Ken Hakuta
| Ken Hakuta | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ken Paik Hakuta |
| Occupation | Inventor, television personality |
| Relatives |
Nam June Paik (uncle) Ali Wong (daughter-in-law) |
Ken Paik Hakuta, known as "Dr. Fad" since 1983, is an American inventor and television personality. Hakuta, as Dr. Fad, was the host of the popular kids invention TV show, The Dr. Fad Show, which ran from 1988 to 1994. The show featured kids' inventions, and promoted creativity and inventiveness in children. Hakuta was the organizer of four Fad Fairs, conventions of inventors with fun, wacky ideas, in Detroit, New York City and Philadelphia. He received the Inventor of the Year Award from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.[1]
Hakuta is the popularizer of the Wacky Wall Walker, one of the best selling toys of the 1980s. The Wacky Wall Walker became a fad hit in 1983, and over 240 million units have sold. Their popularity peaked after the Kellogg Company inserted them as free prizes in cereal boxes. The VH1 program "I Love the 80s: 1983" features Dr. Fad and the Wall Walkers.
In 1991, Hakuta purchased a large group of Shaker items - furniture and other pieces - that are now called the Mt. Lebanon Shaker collection.[2]
In 1998, Hakuta built on his long-standing interest in herbal medicine to found AllHerb.com, an eCommerce company offering herbal remedy products and information. AllHerb.com sought to differentiate itself from other competitors in the space by positioning itself as "the most authentic resource for herbal medicine available today"; for instance, one of its spokespeople was a shaman, tribal healer, and herbalist from the Peruvian rainforest. AllHerb.com ceased operations in February 2000, leaving the space to larger competitors such as MotherNature.com and Vitamins.com.[3]
Hakuta has been featured in numerous media such as: The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Detroit Free Press, USA Today, Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., Entrepreneurship, Business Week, CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Oprah, Geraldo, Today Show, The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Don and Mike Show, Larry King, and numerous radio shows around the country. There are two Harvard Business School case studies on AllHerb.com: "Ken Hakuta: AllHerb.com" and "AllHerb.com: Evolution of an E-tailer."
Personal life
Hakuta is the nephew of the video artist Nam June Paik and was the manager of Paik's New York City studio at the time of his death.[4]
Hakuta is also the father-in-law of comedian Ali Wong.