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Friday, December 18, 2009

TV The Winds of Change Both Suck and Blow

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 5:03 PM

Oh, sure, we have Cliff Mass here in Seattle, but the good people of New Hampshire have relied on the dulcet tones of Al Kaprielian for all their weather needs for the last 26 years. When I lived in Boston, he provided me with hours of entertainment. Here's a fairly standard Weather With Al clip:

I like to think he's a template for Dr. Steve Brule. Sadly, The Boston Herald reports that Al Kaprielian is out of a job:

Kaprielian’s offbeat forecasts at Derry TV station MyTV, formerly WNDS-TV (Ch. 50), are coming to an end after 26 years.

The station is getting rid of live weather forecasts and cutting Kaprielian and seven other employees loose.

The Natick native’s last day is Dec. 31.

Sure, he wasn't a fancy meteorologist or a fine-lookin' Al Roker-type, but that man had personality.

(Thanks, Weird Universe.)

Comments (15) RSS

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He has to be drunk in this clip.

Posted by Brian Geoghagan on December 18, 2009 at 5:09 PM

For any transplanted new yorkers old enough to remember, Tex Antoine was the shizzle for weather forecasting.

Posted by East Coast Realist on December 18, 2009 at 5:09 PM

Al Kaprielian is almost as iconic as the Old Man in the Mountain for those of us who grew up in New Hampshire in the 80s. This isn't even the top of his game. On the best summer evenings, viewers of WNDS-TV 50 would be greeted to his discussion of "hiiiiiiiiiiigh pressha!" and a frightening enthusiasm for "THA JET STREAM!"

I miss Al Kaprielian like the deserts miss a gentle low-pressure front with an 80% chance of precipitation. He can give my ten-day forecast any day.

Posted by Angry Sam on December 18, 2009 at 5:35 PM

Back in the 1960s KING 5 TV had two cartooning weathermen. (Bob Hale was one) They would draw cartoons to illustrate the forecast. One of them drew a character named "Onshore Flo."
Anyone have any clips from those days?

Posted by Heather on December 18, 2009 at 6:14 PM

haha, yay, Dr. Steve Brule! We need more of that on SLOG.

Everyone I know hates Tim & Eric, but everyone I know is WRONG.

Posted by veo_ on December 18, 2009 at 6:34 PM

When I lived in Boston I watched Al all the time, even when I didn't care about what the weather was going to be. Plus WNDS's homely anchorwoman who always looked like she was recovering from the flu. They gave the station a lo-fi feel to it.

Posted by Wicked Virgin

on December 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM

I'm not quite old enough to remember Bob Hale, but I remember his cartoonin' successor Bob Cram.

Pic of Hale: http://www.seattlemet.com/issues/archive…

Posted by Fnarf

on December 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM

I love local characters. But I can't help but feel sad watching a man who's obviously drunk at work.

Posted by Patrick McGrath on December 18, 2009 at 7:43 PM

I remember this guy from when I was growing up in NH. I can assure you that he was always like this, so if he is indeed drunk in that clip he must be a pretty high-functioning alcoholic.

Posted by Grist on December 18, 2009 at 10:25 PM

Al Kaprielian sat at two tables away from me at a restaurant once. I wanted to run over to him, in front of his family, and scream "Good EEEEEEEEEEEEEVENING, Al!" but then I lost my nerve. True story.

They guy's a fawkin' legend.

Posted by The Bailiff on December 18, 2009 at 10:45 PM

Oh. My. God. Anyone who thinks the internet is kitchy and trashy needs to take another look at local TV news.

Posted by David Wright on December 18, 2009 at 11:08 PM

David Wright, I agree. Colourful local personalities like this are about 3¢ per dozen (inflation adjusted from a dime).

Posted by mmbb_c on December 19, 2009 at 2:07 AM

Yes, that is indeed Dr. Steve Brule. No doubt about it.

Posted by Hellbound Alleee on December 19, 2009 at 3:57 AM