Hummingbirds Arrive! Nature’s Fighter Pilots and Dr. Gordon Snyder!

Perhaps the most underrated creature in nature, hummingbirds migrate 3,500 miles during the winter. Their high-tech construction allows them to maneuver like a helicopter with precision.
Our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, takes us through a tutorial why he thinks they’re so amazing. Gordon posted videos he took with his iPhone of hummingbirds in slow motion.

Hummingbirds in Alaska?! Not only Southeast Alaska but even Southcentral and that never happens. Wrong!

Our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, shares science and biology insights to give a better bird’s eye view about hummingbirds.

Find out how remarkable and surprisingly fierce these creatures are and why Gordon calls them “nature’s fighter pilots!

Listen to the Full Podcast!

YouTube Videos

Amazing Anna's Hummingbird in Slow Motion Flight

https://youtu.be/VECn9hGMI2Q

Anna's Hummingbird sipping from feeder in Slow Motion

https://youtu.be/gEC4Afn8VcU

Young Male Anna's Hummingbird doing his best to stay in video frame.

https://youtu.be/stSf60Actjk

For more of Gordon’s pics and videos:

https://www.facebook.com/drgordonsnyder

Merry Christmas From Alaska 2020!

It’s our Merry Christmas From Alaska special edition of the Big Alaska Show!

Kurt and MJ Riemann

Hosted by Kurt Riemann of Surreal Studios, Kurt takes us behind the scenes of his Merry Christmas From Alaska series that features Alaskan musicians playing Christmas and holiday favorites.

Kurt’s wife, M.J. Riemann, Melissa Fischer, Robert Clink, Hobo Jim, Michael More, Marlene Bateman, and more.

Great way to start your Saturday morning: 9:05a-10a, KFQD 103.7 FM /750 AM, and streamed at www.kfqd.com.

Actors Behind the Scenes

Actor/Meteorologist, Robert Forgit, and his acting coach, Mary McCusker, from LA join us! Robert attributes working with Mary key to getting a major role in the movie, “The Frozen Ground”, with Nicholas Cage and John Cusack. Mary came to Alaska to work on the movie “Big Miracle” and fell in love with it. Plus, Mary discusses her new book, Auditioning: What They Say When You Leave the Room. (See Book Review Section) 

Taken in the makeup trailer during the filming of “Big Miracle”, Mary wears this original coat from cast member Ahmao Sweeney's grandmother, an Inupiat native Alaskan. Mary developed a special relationship with the Native Alaskan cast, and as Mary said, “I fell in love with Alaska!”

We recall a longtime Thanksgiving tradition, the Great Alaska Shootout, and revisit the first UAA basketball team, the Sourdoughs!

Sara Juday, author of From Sourdoughs to Seawolves discusses the first University of Alaska Anchorage basketball team.

Listen to the Podcast!

Just for Laughs!

When Chad Carpenter, creator of Tundra Comics, joins us, you know it’s going to be fun!

With the Pandemic, political campaigns, plus last week’s show that dealt with the tragic suicide epidemic in our military- we needed comic relief!

Joining Chad are authors, Stan Jones and Chris Lundgren. Look for their books in our Book Review Section.

Listen to the full podcast!

VIPER: War on Suicide in Our Military!

Founder and president of VIPER, Kyle Kaiser joins us along with Gary Olson to discuss the epidemic afflicting our military.

22 veterans committee suicide every day. VIPER stands for Veteran Internships Providing Employment Readiness, a program that is catching attention nationwide.

Kyle discuss reasons and VIPER’S solutions for ending this suicide tragedy. For more information visit https://vipertransitions.com/

 Hear the full podcast

Halloween Fun!

When Shane and Wayne Mitchell show up, it’s always fun!

They bring their entertaining skills from their non-profit TBA (Training Better Artists) to the Big Alaska Show.

They even tell a scary tale ... BEWARE – only listen if you can handle laughter!

For more about TBA visit www.tbatheatre.org.

Scoundrels, RVs and Commercial Fishing!

Fun show! From our 2008 archives an interview with Jeff Smith, the great grandson of Soapy Smith. A Skagway Robin Hood or was he a scoundrel? Or both?

Alaska’s Gold Rush saw some interesting characters. Soapy Smith was one of them! Jeff tells us about Soapy’s life.

Check out his website at www.soapysmith.net.

 Then we discussed RVs with RV expert, Henry Huizenga. We’re adding an RV element to our show for Alaskans who like to hit the road.

Plus, we get to know our Deadliest Catch Myth Buster, Mike Ferris! His Kodiak commercial fishing career started when he was 11!

Check out the full podcast!

Forest Fires. Romance and Science Meet!

Forest Fires. Romance and Science Meet!

Our guests, Lolo Paige, author of Alaska Spark, and our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, take us into the world of forest fires.

Lolo and Gordon have spent their educational lives and professional careers around the forest industry.

Their roundtable chat helps us better understand the West Coast fires and other forest phenomena.

We even have a science fair project from Dr. Gordon Snyder!

