With content ranging from his Twitter jokes to his musical inclinations, former Gov. Mike Huckabee is headed back to the small screen with a first-of-its-kind variety show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
“The show is also going to have a lot of things you don’t see on television. We’re going to have comedians and music, and we’re going to have fun with the audience that will be a part of our studio every week we tape,” Huckabee tells Charisma. “There’s going to be a wide variety. It’s going to be in some ways, the first thing on television in years that has truly been a family-oriented, wholesome variety kind of show with just enough politics to keep the current and interesting, but not so much as to raise your blood pressure.”
Huckabee will be filmed in Nashville and feature a house band, à la Jimmy Fallon’s “The Roots,” comprised of the city’s famed studio musicians.
The former governor promises, though, that it won’t make you want to put your hand in an open flame like some family-friendly content of years prior, including The Lawrence Welk Show.
The show will be unique, especially for a network known for specific content.
“This is TBN’s first approach, and it’s a pretty bold move on their part to do a show that is not overtly religious in content. TBN has historically been a show where 24/7, their programming was very Christian-focused and largely ministry-focused, with teaching/preaching programs and even other content, but it was designed for an inspirational community. I want to think of my show as not so much a religious show but a television show of the broadest means that happens to be hosted by a believing Christian, unapologetic in my own worldview as it relates to my relationship with Christ. We’ll have guests for sure who are not believers. Sometimes to talk about a project they’re dealing with. Sometimes it may be because they’re just fascinating, and we want to talk to them. But then we’ll have the freedom, a freedom you can’t have on a television network like Fox, so that there will be some people who will have a very powerful story that can only be explained by their relationship to Christ. And we’re not going to have any restrictions on being able to talk very openly about that. It’s one of the reasons I could not be more thrilled about this.”
Though Huckabee is an outspoken believer, he says his show won’t necessarily smack you over the head with the gospel. He wants to see other Christians take a similar approach in whatever field God has called them.
“One of the things I’ve always tried to say to younger people is if you want to serve God, there are many ways to do it; you don’t have to be a pastor or a missionary,” Huckabee says. “We need people who see the fashion industry as a mission field, who see the financial world and being the leaders on Wall Street [that way]. I wish we had more Christians who were truly running Wall Street rather than people who live totally by greed.
“I wish we had people who were in the movie industry, and thankfully we have many more who are getting into the movie industry and producing high-quality films that have if not overtly Christian content, at least content that is not offensive and repulsive to people who have real convictions about things. In all of these arenas, I want there to be people who are clear and unabashed in their faith, but who take it into the most secular realm to be the salt and light we’re supposed to be, and that’s what I see my role as being. …
“This show’s not going to be preachy, for example; that’s not the point. We’re going to inform. We’re going to inspire. We’re going to entertain. But I hope we also will edify. And it’s not going to be a show that you’re going to have to rush your kids out of the room because there’s content that’s offensive. I like to use the word ‘wholesome.’ In the old-fashioned world where people could sit down as a family and watch a television show and enjoy it because it would be something for everyone. And that’s what we’re shooting for.”
Huckabee premieres Oct. 7. For tickets, click here.
For the full interview, listen to the podcast below.
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