Chris Hansen using Kickstarter to get back to catching predators

Starting Wednesday, people can contribute to a campaign that Chris Hansen is launching on Kickstarter. The veteran network news correspondent, known for the “Dateline NBC” investigative series “To Catch a Predator,” is turning to crowd funding to support a new hidden-camera operation to capture men who use the Internet to find underage sex partners. The results will become the basis for a new series, “Hansen vs. Predator.” Starting Wednesday, people can contribute to a campaign that Hansen is launching on Kickstarter, the Internet crowd-funding site that enables people to contribute money to a venture or cause they are passionate about. “We’re trying to help our clients connect with fans who want to help bring their projects to life,” said Erin Erenberg, director of crowd funding at William Morris Endeavor. Hansen’s predator-busting persona was immortalized on “The Simpsons” and “South Park.” His name even came up in a gag delivered by comic Kevin Hart during the recent roast of Justin Bieber on Comedy Central.