Frank B. Shaner returns
to morning radio
after long hiatus

The 5:30 to 9 a.m. Monday-to-Friday show means early to bed and way-early to rise for Shaner, who for more than eight years co-hosted the KINE-FM 105.1 morning show with Democrat leader Brickwood Galuteria. Shaner's new partner is KUMU veteran Mandy Suganuma.

"I can't believe I'm waking up again like this. What was I thinking?" Shaner joked.

In January 2004, Shaner was released from mornings at KINE, where the show was rated in the top five Honolulu morning shows. His disappearance from the airwaves led former Star-Bulletin Webmaster Blaine Fergerstrom to start a "So Where's Frankie B?" campaign to get him back on the air, using a Web page, bumper stickers and posters.

The resurfacing ends a period of relative obscurity for Shaner, whose name also vanished from the Aloha Festivals' Oahu falsetto contest after last year's 10th annual event.

Shaner's former contract with KINE paid him for several months after his departure, but he'd not had a regular paycheck since then.

"My philosophy is delayed gratification," Shaner said. "Which means, if you make $5, you put four away and you share the other.

"That's how I've lived my life, anyway."

In addition to his savings, he sold some property and did voice-over work for commercials and MC gigs. Sales of paintings and photography that occupied much of his time also brought in some money.

"Now I have two palettes to work with. The radio palette and the art palette. I've got to release some things in my brain ... it was starting to ooze out."

Hiring Shaner was a no-brainer for John Detz, president of Maui-based Visionary Related Entertainment LLC, which owns KUMU and other stations.

"It was probably the funniest interview session I have ever had," Detz said. "I figure if during an interview session he can make me laugh that much, he's going to be even better on the radio."

Shaner is known for having several alter egos that are part of his show and were featured on his 1998 Hoku award-winning "Adventures of Leimomi" comedy CD.

Those alter egos also were responsible for getting Shaner out of bed early in the morning yesterday for his first day of work.

"They were walking around the apartment saying, c'mon Frank, get up!" Shaner said.

All those people for just one paycheck, such a deal.

Detz laughed, "I just hope we don't exceed the fire marshal's limit on the amount of people that can fit in the studio."

Former KUMU morning show host Tiny Tadani resigned earlier this month and will start a new morning show on KHUI-FM 99.5 on Sept. 6.