Our old pal Charles “Live Update Guy” Pelkey is switching gears again.
He’s worn a lot of hats in his time — newspaperman, press secretary, cycling journalist, lawyer, legislator — and now he’ll be wearing headphones as the local host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” at Wyoming Public Media.
It’s not his first radio rodeo, mind you — Charles had the cans on at Wyoming Public Radio in the mid-Eighties, long before joining VeloNews in 1994. He may not have used a trebuchet to launch a piano into low earth orbit — not yet, anyway — but like the “Northern Exposure” deejay Chris in the Morning he has done some time in Alaska.
These days Charles and his wife, Diana, live within walking distance from the NPR affiliate in Laramie, so he probably won’t have to break out the tattered LUG kit and rusty two-wheeler for his daily commute, which should begin in the next week or two. But anything is possible, as he’s shown us many, many times before.
When Herself and I got the word about the new gig we immediately signed on as sustaining members of Wyoming Public Radio, which just happens to be running its annual spring membership drive. They’ll be rocking “The Thistle & Shamrock” here in about 15 minutes, so why the hell not? That’s a two-fer you can two-step to.
If you want to join us, and WPM, tell ’em Charles Pelkey brung ya. And don’t touch that dial. …
Mad Blog Media 
Woo! You scared me. In our sprite young years I get panicked when I see a memorable soul from the past. Thanks for passing on the better than fearful news.
Somewhere in the past I believe I heard Charles in ala-vocal. I can imagine there will be a lot of happy ears there.
Sorry to startle you, Hoss. Mr. P will continue to serve the people of Wyoming well in his new capacity, I’m certain. He’s got that sharp reporter’s mind, the warm voice, and a work ethic. Not like that other fella he used to work with at VeloNews and Live Update Guy. Whatever happened to him, anyway? Jail, the nuthouse, or the camposanto, probably.
Startled me, too. I know CP has had his battles with the big bad C word, so my first reaction was “oh, shit….”
Pish and tush. Just you wait. Marvel’s gonna make a superhero movie about Charles any minute.
same thought here! so glad it was good news.
WPR is really gonna be confused as to why there are so many out-of-state ZIP Codes all of a sudden signing up as sustaining members
Scared Old Herb too! Figured another good man had augered in. As for the other fella I heard he was trying to sell fixed gear disc wheels and tubular tires to college kids who had no idea they wouldn’t work on their cool cafe bikes. And he also was leading a sometimes surly, but also comedic group of characters in open prayer to the Gods of Snark.
I knew that other fella would turn out to be a priest of some sort. I always thought he swore allegiance to Cthulhu, though. He sure swears a lot for a holy man. It’s always “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu” this and “R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” that, or them seven other words that Carlin feller was always goin’ on about.
I hope Esquire Pelkey enjoys his newest gig! Come on Charles, you can tell us if there was a maverick bush pilot involved during your time in Alaska.
If I remember correctly, Mr. P held a position in the fishing industry. He was very popular with the neighborhood cats.
My new rule is, until Charles figures out what he wants to be when he grows up, I don’t have to either.
Going to leave the “ Face that’s perfect for a radio” jokes in the holster for the time being
congrats to his esquireship and to all the Wyoming listeners who just got a new reason to tune in
I’m always impressed by people who reinvent themselves at an age when many of us would be content to settle for the status quo. It’s like watching a great running back head-faking, dodging, and stiff-arming would-be tacklers.