I always wanted to perform and draw! During the 1970's, while attending the University of Missouri, Columbia, I had fun performing on stage at the Gentry Playhouse, and locally at the Maplewood Barn Theatre. After graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Art, I also performed in St. Louis at the St. Louis Repertory Theatre and the Webster Groves Theatre guild.

My stage appearances were soon put on hold, however, as I had to answer the call of putting food on the table by earning a living. I became - of all things - a bill collector - not a job I had always longed for, but it did pay my bills. But not for long though; after one year on the job, my boss told me I just did not seem to have the "nack" to collect money, and with that, I collected my last pay check and was out the door. I returned to Columbia looking for work and decided to give "performing" a try. I applied for a position at KOMU and got a part time job, doing weather and bit pieces on the nighttime "Pepper & Friends" show. That was fun; I used to greet the audience members and prep them for the "question and answer" segments on the show. When "Pepper & Friends" moved to daytime in 1985, I moved with it, full-time, doing the weather and travel segments and all the remote locations on the show. In 1989, the show moved to an hour format. And in 1993, we added the "Kids Korner" and I became "Uncle" James. The "Kids Korner" is a great deal of fun for me, since I still feel like a kid at heart. I enjoy relating to our young viewers and what they consider important. I've also found a way to continue with my drawing skills, with the comic feature called "Pepp-osterous", a cartoonish take on "Pepper & Friends". ("Pepp-osterous" can be read on the "Pepper & Friends" website.)

One of my favorite jobs on "Pepper & Friends" is tasting all of the GREAT food that is prepared on our show. I can truthfully say that in over 20 years of food tasting, there has been only one – yes, only one! - recipe that I could not stomach. That was when I was supposed to taste the dangling tentacles of a cooked octopus! I just could not do it! I looked at it, and tried to eat it, but couldn't!! So, Paul grabbed the fork out of my hand and in one swift gulp, he swallowed it, producing a look on his face that I still remember today. I'm amazed that we have done thousands of shows, and I'm delighted to have met thousands upon thousands of interesting and caring people from central Missouri. It's you, the viewer, that makes our show special! Thanks for letting "Pepper & Friends" be a part of your day!