Goodbye Huell Howser

Years ago I first met Huell Howser (not actually met him, but felt like I knew him through television)when he was a reporter for KCBS in Los Angeles. He would do human interest stories, and I knew that with his folksy speech and casual demeanor, it wouldn't be long before he was doing something else. I was right, and within a few years he had he moved to KCET to produce a program called "Videolog," the predecessor to "California's Gold," which is aired throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, and Huell's home state of Tennessee. Huell was a people person. With his distinctive twang from his Tennessee roots, he charmed everyone he met. His series, "California's Gold" took viewers to many parts of the Golden State, with Howser doing folksy

, highly enthusiastic interviews and narration. He'd talk to locals, have them tell stories about the area, and he'd always punctuate their dialogue with exclamations of "That's amazing!" or "Look at this." "I want our stories to reveal the wonders of the human spirit and the richness of life in California, including its history, people, culture and natural wonders," he wrote. His charm and enthusiasm tickled viewers wherever he went. Once, when doing a program on the U.S.-Mexican border, he playfully taunted the federal agent by tiptoeing back and forth from one country to another. He was so charming he could get away with it. Huell could make anything interesting, even hiking a local canyon. He would find old timers and let them tell stories. He was so interested in even the most mundane story that it made the viewer interested too. Huell reminded us to find the magic and wonderment in our everyday lives. He was able to capture the wonder in obscurity. From a ham sandwich to artwork woven from the lint to the exoticism of cactus to the splendors of Yosemite, he brought us the magic, humor and poignancy of California. He died so young. He was only 67 years old, and details of his death have not been released. All that has been said is that he died of natural causes. He will be sorely missed by me, as well as thousands of other viewers who considered him "the man" that knew California best. From big cities to rural communities, he covered it all. I remember several years ago when he did a program on Encinitas. Knowing the community so well, I found it especially entertaining, as he mentioned all the local stories, restaurants, and sites. His folksy interpretation of California life will be missed.