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Elaine Ambrose

Bestselling Author, Ventriloquist, & Humorist

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KMVT-TV to Celebrate 70th Anniversary

May 26, 2025 By Elaine Ambrose Leave a Comment

KMVT-TV in Twin Falls, Idaho, went on the air on June 1, 1955, as KLIX-TV, a sister station to KLIX radio (1310 AM). I was hired in June 1973 as the State’s first female television news reporter and talk show hostess. I’ll be participating in the 70th Anniversary Celebration on Monday, June 2 in Twin Falls.

(Note: Our official photo for the news team attempted to portray a “happy family.” The hand on my shoulder wouldn’t be appropriate today.)

Over the past few decades, I’ve written about my life’s experiences, ranging from humor to horribly hapless, and I’ve relied on my early journalism training skills including who, what, why, when, and where to tell a story. The “Why?” seems to be a recurring theme.

I wrote about my days at KMVT in my award-winning humor book, Midlife Happy Hour.

“In May of 1973, I packed all my worldly possessions into my Pontiac Firebird, inserted a John Denver cartridge into the car’s eight-track tape player and drove away from the University of Idaho with the idealistic enthusiasm of a college graduate who believed she could do anything and everything. More than five decades later, maturity and truth have tempered the exuberant optimism, but the outcome has surpassed my original expectations…

After spending a night with my parents in Wendell, Idaho, I drove to Twin Falls to find a job. I turned onto Elizabeth Boulevard and parked beside an outdated, flat-roofed, ramshackle white building with huge red letters that read KMVT-TV. I gathered my bulky resume and marched into the building.

“I want to apply for a job,” I told the receptionist. She had two pencils stuck into her beehive hairdo and she smelled of Avon’s “Unforgettable” cologne mist. My mother had the same perfume in a pink bottle with the gold collar and had used it only for special events since she received the gift in 1960. She never attended too many galas while down on the farm, so the pretty bottle remained full and fragrant on her dresser.

The receptionist peered over her reading glasses. “There aren’t any secretarial positions open now, but I can take your application.”

“I’d like to apply as a news reporter,” I said, blinking back the tears from my eyes. Her perfume was potent. After a painfully long silence, she spoke.

“We don’t have any openings right now, and we’ve never had a female on the news team.”

Those two facts should have sent me out the door, but I had a vision of living with my parents for the rest of my life and smelling like “Unforgettable” cologne mist as I rocked on the front porch, a knitted shawl in my lap.

“Could I interview with the news director?” I asked, mentally scrambling for any reason to get beyond the gatekeeper. I could tell by her negative expression that she wanted me to go away. I turned to leave and bumped into a man hustling into the building. He smiled and I noticed his nametag: Dick Tuninga, News Director. It was now or never.

“Hello,” I said, offering my hand. “Could I have just ten minutes of your time for an interview?”

He was in a good mood and invited me to his office. I felt Perfume Lady’s eyes burning holes in my back as I followed him down the hall. The newsroom had three metal desks beneath a bank of flickering television sets. Assignments were scribbled on a blackboard on the wall, and piles of video tapes and papers covered a battered credenza. The nearest television station was one hundred miles away in Boise, and this was the best news department in southern Idaho.

Mr. Tuninga was shorter than I was, so I hunkered down. He moved a box of supplies from the only guest chair and asked me to sit. I did.

“What brings you here?” he asked, hoping for a personal interview that could bring him some publicity.

“I want to be on your news team,” I said and offered him my portfolio. He looked disappointed.

“Well, we don’t have any job openings, and…”

“And you’ve never had any females in the news department. But, I promise you will never regret hiring me.”

He seemed amused by my cocky attitude and picked up the resumé. After reading several pages, he looked up and stared at me. I stared back.

“Have you ever been on live television before?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. It wasn’t a lie. When I was five years old, I had been a guest on thechildren’s show on KMVT with the host named Happy Holly. In college, I had concentrated on print journalism and had taken only one required class in Radio-Television but had neverparticipated in a live interview or telecast.

Another man entered the room and Tuninga introduced me to J.J. Alexander, the other person on the news team. He was short, too. “This little lady wants to work with us,” Tuninga said.

Alexander stared at me in the same manner as his boss, and I returned the look.

“We could be the first in Idaho,” he muttered. “Boise doesn’t even have a full-time female news reporter.”

That was my hook. For once, my gender was an asset. I worked it.

“It’s time you had a female on the air. I know the community, I have a proven portfolio, and I’m a good worker.”

I could tell their main focus was to beat the Boise markets. I could have been a female one-eyed, pole dancer, but I didn’t care. I wanted the job. They led me into the studio and told me to read some copy in front of the camera. I performed like a pro. They introduced me to the General Manager Harold Hirte, and he echoed the same sentiment. “We’ll be first.” I nodded with conviction. I would lead the tiny station into glory and prestige.

He offered me a full-time job and said the station could pay $450 a month with a raise in three months. I shook his hand and agreed. The job would begin the next day.

