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Big Island journalism lost an American original with the retirement of Eugene Tao as editor of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald in Hilo. Hilo toasts
one-of-a-kind
newsmanTao, a native of China, landed in Hilo in 1967 after finishing his studies at the University of Missouri. Big Island readers reaped the rewards of his newsman's nose for shibai, his distaste for poor political character and his ethical compass that always points true north.
They've also put up with his butchery of the English language, his bumper-car driving on local highways and his Taoist advice to confused reporters: "If you're not sure you have your facts straight, be vague."
When you add it up, you have to conclude that Tao is the finest journalist the Tribune-Herald ever produced. As pathetic as that may be, the man must be given his due and the Big Island Press Club did exactly that last weekend with a retirement roast that gave us a chance to tell some stories on our old friend.
The event was held in the Naniloa Hotel's Kilohana Room, scene of the old gridiron shows in which media folk performed song-and-dance numbers that lampooned newsmakers. It's amazing how much smaller the stage seemed in the old days when Tao was standing next to me screeching in my ear.
To hear Gene Tao sing is to beg to be struck deaf. He defeated the best efforts of Dr. George Durham, the brilliant band director at UH-Hilo, to teach him tone. I searched for words to describe Tao's singing voice and was frustrated until I turned on the TV and saw an AFLAC commercial featuring a squawking duck. "That's it," I said.
Tao had my dream job: editor of a newspaper that rarely writes its own local editorials. The Trib has always been content to run canned editorials from other newspapers about local issues in other towns.
It's kind of like being a janitor who doesn't have to take out the garbage. You get all the prestige of the job and none of the heavy lifting. What kind of an idiot would retire from a job like that?
I was especially surprised to hear that Tao is retiring to play golf, a game for which he is ill-suited athletically and temperamentally. But they say he's making progress. Rumor has it that he can break 150 now if you count the whiffs as practice swings.
Tao visited me when I was a reporter in Washington, D.C., and wanted to see Sen. Spark Matsunaga. So I took him with me on my rounds of Capitol Hill.
The senator was kind enough to leave a floor debate to meet with us. Matsunaga sat in his overstuffed chair while Tao and I shared the sofa in his office. Matsunaga was a gracious host, regaling us with tales of the Capitol's history and the Senate's mystery.
I had heard these stories many times before and really needed to get back to the office to write some stories. But out of consideration for Tao and respect for the senator, I listened patiently.
Then I heard a guttural noise only slightly less annoying than Tao's singing voice. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tao with his head back, his eyes closed and his mouth wide open. He was fast asleep.
Tao and his wife Julia kept talking about how lucky they were to have found Hilo. No, we who have known them are the lucky ones.
David Shapiro is managing editor of the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at dshapiro@starbulletin.com.
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