A milestone "Evening": Q&A with John Curley

"Evening Magazine" celebrates its 20th anniversary tonight and for most of that time, the daffy and affable John Curley has hosted.

Like him or loathe him — and yes, there are some who curse a blue streak whenever he's on — you can't talk KING 5 or local programming or family-appropriate TV fare without eventually invoking his name.

Before his ascension to local celebdom, Curley, 45, ran a medical-supply and infectious-waste company. And then while doing a play in Edinburgh, Curley met George Takei — yes, Sulu himself — who counseled him out of his misery. I don't give advice. But if I were you I'd be a TV weatherman. It's a regular gig. That's what I'd do.

And so Curley, knowing better than to dismiss any advice delivered by such a bottomless voice, obeyed, landing in Grand Junction, Colo., in 1989. He's hosted "Evening Magazine" since 1995, traveling in the line of duty to Fiji, Iceland, Ireland and all points in between.

"Evening Magazine" has now become the longest-running local magazine TV show of its kind in the country.

The other day, the ever-animated Curley sat down for an interview at the KING 5 offices. He spoke in his God-given voice except when he impersonated Sulu and Tom Brokaw, the latter serving him well when he'd book reservations at assorted fancy restaurants in Washington, D.C. (That was long ago).

On "Evening Magazine" turning 20: "You forget it's been around for so long. It's kind of like a rash."

On why the show has lasted: "Say I hand you a photograph. What's the first thing you look for? You look for yourself, you look for someone you know, you look for a familiar location." In other words, viewers don't tire of stories about their neighbors or their hometowns.

On how the show has impacted his own life: "I'm rich. [Pause.] To be on TV doesn't mean anything unless you turn it into action. So I try to do something good. I'll show up at anything to help raise money. I've judged SPAM. I'll judge the Smell the Dirty Sneaker Contest."

On segments that have stood out: "There was a little boy [Jarrett Mynear] who went around the hospital and delivered toys. He was sick. He died. It was hard."

As host, Curley's been naked; peed in his pants (unintentionally, while bobsledding); been bathed by a geyser; gnawed at by a goat and chewed out by publicists. (Curley has some choice words for both Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks; he gushes, though, over John Travolta.) His worst TV moment, though: when he changed his mind about base-jumping off New Zealand's Sky Tower. But the crew pushed him off nonetheless.

Florangela Davila: 206-464-2916 or fdavila@seattletimes.com