‘Da Mouth’ comes full circle at FM 97

PUHI — Ron Wood has come full circle Thursday.

Wood, the program director and original morning drive air personality when FM97 fired up in February, 1988, returned to the console as the midday personality.

“It’s all the same,” Wood said while learning the new technology that replaced equipment during the time his broadcasting experience took him to various parts of the Hawaiian Islands.

“It all started with the Columbia School of Broadcasting,” Wood said. “You don’t hear that term today, but that’s how everything started.”

His first stint on the airwaves was with KAHU radio in Waipahu before finding his way to KKUA.

“It’s been up and down,” Wood said. “I’m the only guy who has been with KSSK on four different times.”

But radio was not the only thing lining his path as he was transformed into Fredan K. Alfonso on the Visitors Channel locally.

The guise spread across the theater stages of Kaua‘i; Wood became Captain Hook in “Peter Pan,” Lionel in “Cinderella,” and Max Prince in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.”

“I’ve got so much experience in radio and television, they call me the senior citizen of broadcasting,” Wood said, chuckling while learning the array of routines from Jason Fujinaka.

Wood said in addition to his stint with FM97, he’s the voice for Ho‘okipa Kaua‘i on Channel 6, a program directed and produced by local videographer Katie Beer.

“Our website is still under construction, but we’re on the air with culture, arts and video,” Wood, a resident of Kapa‘a, said between running a contest and preparing for the monthly Civil Defense test.

John Wada, the FM97 general manger, said Wood will fill in the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. time slot, coming on after waking up with Jason Fujinaka and before driving home with BB Choi.

“Oh yeah,” Wood said. “I also play with the 2011 Kaua‘i Senior league champions Lihu‘e A’s. They call me ‘Da Mouth.’”

Visit www.kfmnradio.com for more information.