Faith

Exclusive Interview With Glenn Beck (Part II): ‘We Are Not Hateful People. We Want to Help. We Will Help’

Editor’s note: The following is Part II of a profile by Mercury’s Meg Storm that originally appeared on GlennBeck.com.

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Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at Mercury Radio Arts? Just how do all of Glenn’s crazy ideas get done? Does anyone ever get a chance to sleep? Well, over the next few months we are going to take you inside MRA, giving you the inside scoop on everything from publishing to special events, 1791 to Markdown to GBTV. We will be interviewing members of our New York, Columbus, and Dallas staff, bringing you all the info, so you can know what it’s really like to work for Glenn. Part 1 (Kevin Balfe – Publishing), Part 2 (Liz Julis – GBTV/Special Events), Part 3 (Joel Cheatwood: CCO & President of TheBlaze), Part 4 (Eric Pearce: VP, TV Operation of TheBlaze), Part 5 (Michelle Vanderhoff Network Operations Manager at TheBlaze)

In the wake of what proved to be a truly historic week of service and charity, we sat down with Glenn to get his thoughts on how Restoring Love completes the Restoring trilogy he began two years ago in Washington D.C., how he feels coming out of this remarkable chapter of his life, and what comes next.

Keeping a sold out audience at Dallas Cowboys Stadium entertained for upwards of two hours is no easy task. Not only was Glenn the first person to ever sell out the stadium with a ‘spoken word’ event (i.e. not a football game or concert), he was experimenting with a show format that hasn’t really been tried before.

(Related: An Exclusive Interview with Glenn Beck: ‘I Felt Like a Caged Animal’)

The cornerstone of the event was Glenn’s keynote speech – a 45 minute address he delivered with the help of an orchestra and original score. “I think we started working on that speech – I don’t even know – five months ago,” Glenn said. “That was draft 14, I think. It was always pretty much in that form from the beginning.”

The speech at Cowboys Stadium was incredibly unique not only because of its content, but because of the music that accompanied it. Composer Clyde Bawden worked alongside Glenn for months as the speech went through its many drafts to ensure that the music fit the theme and tone of the of Glenn’s words at all times.

Part II: An Exclusive Interview With Glenn Beck About Restoring Love

But the musical score that played such an instrumental role in communicating the message of his speech almost didn’t happen. “There was a disagreement even two weeks before the event that the piano should never play while I am on stage talking and doing things,” Glenn recalled. “People said the orchestra would be too loud behind me, and it would be too confusing for the audience. That’s why there were subtitles up on the screen because I tried to overcome everybody’s objections.”

Despite the staff’s initial concerns, there was a method to Glenn’s madness. “The theory behind it was to make one solid experience,” he explained.  “As I kept saying to the crew, it’s like a good message therapist. They will never take the hand off the body. They might stop messaging for a while, but they leave the hand on the body. That’s what I wanted the musicians to do – always leave the music on stage, so you always felt that music going. We wanted to make it nonstop.”

Beyond the grandness of the speech, perhaps the most impressive part of Saturday night’s event was Glenn’s ability to seamlessly tie together a theme that was three years in the making. The seeds that he planted two summers ago on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and continued in Israel last year now had a context even bigger than anything Glenn and his audience could have ever imagined.

“The hardest part of that speech was tying the entire show together, which we had never done before,” he explained. “I mean we have always had an overview, but I have never spent the time on every single piece myself.”

In the wake of previous events, Glenn has been open about his concerns: Did he say everything he was supposed to say? Did he give the audience everything they deserved? But unlike Restoring Honor and Restoring Courage, Restoring Love was nearly a year in the making, and from early on he knew exactly what he needed to say and how he need to say it.

The message was clear from the beginning: people are good. Over 30,000 from around the world would not put their lives on hold, sacrificing vacations and extra income to come to Dallas and serve others if they were not intrinsically good. The biggest complaint of the weekend was not that there was too much work to be done, but that there was not enough – people were willing to do more than their four hour service shift.

“The message really was: we’re good. People are good. We are not who they say we are. We’re not a bunch of losers,” Glenn said. “We are not hateful people. We want to help. We will help.”

Service, which was the primary focus of the weekend, also played a big role in Glenn’s speech. “This is who we are. This is what we were taught. When we see someone hungry, we will give them food. When we see somebody hurting, we will give them help. We are Americans. We are builders. We are helpers,” Glenn told the crowd. “And if there’s one thing our government must NOT do it’s this: Don’t stop us. Don’t stop us from helping. Don’t stop us from feeding. We will serve.”

Glenn made it clear that getting this country back on track will require each of us to serve one another. “Service is good. That’s the way to fix the country,” he said. “It was a message to America that we are on the right track. We are doing the right things. God is with us. The miracles have already begun. God is with us, just keep going.”

The speech had another theme – one that was intended to speak to the people who had traveled from around the world to attend the event. “And then there was a secondary message to the people of Europe who had come, and the 20 nations around the world,” Glenn explained. “This is what made America great. We are not going to preach this to you. We are not going to try to export it. You take it. It is just an idea. And that is secret to our freedom, and it will be to theirs as well.”

