Salisbury Post Online:  Local news, weather, sports and more!
Serving historic Rowan County, North Carolina since 1905.

Sheriff Hege locked and loaded on the radio

BY JENNIFER RIDDLE
SALISBURY POST

In true Hege fashion, the infamous Davidson County “bad” boy ripped onto WKZL 107.5 as the Friday morning show guest host.

He wore his uniform, a Team 101 hat and was “locked and loaded” with a gun on his hip and a microphone in his hand.

“Bad to the Bone” blasted in the background as the sheriff informed listeners, “Hege’s in the house.”

The Greensboro-based radio station usually plays the top-ranking Murphy in the Morning show from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. but Jack Murphy, the show’s host, was on vacation.

“I didn’t have any idea that Murphy was going to get Sheriff Hege to host the show until I heard him talking about it on the radio,” said Jeff McHugh, program director. “Considering who Hege is, it should make for an interesting show.”

Hege and Guilford County Sheriff B. J. Barnes, who hosted Thursday’s show, have worked with Murphy on several occasions for charitable functions. Murphy called both sheriffs and offered them the chance to take over the radio station in his absence.

“Who is this guy I’m replacing?” Hege joked on the air. “This is my show now and we’re doing things the Hege way.”

Murphy in the Morning co-host Krista Cochran and producer Jeff Corbett were on hand to guide Hege through the two and a half hour program and to handle technical aspects like the phone and sound systems. But hosting a radio show is nothing new to the sheriff.

“I think I am a natural at this kinda thing and everything seems to be falling into line,” Hege said covering the microphone during a segment break. “We don’t have a delay or anything on my show. We just go live.”

In February, Hege launched “F-Block 101 With Sheriff Gerald K. Hege” on WLXN in Lexington. The hour-long program airs every Tuesday and Saturday night from the Davidson County Jail and features inmates who answer calls from listeners. Hege moderates the show.

“Because of my radio show and the name I have made for myself, when most people hear the name Hege, they picture a tough guy kicking butt,” Hege said. “Doing the radio show this morning gave me a break from being that guy and the chance to relax and just have some fun.”

On the air, Hege relentlessly needled his co-hosts about modern music, their jobs and the listeners who called in to the show. He said Corbett needed to lift weights and told listeners, “I don’t like to beat up on wimps, and let me tell you this guy is overweight and out of shape. I mean he’s already sucked down a muffin this morning.”

Joking aside, Corbett was impressed with the sheriff’s ease on the radio.

“He’s real funny, and I think that he’s amazingly honest and a real character,” Corbett said. “All in all, I’d say he’s a real piece of work.”

The sheriff takes pride in being a character. The attention his activities, like painting Davidson County jail cells pink, helps deter “scumbags” from committing crimes, Hege said.

“It’s a character who stands out in people’s minds and who they tend to remember,” Hege said. “I’m a character to intimidate the bad guys and reassure the good ones.”

The phone lines remained busy with people who wanted to talk to the sheriff. Some were supporters. Others were not.

While off the air one man called to ask if he would be arrested if he stole $50,000 from someone. When Hege told him that it was considered grand larceny, the caller responded, “Then why aren’t you in jail Sheriff Hege?” He hung up before the sheriff could respond.

“He’s talking about the motorcycles. What a wimp; he hung up,” Hege said. “I can respect a critic who takes the time to get angry with you and isn’t afraid to own up to it. People who can’t tell you to your face or sign their name to their letter to the editor are just wimps.”

Hege led a controversial first term as sheriff. The most recent of his scrutinized actions is the purchase of two Harley Davidson motorcycles for the Sheriff’s Department with money set aside for undercover vice operations. Although some people were angered by the purchase, Hege talked about the motorcycles openly on the air.

“I am getting ready to be a national spokesman for the Harley Davidson company,” Hege bragged to Barnes who called in to the show. “Maybe we can work on getting you some.”

While some calls were negative, Hege also received calls from listeners who wanted to thank him for his efforts and to tell him how much they appreciated his work.

“Our lines have not been that busy in a long time,” Cochran said. “People either love him or they don’t but we got a lot of supportive, phone calls from people who don ‘t even live in his county.”

One caller praised Hege’s use of road blocks. Davidson County has 200 every month— more than any other county in the state. Another addressed the issue of the black and white striped uniforms that Hege makes his inmates wear.

“Some people don’t like the idea of my striped uniforms but I think that they embarrass the people who have to wear them and that is the point,” Hege said. “Besides, I don’t have escape problems because I think people would ask questions if they saw someone in stripes or naked running down the street.”

The phones continued to ring as the show drew to an end. Corbett finally had to tell people they weren’t accepting any more calls.

“I’m amazed at how many people call in and will wait on hold for like 30 or 40 minutes,” Hege said. “I wouldn’t hold that long. Most of my staff meetings don’t last longer than about eight minutes.”

Before the end of the broadcast, Hege made sure to plug his upcoming cable television debut.

“So now what is this I hear about you being on TV?” Corbett asked.

“Well now Court TV has decided to pick up my radio show and they are going to film a pilot that should run the week of July 19 on prime time cable from 9 to 10 p.m.,” Hege said. “It’s a spinoff but I am going to get out there and bring out the guys in stripes.”

All the proceeds from doing the show will go into the DARE program in Davidson County, not the Sheriff Hege fund, Hege said. He hopes that his television presence will have the same affect on criminals as his radio show does.

“I had fun doing the radio show but once I cross back into the county I’m tough,” Hege said. “And you better watch out for those road blocks, because then you’re in Hege country.”