This is a partial transcript from “Hannity & Colmes,” October 14, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.
ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Welcome back to “Hannity & Colmes.” I’m Alan Colmes.
Earlier today, Sean got a chance to sit down with country music legend Hank Williams Jr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: The one and only Hank Williams Jr. How are you doing, my friend?
HANK WILLIAMS JR., COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: I’m ready, man.
HANNITY: It’s an honor to see you. Are you ready for some Hank, never mind football?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I am, I love it. It’s my time of year. Fall time is my time.
HANNITY: How many of those football games do you go to every year?
WILLIAMS: Well, not enough. Not enough.
HANNITY: You like to?
WILLIAMS: Oh, yes. Well, like Monday night. I wanted to be, like, in one of the hangouts in Pittsburgh. It was, you know, Pittsburgh out at San Diego. And sure enough, three seconds and Reed and Steelers win. And I would have liked to have done that.
HANNITY: Everywhere you go, people want to hear you say it.
WILLIAMS: “Are you ready for some football.” It’s kind of an American thing.
HANNITY: Our FOX audience wants to hear you say it.
WILLIAMS: They do?
HANNITY: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Really? “Are you ready for some football?” That’s all it is.
HANNITY: You know, what, how many years now, 15, 16?
WILLIAMS: Fifteen, 16. Yes. Several Super Bowls. Including this year. And for a one-year deal.
HANNITY: For a one-year deal.
WILLIAMS: Kind of like your radio show.
HANNITY: I’m knocking wood. Where’s the wood?
WILLIAMS: One-year deal turned into an American signature.
HANNITY: Listen, I’m — this is your thing you’re doing here tonight for the people of Mississippi.
WILLIAMS: Yes, siree.
HANNITY: Out of your own pocket. You’ve donated $150,000.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HANNITY: And why? Because…
WILLIAMS: I was — you know, they said, “Come up and sing a song and everybody is doing a song for the relief,” you know. And I’m just — I’m not singing a song. What’s that going to do? You know, I said I want to do something real. You know? Put some money in the hands — you know.
And it was horrible in New Orleans. But Mississippi got hurt — really hurt.
HANNITY: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And, you know, I’ve got a lot of friends from way back and been out in the gulf and fishing and hunting. And you know, my father hung out in Biloxi all the time. And I just — I said, when this came about, no, I can’t do that show. And I said, yes, of course I’m going to do that show. Because we’re going to do some good for Mississippi and Mississippi Red Cross.
HANNITY: Hard to be the son of the legend Hank Williams. Easy? I know, we’ve got family tradition and we know you’re proud.
WILLIAMS: Well, you know, they stick you out there when you’re eight. And 10. Oh, yes.
HANNITY: That’s tough.
WILLIAMS: And 10. And 12. And you say, golly, OK, I’m doing my thing and then it’s right back to school. And oh, here’s my combo. And you know, this is what I like to play. And it’s just kind of something a kid goes out and does.
And, you know, then later on, you know, about 17, 18, that all changes. Wait a minute. I’m kind of — I want to do my thing or sing my kind of music and that’s when it had to go one way or the other. Luckily, it went…
HANNITY: You’re proud of your dad?
WILLIAMS: Oh, yes. Hank Williams, a lot of us in the blues or rock world I would say that really consider him the real king.
HANNITY: Absolutely. He started it all.
WILLIAMS: And 29 years old, that was a young — that’s young.
HANNITY: After 9/11, you reconfigured one of your songs. “America Will Survive.” And I love the line “celebrating freedom and fun.” You talk about a friend in New York, doesn’t call you “Hank.” He calls you “hillbilly.”
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HANNITY: I love that song, because it captured the spirit of a country united after the worst attack in our history.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HANNITY: And we’re going to survive and we’re going to be united. It’s no longer about the yanks and rebels.
WILLIAMS: No, no, no. It put everybody together. It really did. And boy, like we were talking — what a different world from the late ’80s we’re in. This is a whole different world now.
And, you know, like your little one is looking at TV. And, you know, and these people are being killed and bombed. “What is this, Daddy? Why is that, Daddy?” How do you answer those questions? It’s hard.
And we have to go back to our history. Even World War I, World War II. “We don’t need to be in there. That’s none of our business. Let’s stay out. And how things have” — so this ain’t our first go-around.
Sean, I brought you something to always remember old Bosephus (ph) by. There’s 20 of these in the world.
HANNITY: That’s it?
WILLIAMS: That’s it. “Monday Night Football” guitars. Our logo on there.
HANNITY: You’ve got to sign it.
WILLIAMS: I’m going to. I’m going to. I’m going to.
HANNITY: Only 20 in the world?
WILLIAMS: Twenty. That’s all there is of these things.
HANNITY: That’s a great honor, my friend. Thank you.
WILLIAMS: And, you know — and free lessons go with it.
HANNITY: Hey, I want to pick up this thing here. Part of this fundraiser you’re doing. You’ve got this thing. E-bay.com/HankJunior, you’re auctioning this thing off?
WILLIAMS: That’s right. It’s just — it’s basically one of a kind, you know. It’s a beautiful thing. And I thought, you know, boy, what can I do? I want to play that, and I just — I’m just trying to do all that I can do to help the folks of Mississippi.
So I mean, it’s neat. It’s hard to let it go. But actually, it’s real easy.
HANNITY: It’s terrific what you’re doing here tonight. You know what? In many ways we forget these people’s lives have been upturned and lost their homes, their cherished possessions. And your generosity is really incredible. Thank you.
WILLIAMS: Well, yours, to bring everyone down here and to do all this.
HANNITY: It’s an honor to be here. Thank you, my friend. Appreciate it.
WILLIAMS: My kind of man.
HANNITY: Thank you.
WILLIAMS: My kind of show.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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