The crowd’s response to Glenn’s words was nothing short of incredible, but there is no denying that one moment stood out slightly more than the rest. “The moment of ‘Witness the Third Great Awakening’ was one of the coolest things I have ever been a part of in my entire life,” Glenn said smiling. “The spirit was so powerful. It just testified that it was absolutely true.”

That moment in the speech became a rallying cry, bringing the audience to its feet and uniting them in cause and in spirit. “I know this: America is not done,” Glenn told the electrified crowd. “And if you are watching this broadcast in a distant foreign land and looking for American weakness, looking for surrender, look at this crowd and know that we are putting you on notice. Witness the Third Great Awakening! Your time has passed, and our time has just begun! Let this be the beginning. Commit and declare it for all to hear… Let this be the first of many. It’s not over. We have not yet begun to restore ourselves and reclaim our country.”

By the end of the program, the consensus was simple: the show was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. The fusion of history, entertainment, and enlightenment made it clear that exciting times are ahead and, with a bit of hard work, the best is yet to come.

“But that was the point of this experiment, if you will,” Glenn said. “The theatrical part of this was a proving ground for the experiment that I am going to do next year.”

“I think we created a new art form, and we have only just begun,” he continued. “Wait until you see what we do with film, pyrotechnics, water, and an orchestra next year.”

It looks like we have officially been warned…

Music played a huge role in the Restoring Love program and will be central to Glenn’s mission to restore our culture. Tomorrow we talk to Glenn about the importance of music to the show and where he found his inspiration.

Comments (23)

  • rfycom
    Posted on August 8, 2012 at 8:38am

    Hateful???? Worse. Beck’s wanting to help is based on creating wealth for himself. This is a business for Mr. Beck people.

    Report Post »  
    • TerrieBerns
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:35am

      I was there. I felt the audience. I volunteered for the Friday events. And I cried through much of the event as I know that Glenn is right. It is about each INDIVIDUAL life, each INDIVIDUAL heart. Each family, each church, each citizen.

      Surely, this man hopes to break-even from his events, and, “YES”, to make money! (Oh, I know how awful that sounds to some of you.) But the fact is that he has become a solid, reliable voice about how GOOD we all are. Some of you don’t understand what that hole in your heart is—-it keeps you from ever seeing the good in people (including Glenn); or the hope and faith and charity in the rest of us. For my part, I left changed for the better. Glenn is my brother and I will defend him (imperfections and all) to my death. Some of you will not get it because you are too busy trying to fill that hole in your heart with other stuff. My heart is filled; I am an AMERICAN, I will NOT COMPLY. And the freedom we are seeking, it is worth dying for.

      We are AWAKE. Beware of how much we can show you our love and our commitment and our action! It will shake things up!

      N

      Report Post »  
  • ChevalierdeJohnstone
    Posted on August 8, 2012 at 3:56am

    Are you freaking kidding me? “It’s like a good message therapist?” What the heck is wrong with you idiots? Who the heck edits this crud?

    The content of the The Blaze is for the most part excellent for an advertisement-driven news site, but if you idiots think for one second that you have a prayer of being taken seriously as professional journalists, you desperately need to get your collective act together and stop making so many stupid mistakes. Time and time and time again you misspell words, badly mangle sentences, misspell key names, and habitually commit other errors that would get you failed out of fifth grade.

    Scott Baker has a great TV host personality but if Scott Baker really is responsible for editing this website as the Editor-in-Chief, Scott needs to be fired as he is a dismal failure. High school newspapers are edited more professionally than this joke.

    Report Post »  
  • LaBelle
    Posted on August 8, 2012 at 3:09am

    Aw come on, did someone pull my post because I said someone was an ignoramus? Really? All it means is that someone is ignorant of facts..Sheesh, touchy touchy..

    Report Post » LaBelle  
  • Karenshepherd
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:30pm

    All the events surrounding Restoring Love were positive and encouraging, focusing on a return to God, morality and service to others. 35,000 volunteers worked in heat and humidity to help out projects throughout the Dallas area.
    For those who choose to denigrate Beck and this event, my heart and prayers go out to you–no matter how vile your attacks, you cannot take away the spirit that surrounded Restoring Love.

    Report Post »  
  • Karenshepherd
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:25pm

    All the events of Restoring Love were positive–focused toward a return to God, honesty, morality and service to others, along with a return to personal responsiblity and helping your neighbor. 35,000 people volunteered to work in projects throughout the Dallas area. There were no arrests and the kindness of everyone I met was just incredible.
    I don‘t care if Glenn is a millionaire as I’ve so often heard–the sacrifices he and his family endure are far beyond anything I could ever imagine doingfr

    Report Post »  
  • Individualism
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:36pm

    how is it restoring love when the Neo Con Christians are focusing their hate on gays and muslims now? look at the people on this site, i mean wanting to wipe them off the face of the earth is awful.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • 82dAirborne
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:17pm

      If what you said is true it would be terrible. But it isn’t true in any way shape or form so you can rest easy. The problem is that Liberals do not allow any opinion that differs from their own. The CFA owner said that he supports traditional marriages. He never said “wipe gays from the face of the earth.” Either you don‘t read very well or you don’t like FACTS.

