Is the world ready for a friendly Wally George?

Wally George, the 68-year-old right-wing firebrand whose “Hot Seat” talk show is in its 18th season on KDOC-TV, talks about his newfound gentleness and his new autobiography, “Wally George: The Father of Combat TV” (Seven Locks Press).

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Q: Have you really mellowed?

A: I’ve gotten older. I still do commentaries, and I try to put some fire in them. But I’m not as bombastic as I was.

Q: Are you still estranged from your actress-daughter, Rebecca DeMornay?

A: Unfortunately, we’re not on the best of terms. It’s a sad thing.

Q: You call yourself “The Father of Combat TV” and say that people like Jerry Springer and Howard Stern have copied you. But in the book, you express your distaste for both Springer and Stern. Isn’t that a contradiction?

A: Combat TV isn’t raunchy, filthy TV. I don’t get into things like Stern does, where he tells women to take off their clothes or talks about bodily functions. Combat TV is where I get into very, very fiery arguments about issues. Stern just does things for shock value. He’s a dirt-monger. The same thing goes for Jerry Springer.

Q: But isn’t the level of discourse quite low on your show, with people shouting at each other and you raging above it all?

A: Well, I’m no William F. Buckley. I do call my guests names, but that isn’t all I do. I get in the reasons why I’m against them and the harm that can come from the things they espouse. Even when I’m yelling and screaming, calling someone a jerk or a moron, I don’t have a viciousness about me. That’s why people have watched me all these years.