A Cousin Remembers

While watching Eric Paulsen on WWL-TV's morning show in New Orleans, you will quickly begin to notice a few subtle similarities between him and Jon-Erik Hexum. Firstly, the tall blond-haired Paulsen bears a slight physical resemblance to Jon-Erik, complete with the resonant voice, though not quite so basso profundo. Secondly, there's that ever-present tell-tale sense of humor. Like one day, when his co-host, Sally Ann Roberts shows an enormous kite off as they sit at the desk, Paulsen takes the kite and replies, "Let's see how it flies!" As he aims it toward the cameras, Sally Ann has to quickly respond with a firm "No, Eric!"

The reason for the similiarity is pretty simple: Jon-Erik Hexum and Eric Paulsen were first cousins! Paulsen fondly recollects about Jon-Erik, who he simply referred to as Jack: "I was out in L.A. once and we all went to the Alan Thicke show, and I was joking around with Jack. His mother (Paulsen's Aunt Gretha) couldn't get over how much alike we were. We had the same sense of humor!"

Hexum and his cousin trace their roots back to common Norwegian grandparents from Oslo. "Well, our grandfather was actually Icelandic--he was born on a boat," clarifies Paulsen. Soon, however, the grandparents relocated to Minnesota, an area popular to those of Nordic descent. It was there, in the Minneapolis area, where Gretha and Paulsen's father, Stan were born. Rounding out the family was another brother, Bob, and a sister, Dorie.

The Paulsens eventually opted for the warmer climes of St. Louis, and it was there that Eric Paulsen was born. Gretha and Dorie went on to North Bergen County, New Jersey; Gretha went to Tenafly, and Dorie, to nearby Cresskill. Dorie's children, Ellen and Cheryl became close companions of Jon-Erik and his brother Gunnar as they grew up in their little nook of the Garden State.

Eric Paulsen's first recollections of Jon-Erik, however, came from the St. Louis area: "They stayed with us for a while when his parents split up," says Paulsen. Thus began a close friendship between the two, who made up for their geographic remoteness with frequent letters and summer visits. "Growing up, Jack wasn't that close to his brother, and I wasn't that close to mine, so we became more like brothers than cousins. We were very close."

Paulsen's broadcasting career took him to a variety of different markets, including Savannah, Georgia, and Madison,Wisconsin before he finally made his home in New Orleans, in 1974. Hexum managed to visit him wherever he roamed, however. With a chuckle, Paulsen remembers one particular visit to New Orleans in 1977.

"Somewhere in a field in (the suburb of) Metairie is a discus. Back in the summer of '77, we were throwing it around--and we lost it!" They were very upset that they couldn't find it, because it belonged to the university Hexum was attending at the time.

Though Hexum's first career goal was pre-med, Paulsen remarked that this course of study was relatively short-lived. "One day, he tells me, 'I'm gonna get out of this, and go into broadcasting!' I said, 'Don't do it Jack! Broadcasting doesn't pay, and it's a really rough, competitive business!" Yet true to his word, "Yukon Jack" was soon filling the late-night air waves of Michigan radio stations, with his imaginary traffic reports at 3 a.m. and other impish rambunctiousness.

"Then one day, he writes me a letter, and tells me he's going to Hollywood to be a star...again, I said, 'Don't do it, Jack!' I mean, back in those days, he had a chipped tooth and one of those bowl hair-cuts--the kind where it looks like someone stuck a bowl over your head and cut around it...but then, six months later, he writes back and says, 'I got a series!' When I saw his publicity shot, I thought, 'wow! He must have had plastic surgery or something!'"

Hexum's triumphs in Hollywood did nothing to lessen his friendship with his Louisiana-based cousin. Paulsen remembers spending time at Hexum's Burbank residence, and even admits to being among the few who really like LA, earthquakes, riots and gang warfare notwithstanding.

The scene of the cousins' last meeting, however, would be in New Orleans. On Saturday, September 22, 1984, nearly three weeks to the day before his fatal accident on the set of his "Cover-Up" series, Jon-Erik did a whirlwind tour of the Crescent City, appearing with his cousin at a March of Dimes black-tie fundraiser (Hexum showed up in a tux...and black cowboy boots) at the Fairmont Hotel; called "Gourmet Gala," it was an event featuring food prepared by 12 local celebrity chefs, plus dancing. The pair won first prize in the entrée competition for their chicken artichoke dish, the recipe of which had been passed on to Paulsen by a friend.

That evening, Hexum took the opportunity to sign autographs for hoardes of young fans, mostly of the female persuasion, and according to one reporter from the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune -- several admitted that they didn't even know who he was, "except that he was Eric Paulsen's cousin and incredibly handsome." In addition, he managed to squeeze in an interview for his cousin's local news show, which to their mutual amusement, would air just after "Cover-Up" on the local CBS affiliate.

Asked what Hexum liked to do while he was in New Orleans--go to the jazz clubs, sample the local cuisine or perhaps visit the 1984 World's Fair, Paulsen came up with a less-cited tourist past-time: "He loved to play video games! Pac-Man, Asteroids, all that stuff....but he was a fun guy! He liked everything!"

Curiously enough, the day I spoke with Eric Paulsen happened to coincide with what would have been Hexum's 39th birthday --12 years after the accident which resulted in his untimely departure.

They say that half a man's immortality consists of the memories he leaves behind. If this is indeed the case, it looks like Jon-Erik Hexum will be around for quite some time to come.

Take four chicken breasts deboned. Cut into bite sized pieces. Batter with 2 eggs and a cup and a half of milk. Salt and pepper chicken. Fry in butter (two sticks) and drain on paper towel. In leftover butter add 2 cans of artichokes quartered. Add two teaspoons of oregano and one quarter cup of Romano cheese. Put in chicken and one cup of water. Let simmer 5 minutes.
Serve over fettuccine...and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs.

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