"We're Not Worthy! We're Not Worthy!"

\ Oct 04, 2007

2 min read

Wayne Campbell, the character created by Mike Myers on "Saturday Night Live"’s "Wayne’s World" sketches, could have been based on Mike Trujillo. Like his NBC Doppelgänger, Albuquerque’s Mike T. hosts a public access music show, worships hard rock and righteous babes with equal reverence, even sports long hair crowned with an ever-present baseball cap. Mike and Wayne both made their Public Access debuts in 1992.

That’s where the similarities end. "Wayne’s World" is a fictional television program that’s long since disappeared from the SNL roster. Mike’s “Zero Hour 2 ” is very real and still kicking every Friday night at 9 p.m.

Besides hosting one of Community Cable Channel 27’s most popular shows, Mike serves as president on the board of directors that runs the public access station (a nonprofit called Quote … Unquote). The only people who’ve been there longer are local crackpots Geraldine Amato (Thursdays at 5 p.m.) and Don Schrader (Wednesdays at 10 p.m.).

Mike, who’s a vital part of Albuquerque’s only public access cable station, sees community-created programming as essential to Democracy’s survival.

"We’re the last, real, best chance of free speech without censorship," Mike says. "It’s the real reality TV, where you can get your message across, no matter what that message is."

To benefit CCC27, Mike is hosting the station’s fifth annual Rock Fight music showcase this Friday, Oct. 5, at the Launchpad. (See our Music Calendar for the full lineup.)

He’s also opening up the Channel 27 studios for a two-hour music show filmed before a live studio audience that same evening. Set to appear is Insecticide (from L.A.), Occasional Detroit, Zach Freeman and John Broilo, Bonnie Greathouse, and Vital Signs. Taping begins at 6 p.m. at 415 Tijeras NW (that’s in the old County Courthouse, with an entrance on the west side of Civic Plaza). Donations will be accepted at the door.

Mike says the benefit shows aren’t really about money, though. It’s about inclusion. "We want to let people know we’re here and the community can be a part of it," he says of CCC27. I guess we’re worthy after all.