Listen again to your favorites, or discover a gem from yesteryear. Click the READ MORE link and listen up!
Gordon's unique scientific tidbits makes it fun. At the heart of it is water for which Gordon is an expert. Today's show features various interviews over the years. Here he covers his No Fence Wetlands project, hummingbirds, whales, education and a Tall Alaska Tale!
Gordon interviews start at time stamp 5:37 (but the other stuff is fun too!)
Kick back, forget work! This gold nugget interview from 2016 features legendary aviator, author and former State of Alaska legislator, Chuck Sassara, whose life is almost unbelievable - certainly his Tall Alaska Tales are! Joining Chuck was former Alaska Magazine Editor, Andy Hall. Btw, check out Chuck's book on our Book Review Section: Chuck Sassara's Alaska: Propellors, Politics and People. And Andy Hall's book, Denali's Howl: the Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak.
We also remember a next generation of aviators, Marcus Paine, we lost too early that would have been this week in 2016 at an air show. We brought out an interview from 2012 with Marcus that captures the true Alaskan spirit of aviators who built Alaska.
Where else can you pack the stands to cheer on the largest vegetables?!
Such are the stories that come out of the Alaska State Fair. Join us for a fun spin around the Fair and meet guests like The Monkees, Mickey Dolenz, Goat judging with Ford, a live show in the tent, a Tall Alaska Tale and more. Did we mention food?!
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Cutting Edge STEM Education!
The Challenger Learning Center of Alaska https://akchallenger.org is too good an educational program to be a best kept secret! CEO Marnie Olcott joins us to give us an overall view of this innovative educational program located on the Kenai Peninsula.
Challenger Time Stamp 4:36
Skagway's Scoundrel
With tourism season in full swing, Skagway, AK is a popular stop on the Alaskan cruises. Soapy Smith is a colorful, historical conman that became Skagway's sheriff. In 2008 the great grandson of Soapy Smith, Jeff Smith joined us during Alaska's 50th Anniversary!
Jeff Smith Time Stamp 27:45
The Anchorage Midnight Sons Chorus Director, Phil Cheasebro, joined us with a special guest, his mother, Margaret Cheasebro! It was her birthday and we thought it a good idea to celebrate with Uncle Steve's hand trumpet - which was more than a little rusty! Margaret's story is intriguing, plus, she's an author! A perfect fit with our other guest, Lois Simenson aka Lolo Paige, to talk about her new book, Firestorm!
(Phil and Margaret Cheasebro 6:23) (Lolo Paige 24:46)
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Rick rydell green
The salmon are running and our guest, Rick Rydell Green with the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, takes us into his world of commercial fishing in Alaska. Rick updates us on the health of this year's industry, the high and low points and the challenges Alaska and the fishing industry faces this year. Check out our fun podcast!
Chris Barth
Chris Barth, with the State of Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, takes us behind the scenes to update us on the fire season around the state and to give us a glimpse of his world fighting forest fires (wildfires). For more forest fire information in Alaska visit www.akfireinfo.com.
Since Chris is from Missoula, MO, we knew we had to introduce him to Lois Simenson, aka., Lolo Paige, author of the Blazing Hearts Romance Novels whose stories are based on the wildfire fighting industry and the relationships within it. Lois attended the U of Montana in Missoula and spent part of her career fighting wildfires from which her stories are based.
Check out her books on our Big Alaska Show Book Review Section along with links and interview podcasts. We pulled one of those podcast clips and added it to today's show. Check out the fun podcast!
Timothy Yu
The Anchorage Midnight Sons Chorus belongs to a network called "Barbershop"; an American musical genre that brings people together from all over the world. Like today's guests, Timothy Yu, originally from Hong Kong, now doing research in Alaska for his doctoral dissertation at Florida State.
For Timothy Yu time stamp 3:44 -15:29
And friends from the 2025 International Gold Medal Champions, the Vocal Majority in Dallas, TX, Phil McShan, Eddie Martinez and Marcus Kang!
Phil McShan time stamp 15:30 - 25:28
Marcus Kang time stamp 25:29 - 40:22
Eddie Martinez time stamp 40:23 - 51:48
The Vocal majority chorus
Check out Marcus Kang music video
Check out this fun Podcast!
Author, educator and fly fisher enthusiast, Joseph Jackson, talks about his book, It's Only Fishing. Check it out his book and interview on our Book Review Section, https://shorturl.at/kqL1D
Plus, we chatted with Mark the Bat Guy about bats and a birder who shared some secrets about Potter Marsh!
Check out today's fun podcast!
The longest day deserves special guests, and we have them!
Gavin Struempler, artistic director and founder of Summit Theatre Project joins us to share a new, exciting non-profit coming to Anchorage.
Author of the Blazing Hearts Romance Series, Lolo Paige, joins us to give us a sneak preview into new book coming out, Firestorm, that deals with what if a wildfire broke out on Anchorage's hillside and a romance that's equally hot!
