Sean Hannity is not the biggest fan of awards shows.

Ill be honest, I cant stand these Hollywood award shows. I hate them. Theyre unwatchable to me, the Fox News host tells The Hollywood Reporter. Its all self congratulatory youre great. Im great. Were all great together.'

So it is a bit ironic that Hannity has become a perennial awards show host himself. For the second straight year, Hannity will host the Patriot Awards, Fox News own awards special, which honors everyday heroes (and a few famous people) for their achievements in life, rather than on the screen. This years installment, the seventh hosted by the channel, will take place Thursday Nov. 6 and will stream on Fox Nation. The awards were previously hosted by Fox Friends weekend host Pete Hegseth, who left the channel for another job.

I think I read something about that, yeah, Hannity says with a chuckle.

I think what makes [The Patriot Awards] so beautiful, unique and special, is we honor those unsung heroes, and we give them a platform and the recognition that not only they deserve, but the people that also do what they do deserve, Hannity says. We set aside a night to honor them.

The ticketed event will see thousands of Fox News fans crowd the arena to get close to their favorite TV talent and other guests, with live taping of shows like The Five and Fox Friends, and meet and greets with talent.

I meet people all the time, and there is a real bond and a passion for the network and what we do, and all the different personalities and to come together on a special night to do something so unique and so different from any other award show, Im just honored to be a part of it, he adds. To be honest I was really honored when they asked me to host it, and then I guess I did okay, because they invited me back.

Hannity recalls visiting Walter Reed Medical Center with former Fox News host Oliver North during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, visiting troops suffering from injuries sustained in battle.

They are the unsung heroes of our time, and there are so many of them. Theyre in every small town, every big city. Theyre all over the place, and we dont know their stories, Hannity says. Nobody ever tells their stories, thats what defines the Patriot Awards, so that the people that will go into a burning building and risk their life to save a young child, or, in some cases save an animal, save something. I mean, that is just love of country and love of your fellow man at the highest level to me.

This years Patriot Awards will be held at the The Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, New York, a stones throw from New York City on Long Island, Hannitys former home (he moved to Florida last year).

Suffice it to say, the nearby mayors race in New York City was top of mind, with Zohran Mamdanis stunning win set to reverberate across the country.

I affectionately call Zohran Mamdani Commie Marxist Mamdani but thats just the humor side of what I do, Hannity says, predicting that his election will lead to a deluge of New York residents fleeing for the suburbs, or other cities in Florida, Texas, or the Carolinas. I think theres going to be a Mamdani effect, where people just say theyve had enough.

But first, some awards need to be handed out.

Most of the honorees are regular people being honored for taking extraordinary acts of heroism. The awards include the Young Patriot Award, Courage Award, Benjamin Halls Honor Award, T2T Stephen Siller Award, Salute to Service Award, and Most Valuable Patriot Award.

Of course, the awards will also have some very recognizable honorees and guests, alongside the stable of Fox News talent. Country star Jason Aldean will perform, and he and his wife BrittanyAldean will present a brand new award from the channel: The Charlie Kirk Legacy Award. The first recipient will be Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirks widow.

I knew Charlie Well, and liked Charlie a lot, he was so gifted and talented, Hannity says. I would say his calling was probably pastoral, almost, he would go into these hostile environments, and say prove that Im wrong, prove me wrong.

Hannity cited videos that Charlie and Erika Kirk made together, in which they would discuss their marriage.

I dont know if youve ever watched any of those videos, and maybe you agree with their values, maybe you dont, but they talk about how they would serve each other and ask each other, how can I better serve you?' Hannity says. Most marriages are like why isnt my dinner ready?'

And Tuesday Fox announced that First Lady Melania Trump would receive the Patriot of the Year Award (her husband President trump was last years recipient), for her work to protect children from the dangers of AI and securing the release of Ukrainian children seized by Russia during the war.

I think that for any First Lady, its a very hard position, Hannity says, adding that he knows her well. Shes got this quiet dignity about her, and is an absolutely brilliant human being.

But I think shes been remarkable in her work with with children in particular, which I know is a passion of hers and close to her heart, he adds. Shes more quiet, shes more private, the idea that she was back-channeling Vladimir Putin and working for the release of these kids is really remarkable, and she did so successfully. What a great story to tell. Nobody knew that was happening, and it was a pretty cool story.