Fresh out of Clarion State University, where he attended college because of the excellent communications program, James took a job at a local radio station doing the overnight shift. He wasn’t always the “Hawaiian Guy”, as we all know him to be now, but simply a disc jockey right out of college doing the overnight shift, praying not to fall asleep amidst the boring ballads of Kenny Rogers that the station’s format required him to play.

“It wasn’t that bad. Okay, maybe it was. But, just as anyone begins at the bottom, I had to do the same,” said James. “And as hard as I tried not to, I admit that I had an occasion or two where I fell asleep. I specifically recall one Christmas Eve where I dozed off and on throughout the whole night. Everyone was home waiting for Santa, I guess.”

James took the opportunity of working nightshift to learn as much as possible. “I wanted to be a sponge and suck up as much information about the radio business as I could. I surely didn’t want to work that shift forever,” he said.

The higher ups in the organization weren’t sleeping (or maybe they were) when they decided that the ever-joking James deserved a better on-air spot than the graveyard shift. So…he got one.

Then accidently one day he became Hawaiian. James explained, “It was weird the way it happened. The ‘hawaiian’ thing. It’s the most asked question to which I usually say I get ‘leid’ a lot.” Grinning, he continued, “Sorry. Actually, the day the Springsteen box set came out it just happened to snow that day. Being the smartass I am, I wore a Hawaiian shirt to work because of the snow. Just so happens one of the television stations came to the station to get video of the new box set. The program director as a joke told them I was Hawaiian Chris James....and the rest, as they say, is history.”

In the last fourteen years at WTPA, Chris has had to do a lot of crazy stuff. “I’ve jell-o wrestled and oil wrestled but the absolute stupidest thing I’ve ever done, bar none, is diving into the river on New Year’s Day. I’m still in pain from that.”

“I even locked myself out of the studio one weekend. I was taking out some bad smelling trash and the rock that I usually put in the door didn’t hold it that day.” He laughs, “I had to go to the next door neighbor and call someone from the station. It took 35 minutes for him to get here! I was hoping that the listeners really liked the Allman Brothers!”

Always smiling, this on-air personality certainly has built up quite a following over the years. Wednesday nights at Rumours, formerly The Playground Lounge, has become a Central PA tradition. “Believe it or not, I have been doing the Rumors/Playground thing since October of 1985. Why do I still do it? Because I still have fun. I just love going out, I guess. As I’ve been told, I’m like Peter Pan not wanting to grow up. It started as a two week trial to get the club on its feet when it started as The Playground and it just never quit. It has become the Wednesday night hangout. The crowd doesn’t really get there until eleven or so, but we have fun,” He continues, “There’s even a drink that’s become a staple in many people’s Wednesday night diet. It’s called a Scooby snack. It tastes kind of like a healthy breakfast drink and we even have a large stuffed Scooby Doo there.”

After applying for the position of Program Director over and over again, upper management decided to give him a shot. “Mostly, it was because the owner didn’t have a clue about the music so he offered me the job,” said James.

Even though he’s now in management, the Hawaiian Guy’s first love is music. Although some would scoff at his most guilty of pleasures (Barry Manilow), his tastes vary, “Styx is my favorite band of all time, but I like the Eagles and Kiss.”

A big fan of local music, Chris James is largely responsible for boosting the Badlees’ following in Harrisburg. “From Harrisburg, they went on to get signed to a major label. I love those guys and am so happy that I could be a part of their success. It’s really cool to be in the unique position of being responsible for breaking a band.”

Of the future, no one knows. “I think I want to be a weatherman.” WHP — Are you listening?