Plus, we have a Tall Alaska Tale!
Check out our fun podcast!
Holly Evans, founder of the Glacier Shakers Flyball Club, joins us to share her journey from not knowing anything about flyball, to forming a club and going on to win a national championship! Flyball pals of ours and Holly's from Dallas, TX, Cindy Dalton and Michael Borts join us. For more information about the Glacier Shakers visit their website.
Talk about fast, check out this Youtube clip!
Plus, we pull out a gold nugget interview from 2015 with Maija Dogget with Dogs Gone Wild to add to the fun!
Check out today's podcast!
Our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, is restoring 55 acres of his farm back to its original wetland state. He's using Potter Marsh in Anchorage as a model of what it can become. Check out his website.
He joins Potter Marsh Refuge Host, John Mattox, to talk wetlands, wildlife and the value wetlands bring to our community.
Plus, we have a Tall Alaska Tale!
Check out the full podcast!
Tall Alaska Tale
Is this the truth or a no good lyin' through your tooth Tall Alaska Tale?!
Our guests, Jessy Lakin was deployed to Iraq. Jamaal Clark served in Afghanistan. Ed Koonz served in Korea and his wife, Brenda, was in the Navy. While we honor those that have fallen, these interviews with veterans while they are alive make us realize just how great the loss.
To our veterans- THANK YOU!
Check out our podcast!
Meet Earl Malpass, the new Merrill Field Airport Manager, talks about Merrill Field's upcoming open house celebration packed with activities, airplanes, motorcycles, displays, food trucks and much more! Saturday, May 31, 2025: https://shorturl.at/zy6jb.
Earl also shares the economic impact Merrill Field brings to the municipality and the State and as well as other Merrill Field news. Impressive! Speaking of impressive, check out the University of Alaska Anchorage's Aviation Technology Center! It's North to the future!
Joining Earl is Rob Stapleton, a well-known pilot, aviation photographer and has tons of incredible Alaska tales. Check out our podcast!
Gold Nugget Saturdays feature interview nuggets from the past. Like this interview with filmmaker, Bill Bacon, who worked for Walt Disney for 20 years as a nature/wildlife filmmaker. Millions of kids grew up on Bill's films. In 2011, filmmaker, Bill Bacon, joined us to share stories about Disney and coming to Alaska! Also, Steve Rychetnik from SprocketHeads joined us!
Our Science Guy, Dr. Gordon Snyder, makes science fun and helps us appreciate our world a little more. What do gray whales, beavers and hummingbirds have in common? Wetlands, where life begins according to Dr. Gordon Snyder, one of the foremost authorities on water. Shown is an aerial view of 55 acres from Gordon's farm he's restoring back to a wetland. And teaches us its value through wildlife so different yet so connected! Get ready to learn and have fun!
Buying An RV? Meet Liz Amazing!
An RV consumer advocate, Liz Amazing is dedicated to supporting and educating the RV consumer.
If you're RV shopping -STOP - listen to our interview with Liz and visit Liz Amazing's YouTube channel
1964 Alaska Earthquake- Part 2
Friends share their experience going through the 2nd largest earthquake March 27,1964, Good Friday, at 5:36 pm.
Tim Sullivan Sr., Mike Janocek and Dana Stabenow share first hand accounts!
Today's show is a tradition homage to the 9.2 Good Friday Alaska Earthquake. The picture is a short book Mary Daugherty penned about her experience being in JC Penney's downtown Anchorage. She shares her story in this podcast along with others, including broadcast legend, Herb Shaindlin!
Check out this fun podcast!
Naked Alaskan: The Rest of The Stories is Mike Gordon's 3rd book that completes an adventurous memoir trilogy including capturing a time in Alaska's history when money was flowing from the Alaska Pipeline to catapult a 1500 square foot shotgun bar into a world-renowned rustic saloon, Chilkoot Charlie's.
His first two books, Learning the Ropes and Dagnabit!, are focused on those times, while his third book, like the title says, fills in the rest of the stories. You'll find those on our Big Alaska Show Book Review Section.
Hear our interview with Mike Gordon.
The bears are waking up! At the age of 68, Gene Moe with only a buck knife came face to face with a huge Kodiak grizzly. For the next 45 minutes, they would engage in hand to paw combat. Gene lived to tell this story!
Then, Rick Rydell Green educates us on bear behavior!
Check out our fun podcast!
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It means something extra when Kim Carlson has attendst he annual Polar Bear Jump Off in Seward, AK, as she has done for ten years—raising tens of thousands of dollars. She has dedicated her jumps, first to her mother, who was lost to cancer, and subsequently to other victims and their families.
It was a packed house and a packed show of fun! Alaskans and Texans- in the same room! Only on the Big Alaska Show can such a combination co-exist in the same room.
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