 Be sure to visit our Book Review Section for Lolo’s book, Alaska Spark.

Alaska Spark book review

 Listen to the full podcast!

The Iditarod 2021 and The Frozen Ground!

Co-host, Mike Ford, will need a strong cup of broadcast brew to keep up with our guests! Actor, Robert Forgit, talks about his role and experience as detective and partner to Nicolas Cage in “The Frozen Ground”! Filmed in Anchorage, Netflix announced this movie as #1 on their hit list reaching 100 million viewers!

Then, Iditarod CEO, Rob Urbach, updates us on the 49th Iditarod in 2021! Planning around a pandemic channels the 1925 Serum Run and the Iditarod Nation!

Iditarod 2020 Summer Raffle information visit www.iditarod.com or call (800) 545-6874 

Download the full podcast sans commercials:

Robert Forgit talks about his part in The Frozen Ground.

Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach gives 2021 Iditarod Update.

From Accidental Adventures to Rotary!

Our Deadliest Catch Myth Buster, Mike Ferris, cleans up nice when it comes to Rotary!

After all, he is the 2022 Rotary District Governor Elect. He gives us an update what is happening in

Rotary these days reminding us what we can accomplish when working together!

Then author, Chris Lundgren, talks about her book, Accidental Adventures: Alaska--True Tales of Ordinary People Facing Danger in the Wilderness!

Whoa! Talk about situations you don’t want to find yourself in ... Chris talks about them!

Plus, a drive-by with our good buddy, John “Tales of the Tundra” Gailey!

Hear the full podcast sans commercials!

Mike Ferris gives Rotary Update.

www.anchoragesouthrotary.org

Chris Lundgren talks about her book

Accidental Adventures: Alaska--True Tales of Ordinary People Facing Danger in the Wilderness

100 Million Viewers!

Netflix announced the 2013 movie thriller, The Frozen Ground, filmed in Alaska and featuring Nicholas Cage and John Cusack had received #1 billing by reaching 100 million viewers!

 Whoa! That got our attention! So we asked a couple of friends from the cast and crew to join us on the Big Alaska Showa and take us behind the scenes. Ron played an attorney and Rose was with the crew from LA.

Based on a true story about a serial killer in Alaska, John Cusack plays the Robert Hansen, the bad guy, and Nick Cage plays Detective Jack Holcomb, the good guy.  There’s more too it of course.

But save yourself time and listen to our podcast to hear Rose and Ron tell what it’s like to work with John and Nick as well as some other behind the scenes tales!

Download the full podcast sans commercials (well almost!)

Rose Davidson was also in Alaska a year before to work on the movie “Big Miracle” about whales trapped by ice and city of Barrow showed up to save them! She shares some stories as well.

Our Labor Day Show - A Labor of Love!

Good show, peeps! Let’s get to the point. The Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, AK is a major Alaskan tourist attraction AND an important marine research science center. Alaskans love it. So when it came very close to closing its doors, possibly forever due to the pandemic, Alaskans showed up to raise BIG BUCKS to keep the doors open. But they need more and it’s worth it!

Our guests, Dr. Tara Riemer, CEO/President of the Alaska SeaLife Center and our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder tell us why. Plus, they make it informative and fun! These science geeks love research, results and discovery. They know a good deal when they see one. They point out the Alaska SeaLife Center is more than a good deal, it’s a treasure!

Check out the podcast with Tara and Gordon – lots of fun. Plus, we even have a Tall Alaska Tale!

Here’s the full show sans commercials.

Check out the Alaska SeaLife Center’s website and their special matching fundraiser in the month of September!

www.alaskasealife.org

By Land, Sea and Air!

Today’s show featured a wide variety. John “Tales of the Tundra” Gailey gave us a snapshot of Alaska’s tour challenged economy.

But John’s a well-loved guide in Alaska’s tour industry and leading tours bouncing between Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks.

Hear John T. Gailey’s interview podcast:

Dr. Gordon Snyder

Ocean Science with our Science Guy

Our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, gives us a scientific perspective on the latest hurricanes and orca whales.

Be sure to check out his Whales Without Borders facebook site.

Hear Dr. Gordon Snyder’s podcast:

Remembering an Aviation Great

Marcus Paine and Mike Ford

Marcus Paine was a bright star in Alaska’s aviation history. Had he lived in the 1920’s like the Wien Brothers, his name would be mentioned in the same breath.

We admired Marcus because he made aviation exciting sporting a joyful spirit and a warm smile to back it.  Sadly, we lost Marcus in air accident at a Madras, Oregon airshow, August 27, 2016.

We pulled from our archives an interview with Marcus shortly before his appearance at 2012 Arctic Thunder, the 5th largest air show in the world.

Hear Marcus Paine’s podcast:

Big Alaska Show Tourists, Guests and Tales!

