MIDDLEBURY — Bruce Zeman and Hobbes, his trusty dachshund sidekick, made their final sign-off on the Middlebury-based radio station 92.1 WVTK-FM this past Friday, Aug. 30.
The duo became very popular with their morning show, “Wake-Up Crew with Bruce and Hobbes,” featuring in part interviews with local public officials, civic leaders and entertainers. Hobbes, a rescued dog, was Zeman’s constant companion at the station and on remote broadcasts and public appearances.
But after a four-year run, Zeman explained it was time for a career change.
“As many of us come to find out at some point, change is a part of life — and that’s the case for us too,” Zeman announced on his Facebook page. “It’s with mixed emotions we wanted to let our friends and fans know that today, (8/30), will be the last ‘Wake-Up Crew with Bruce and Hobbes’ on WVTK.”
Zeman, during a telephone interview, said he could not yet confirm his next career move, though he alluded to a new book he has penned featuring — you guessed it — Hobbes as the primary character.
He added through his Facebook post, “We’re not going away — just changing our focus for a bit. As many of you know, our book, ‘Hobbes Goes Home,’ is being released in a few weeks — and the topics in the book (adoption, bullying, tolerance and compassion for animals) are important enough to us, that we have decided to promote the book nationally and give it the attention it deserves.”
He promised a “Hobbes Goes Home” book tour in late September, with the goal of reading it in every Vermont school.
He said he leaves WVTK with fond memories.
“We’ve been blessed to meet thousands of wonderful people, and hopefully, accomplished things that made our communities a better place,” he said. “Without question, it has been the most rewarding and fulfilling portion of our professional career.”
Zeman stressed that he and Hobbes will be back on the airwaves “at some point.”
Meanwhile, WVTK’s program schedule on Tuesday listed former afternoon drive host Ken Gilbert as the new broadcaster during the 5 to 10 a.m. slot. The station continues to feature adult contemporary music and broadcasts various local sporting events, including Middlebury Union High School football and Middlebury College football and hockey games.
John Flowers is at [email protected].