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Chris Hansen hris Hansen, best known for his reporting work on the Dateline NBC series “To Catch a Predator,” exudes charisma on the small screen, but at one time, he claims he was just an awkward boy from Bloomfield Township. “I was a little shy, a little chubby,” Hansen said. “Throughout elementary and junior high school, I wasn’t the best student in the neighborhood. Then I went to Brother Rice High School and right around sophomore year, I made a group of friends.” Hansen quickly overcame his meek demeanor and woke up academically and socially. “There were tons of kids, touch football games, baseball games and broken windows,” he said. Growing up in Bloomfield Township, Hansen was captivated by the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa from a Bloomfield Township restaurant. It was the coverage of that event which drew him into a career in journalism. “I was about 14 when Hoffa disappeared,” he said. “I was fascinated by it.” After high school, Hansen went on to study at Michigan State University and landed a broadcasting job at WILX-TV, a Lansing NBC affiliate. “I made $4.80 an hour,” Hansen said. “I covered the state capitol. It was a great experience.” While Hansen said he could have wallpapered his office with rejection letters, his magnetism and commanding style eventually landed him positions with both WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) and WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in Detroit. “It was kind of a dream of mine to work at Channel 7 Action News and work with Bill Bonds. It doesn’t get any better than that.” Bonds, a
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family friend, served as a mentor to Hansen. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for him.” Hansen earned a reputation for himself in the field and eventually his talent was sought by NBC for Dateline. “It was thrilling,” he said. “There were a lot of people wondering why I’d leave Detroit. I figured—what a great adventure. I never looked back.” While working at NBC, Hansen pitched the idea for the Dateline series “To Catch a Predator.” The premise involved a sting operation luring alleged would-be sex offenders to a home where they would be greeted and confronted by Hansen. The show was an instant success. Currently, he is working on “The Hansen Files,” a newer series for Dateline. The show will air Sundays on NBC beginning in January 2012. “The Hansen Files” uses hidden cameras to expose wrongdoings through investigative reporting. Hansen has appeared on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Oprah Show,” but what most impressed his two sons was being immortalized on Comedy Central’s “South Park.” “When they had a South Park with a Chris Hansen character, well, then you know you’ve made it.” Today, Hansen lives in Connecticut with his family but still finds time to connect with his friends from Brother Rice. He is an eight-time Emmy Award winning journalist and attributes his success to a few core values. “It’s hard work, timing, willingness to put in the hours and a little bit of luck.” Story: Katey Meisner