#ThrowbackThursday: How a 1991 Local Newscast Foreshadowed My TV Guide Tenure

I think I've well-established that I was obsessed with television as a kid... and really obsessed with TV Guide Magazine. (As in, I collected TV Guides. Created my own version. Programmed my own imaginary TV station. I could go on.)

Back in Honolulu, one of the weird things I would do was actually contact the local news stations. I interviewed several anchors for a school project (that's me above on the news set of KGMB in 1989 or 1990)... and I would sometimes send them goofy things in an attempt to get on the air. I especially bothered local ABC affiliate KITV--particularly its weather and sports folks, since they were pretty loose on the air and open to goofiness.

One day, while reading TV Guide, I saw an ad featuring a model who looked suspiciously like one of KITV's anchors. I sent it to the station... which ended up having some fun with it on air. Watch the clip below; toward the end of the clip, Dan Cooke namechecks me and even notes that I am a "future journalist and avid TV Guide reader." So true. Fast forward 25 years, and here I am at the magazine. It was meant to be!

Watch below (the namecheck is at the end):

Deck the Halls with Poi and Slack Key: It's Mike's Hawaiian Christmas Radio Show (STREAM/DOWNLOAD!)

Back for your holiday listening: It's an all-Christmas edition of my former KCSN radio show, "Hawaiian Eye." First aired on Dec. 21, 2007, it's familiar Christmas tunes done in a not-so-familiar island style.

The show kicks off with Pure Heart's rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" -- Local Style ("numbah one day of Christmas my tutu gave to me, one mynah bird in one papaya tree"). Other favorites include Willie K's powerful version of "O Holy Night"; the Brothers Cazimero's haunting "We Three Kings," and Hawaiian Christmas tracks from artists like Keali'i Reichel and Amy Hanaiali'i.

Listen below! You can stream it or download it for future listening too.



Go here for a full track listing of all the songs. Mele Kalikimaka!

Throwback Thursday: My First-Ever Radio Show, as a High School Kid, 25 Years Ago

Dr. Mike and Damon V., from the summer of 1990

It's hard to believe, but this month marks the 25th anniversary of the summer I spent with a bunch of kids from around the state of Hawaii living at the University of Hawaii dorms and getting hands-on experience in the worlds of TV, radio and journalism. It was the State of Hawaii's Summer Program for the Enhancement of Basic Education (SPEBE), a pretty cool program that fell victim years ago to budget cuts. But it made my summer of 1990 -- the summer before my senior year of high school -- a transformative experience for me. (I also returned as a counselor, overlooking a whole new crop of kids, in 1993).

We were all high school juniors and seniors from all over the islands: In-town and rural Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Big Island and even Lanai. For six weeks while living at the UH dorms we also produced video projects, created a newspaper and did a weekly radio show on UH's KTUH radio station.

A few years ago I shared my bad acting as lothario "Bruce" in one of the cheesy videos we made that summer, "Love Story" (link here).

Now, I just uploaded my first-ever actual on-air radio show -- and it's horrifically cheesy as well. It's the "Dr. Mike and Damon V. Show" (Damon was my roommate), recorded at midnight on Thursday, June 28, 1990. The music is quite the hodge-podge (The Smiths, Jane's Addiction, Phil Collins, Inspiral Carpets, Madonna, The Sundays, Janet Jackson, etc.) and I hog the mic (sorry, Damon!) way too much. Stick around for the news report from Eugene and Marisa. I have cut down the songs so it's not too long of a slog. Here you go:

Podcast Hosting - Download Audio - Dr. Mike and Damon V on KTUH...

Throwback Thursday: Listen to Me DJ a Top 40 Radio Station as a High School Senior in 1990

A few months ago I recounted the time, as a 17-year-old high school senior, I got the chance to play guest DJ on "Hot I-94," which was (in 1990) the hot youthful radio station in Hawaii. As I mentioned this summer, as part of a holiday promotion I convinced them to let me play guest DJ.

They let me do an hour show on a Friday night during the "Lanai Boy and Jimmy the Geek" show. (It was late December, so they probably figured no one was listening on a Friday anyway). Lanai and Jimmy basically gave me the board for an hour as I played commericials, the pre-determined playlist (remember Stevie B?) and read a few liners. It was a blast. Above, a shot of me with Lanai Boy from that night.

