California's Gold: Huell Howser

[younginLA]

Dude walks around CA landmarks, and talks to random people, usually companies.
Anyone think he is pretty sexy, or was pretty sexy.
With his big arms, strong body built mature man.
Grey hair, slight good looks.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CRwdLeSunU[/ame]

[thevofl]

Just shut him the fuck up, but yeah. He is kinda hot.

[Daddy Connoisseur]

god..hes A Cutie Pie Great Ass Too!!!!!!love Redneck Looking Daddies

[cashierjim]

About ten years ago, I wrote him a fan email (through The California's Gold website) with a picture of me at one of the spots featured on his show. His assistant wrote back asking for my phone number, and soon after I got a call from Huell with a personal thanks for watching. I was already with my current partner at the time, but I got a vibe that it could have gone much further than a phone call if I had been single. We did not go anywhere near discussing his sexuality--that's just what I sensed. Anyway, he sent me a nice signed publicity still photo that I still have hanging on the wall.

I'll agree with the original poster that he is one hot daddy. He always used to wear his polo shirts (usually blue, to bring out his eyes) a size too small, and would push up the sleeves to show off his biceps, plus he always used a hand-held microphone so his arms were flexed for the camera. The target demographic for the show is probably elderly women, but I'm sure many gay boys have enjoyed it too.

[CnAnPB]

^^ you may be confusing southern charm & hospitality with a gay vibe. I believe Hower is a Tennessean

[bw92116]

He's originally from Tennesee, lives in Palm Springs now, and was once considering running for mayor of Palm Springs (about 5 or 6 years ago). A friend of mine who lives in Palm Springs met him once during that time and said he got a very strong feeling about Huell. Like he was flirting with him big time. Not just campaigning for mayor, he felt it was a very strong personal flirtation. My friend had a partner at the time (who has sinced passed away) and the partner said to him later, "Dude he's 100 years old! No way!" which I thought was very rude, but he didn't say it in front of Huell. If you watch the early episodes of California's Gold you can clearly see Huell's smoking hot muscular physique through the tight shirts he wore. I would have gone for him back at that time. There was a biographical artcle about him in the L.A. Times a few years back that included a couple of photos of him at his home in Palm Springs and all it said about his personal life was that he's guarded about it. He has 2 series, "California's Gold" and "Road Trip with Huell Howser" and both are really good in my opinion. He has opened my eyes up to quite a few places in California that I never knew were there. And his enthusiasm can make even a discarded tin can in the middle of nowhere in the desert seem fascinating.

[thevofl]

He drives me crazy. I find the topics quite fascinating, but his interviewing skills leaves much to be desired.

Anyway, he can sit on my face at anytime.

[Scorpiodncr]

About 10 or so years ago, when my (still a bit closeted) eldest brother was still living in L.A., somehow he and I got on the subject of Huell Howser and my bro said, 'He's hot!'...one of the few times my brother ever 'dropped a hairpin'. Incidentally, this would have been when I was about 30 and my brother was about 48...and I found Huell hot then as well!

I also used to have a newspaper clipping of Huell which featured a pic of him working out at the gym, doing 'preacher curls', showing his massive biceps. I think I still have that clipping stored away in a box somewhere. And I remember a friend of mine telling a similar story to bw92116, about getting flirted up by Huell in Palm Springs.

[jimbill]

I remember on the Simpsons they portrayed him as falling off a turnip truck. Random.

Someone actually made a blog posting addressing his sexuality. It's fuuny.

Some commenter mentioned his myspace page says he's straight.

http://wrb-myblog.blogspot.com/2008/...owser-gay.html

[cashierjim]

I also used to have a newspaper clipping of Huell which featured a pic of him working out at the gym, doing 'preacher curls', showing his massive biceps. I think I still have that clipping stored away in a box somewhere. And I remember a friend of mine telling a similar story to bw92116, about getting flirted up by Huell in Palm Springs.

Umm...if you dig up that newspaper clipping and find a scanner, I'm sure many JUB'ers would be very grateful (myself included). Daddy had some major guns!!!

[younginLA]

I'll agree with the original poster that he is one hot daddy. He always used to wear his polo shirts (usually blue, to bring out his eyes) a size too small, and would push up the sleeves to show off his biceps, plus he always used a hand-held microphone so his arms were flexed for the camera. The target demographic for the show is probably elderly women, but I'm sure many gay boys have enjoyed it too.

WOW!
what you just described...the whole fucking reason why he gets me hard too!
Everytime he is on, I say to myself "hope it's the tight, blue polo", but it always ends up being that stupid ugly yellow. button up! So then I won't watch it because I can't see his big biceps and triceps. When he does where the polo on episodes, which is rarely now, I get so hard watching his big arms!

Also, his sexuality..for some reason, I thing he is gay.
He speaks like a lala sometimes for being a big man, and also, I don't know if you noticed, but he always puts his hand on men he is talking to, usually around their shoulders or something.

[Limenade]

Sadly, Huell passed away on Sunday (1/6/2013):

From Los Angeles Times:

Huell Howser dies at 67; TV host profiled California people and places

Known for his gee-whiz enthusiasm in interviews, Huell Howser highlighted the familiar and the obscure all around the state. His public TV series included 'California's Gold,' 'Visiting,' 'Road Trip' and 'Downtown.'

Huell Howser seemed an unlikely candidate to become a television star — a big, grinning ex-Marine with a molasses-smooth Tennessee drawl and an eye for stories that others would pass by, such as the Bunny Museum in Pasadena and the rendering of artwork out of dryer lint.

His platform was traditional and unflashy — highlighting familiar and obscure spots all around California in public television series, particularly "California's Gold." But though his shows were focused on points and people of interest, it was Howser who turned into the main attraction, tackling his subjects with an awe-struck curiosity and relentless enthusiasm.

Howser, 67, an iconic figure in public television, died at home Sunday night, his assistant Ryan Morris said. The cause of death was not released.

[LoveSweatandTears]

About ten years ago, I wrote him a fan email (through The California's Gold website) with a picture of me at one of the spots featured on his show. His assistant wrote back asking for my phone number, and soon after I got a call from Huell with a personal thanks for watching. I was already with my current partner at the time, but I got a vibe that it could have gone much further than a phone call if I had been single. We did not go anywhere near discussing his sexuality--that's just what I sensed. Anyway, he sent me a nice signed publicity still photo that I still have hanging on the wall.

There are a lot of posts online in various places about him doing similar things to other guys. With how often I see these kind of stories of him calling male fans who eventually got the sense that he was hitting on them I think it's probable that he was closeted for the sake of his career, especially considering that he never talked about his personal life. Anyway, it's sad he died so relatively young.