Former Hawaii island radio personality Melvin "Mynah Bird" Medeiros died Thursday morning in California, where he had gone for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring on the lungs. He was 72.
His wife, Barbara, and son Mel Jr. were preparing to take him to Stanford University Medical Center for a follow-up appointment when he became unresponsive. Paramedics were summoned and worked to revive him all the way to the emergency room, where efforts continued but were unsuccessful.
Medeiros was also being treated for other health issues, including a compression fracture of his back, for which he was hospitalized last week, said Mel Jr.
Medeiros’ 50-year radio career spanned several Hilo radio stations and generations of listeners who woke up to his news and comment, music and entertainment to get their own days started.
As program director for much of his career, "he helped a lot of people" get into the business, Mel Jr. said.
He was considered the "Aku" of Hawaii island, a reference to Hal "Aku" Lewis, who reigned supreme over Honolulu airwaves for decades before FM radio signals dominated the industry.
"He was always a gentleman," said Chris Loos, who worked with Medeiros for eight years at KIPA-AM in Hilo. "I mostly did news on the FM station, but sometimes I’d interview people, record a wraparound, and he would play that tape on his newscast."
When she would arrive at the station at 5 a.m., "he’d already have gone to the police station and written down all the names of people who’d been arrested, for his very popular ‘Police Blotter’" feature, Loos said. Listeners became so familiar with the jargon, they knew someone picked up for "pro-detri" was busted for promotion of detrimental drugs.
Also popular on each station Medeiros worked was his "Trading Post" segment, where listeners would call in to buy, sell or trade things. "It was kind of like a radio version of Craigslist," before the Internet, Loos said. "And some items were ‘Mynah Bird-priced,’ or free," she said. "Manuahi," he would say, the Hawaiian word for "free of charge."
Medeiros’ show aired on KIPA six days a week, meaning he and Loos were there on holidays, including Christmas. "It became kind of part of my Christmas routine. … For families, too, I’m sure it was part of their Christmas routine."
"I miss that part," she said.
On one of those Christmas mornings, Medeiros told Loos he had "sad news," and handed her a news release from the Hawaii County Police Department telling of the murder of Dana Ireland. Loos later wrote a book about the case.
When she learned of Medeiros’ death, "I got sad news again," Loos said. "I learned that we lost ‘Mynah Bird.’"
Medeiros "really helped show me around town," said John Burnett, a Hawaii Tribune-Herald reporter who in 1987 worked at the competing KPUA, when Medeiros was at KIPA. "He was always willing to freely share his knowledge, and I always appreciated that about him."
Burnett added, "I listened to him. You kind of had to. In Hilo there was him and (competitor) ‘Waltah’ Pacheco. Despite the fact that they were both identifiably local, they were polar opposites. Mel had a great command of the English language," and despite occasional over-enunciation, he would "still remain casual and relaxed while doing so."
He was a popular master of ceremonies for community events and a beloved community figure, but in November 1989, Medeiros’ own name appeared on the Hawaii County Police blotter, on a charge of attempted kidnapping of a 14-year-old boy. He entered a plea of no contest, was sentenced to a year in jail and five years’ probation, and was ordered to be listed on the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center sex offender registry.
After a month he was granted early release and returned to KIPA radio, which proved a controversial decision. He maintained his innocence, explaining that he submitted his plea in the best interests of his family.
The devotion of his family kept them all going, to the point that the sons interviewed for this story spoke lovingly of their father and laughed in sharing some of his stories, knowing the court history would be included herein.
Medeiros’ radio career began while he was a student at Hilo High School. He worked at KIPA radio as well as at the old Mamo Theater, according to Mel Jr. After graduation he served as a radioman in the Navy for four years, returned home and resumed his commercial radio career.
Other stations he worked at included KHBC-AM, which later became KPUA-AM, and a station once known as KIMO-AM.
People would often ask how he got the nickname "Mynah Bird."
"He held a contest, when he first started on the radio," to come up with a name, said son Malcom. A listener said to him, "‘You know what, you always talking. Chirping, chirping, chirping, you sound like one mynah bird, so how’s that for a name,’" Malcom said with a chuckle. "So that’s how he became Mynah Bird."
His career ended when the new KHBC-AM went bankrupt and fell silent in 2010.
Since his involuntary retirement, he said "he would piddle around the house," Mel Jr. laughed.
Medeiros is survived by his wife of 46 years, Barbara; and sons Mel Jr., 45, Malcom, 41, and Jason, 29.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
