From Deseret News archives:
Emcee Beck will be sticking to patriotism — not politics
But the conservative radio and TV personality won't be talking about politics, as he usually does on his CNN Headline News program, "The Glenn Beck Show" — he will be talking about patriotism.
America's Freedom Foundation recently announced Beck as the master of ceremonies at this year's Stadium of Fire, the capstone event of America's Freedom Festival at Provo.
Finding a host for the Stadium of Fire is much like casting a movie, said Brad Pelo, senior executive producer of the Fourth of July event. And, he said, Beck "was right for the part."
Beck's part in the ceremony includes introducing the families of a Utah National Guard unit that recently left the country. The families will sing the national anthem to open the celebration.
The entire show — including a full-length performance by country stars Brooks and Dunn, and appearances by Corbin Bleu, one of the stars of "High School Musical" — will be broadcast to troops around the world on the Armed Forces Network.
"Glenn Beck represents to military families someone who is outspoken on national defense," Pelo said. "To the troops he is seen as someone who is outspoken in supporting them."
Beck fit the part in more ways than one, though.
Event planners were also drawn to Beck because they believe he supports the values the Stadium of Fire is trying to promote, said Paul Warner, executive director of the Freedom Festival. Beck is a recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
America's Freedom Foundation, the organization that funds the Stadium of Fire, decided this year to base its current and future patriotic events on the theme "American Traditions: Family, Freedom, God and Country."
"We feel there's a real need to home back in on those values that really keep us free," Warner said. "We know Glenn Beck is conservative, but we think those traditions are conservative."
Beck is the first political commentator to host the Stadium of Fire since conservative radio talk show host Sean Hannity emceed the event three years ago and event planners were accused of making the patriotic celebration a platform for conservative politics.
Since then, committee members have been careful to choose multiple hosts that blended with the theme of the production, Pelo said.
"No one is in a dark, smoke-filled room in the back saying, 'How can we indoctrinate people?"' he said. "We are just trying to put on a good show."
Pelo said the controversy surrounding Hannity was based more on his reputation as a political commentator than on what he actually said as master of ceremonies. But even so, as this year's emcee, Beck will be reading from a script on July 4.
"The Stadium of Fire should be nonpartisan and should have nothing to do with agendas," Pelo said. "It should be about having an emotional, patriotic experience."
E-mail: estuart@desnews.com
