KVAL-TV did a nice story tonight on "Frog" Miller, who is in the intensive care unit tonight in fair condition with heart and digestive problems.
Anyone who attended the University of Oregon is familiar with Frog, who has pedaled his joke books on the streets for decades. Most of his jokes are off-color, but he did write some "family" joke books. I purchased a couple of them several years ago when I was in Graduate school at the UO. I never took the time to interact with Frog when I was earning my Bachelor degree in the 1980s, so when I returned to receive my Master's degree in 2011, I felt it was my "duty" to obtain some of Frog's iconic work while he was still around.
My most memorable moment with Frog occurred in Roseburg while I was working at KPIC-TV in the late 1990s. Frog was selling his joke books at the Umpqua Valley Spring Fair at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. I decided to interview Frog because I knew he was a colorful character who would be able to do a good, spontaneous interview.
Anyone who attended the University of Oregon is familiar with Frog, who has pedaled his joke books on the streets for decades. Most of his jokes are off-color, but he did write some "family" joke books. I purchased a couple of them several years ago when I was in Graduate school at the UO. I never took the time to interact with Frog when I was earning my Bachelor degree in the 1980s, so when I returned to receive my Master's degree in 2011, I felt it was my "duty" to obtain some of Frog's iconic work while he was still around.
My most memorable moment with Frog occurred in Roseburg while I was working at KPIC-TV in the late 1990s. Frog was selling his joke books at the Umpqua Valley Spring Fair at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. I decided to interview Frog because I knew he was a colorful character who would be able to do a good, spontaneous interview.
I did a live shot with Frog during the evening news (in addition to a live shot with a different vendor as well), and I included a taped story with Frog during the 11:00p.m. news. An organizer of the Spring Fair was upset because he thought I had given too much air time to Frog. The organizer thought Frog was not representative of the Spring Fair. (I thought to myself, if he is not representative, then why is he allowed to be a vendor?)
I didn't regret interviewing Frog for the news, because I knew that Frog's name recognition in Eugene and beyond would bring in more customers to the Spring Fair than some other vendor might accomplish. Here's hoping that Frog has a speedy recovery!
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