eFortSmith.com | Talking Up A Storm: Fred Baker

Actually, the results were good and bad, Fred recalled. Listeners eagerly hunted and someone found the KISR rabbit – or what was left of it after an animal found it first and ripped it and its paper certificateof authenticity to shreds. Fred had to fly back to identify the “remains.”

But he learned something: His audience loved to hunt. He had to change the hidden object to something that couldn’t be faked or destroyed and could be definitively identified. He began to commission a jeweler to make custom objects.

There are many other concerns during a KISR hunt. Fred uses retired judges, solemnly sworn to secrecy, to monitor the
contest. He works closely with police and hires off-duty officers to keep order. Hunters are constantly reminded the objects are hidden on public land in plain sight.

“Safety is my biggest concern,” he explained. “You cannot stampede a hundred people.You can’t put 10,000 people
one place. You can’t send them across a highway. We’re very careful.”

Fred does enjoy the sensational KISR hunt frenzy, but admits it’s exhausting.

“I get no privacy. People are waiting for me in my driveway!” he exclaimed. “It’s wonderful, they’re very nice. But I have to go to a one-hole bathroom in a public place to write the ongoing clues. It’s the only place I can be alone!”

He even took a 10-year break once but returned for a reason that surprised us: Entertainment Fort Smith had an article
called ‘25 Great Things About Fort Smith’ and several people mentioned the KISR hunts,” he said. That inspired him to create a hunt again.

Fred and the editors of this magazine impulsively decided to have a mini-hunt just to keep fans from getting rusty. But this one involves no clues. In the pages of the March issue of the magazine are numerous images of bunnies. Count all the bunnies and send the number on a postcard to Entertainment Fort Smith, P.O. Box 1341, Fort Smith, AR 72902.

We’ll draw from the correct answers and Fred promises to have the KISR Bunny present the prizes - E Fort Smith and KISR T-shirts. Listen to Fred for details.

We’ll print the winner’s photo. And maybe Fred will get in the spirit to plan another real KISR hunt.

Next: Page 4 - Rocking On

Page 1 2 3 4

March 2008 Fred Baker: Talking up a Storm Page 3 Fred’s famous KISR hunts began inauspiciously. In 1974, he hid a “KISR Rabbit” and tried giving clues to listeners. The rabbit, an ordinary stuffed animal, was tucked in a hollow log. Fred left town for a broadcaster’s convention. Things went poorly. Actually, the results were good and bad, Fred recalled. Listeners eagerly hunted and someone found the KISR rabbit – or what was left of it after an animal found it first and ripped it and its paper certificateof authenticity to shreds. Fred had to fly back to identify the “remains.” But he learned something: His audience loved to hunt. He had to change the hidden object to something that couldn’t be faked or destroyed and could be definitively identified. He began to commission a jeweler to make custom objects. There are many other concerns during a KISR hunt. Fred uses retired judges, solemnly sworn to secrecy, to monitor the contest. He works closely with police and hires off-duty officers to keep order. Hunters are constantly reminded the objects are hidden on public land in plain sight. “Safety is my biggest concern,” he explained. “You cannot stampede a hundred people.You can’t put 10,000 people one place. You can’t send them across a highway. We’re very careful.” Fred does enjoy the sensational KISR hunt frenzy, but admits it’s exhausting. “I get no privacy. People are waiting for me in my driveway!” he exclaimed. “It’s wonderful, they’re very nice. But I have to go to a one-hole bathroom in a public place to write the ongoing clues. It’s the only place I can be alone!” He even took a 10-year break once but returned for a reason that surprised us: Entertainment Fort Smith had an article called ‘25 Great Things About Fort Smith’ and several people mentioned the KISR hunts,” he said. That inspired him to create a hunt again. Fred and the editors of this magazine impulsively decided to have a mini-hunt just to keep fans from getting rusty. But this one involves no clues. In the pages of the March issue of the magazine are numerous images of bunnies. Count all the bunnies and send the number on a postcard to Entertainment Fort Smith, P.O. Box 1341, Fort Smith, AR 72902. We’ll draw from the correct answers and Fred promises to have the KISR Bunny present the prizes - E Fort Smith and KISR T-shirts. Listen to Fred for details. We’ll print the winner’s photo. And maybe Fred will get in the spirit to plan another real KISR hunt. *Next: Page 4 - Rocking On* *Page 1 2 3 4* Copyright © 2008 eFortSmith Media.com, Incorporated, P.O. Box 1341, Fort Smith, AR 72902 efortsmith.com and Entertainment Fort Smith are registered trademarks. All rights reserved. HOME	This article appears in the March 2008 issue of Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine

Page 3