KOAT TV, Albuquerque, 2009, and NHK television, Tokyo, 1961
We are delighted to report that after nearly 50 years, Alfred Hobbs is back on tv and radio. This past week, ABC affiliate KOAT 7 Action News in Albuquerque, New Mexico spoke with Alfred about his story and about our upcoming documentary film Alfred & Jakobine, at the garage where the taxi is now being worked on. Thanks to Paul Fachan, the owner of The Service Station, for allowing the interview to take place there, and for providing the photos below. Thanks also to KOAT's Cary Schwanitz for his interest in Alfred's story and our film.
Alfred was charming, as usual, and walking around the old taxi (that the photos clearly show, has a long way to go toward road worthiness) he explained some of the stories behind its many bumps and bruises, suffered when he and Jakobine drove it around the world in the late 1950s. He also explained his plan to take the taxi all the across the US, to surprise her with the it, and then give her one last drive. You can view the news story here.
Then and the end of the week, Alfred and I were both interviewed on WSHC 89.7 FM Radio in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Thanks to station COO Todd Cotgreave for his enthusiasm and support of Alfred & Jakobine, and very big thanks to Mark Coats, (whose parents were friends of Alfred and Jakobine's in the '60s) who brought the Alfred & Jakobine project to Todd's attention. We'll have the full interview available here on the blog when it goes live in the week ahead.
The last time Alfred Hobbs was on television was back in 1961 when he and Jakobine, at the end of their world journey in their taxi, appeared on a Japanese game show where a panel of contestants had to guess who they were and what they'd done - and they did!
We hope that this publicity will help Alfred raise some much needed money to restore the taxi. You can support him by "buying-a-mile" here.
Alfred with the taxi at The Service Station, Albuquerque, August 12, 2009
Alfred and Jakobine with the taxi on NHK television, Tokyo, 1961