I floated to my car, began driving back to my parents’ house, and pushed the music cartridge into the tape player. Elton John sang about sitting on the roof and kicking up the moss. I sang along at the top of my voice, “How wonderful life is when you’re in the world.” The title was “Your Song,” and this one was for me. I was 21 years old.”

Ad in TV GUIDE
Summer 1973

One of my most memorable assignments was to interview Senator Frank Church in Sun Valley. I drove alone on the two-hour journey from Twin Falls, set up and turned on the camera, moved in front to interview the Senator, turned off the camera, and drove back to the studio to develop and edit the film in the basement of KMVT. I wrote the script and delivered the B&W video and story live on air.

April 1974

Since then, I’ve enjoyed numerous other jobs and lived in 25 homes, in 11 towns, and in three states. I’ve retired to Eagle, Idaho, and continue to write stories and cause mischief. However, I’ll never forget that first job at KMVT-TV. It was, by far, my favorite job.

Filed Under: blog, events Tagged With: #author, #humor, #Idaho, #KMVT, #universityofidaho, career, news

How Community Theatre Improved My Health

April 22, 2025 By Elaine Ambrose

I grew up during the sixties on a farm near the village of Wendell, Idaho, when the population was 1,000. Our high school didn’t have a drama department, and any student productions were presented in the elementary school lunchroom. Acting was not regarded as a viable career, but I included the possibility on my bucket list of things to try before I died.

After five decades of raising children, working in various jobs, and retiring in Eagle, Idaho, I decided to audition for community theatre. I was 72 and recuperating from heart surgery due to cardiomyopathy. My new defibrillator was a physical reminder that my life and heartbeat were regulated by a device installed beneath my collarbone. I experienced shortness of breath with any activity, so I decided acting would be a fun way to experiment with breath control and complete my bucket list. I was correct.

Acting in the Eagle Theatre Company has improved my mental and physical health. Memorizing lines challenges my aging brain, and delivering the lines helps with breath control. The audience applause is a bonus advantage.

My first audition was a failure. I was given the role of Madam Arcati in “Blithe Spirit.” After rehearsing for a month, I admitted I couldn’t reach Act III and recite hundreds of lines because I ran out of breath. I relinquished the role. My next audition was for a smaller role, Miss Prism in “The Importance of Being Earnest.” I loved the role, and the play was a hit.

I loved the role of Miss Prism in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

I’m currently playing Ozella Meeks in “Southern Fried Funeral.” The role only contains 100 lines, but I’ve tackled the character with all the sass I can muster. I’m thrilled with the positive response.

The high schools around Boise offer amazing theatre departments and professional stages with performance facilities that can seat hundreds of students. Young people have advantages to learn how to act and can utilize these skills in future professional capacities. It’s a long distance from the farming community of Wendell.

I intend to audition for future plays. There are several community theatres in the area, and I hope to find small but clever roles to play. I breathe better with every rehearsal and look forward to meeting new cast members and directors. Community Theatre provided the perfect anecdote to my aging attitude and challenged aptitude. This weekend at two sold-out shows, I look forward to when the stage manager says, “Take Your Places.”

Filed Under: blog, events Tagged With: #acting, #bucketlist, #cardiomyopathy, #communithytheatre, #EagleIdaho, #EagleTheatreCompany, aging

Write from the Heart – A Workshop for the Senses

February 25, 2025 By Elaine Ambrose

My interactive workshop titled “Write from the Heart” explores how to use emotions and senses to inspire your writing. Musical selections with prompts guide writers through various stages of their life. Participants can volunteer to read their work to the group.

The workshop also includes items to feel, see, smell, and touch. The goal of the two-hour workshop is for writers to follow their natural senses to create authentic paragraphs on a variety of subjects. All workshop attendees receive journals, pens, books, and heart-healthy snacks.

The February workshop was sponsored by Tesoro Valle Gifts in Eagle, and fees were $25. Future workshops will be announced soon.

Sense of Touch
Sense of Taste
Sense of Smell
Writing from the heart…

 

Filed Under: blog, events Tagged With: #heart, #music, #senses, #workshop, #writer

When a Pastor Passes

February 3, 2025 By Elaine Ambrose

Reverend Philip Moran came to Boise in 1991 to serve as pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church. He was young, age 35, and brought his charming wife and baby son. My children were young, and we attended Covenant. I appreciated his congenial style, musical talent, goofy jokes, and passion for the Gospel. He remained at Covenant for twenty years.

I have fond memories of Pastor Phil. I helped with several children’s programs at Covenant, and I remember one long meeting with volunteers. After a tedious and repetitive discussion, Pastor Phil finally said, “We’ve spent two hours organizing a 45-minute agenda. Time’s up!”

After I moved my mother to an Assisted Living facility near Covenant, he brought her communion and talked with her. In 2014, he drove 100 miles to speak at her funeral in Wendell.

Hundreds of people attended his service on February 1, and the event was shown online. One of the speakers asked guests to raise their hands if Pastor Phil had counseled with them, spoken at their family funerals, or married family members. All the hands were raised, including mine, and the speaker asked Pastor Phil’s family to turn around and look at all the raised hands as visual proof of his lasting legacy.

