SAN ANTONIO – In the television business, there are often big personalities. Some are just for the camera. Others are true “what you see is what you get” types. Mike Osterhage is, without a doubt, the latter.
That kind and personable man you saw on TV every morning is exactly who I had the honor of sitting next to for more than a decade. He offered advice, worked seamlessly with me through severe weather events, and was there when I needed anything. Including WD-40. More on that in a bit.
So, naturally, I was thrilled when KSAT gave me the opportunity to sit down with Mike and discuss his incredible career. This includes the question many people have asked over the years: how long has he had that signature silver hair?
“I look back at our wedding pictures 27 years ago and I had brown hair back then. I started getting some gray, even in my early mid-20s,” he said. “I’ve been here 29 years, so draw your own conclusions there.”
He may be leaving with gray hair, but if you know anything about Mike, you know he’s still in great shape. I asked him what his future plans are.
“Short term? Sleeping.”
Can you blame the man? He’s been getting up at 2 a.m. for decades, working a full morning show, taking a quick break, and then coming back to work to cover the 1 p.m. SA Live slot. That’s harder than you think. And to top it all off, he never once overslept.
“I only remember one time not setting my alarm. I woke up and it was like 40 minutes until air time. I didn’t even shower or shave. I just ran in and went on the air.”
That’s dedication. He hardly even called in sick! And that’s not just at KSAT. Mike worked in several other markets, too, prior to his 29-year stint in San Antonio. His first stop was Flint, Michigan.
“It was the Flint/Saginaw market, but the city was in particular called Clio. Matter of fact, it’s the same station where Ginger Zee worked,” he said, referring to the Good Morning America meteorologist. “And Dillon Collier worked there and his wife, too.”
After Michigan, he headed to Green Bay, Wisconsin, followed by a stretch in Memphis, Tennessee. This is where he met his wife, Bonny. Then, he arrived in San Antonio in 1995.
He said San Antonio feels like home to him. He also said he loves talking to the community, no matter where he is in town. So, if you see him in the grocery store, make sure and say “hello.”
If you’ve ever watched GMSA, you know Mike is a big family man. He’s so proud of his two sons, Jack and Ty, and often talks about his lovely wife Bonny. He told me that he is excited to spend more time with them.
Now, to some things you may not know about Mike. He’s extremely organized. Mike’s desk is legendary. His drawers are neatly packed and broken up into small compartments. Everything is labeled.
“Don’t talk about me. Your chair is labeled, pal,” he said, jokingly.
My chair is labeled because of Mike. He also labeled my mouse and computer for me.
If you were to pull out Mike’s drawers, you’d find everything you’d ever need. We joke that he’s ready for the zombie apocalypse.
“If somebody needs WD-40, it’s there. There’s zip ties, duct tape, Chapstick, aspirin, Motrin. Whatever the case may be,” he said.
I once discovered that there was even a jar of peanut butter.
“Eons ago, during one of the newscasts, when we were sitting in a chair, the chair was squeaking, and, the anchor, I think it was Karen Gallagher, was in there. I came walking in during the show with the WD-40, and I’m squirting the chairs right there.”
He said the anchors had to bite their lips to keep from laughing. That’s why he’s known around the station as “Mr. Fix It.”
“[I] sew on buttons and stuff like that. The duct tape comes in handy, by the way, with the corners of the weather desk.”
Mike’s career has spanned decades, so I asked him about some of his favorite moments. Topping his list was an opportunity he had while working on GMSA.
“The one thing, being the airplane geek that I am, is when I got to fly with the Thunderbirds,” he said. “I mean, that was always, you know, the the big thing.”
He’s also been a mainstay when it comes to hosting KSAT specials.
“I loved doing all the events and stuff,” he said. “This past year, we were walking down Houston Street, for the Cattle Drive and I started to say, okay, this is pretty darn cool.”
The folks over at SA Live have plenty of great stories about Mike, too. There’s some classic video of a water skiing incident and of course, the time that a baby goat peed all over Mike on live TV. He even got to meet one of his favorite anchors, Deborah Norville, when she stopped by the station.
In addition, Mike has covered countless severe weather events. From hurricanes to the infamous flood of 1998, he was a calming presence on San Antonian’s television screens.
“That was the 4 or 5 days of [coverage],” he recalled.
Mike has worked alongside other great KSAT anchors, like Mark Austin, Leslie Mouton and currently Stephanie Serna. He’s also still good friends with former traffic anchors Robert Dart, Marcus Trujillo and Nick Solis.
Meantime, those in the arts world may know Mike for a different reason: Mother Ginger. For the last several years, he’s reprised the role in the San Antonio Ballet’s “Nutcracker.” Will you see him on stage again?
“The lady in charge of the ballet about a month or so ago said, okay, we’re trying to get everything in order right now. You’re going to do mother Ginger,” he said. “And I was like yes of course!”
I think what people may not know about Mike is that he truly is incredibly generous and kind and I think I speak for the entire weather team when I say that he’ll be missed. We formed a tight-knit group.
He’s also humble.
“Kindness begets kindness. Because. And I will say this, I have always been very fortunate to work with these four folks right there,” he said.
We’re the fortunate ones. And as much as I rolled my eyes at Mike’s dad jokes, President Reagan impersonations and label maker, I know I’m going to miss it all.
Mike’s also a hugger. We hugged it out one last time. We’ll miss you, Mike! Happy retirement!
Watch a classic clip from Mike Osterhage’s early years at KSAT:
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