      Report Post » 82dAirborne  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:34pm

    I wish I could’ve been there, but my finances are a little limited right now. I really think Glenn’s on to something, but I think the music and entertainment should have a bigger part in it. An orchestra is all well and good, and should be included, but I’d add bands that would be willing to want to share his vision. I‘m sure there’s a lot of good rock, funk and C&W bands that would be willing to give their time up for a good cause. I’d also look into some comics, too. Kind of a roast type thing, (not for Glenn) to crack political and even ethnic jokes. We’ve lost the ability to laugh at each other and even ourselves. That’s not a good thing. I think we need to laugh like like hell, be serious and dance the devil right out of our asses. (Kinda like a big tent revival meeting, minus the donations.) Food, some drinks and get down! Laugh and make new friends. (I hate to get weird again, but anyone remember the old episode of Star Trek where the crew was fighting the Klingons, and all their weapons were replaced with swords”? They kept dying and coming back to supply energy for the ‘hate thing’, until they figured out it was FEEDING off the hate. They laughed at it until it died.) That‘s the line I’m thinking along. I pray to God for that every day. We’re just too damned serious, and it’s killing us..

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • 82dAirborne
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 9:40pm

    We have the silliest trolls I have ever encountered on the web. Two or three seem to at least try to put some thought into their posts but by and large they just hate and attempt to disrupt. They don’t argue rationally. Troll: “You guys suck and are mean!” You’ll never persuade anyone with such cheap shots.

    Report Post » 82dAirborne  
  • HeidiTreadwater
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 9:07pm

    Restoring Love was one of the most inspiring events of my life, I remain inspired, and from my observations, I’m not alone. Those of you who hang out on this site just to criticize and demoralize are certainly free to do so, but trust me when I tell you the movement catapulted by this event cannot be stopped. We aren’t withering, we aren’t going away. Not this time.

    Report Post » HeidiTreadwater  
  • NILAP
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:58pm

    The Great Awakening will be the embrace of the Golden Rule with these truths: the world is one country and humankind it citizens and there is only one race, the human race. All other spiritual ‘awakenings’ will pass away that do not embrace the planet and humanity.

    Report Post » NILAP  
  • marybethelizabeth
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:32pm

    In the 1970′s news departments became subsidiaries of network entertainment.

    Glenn Beck is following a 40 year old trend, and he has 4 decades of catching up to do.

    And regarding the sub-headline quote of we will help: the only thing stopping you must be the dollar signs. Charities learned how to make a buck thousands of years ago.

    Mr. Beck is a poor student of history.

    Report Post » marybethelizabeth  
  • mbriz
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:25pm

    Not hateful? are you kidding? just read the comments on any story, and the hate comes out every time, and where does that come from, beck.

    Report Post » mbriz  
    • aaobalagun
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 7:13pm

      I agree, Glenn Beck is the Mouth-Piece of Scary White Trash America. He has fueled hate and arrogance on damn near every Broadcast

      Report Post » aaobalagun  
    • LaBelle
      Posted on August 8, 2012 at 3:04am

      Wow, you guys are so misinformed..Either that or you’re just trolling for media matters..Either way you’re ignorant of the facts, period.

      Report Post » LaBelle  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:24pm

    “The message was clear from the beginning: people are good.”

    Uhh, Glenn, the Bible says the exact opposite. People are not good, they are sinful, and our “good works” are like “filthy rags” next to the righteousness of God. If we were “good” then we could make our way to Heaven on our own accord and Jesus didn’t need to die on the cross.

    Talk about a false teacher. I hope true Biblical Christians will avoid Glenn, as his preaching is unBiblical and dangerous.

    Report Post »  
    • LaBelle
      Posted on August 8, 2012 at 3:06am

      People ARE good but not without sin, how is that lying and misleading, just because Glenn didn’t point out the obvious? Ignoramus‘ shouldn’t be allowed to post. Christians aren‘t perfect just forgiven but I wouldn’t expect a non christian to understand that.

      Report Post » LaBelle  
  • RevRiles
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 4:37pm

    I would like to work for Glenn (hey, I would like to work, period.) No, Glenn, don’t call me (don’t you dare!)

    Report Post » RevRiles  
  • The-Real-Enrico
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 4:35pm

    @Brother Winston (Honest question) Why don’t you go preach you movement of anti-leftist/progressivism etc in the lions den/belly of the beast sort of speak at the msm, cnn, cnbc etc websites?

    I’m not trying to come off as a ass. I’m not saying like you should leave stop visiting this site. I honestly want to know why you choose to spread your facts here instead of the mainstream sites that have more traffic and progressives to hear your message?

    Report Post » The-Real-Enrico  

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