Hawaii AKA Master of Ceremonies

Hawaii AKA Master of Ceremonies

October 21, 2013

Dear Hank,

I recently saw a post about the American Kite Association’s Kite Convention that was held in Hawaii. It will be twenty five years ago next year.

This story involves Rick Kinnaird and how he came to be the announcer at the annual banquet that year. Here it is in Rick’s own words.

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Corey Jensen, Andy King, and I decided to go swimming in the hotel pool late Saturday afternoon. When we got to the pool a sign said that it was closed. Being the wild and crazy guys that we were; we ignored the sign and went in anyway.

In the middle of our rendition of doing a synchronized swim to the tune of Don Ho’s Tiny Bubbles I noticed two large male Samoan body guard types staring at us with their hands clasped in front of their fake sharkskin business suits. I figured they weren’t interested in us finishing the rest of our routine. At about that moment one of our friends came to the edge of the pool and informed us that the pool was closed and that they had just dumped a large amount of chemicals in it. We decided, collectively between the three of us, that we should exit the pool and order cocktails. This was, no doubt, a wise idea. Our Samoan brethren evaporated and a cocktail waitress appeared.

I don’t remember the drinks we ordered, but I remember them being on a small white wrought iron table. Andy was sitting opposite me and Corey was to my right. I was aware of the heavy smell of chlorine on my skin as the waning sun warmed and dried my body. It was within an hour or two of when the annual awards banquet was set to begin, some people were heading over early to the banquet hall. This was going to be a very different kind of banquet from anything else we had experienced. We were going to be seated in a huge dining area and treated to a Polynesian Dance Review. Afterwards we had been told to remain in our seats while the other folks who were here for the dinner and show left. We would then have the room to ourselves for our awards. Perfect. From what we could tell people were dressed to the nines.

As Andy, Corey, and I began to sip our cocktails, we noticed Carol Kanopski walking toward the banquet area with her daughter and her daughter’s friend in tow. I first meet Carol when I announced one of the first, if not the first, Long Beach Kite Festival in that ocean front town in the state of Washington. Carol and Kaye Buesing were, at that time of that festival, the two organizers of it. Two nicer women you’d be hard pressed to find. Carol is a stunningly attractive woman and the night of the banquet she was dressed in a mini-skirt and tube top. Her daughter was cut from the same mold. The only difference was perhaps her skirt was more micro than mini; and her friend was equally attractive and decked out. One person was wearing a bright orange tube top and mini/micro skirt. I can’t remember who, but to say that these three women did not turn heads would be an understatement. 

Corey and I both knew Carol from that kite festival (the story of which needs to be told at another time), we hollered at the ladies and waved for them to come join us. Andy sizing up the situation quickly joined in. I think the three of us were stunned when the three ladies turned and walked over to where we were sitting and joined us. We quickly ordered cocktails and the six of us sat there chatting. As we did, I could hear people yelling at Corey from the windows and balconies of the hotel. The hotel was a curved high-rise building that looked down on the pool area. If anyone stood on their balcony or looked out their window to watch the sun. all they had to do was glance down and they would see us. Catcalls didn’t exactly rain down, but they were intermittent and enough that each time someone did so Corey would kind of laugh and suck in his slobber, much like Dave Checkley used to do. If you ever went on one of hDave’s trips to Japan you’d recall his saying, “very nice, but much too expensive. Oh, you give to me?” (then Dave would do that sucky slobber thing).

While Corey was in his glory, and I was smelling the chlorine on my body, and Andy was doing what Andy does so well; mainly, adding fuel to whatever fire is in the area; Jane came up to me and sat down.

Jane was one of the main organizers of the convention. She got stuff done. I always tried to help out at conventions in whatever capacity I had been asked. I was the announcer at the first convention in Ocean City and I assisted Mel Govig with that auction. Thereafter, I did the auction and the announcing for many years. In recent years before Hawaii, others had taken up those duties and I was happy to have passed the baton.

But here was Jane sitting at the edge of our group looking directly at me. There was maybe an hour to an hour and a half to go before we had to be in for the banquet. She said, “Rick, would you be the master of ceremonies at tonight’s banquet?”

I demurred. “Jane, thank-you so much, but I’m sure there our others...”

I don’t think she let me finish, “it’s either you or Jim Miller.”

Now, Jim is a great guy but public speaking is not his forte. He has the ability to say Hello and piss you off. I don’t know how he does that but it’s one of his abilities.

I looked at Jane and said, “Oh, that is low. Of course, I’ll do it.”

And that’s how I came to be Maser of Ceremonies at the AKA in Hawaii.

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So there you have it.

Next I hope to get Rick to tell us about what it was like to actually preside over that event.

All the best to the wife and kids, hope the infection clears up,

Bryce