PLYMOUTH, N.H.-
The Granite State’s favorite storyteller is the commencement speaker at the 2009 Plymouth State University’s 59th graduate commencement ceremony, 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9.
Humorist, writer, and television host Fritz Wetherbee has covered New Hampshire for more than half a century, writing for newspapers and magazines, doing radio commentary and reports, and making films and television shows about his home state. Throughout his career, Wetherbee has been honored with numerous awards, including five Emmys. One of the state’s great storytellers, Wetherbee is currently host of New Hampshire Chronicle on WMUR.
Wetherbee will address the graduates and their guests at the ceremony at the John C. Foley Gymnasium, and said he still enjoys storytelling.
“It’s a sendoff,” said Wetherbee. “I’m almost 73 years old, I’ve lived longer than most of the audience, they pay more attention to you when you’re older.”
Wetherbee will receive a Granite State Award for his decades of unique reporting and storytelling. Wetherbee, an 11th generation Yankee, said people respond to his stories about New Hampshire because it is close their hearts.
“We like this reinforcement,” Wetherbee said. “Everybody has had a story read to them; that’s the start of all of this, the curiosity, that’s for real.”
Wetherbee’s life experiences have shaped his unique look at the world and his ability to share it’s stories. Over the years he has been a stonemason, tree climber, house painter, in the U.S. Army, college instructor, photographer, cinematographer, newspaper reporter/editor, radio news director, actor, film/video editor, producer, scriptwriter, and advertising agency creative director.
In the early-60s, he was a beatnik and performed his own poetry in the coffee houses in New York City. For 10 years (1975-84) he was news director and general manager of radio stations WSCV/WSLE-FM in Peterborough. From 1985 to 1995 he was the host of New Hampshire Crossroads on Public Television.
Fritz has one son and two granddaughters. He presently lives in Acworth.
For more information about this release, contact Bruce Lyndes, PSU Media Relations Mgr., (603) 535-2775 or blyndes@plymouth.edu
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