About Brad Blanks

From a small town down under, to the big city; Emmy winner and Founder of Shooting Blanks

Brad Blanks is a native Aussie now based in New York City, where on a daily basis he provides interviews and commentary around stories in the entertainment and sports worlds. Between chatting with the biggest stars and man-on-the-street interviews, he consistently manages to find a different take on current events. 

Since 2000, he has been interviewing famous and not-so-famous people at the world’s largest gatherings, continually covering the Olympics, Super Bowl (NFL), World Series (MLB), the Oscars, Sundance Film Festival, and the Kentucky Derby.

Brad received a Sports Emmy for his work at the Vancouver Olympics with NBC, covering a multitude of angles during that year’s Games with stories as crazy as chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger as he carried the Olympic flame, to spending an entire day with snowboarder Shaun White as he won gold on the half-pipe pulling off the McTwist.

Brad loves to find people who are passionate about their quest to be the best at their chosen pastime. He has created documentaries for ESPN about Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Spring Training, highlighting the fans’ excitement around their favorite teams, as well as features on wrestlers in Mongolia, a man who loves rattlesnakes, a community that celebrates diving into freezing cold water, and many more. 

This wild and wonderful broadcasting journey began at WPLJ/ABCNew York. With no radio experience after walking into the WPLJ studios above Madison Square Garden and onto the very popular Scott and Todd Morning Show, asking if they needed a Sydney Olympics reporter. Luckily, they thought it would be funny to put an Aussie with no experience on their show! Brad returned to Sydney and called in live to the station every day during the 2000 Olympics. With no press credentials and no access, he managed to create three weeks of entertaining radio reports live from the field.

His commentary and videos have been featured on ESPN, NBC, Australia’s Hamish and Andy, the KQRS Morning Show with Tom Bernard in Minneapolis, and New York City’s #1 radio station WCBS-FM with the legend himself, Scott Shannon, as well as Fresh/New 102.7 via CBS Radio/Entercom/Audacy’s airwaves and nationwide streaming platforms.

Brad has also been featured on television programs around the world – whether getting his chest autographed by Lindsay Lohan, or freaking out Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler with his height on the red carpet. It’s certainly been an interesting ride! 

Drop Brad a line. He’d love to chat with you – and if you need someone to hold a microphone and weave a funny story together, he’s your guy.