Huell Burnley Howser (born October 18, 1945) is an American television personality best known for California's Gold, his travel show for PBS affiliate KCET.
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Howser was born in Gallatin, Tennessee. He received a B.A. in history from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he also served as student body president. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and on the staff of Sen. Howard Baker, Howser's television career began at WSM-TV in Nashville. He began a series of "human interest" stories for WSM. Howser became extremely popular as the host of a popular segment on what was at that time still a market-dominant station, especially with regard to local news.[citation needed]
Howser became the subject of controversy in the summer of 1979 when he did a story about how the former Tennessee Governor's Mansion was slated for demolition to make way for a Popeye's Fried Chicken outlet. He ignored management's orders to not mention the story on-air. His defiance led to a thirty-day suspension, but before the suspension was over, Howser had secured new employment. He has often since stated that he might still be "looking for more pet pigs around Nashville"[citation needed] if this incident had never occurred.
After working in New York, he moved to Los Angeles in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV. During 1982-83, he also served as weekend host and correspondent for Entertainment Tonight. In 1987 he joined Los Angeles PBS station KCET as a producer of "Videolog."
California's Gold highlights small towns, landmarks, events or places of interest throughout California which are not well known to the general public, and Howser conducting informal interviews with the locals. Howser received his first name from a conjunction of his parents' names, Harold and Jewell, as revealed in the California's Gold episode "Smartsville". He also produces derived shows including California's Golden Parks, California's Water, Visiting... with Huell Howser, Our Neighborhoods, The Bench, Road Trip, and various specials.
Articles written by Howser have appeared in Westways, the magazine of the Automobile Club of Southern California.[1]
Howser spearheaded a failed effort to save buildings at the Long Beach Naval Station by African-American architect Paul Williams from being demolished.[2]
Matt Groening has stated he is a fan of Howser,[3] and has featured him in two episodes of The Simpsons: There's Something About Marrying, where a character named Howell Huser fell off a turnip truck, and O Brother, Where Bart Thou?, where the real Howser is presenting a program similar to Marc Summers's Unwrapped television program. Howser received a voice credit for the episode. He is also parodied on Indie 103.1's radio program and podcast, Comedy Death-Ray Radio, by comedian James Adomian.
Talk show host Adam Carolla regularly mocks Howser on The Adam Carolla Show[4] and Loveline, which has led the Los Angeles Times to note "Carolla has been a one-man jihad against the guy, mocking him daily for everything from his Tennessee accent to making 'a big deal out of nothing.'"[5]
Howser revealed his disgust with both major American political parties, as well as his empathy for illegal immigrants, in a 1999 interview with a Riverside County newspaper.[6]
Howser appeared in the film Who Killed the Electric Car? as he saw a Honda EV+ get shredded.[7]
   | Huell Howser Productions - Huell Howser Productions | Welcome to California's Gold! |
| | 1999 Interview - TV star blends with the desert |
| | "Long Beach Naval Station Falls: Court throws-out celebrity appeal" - Long Beach Naval Station Falls... |
| | Huell's Interactive L.A. - Explore Ca - Huells - KCET Online |
| | Stu Spencer - SPENCER-ROBERTS & ASSOCIATES |
| | Mark Isler - Hometown Has Been Shutdown - People Connection Blog: AIM Community Network |
| | ''The Press-Enterprise'' - PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California |
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