Sean Hannity

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Sean Hannity

Born	December 30, 1961, New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Television personality/host, Talk radio host & Author
Spouse	Jill Hannity

Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961, in New York City, New York) is an American conservative talk radio host, an executive producer of Fox News Channel's program Hannity & Colmes, and the author of two books. Hannity is of Irish descent and a practicing Roman Catholic. ^{[citation needed]}

1 Early life
- 1.1 Education
2 Current professional life
3 Hannidate
4 Controversy and criticism
5 Books
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Early life

Hannity is the son of Hugh J. and Lillian F. Hannity, both children of Irish immigrants. His paternal grandparents immigrated from County Down and his maternal grandparents from County Cork. He has two sisters, Joanne S. Hannity and Therese Grisham (Hannity). He grew up in Franklin Square, New York. During the late 1980s Hannity worked in construction in the Santa Barbara, California, area and also worked as a bartender.^[1] He has lived in Roswell, Georgia; Athens, Alabama; Lloyd Harbor, New York; and Santa Barbara, California. He married Jill Rhodes on January 9, 1993. They have two children: Patrick and Merri.

[edit] Education

Hannity attended St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, Long Island, New York, graduating in 1980. He dropped out of New York University to pursue his radio career.^[1] He has received honorary doctorates from Liberty University (2005) ^[2] and Southeastern University of Lakeland, Florida (2006). ^[3]

[edit] Current professional life

Sean Hannity is currently a nationally syndicated radio talk show host broadcasting out of WABC radio studios in New York and co-host of the Fox News political debate program, Hannity & Colmes.

[edit] Radio

Further information: The Sean Hannity Show

Though no longer enrolled as a student or involved with WNYU (New York University's radio station), Hannity placed an ad in radio publications presenting himself as "the most talked about college radio host in America," and WVNN in Huntsville, Alabama hired him to be the morning talk show host.^[4] He worked at WGST in Atlanta filling the slot vacated by Neal Boortz who had moved to competing station WSB. In September of 1996 Roger Ailes, founder of the Fox News Channel, hired the relatively unknown Hannity to co-host the television program Hannity & Colmes with Alan Colmes. His visiblity on Hannity & Colmes led to his ABC Radio program The Sean Hannity Show.

The Sean Hannity Show began national syndication September 10, 2001 on over 500 stations nationwide. The program, heard by over 13 million listeners a week,^[5] has the second-largest radio audience in the country.

Hannity's radio program is a conservative political talk show focusing on current issues and politicians. The show has drawn criticism from liberal politicians and their proponents. David Wade, a John Kerry spokesman, said during the 2004 Presidential election regarding the term carpet-bombing, "If the term hasn't found its way into print, its distortions certainly have. From Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity to Laura Ingraham to Saxby Chambliss to the R.N.C., you can't turn on a TV or pick up a radio without seeing a systematic and coordinated attack on John Kerry." ^[6]

In 2004, Hannity signed a $25 million 5-year contract extension with ABC Radio to continue the show through 2009. ^[7] The program was made available via Armed Forces Radio Network in 2006.

[edit] Television

Further information: Hannity & Colmes

Hannity is executive producer of Hannity & Colmes, an American political debate television program on the Fox News Channel featuring conservative Hannity and liberal Alan Colmes as co-hosts. Hannity has had on-air clashes with guests of the program. On August 25, 2006 he had a heated discussion with Laura Costas of Code Pink, an anti-war womens' group, on an event Code Pink held in front of Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Hannity called it a protest attacking wounded veterans to make a political statment, Costas said it was vigil for increased compensation for veterans.^[8]

The show's ratings have consistently made it one of the top three cable news programs.

[edit] Freedom Concert

Since 2003 Hannity has hosted the annual Freedom Concert, featuring conservative speakers and guests, at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. In 2006, a second Freedom Concert was added in San Diego. The event provides full college scholarships for children of fallen U.S. military servicemen, and promotes Reagan conservative ideals with speakers and guests such as Ann Coulter, David Limbaugh (brother of Rush Limbaugh), Mark Levin and Rick & Bubba, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, former Congressman Tom Delay, and TV personality Susan Lucci.^[9] In the weeks leading up to the event he provides some callers with tickets to the concert.

[edit] Hannidate

Since 2005, Hannity has run a dating service on his website, called "Hannidate," matching conservative or right-leaning singles. The stated purpose of Hannidate is to create a "place where people of like conservative minds can come together to meet."^[10]

[edit] Controversy and criticism

Over the years, some individuals and organizations have been critical of some of Hannity's espoused political beliefs and activities:

Progressive watchdog group Media Matters for America has been consistently critical of remarks Sean Hannity has made on his television and radio shows[1].

Frank Rich, in a New York Times editorial, criticized Hannity and Dick Morris for using the flag on their book covers saying they, "use the Stars and Stripes as a merchandising tool for their own self-aggrandizingly patriotic screeds cashing in on their TV celebrity."^[11]

[edit] Books

Deliver Us From Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism (Regan Books, 2004) ISBN 0-06-058251-0
Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty Against Liberalism (Regan Books, 2002) ISBN 0-06-051455-8