Joe Hildebrand is the Summer Host of Afternoons on 2GB and 4BC, a Columnist for News.com.au and The Daily Telegraph and a Commentator on the Seven Network. He was the Co-Host of the Network Ten morning show Studio 10 for seven years, the Presenter of the ABC series Dumb, Drunk and Racist and Sh*tsville Express, and the author of his memoir An Average Joe: My Horribly Abnormal Life. He has won some awards and was robbed of others. Joe lives in Sydney with his wife, three children and a renegade dog called Finn. He firmly believes that anyone who does not purchase a real Christmas tree is destined for Hell. You can Tweet him at @Joe_Hildebrand.
You’ve had a big 2020 – leaving Studio 10 after seven years and starting at 2GB radio. How are you finding working in radio?
I absolutely love radio and when I left Studio 10 it was the number one thing I wanted to do. I love the direct connection to the audience and being able to speak to everyday people directly without any spin or pretence in between. Hopefully they feel the same way about me!
What else are you working on right now?
I have a weekly column each Saturday for News.com.au and The Daily Telegraph, which has always been my first love and I don’t think I could ever give it up. I do a TV column for the News Corp papers’ lifestyle and entertainment liftout SMART Daily, which is a massive conflict of interest. And I’m working with an Australian/American media organisation on a video series for the US market about conspiracy theories. If that doesn’t take off then at least I’ll know who’s behind it.
You’ve worked in documentary, political journalism, morning television, and now talk radio. What’s your favourite medium?
Whichever one will hire me!
You’re pretty active on Twitter and don’t shy away from controversial topics. How do you deal with the flak from being a public figure that speaks their mind?
I never think I’m being controversial or ever try to be. Whatever I say I think is simply reasonable and rational. Unreasonable and irrational people seem to get very upset by that and there are a lot of them on Twitter. Whenever I am attacked by extremists or activists I get a huge amount of support from sensible people publicly and even more so privately. It probably explains why the extremists and activists always think they’re winning on Twitter but constantly fail in the real world.
What does a media release need to contain to get your attention?
A nice font.