From Special Olympics to Youtube: Bay Area champion is the star of his own show

TAMPA, Fla. - Viewership for Tampa Bay sports talk show "The Dallas and Earl Show" may not be breaking records, but the show's hosts say what matters is that they're breaking molds.

"It's funny, in Dallas' eyes, our little show is as big as Kelly and Ryan, or Jimmy Fallon," Earl Henning told FOX 13 Sports. "That's how he thinks of our show."

Dallas Mclain is a Special Olympic champion powerlifter, and a darn good bowler. He's also a champion in connecting with people.

"My favorite memories is saying 'Hi' to different people from different counties," Dallas said. "Us in Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas. I've met a lot of friends over there."

Henning, who is Dallas' uncle and co-host, says his nephew is a natural at making people feel special. 

"He's like the mayor of everywhere he goes because he somehow runs into somebody that he knows, or he makes friends immediately," Henning said. "He has this personality that attracts people to him."

Dallas is also a certified Special Olympics Messenger. One day he approached his uncle with the idea of a sports talk show to give the Special Olympics more exposure.

"The reality is people with disabilities don't get a lot of opportunities like this," Henning said. "There's no shows out there ... where the superstar is someone with an intellectual disability, so it was a no-brainer."

"The Dallas and Earl Show," which can be found on YouTube, has a little more than 70 subscribers. Dallas isn't worried about those numbers.

"To be able to inspire people [or] inspire other parents who have children with disabilities ... to watch him be able to work himself up to where maybe he can be a spokesman for someone like that, I think that in itself is pretty inspirational," Henning said.

To see more of "The Dallas & Earl Show" visit www.youtube.com/channel/UCriCHAh0jceppZ9__i3aGUQ.