HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — Mike Huckabee, host of the Mike Huckabee Tonight show, pre-recorded his New Year’s Day episode this week. It was held in front of a live audience and featured special guests Mark Meadows, Jeff Kemp, Alicia Whitt, Bob Zany, and the musical group The Spinners.
Keith Bilbrey, introduced as ‘the Voice of the Grand Ole Opry’ welcomed the audience. He said, “If you like something, let’s hear it. If you don’t like it, let’s hear it anyway!”
Huckabee, also called the Governor throughout the taping, took the stage to enthusiastic applause. In his opening monologue, he reflected on how many thought 2021 would be better than the previous year, and that America would turn a corner. “But we kept turning, and turning,” into a year that was just as bad to the year prior, he said.
Huckabee continued that while 2021 hadn’t been the year many were expecting, he was hopeful that in 2022, America could get back on track.
The show’s first guest was former President Trump’s White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. He began by telling the audience about Meadows’ new book that was released, The Chief’s Chief, which details Meadows’ time working for President Trump.
Meadows said he felt like many people underestimated Trump’s work ethic, and that sometimes the former President would be calling him as late (or as early) as 3:18 AM.
Huckabee’s second guest was football player Jeff Kemp, discussed the Fatherhood CoMission program that he works with. Kemp, who also wrote the book Facing the Blitz talked about how the program is focused on helping fathers be a part of their children’s lives.
Kemp explained that when he is able to turn the conversation of fatherhood into metaphors that men can understand, he used football terminology as an example, that it can click in their mind how to be a father, a partner in marriage, and how to build a relationship with God.
When Huckabee asked Kemp what he thought the most important thing to say to fathers was, Kemp replied that fathers should know they’re needed, loved, and that they matter. He said it was never too late to rebuild a relationship with their children, or with God.
The next guest Huckabee spoke with was actress and singer Alicia Whitt. She showed the audience how to make a plant based mac n’ cheese. She told Huckabee that when she makes the dish, that many of her friends don’t know it’s vegan. The main ingredient is soaked cashews that are blended in a food processor with almond milk and spices.
Bob Zany appeared next, sharing a portion of his ‘Zany Report,’ which kept the audience laughing as he made light hearted jokes about current events.
The last guest on the show was the musical group The Spinners, who performed three of their songs, including their iconic hit, The Rubberband Man.
The episode is set to air on TBN on New Year’s Day, but the audience was told that portions of the taping could be aired before then.
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Morgan Nicole Veysey is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow her on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
