Duane “Dog” Chapman appeared on Jerry O’Connell‘s new talk show this week, where he got emotional recounting the passing of his wife, Beth. In the course of the interview, Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, and the show’s host shared a sentimental hug.
Chapman got misty-eyed and vulnerable as soon as his late wife came up during his interview. The acclaimed host did his best to keep his voice steady, but as he spoke about Beth it soon became clear that he was choked up. Before long, O’Connell swooped in for a reassuring hug.
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“The fans kept her alive,” he said simply. “The fans kept writing her, and kept her alive, and… they’re keeping me alive now.”
. @DogBountyHunter opens up about the passing of his wife Beth, his new show, and more. pic.twitter.com/p7J4QNYdNJ
— Jerry O (@JerryOShow) August 28, 2019
Chapman had trouble finishing his sentence, which was met with thunderous applause from the live audience. As his voice constricted, O’Connell stood and crossed the gap between them, putting his arms around the bounty hunter. Chapman patted him on the back gratefully before shaking off the emotion.
Chapman and O’Connell stayed on the topic of Beth for nearly five minutes in the interview, making ti clear that she is still at the forefront of her husband’s mind. Beth passed away in June following a years-long battle with cancer. As Chapman continues to grieve, his family and fans are right there with him.
“It’s so sad to talk about her everywhere, because I don’t want to take advantage of that. But if I don’t, she’d be so mad,” Chapman said.
In this interview, Chapman also promoted his new upcoming series, Dog’s Most Wanted, which premieres next week on WGN. He shed some light on what Beth’s role will be in the series, which filmed while she was still alive. In spite of her illness, he said that she was always at the sidelines cheering him on throughout filming.
“She would go out there and yell and watch like I was in a boxing ring,” he recalled. “I never lost a fight, because she was there doing that. So she fought all the way ’til the very end.”
As in previous series, Chapman is still going after the “meanest” and “ugliest” fugitives he can find, but he said that his wife has made it different now. He described Beth as an “angelic drone,” saying that she is still watching over him and his team as they work to this day.
“You oughta see the guys turning themselves in right now,” he said.
Chapman’s full interview aired on Jerry O’, the new talk show hosted by O’Connell currently airing on Fox Television Stations. The show is in a test run for just three weeks as it tries to find its footing.
Dog’s Most Wanted premieres Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.