Now, here it is. If you've ever wanted to hear me intro cheesy pop music from 1990, this is your stream.

Play Music - Free Audio - Mike on Hot I-94

RETRO FRIDAY: Late 1980s and Early 1990s Hawaii Commercials

"Hi, I'm Didi Ah Yo and AWAY WE GO with another great deal from Creative Holidays!" If you lived in Hawai'i in the late 1980s and early 1990s, just hearing that phrase -- or the name "Didi Ah Yo" -- brings back a flood of memories. (Sadly, Didi Ah Yo passed away in 2004.) That was such a fertile time for commercials in da islands that really resonated with viewers.

So now, here are a bunch I've found on YouTube. It's not an exhaustive roundup, however. There are still a ton of ads from that time that I wish someone would upload: Hawaii Literacy Hotline ("Ehh, if I learn to read, mebbe my kids can too!"); that one ad featuring the dad who screamed, "You dropped da ball! You stupid! YOU NOT MY SON!"; Frank Delima's Muhi-us spot; KHNL's Anti-smoking campaign ("Ikaika Belding is my name, I go Heeia school and I'm in da third grade!") and others. One of these days I'll go through some old VHS tapes I have in the hopes that I still have old Hawaii TV recordings.


"From Maui to Manoa!" You remember this one for Hawaiian Tel, featuring that Peter Moon Band song "Far Too Wide." Makes me wanna pick up the phone and call a loved one every time. (Of course, back when I was at Northwestern and my friends and family were truly FAR away, I thought of this commercial and how ridiculous it was that this girl was just one island over and yet still homesick. Get over yourself! You're on Oahu now! Live it up!)


Another emotional spot -- I gotta say, amazingly well done for a local ad. This one is for First Hawaiian, which approves a loan for a new swing set for this pre-school.


Michael W. Perry rapping about Meadow Gold ice cream treats. Really, there's nothing better. "The fun's in the freezer and ready to eat!"


Remember Harry and Myra, the older couple that starred in countless Bank of Hawaii commercials? There was something so endearing about these spots. I believe this was one of the first. ALSO: A spot for the United Way, featuring Frank Delima (and is that Mel Cabang as the devil?)


After the Didi Ah Yo spot, stay tuned for a great KQMQ ad featuring Michael Qseng and Danielle Tucker! Folks, this combination of advertisements screams Hawaii Circa 1988!


This may be the one smooth jazz song I can stand, because whenever I hear it, I think about the magic of electricity. That's all because of this spot Hawaiian Electric, performed by rock/jazz fusion group Hiroshima.


Before she was a news anchor, Jade Moon was busy scarfing down a Zippy's plate.


What made these no-frills Lex Brodie ads so memorable? That equally no-frills tagline. "THANK YOU... VERY MUCH."


Another classic, from 1988, showcasing a dystopian future and shot at the State Capitol. The message? "Vote 88... and have your say the American way" or face a totalitarian government!


The Yum Yum Tree! Remember when Hawai'i had several of these chain coffee shops? Are they all gone now?


Even 7-Eleven had a jingle!


Some classic spots from 1988, including one for now-defunct Liberty House department store, and a campaign ad for Mayor Frank Fasi (who touts a proposed rapid transit system -- can you imagine, had that been built 25 years ago instead of finally now?). Later (4 minutes in), it's "Island Getaways... why should the tourists have all the fun?!" Oh yeah and early in this clip: YOUNG JOE MOORE!


RIP, Aloha Airlines.


"Ooh! Ahh! Oh Wow! Ala Moana!" Has anyone ever really been that excited about a shopping center? And yet look at all the local celebrities joining in: Wally Famous Amos, Brickwood Galuteria, Linda Coble, Mel Cabang and even the General, Les Keiter!

BTW, according to Linked In, Ikaika Belding is now a counselor at the Hawaii Department of Education. I hope he doesn't smoke.