Videos at funerals always make me weep. I watched with tissues as photos appeared of a spirited boy, a bright, young pastor, a positive speaker, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and finally as a quiet man of 68 afflicted with the debilitating disease of ALS.

Pastor Phil was an extraordinary Christian who made his daily walk with Jesus look easy. As one of the speakers said at his service, “He’s home.”

Filed Under: blog Tagged With: #communion, #funeral, #Jesus, #pastor

New Book and Journal for Grandkids Premieres Dec 6 in Eagle, Idaho

December 4, 2024 By Elaine Ambrose

Details about the book and journal are listed on Amazon.

Your grandchildren grow up quickly, and you don’t want to miss important opportunities to create lasting memories. This book offers 30 ideas for fun, inexpensive activities to share. Each activity has been tested and approved by genuine grandchildren and prove experiences can be enjoyed without electronic devices.

Grandchildren are encouraged to write or color pictures to tell stories about each adventure. Age recommendations and supply lists are included for each activity.

Snacks are required. Batteries are not.

Activities include:

  • Walk barefoot in the grass
  • Paint rocks, design a flag, write a letter
  • Sing, dance, play with puppets
  • Cook a meal
  • Write and tell a story

Don’t wait any longer to plan an adventure. Your grandchildren are growing older – and so are you!

Benefits:
– Create a strong bond with your grandchildren and become a positive role model in their lives
– Pass on traditions and stories to future generations
– Prove good times can be enjoyed without electronic devices

What’s inside:
– Daily journal prompts for children to write or draw about their experience and create a keepsake
– Recommended age categories and supply lists for each activity
– Low-cost or free activities that won’t break the budget
– Opportunities to share activity-related snacks, tell stories, and create lasting memories with your grandchildren

Grandparent Role:
– Prepare a comfortable environment for the activities
– Provide snacks for you and your grandchildren to enjoy
– Remind them that electronic devices are not allowed during the activities

Grandchildren Role:
– Have fun and be open to trying new things
– Leave electronic distractions behind and fully engage in the activities

A Storytelling Journal for Grandkids is offered as a separate companion book.

Filed Under: blog, books Tagged With: #Christmas, #EagleIdaho, #grandparents, journal

My $625 Pillowcase

December 3, 2024 By Elaine Ambrose

 

This pillowcase is for my broken but resilient heart.

I made a mistake using an online payment center, and there is not one human being on earth who can help me. Here’s my latest story of imperfection:

My friend Connie McLeod in Louisiana creates unique and gorgeous pillowcases by “hammering” fresh flora onto cotton fabric. Through the process, pigments from the leaves and flowers transfer to the fabric as a stain. Last week, she posted photos on Facebook of her latest examples which included hempweed vine, vinca, cosmos, and oxalis from her garden.

I ordered two pillowcases at $75 each, and she sent me her Venmo account name.

Unfortunately, I sent the money to a person with a similar name – but not Connie. (Yes, I know this mess is all my fault, but the comedy of errors makes a good story.)

After realizing the mistake, Connie and I spent time and energy contacting Venmo to make corrections. Venmo does not respond to humans, even after calling, texting, and emailing the support team several times.

I sent $150 to Connie at the correct address on Venmo.

Because Venmo didn’t help, I canceled the incorrect payment through my bank account that is attached to Venmo and received a $20 charge to cancel the check. My bank took the fee but did not cancel the payment.

This pillowcase reminds me of hope and freedom.

Then, for reasons known only to mischievous trolls inside Venmo operations, they decided to pay both addresses again for another charge of $300. I tried for hours to explain the facts to Venmo through email, phone calls, and text messages.

Their support team said I could pay $5 for expert advice from an online source called “JustAnswer Team.” I paid $5 and discovered I had signed up for membership to a law firm that would charge me $55 a month. I had a few days to cancel, so I waited for the legal team to give me advice. They provided a form letter I could send to Venmo. I could have written the form letter myself. I cancelled the membership fee.

Now I cannot log into my Venmo account because it’s frozen unless I pay their extortion of $300. They will not take a smaller amount.

I can fly roundtrip from Boise to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for $600. My pillowcases are now at $625:

$150 – sent to wrong account

$150 – sent to correct account

$300 – extortion from Venmo to unfreeze my account

$  20 – cancel check fee

$    5 – Legal answer with potential $55 a month membership fee

I sent the expertly worded form letter to Venmo and am waiting for a robot to reply with the same answer: “Please contact our support team.”

There is one positive sparkle to this dark journey: I frantically sent a message to the “wrong” person and explained my mistake. She graciously returned the $150, so technically the current expenses are only $475.

I’m cautiously optimistic the pillowcases will arrive this week. I need them to cover some pillows so I can take a long nap.

Gratuitous plug: Besides pillowcases, Connie also creates other treasures, including note cards and framed art. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Her email is: conleemac@yahoo.com. Please notice: her name is Connie McLeod – not Connie McCloud.

 

Filed Under: blog Tagged With: #botanicals, #customerservice, #hammeredart, #venmo, art

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