Huell Howser

Huell Burnley Howser (born 18 October 1945 in Gallatin, Tennessee) is a television personality best-known for his travel shows for PBS affiliate KCET.

Howser's shows - "California's Gold", "California's Golden Parks", "California's Water", "Visiting... with Huell Howser", "Our Neighborhoods", "The Bench", "Road Trip", and various specials - highlight small towns, landmarks, events or places of interest throughout California which are not well-known to the general public, and Howser conducting informal interviews with the locals.

Career

He received a B.A. in history from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he also served as student body president. Howser's career began at WSM-TV in Nashville after serving on the staff of Howard Baker. He began a series of "human interest" stories for WSM. Howser became extremely popular as the host of a popular segment on what was at that time still a market-dominant station, especially with regard to local news. Fact|date=April 2007

Howser became the subject of controversy in the summer of 1979 when he did a story about how the former Tennessee Governor's Mansion was slated for demolition to make way for a Popeye's Fried Chicken outlet. He ignored management's orders to not mention the story on-air. His defiance led to a thirty-day suspension, but before the suspension was over, Howser had secured new employment. He has often since stated that he might still be "looking for more pet pigs around Nashville" Fact|date=April 2007 if this incident had never occurred.

After working in New York, he moved to Los Angeles in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV.

Other work

Articles written by Howser have appeared in "Westways", the magazine of the Automobile Club of Southern California. [ [http://www.aaa-calif.com/westways/roadtrip/ Road Trip with Huell Howser articles] in "Westways Magazine" (outside Southern California: enter zip code 90210 to access articles)]

Howser sat down with Aaron Proctor for a lunch Q&A, documented by the Pasadena Weekly on August 20, 2008. [ [http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/lunch_with_huell/6292 Lunch With Huell] in "Pasadena Weekly"]

Political Viewpoints

Howser revealed his disgust with both major American political parties, as well as his empathy for illegal immigrants, in a 1999 interview with the Riverside County newspaper [ [http://www.press-enterprise.com/newsarchive/1999/10/31/941346386.html 1999 Interview] from "The Press-Enterprise"]

Howser spear-headed a failed effort to save buildings at the Long Beach Naval Station by African-American architect Paul Williams from being demolished. [ [http://www.dailyrepublican.com/lb_ns_falls.html "Long Beach Naval Station Falls: Court throws-out celebrity appeal"] ]

Pop culture

*Howser was parodied as Howell Huser in "The Simpsons" episode There's Something About Marrying. In it, he literally falls off a turnip truck.

*The name of the character Pule Houser from "Histeria!" is a reference to Howser.

*Howser appeared in the film Who Killed the Electric Car? as he saw the Honda EV Plus get shredded.

*The Adam Carolla radio show has recurring segments with guest Dana Gould impersonating Howser. [cite web | title = April 2, 2008 - Mark Walberg and Artie Lange call into the studio; Dana Gould is in the studio | work = Adam Carolla | date = April 02, 2008 | url = http://adamradio.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/april-2-2008-mark-walberg-and-artie-lange-call-into-the-studio-dana-gould-is-in-the-studio/ | accessdate = 2008-05-08]

*Huell is talked about in Weeds Season 4 Episode 3 where an episode of California's Gold is seen in a hotel room.

References

External links

* [http://www.calgold.com/ Huell Howser Productions]
* [http://www.kcet.org/explore-ca/huells/ Huell's Interactive L.A.] from the KCET website
* [http://www.kvie.org/programs/kvie/viewfinder/californias_dreamer/ Huell Howser - California's Dreamer] , from the KVIE website