Alaska’s tourism industry took a big hit this year. So we invited our Big Alaska Show Guest Tourist, Henry Lenz, a retired CBS radio engineer who worked with broadcast legends, to come visit us. It’s fun to get to know and appreciate our visitors – and their money ... especially their money! We even celebrated his birthday with a Tall Alaska Tale! (We “forgot” to tell him we win our own prizes!) Author, Lolo Paige, a former firefighter with the Bureau of Land Management, joins us to give a sneak preview of her book, Alaska Spark, plus much more!

Hear the full podcast:

Former Alaskan Bureau of Land Management firefighter, Lolo Paige, talks about her book, Alaska Spark!

We’ll have Lolo Paige back to discuss her book once I read it!

In the meantime, you can check it out for yourself.

AUTHOR WEBSITE

Find ALASKA SPARK on Amazon

Big Alaska Show Guest Tourist

Henry Lenz and his cousin Jerry

Henry Lenz shares stories about a remarkable broadcast career with Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and more! Plus we play Tall Alaska Tales!

Climbing Adventures

Great way to spend a Saturday! Authors Mike Gordon and Andy Hall share climbing tales from their books: Learning the Ropes: An Alaskan Memoir by

Mike Gordon and Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak by Andy Hall.

Each shares experience adventures you’ll find in our Big Alaska Show Book Review Section!

The Big Alaska Show Book Reviews

Hear the full show podcast!

Mike and Shelli have lived an amazing Alaskan adventure and share it in this book!

Learning the Ropes: An Alaskan Memoir

Hear Mike Gordon about his book and some climbing adventures!

Denali’s Howl by Andy Hall

Andy Hall talks about his book and Denali’s deadliest climbing accident!

Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak

Bristol Bay: The Wild West of Commercial Fishing!

Mike Ferris our Deadliest Catch Myth Buster

Steve Stripling and Mike Ferris

Our Deadliest Catch Myth Buster, Mike Ferris, returns after a month commercial fishing in Bristol Bay.

Covid 19, a fire on board, dangerous close calls, Mike even had a showdown with a hostile boat!

Not one to back down, Mike shares the sordid details!

Pipeline Vocal Project

Meet the members of Pipeline Vocal Project as they share what they’re doing to adjust to the pandemic.

Send one of their Singing Telegrams to a loved one or friend! Visit their website:

https://www.pipelinevocalproject.com/

Tall Alaska Tale!

We even had a Tall Alaska Tale .... What do you think is the answer?

We’ll share the answer 8/15 show.

http://www.bigalaskashow.com/tall-alaska-tales/buck-snort-palace

Full Show Podcast

If you want to hear the full show sans commercials!

Alaska Aviation and Women Bikers!

Rob Stapleton

Rob Stapleton is passionate about Alaska aviation and photography.

He’s one of those guys you don’t hear much about, but we thought you should!

Co-host, Mike Ford, and Rob Stapleton did a broadcast feature over the years that focused on Alaska aviation.

We thought it time to bring that back and introduce Rob into our group of friends that enjoy Alaska’s rich history of aviation!

Check out some of Rob’s work.

www.alaskafoto.com, www.alaskafoto.net, robstapletonphoto.com

Listen to our podcast!      

Alaskan Women Bikers Are Back!

THANKS TO SHEILA MAHONEY FOR THE AWESOME PIC OF THE WOMEN!

Our Big Alaska Show Women’s Biker Club is back!  They’ve had a busy summer and we asked them back to join us. Download to hear the podcast!

’67, ’68 Reunion West Reprise

’67, ’68 Reunion West Reprise

2020 has been a tough year on graduations and reunions.

Today’s show was a compilation of reunion podcasts from West Anchorage High School 1967 and 1968.

Rick Stanfield and Steve Meeks from the class of 1967 joined us.

Steve Nerland and Bill Campbell from the class of 1968 joined us.

Hear the compilation podcast!

Full WHS 1967 Reunion Podcast

http://www.bigalaskashow.com/bas-shows-archive/full-whs-1967-reunion-podcast

 Full WHS 1968 Reunion Podcast

http://www.bigalaskashow.com/bas-shows-archive/west-high-school-1968-50th-high-school-reunion

Full WHS 1969 Reunion Podcast

http://www.bigalaskashow.com/bas-shows-archive/west-high-school-50th-reunion

Fathers Day! ~ Lessons from Father to Son

Our Deadliest Catch Myth Buster, Mike Ferris is commercial fishing in Bristol Bay. Like his dad, Mike passes those lessons to his son, Curtis.

Commercial fishing is tough enough without covid. Mike meets the challenge. His show IS a reality!

Tim Sullivan Sr is a 4th generation Alaskan. Tim’s dad, George Sullivan was a popular Anchorage Mayor in  the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. He also lived an Alaskan life filled with tales from the Last Frontier.

Tim shares some of those nuggets about 6 generations of Sullivans!  

To Dad from the Midnight Sons

Max Farrand Stripling was my hero and gave me my favorite gift – Joe the Beagle!

Hear the full show:

Tundra Comics!

Tundra Comic creator, Chad Carpenter, gives us a Tundra Comics update as well as shares a Tall Alaska Tale!

Visit website www.tundracomics.com.

Don’t take our word for it – hear Chad in his own words!