TV anchor wanted to come out on air. Minnesota felt like the right place to do it

"I don't think he would have had the support from the station," said Pugh, who made the move to the Twin Cities shortly after Hackett did in early 2023 and now works for U.S. Bank. "Coworkers knew about us, but it was kind of like the military with this don't-ask, don't-tell policy.

"It's been totally different here. We felt that instantly."

Still, Hackett was cautious. Homophobia is alive and well, especially in the Black community.

"It's religion, it's this over-reliance on masculinity, the lack of showing emotions," he said. "We have yet to break that stigma."

Before taking the job, he broached the idea of coming out with KARE's Jana Shortal, one of the Twin Cities' most prominent LGBTQ journalists.

"He was, it felt at the time, unsure if his being out was something he was ready to be to all, on air," said Shortal, who hosts "Breaking the News." "But over time with his team on the morning, I think he sensed, rightly, that this was the place to be his full self."

One of his most important supporters was co-anchor Alicia Lewis.

"I felt it would be liberating," said Lewis, who has been at the station for 10 years. "Plus, I was always afraid I was going to slip up on air and mention Marcus' name. We're very personal with our viewers. Not that we have to put out all of our personal business, but it's those kind of connections that help people trust us."

A week before making the announcement, Hackett had breakfast with "Sunrise" executive producer Jordy Foy so they could map out how the segment would play out. Despite knowing the game plan, Foy almost got choked up when it happened.

"It's not always easy for someone to do something like this," Foy said. "But I do think telling the news comes with a responsibility of being truthful to yourself and being truthful with the audience. You don't want a bunch of phonies on the air."

Hackett is embracing his new position as one of the Twin Cities' most recognizable gay media personalities. He'll be riding the KARE float this Sunday in the Twin Cities Pride Parade. He was also on the cover of a recent edition of Lavender, Minnesota's most popular gay magazine.

"I just wanted to be my authentic self," he said before heading back to his North Loop home to walk his dogs. "I wanted to show other people that you could live your truth out loud and not be ashamed about it."

Music: "When I was in Oklahoma, I allowed myself to get to know country a little bit. My partner is more into it than I am, so he'll put some on during road trips. But after an hour, I'm like, 'OK, back to Beyoncé. I saw her last year. Best concert of my life."

TV: "I love reality-competition shows. I want to be on 'The Amazing Race' one day. I recently got into 'House of the Dragon.' I had never watched 'Game of Thrones,' so when all the incest and murder started happening, I was like, 'Whoa!' And people are like, 'Yeah this is what happens in this universe.' "

Restaurants: "I love Maynards in Excelsior. We're still trying to get out more, but it's hard because of my hours. By the time it gets to be about 6 p.m., I want to wind down."

Theater: "I love going to see the musicals at the Orpheum, but it's tough because that means the next day I show up to work groggy and red-eyed. But I am excited about seeing 'Back to the Future' in September. My all-time favorite is probably 'Pippin,' which I saw on Broadway. I need to get back there. So many shows I need to catch up on."