House Resolution 132

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING MR. ALAN CALDWELL HUNTER, A 1979 GRADUATE OF MILLSAPS COLLEGE AND THE FIRST VJ TO APPEAR ON MTV, UPON HIS CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRIES.

WHEREAS, Mr. Alan Hunter a true pioneer in cable television, a 1979 Millsaps College graduate, is the first video jockey (VJ) to appear on MTV, and thus, made a powerful and positive impact upon the fabric of television and music history; and

WHEREAS, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and a 1975 graduate of Mountain Brook High School, Mr. Hunter's connection with the Magnolia State began when he chose to attend Millsaps College, which is one of seven colleges he was accepted into and had the opportunity to attend; and

WHEREAS, while at Millsaps, Mr. Hunter married his then college girlfriend during his senior year and after graduating and earning a degree in psychology, they returned to his hometown of Birmingham where they both briefly acted in the Birmingham Children's Theatre; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunter then moved to New York City where he worked various jobs, such as bartending, when he was not auditioning for acting roles and then in June of 1981, he attended the Mississippi Picnic in Central Park, where his life took a wonderfully different direction; and

WHEREAS, through his Mississippi connection - as Mr. Hunter was a 1979 Millsaps College graduate - he met Mr. Bob Pittman, whose father was a Methodist minister in Mississippi and who had attended Millsaps for one year previously; and

WHEREAS, during this chance encounter at Central Park with Mr. Pittman, Mr. Hunter was informed by Mr. Pittman that he was creating a music video channel on cable - this creation would ultimately become the one and only MTV; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunter, after telling Mr. Pittman that he served as an extra and a dancer in David Bowie's new music video, Fashion, was then asked by Mr. Pittman to audition for the new channel early in the summer of 1981, and after a couple of auditions, he was hired as a VJ, along with four other individuals, Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood and Mark Goodman, for the new cable station; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunter made broadcast history late at night on Saturday, August 1, 1981, as he was on the first broadcast of MTV in selected markets, and as the popularity of MTV flourished, the channel became the leading place for music videos; and

WHEREAS, the career of Mr. Hunter soared due to his popularity as a VJ on MTV, and he was known by music giants and celebrities throughout the industry due to his work on the groundbreaking MTV; and

WHEREAS, some of the interviews that Mr. Hunter had in the early 1980's include: Madonna, Duran Duran and U2, Ozzy Osbourne, Frank and Moon Unit Zappa, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Loverboy, Kasim Sultan, Crosby Stills & Nash, Kevin Bacon, Robin Williams, Dan Aykroyd, Eurythmics, Kenny Loggins, the Psychedelic Furs, Bob & Doug McKenzi, Lou Reed, Billy Idol, Boy George, Aretha Franklin Cyndi Lauper, Tom Hanks, the Carrs, the GoGos and Pee-wee Herman, just to name a few; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunter is also a pioneer in what is known as today's reality television programming, as he, during his later years at MTV, was known for his road trips for programs such as MTV Spring Break, MTV's Amuck in America as well as MTV's Hedonism Weekend with Bon Jovi in Jamaica; and

WHEREAS, after six trailblazing years at MTV, Mr. Hunter left the pioneering channel in August of 1987, and moved to Los Angeles and during that same year, he traveled to Russia as a freelancer for a program called Rock in Russia, which was a documentary that explored rock music in Russia during a pioneering concert tour with Billy Joel in Moscow and Leningrad, and later, in 1989, he appeared in the film White Hot and in a number of Fox pilots, commercials and infomercials; and

WHEREAS, after making his mark in Los Angeles, Mr. Hunter returned to Birmingham and began a film company with his brothers, called Hunter Films and created a multi-use entertainment facility, WorkPlay, which was named one of America's 40 Best Venues by Paste magazine; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Films, in 2003, produced the Oscar nominated short film Johnny Flynton, which was directed by Lexi Alexander, and executive produced the 2006 Sundance premiered movie Dreamland, which starred John Corbett, Gina Gershon and Justin Long, and the company also executive produced the documentary Best Worst Movie, and in 2010 and one year later, co-produced feature film Lifted, in which he costarred with Dash Mihok, Nicki Aycox, Ruben Studdard, Trace Adkins and Uriah Shelton; and

WHEREAS, notably, Mr. Hunter, who has always exhibited his entrepreneurial spirit, continued his work, in 2005 and 2006, as a TV host, where he worked with Encore and Stars, and in 2013, he coauthored VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave, with three other original VJs of MTV, Blackwood, Goodman and Quinn; and

WHEREAS, in addition to being a co-author, Mr. Hunter co-founded Birmingham's Sidewalk Film Festival, which was named by Time magazine as one of the top ten "Film Festivals for the Rest of Us" and where he currently serves as an advisory board member and chair emeritus; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunter is also very active in the film business as he launched a civic activist group, Catalyst4Birmingham, and plays a pivotal role in promoting the film business in Alabama and continues to lobby for legislation that creates film incentives, and he was pivotal in the creation of the Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his activities in promoting the film business and his other businesses, Mr. Hunter currently hosts an 80's-themed show on Sirius XM and manages a production company with his brother and is lovingly supported by his beautiful wife, Elizabeth, and their two children; and

WHEREAS, it is most fitting to honor a true pioneer in cable television such as Mr. Hunter, whose contributions to the television and film industries has not only brought great pride to his family and supporters but has also brought great pride to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Mr. Alan Hunter upon his history making contributions to cable television as the first VJ on MTV as well as for his contributions to film and television and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Alan Caldwell Hunter and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.