Mark 6:20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
Standing out from the crowd can be a good or a bad thing; if you are trying to hide after doing something wrong the last thing you would want is to stand out.
Herod feared John because he knew what John stood for. John stood out from the rest because He upheld God’s Law. He had a personal relationship with God.
Herod was more than willing to hear out John and to listen to the Gospel John was teaching even through many of the people objected.