L&L's Cheaper Version of the Ramen Burger Comes to Town

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue founder/president Eddie Flores calls it "bigger, better and cheaper" than the original. I can't speak to it being bigger or better, but L&L's take on the now-trendy ramen burger is indeed cheaper. And it's now showing up in local L&L locations (at least, as far as I know, in Glendale, Eagle Rock and Pasadena).



I tried the L&L ramen burger during our recent trip to Hawaii and.. it wasn't bad. There's an interesting taste when you slap a burger between two tightly-wound patties of cooked ramen.



(I tried both the ramen burger and the ramen BBQ chicken sandwiches. Although I usually prefer chicken, in this case the burger was better.)



Chef Keizo Shimamoto originally came up with the idea for the ramen burger, and famously drew four-hour lines last fall when he brought it to Torrance. According to the LA Weekly, a brick-and-mortar Ramen Burger is coming:

The Ramen Burger brick-and-mortar, which will soft-open on Aug. 1, will be a walk-up window located next to the popular Koreatown bar Lock & Key. Patrons of Lock & Key will be able to order the ramen burger inside the bar, as the two venues will share a kitchen. A hidden cocktail bar PLUS ramen burgers: It doesn't get much better than that.

The Ramen Burger menu will consist of the original ramen burger, which features a handmade ramen bun, scallions, ground beef patty, baby arugula and secret shoyu sauce. The spicy La Sriracha Macha specialty ramen burger, which debuted at last month’s DTLA Night Market, will become a regular menu item available at the brick-and-mortar.

The veggie ramen burger will also be available, as will various iterations of french fries: red miso and cheese; aonori seaweed and sea salt; and Shaka Shaka fries. There will also be the option to add a fried egg and bacon to any of the burgers.

If you can't wait, the L&L ramen burger is on sale now.

License Plate of the Day: Everybody Poops Edition

Thanks to my sister Melanie for emailing me this while on her Hawaiian vacation. Poops? Or "Poo, HPs"?

Throwback Thursday: Hawaii's Lanai Boy, Then and Now

Flashback to December 1990. I'm a high school senior in Hawai'i, listening to the radio when KIKI "Hot I-94" starts advertising a holiday-themed promotion to make wishes come true. It's mostly a chance to give a few down-on-their-luck folks some money to make it through the season. But I come up with another idea, which would be free for the station: Make my dream come true to be a DJ on the station. What the hell, I thought, maybe they'd let me show up and do it. (I had gotten the bug earlier that year while doing some DJing that summer on KTUH, the University of Hawaii radio station.)

To my surprise, they said yes -- and offered to let me do an hour show on a Friday night during the "Lanai Boy and Jimmy the Geek" show. (It was late December, so they probably figured no one was listening on a Friday anyway). Lanai and Jimmy basically gave me the board for an hour as I played commericials, the pre-determined playlist (remember Stevie B?) and read a few liners. It was a blast. Above, a shot of me with Lanai Boy from that night.

In the decades that followed, "Lanai Boy" became just "Lanai" and forged a long-running radio partnership with Augie Tulba. But more recently, he was part of the "Aloha Plate" food truck team that won Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race."

A few weeks ago at the LA Street Food Festival, I ran into the Aloha Plate food truck, and there was Lanai. I went over and told him about the time I met him in the studios of I-94 nearly 24 years ago. An updated pic:

My First-Ever Magazine Article, 20 Years Ago

Back in the summer of 1992 I landed my first ever professional journalism job: A fully-paid internship at Hawaii Business magazine. I was an 18-year-old coming back home after my freshman year at Northwestern, and the Hawaii Business job (set up via Hawaii's Society of Professional Journalists organization) not only allowed me to save money for school, but it gave me my first taste of magazine journalism.

Even more importantly, I got to write my first-ever media business story at Hawaii Business: A detailed account of what happened to Hawaii's only all-news radio station, KHVH, which had fallen under tough times. The station, which was even knocked off the air for a time, was attempting a comeback under veteran island newsman Tim Tindall. (This pre-dates radio consolidation; KHVH is now owned by Clear Channel and runs syndicated right-wing talk.) Spoiler alert: It didn't pan out. Tindall went back to anchor KGMB TV news for a time. Here's the story, published in October 1992, more than 20 years ago.