid exchange. “I was a radio man trying to get a job in television, and I was struggling a little bit.” Years later, he asked why he hadn’t been taken off the schedule. “The answer was, ‘No one was watching, and I thought you could do better.'” Such a strategy probably wouldn’t be used today.
Hannity says he wants to continue doing that. “I feel more passionate today than I have ever felt in my entire career,” he says. Now he will have the opportunity to see how his energy is translated into a more solid medium.
