Monday, January 07, 2013

Remembering Huell Howser

One of my favorite moments.
Huell Howser with The Del Rubio Triplets in 1987.
Credit: KCET
There is something very present and very organic about Huell Howser’s passing that resonates with the native Angeleno in me.  I grew up on public television and the sound of Howser’s voice is as familiar as an old favorite song.  His marked enthusiasm and distinct accent, the images of California towns sometimes dusty and sometimes green, city treasures, and unique experiences can overwhelm me in a second if I let it.
The California’s Gold kept in my memory is filled with adventures in sunny iconic daylight and a personality to match.  Those memories make me smile, but there is a weight in my heart knowing that Howser’s own bright smile and perspective that showcased so many of California’s great people and places is no longer with us.  

While Howser can no longer bring us along on new adventures, his memory ushers me forward to new sights and sounds just the same.  He left behind this extensive catalogue that showed his viewers how amazing experiences can be close at hand.  He showed us that California’s Gold was not something that was solely his; it is something that is wholly ours.  


I didn’t quite realize what Howser shared with us until now, but it is a realization that I know is not too late.  I can’t think of a better way to remember him then to get out there and find my next set of adventures!  

We’ll miss you, Huell Howser.  Thanks for taking us along and leading the way.

-Charity Tran

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