Bob Basso’s fruitful career got its start in isle radio, TV

Nearly 40 years have passed since Bob Basso anchored the KHON news with his unique style. Basso was the first local sports anchor to move to news and the first to start an investigative news team. This month we look back on the controversial Basso and catch up on what he has been up to.

Basso hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended St. John’s University and in 1963 became a Navy public affairs officer at Pearl Harbor. He also worked at radio stations KGU, KORL, KCCN and KPOI, where his colleagues included Lucky Luck, Sam Sanford, Hilo Hattie, Aku and Joe Rose.

In 1968, when Basso was writing for the KHON newscast, he filled in for Charles Stubblefield and ended up landing a spot as sports anchor. His on-air antics would soon catch the attention of Hono­lulu residents who tuned in to hear not only what he was saying but also what he was doing.

"One bruddah warned me he didn’t like my editorial on the hypocritical Chicago Cubs fans and he was going to dump a truckload of horse manure on my front lawn," Basso said. "KHON had a new controversial sportscaster and I had a half a ton of horse kaka on my front lawn the next morning."

Standing atop that very same pile of manure while wearing only a towel, Basso delivered the evening’s sportscast. But he was just getting started. While doing a report on nude beaches, he reported his segment in the buff. Viewers never knew what to expect on the KHON news during the late 1960s, from pies thrown in faces to Basso reading sports scores written on scantily clad women during his weekly segment called the "Locker Room Lady of the Week."

"In those days KHON was hanging on by their nails with no budget, no cameramen, no reporters, one on-air newsman and no newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays. Couldn’t afford it. If Diamond Head erupted on a weekend, Channel 2 couldn’t report it until Monday," Basso recalled.

Things changed dramatically for Basso in December 1970 when he was promoted from sports anchor to news anchor and news director. Instead of the silly antics viewers had grown accustomed to, he was now delivering the news about Vietnam and student protests. Over the next few years Basso co-anchored with Judd Hambrick, Larry (Thomas) Zerkel and BJ Sams. He formed the first local investigative news team with reporters Bill Bigelow, Jerry Mathews, Scott Shirai, Karen Ahn and Pete Pepper.

After a decade in the islands, Basso left in September 1973 for Hollywood, where he made more than 100 appearances on popular television programs of the era including "Hawaii Five-0," "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley" and "Charlie’s Angels."

While continuing his acting career, Basso earned a master’s degree and became a successful motivational speaker and author of nine books. In 2008, he became a YouTube sensation with his portrayal of Revolutionary War patriot Thomas Paine.

"He was a man on fire for personal liberty who sacrificed all he had for his passion for freedom. He died penniless and forgotten. I guess I went on a crusade to bring him back to the public consciousness in my own small way," Basso said.

His first two videos as Paine received more than 13 million views. The popular videos caught the attention of Glenn Beck on Fox News, who interviewed Basso.

Invitations to portray Paine at tea party political events have kept Basso very busy. Since 2008, he has portrayed the historical figure in more than 280 cities in all 50 states.

Though Basso has lived in Los Angeles for the past 40 years, he misses Hawaii and often returns home to the islands.

"I miss the feeling there is no problem in the world that has any real meaning when you’re sitting at Magic Island watching a picture-perfect sunset. Relax bruddah. You’re home," he said.

A.J. McWhorter, a collector of film and videotape cataloging Hawaii’s TV history, has worked as a producer, writer and researcher for both local and national media. Email him at flashback@hawaii.rr.com.