Searching for POG: The Video

Searching for POG: The Video is the first Video in the POG Trilogy, and as such it introduced us to most of the characters in the series. It is also known as Herbie J. Winkleman Goes Searching for POG: The Video. It was originally released in 1994, and is followed by 1995's The Legend of POG: The Video.

Synopsis
Our story opens with Eddy Tor, editor of the Daily News, receiving a call from Granddaugh Tor, his granddaughter, who demands that he run a story about POG in the Sunday edition. He calls Miss Smedley and Miss Smedley (his twin assistants) into his office and asks them, "What is POG?" It quickly becomes obvious that they have no idea, but they suggest the new, young, and smart reporter, Herbie J. Winkleman, for the job. Herbie accepts, and with that, the adventure begins!

Herbie starts by visiting a local diner to collect his thoughts. Stella, a psychic waitress, "overhears" him thinking about POG and suggests he speak to the Old Wise Man who sits at the top of the mountain. Herbie climbs the mountain and reaches the Old Wise Man, who is nuts, but Herbie is desperate and follows his advice, which is to fly to "an island surrounded by water" where he will find the Wiser Old Fisherman, who "holds the answer".

Herbie arrives in Hawaii, and is promptly overwhelmed. He is truly a stranger in a strange land. While passing by a fish market, he receives a call from Mr. Tor, who inquires about his progress. Since Herbie is currently without any leads, he panics, and tells Tor the first thing that comes to mind: that he must "interview the fish". Unable to bear the burden of the lie, he convinces himself that it is in fact the truth, and he travels deep into the ocean to speak to the fish&mdash;who answer him! "Cow!" they say!

Herbie proceeds to a nearby dairy farm, and mistakes the lowing of the cows for the word "muʻumuʻu", and calls to a nearby woman in a muʻumuʻu. Astonishingly, she knows of POG, and directs him to the plant in which POG is made. Believing himself to have found the answer, he calls Tor and explains that POG stands for "Passion Orange Guava", the names of the three fruits that make up the drink called POG. Ecstatic, Tor calls Granddaugh Tor, who explains that she wanted to know about POG the game, not POG the drink.

Enthusiasm undiminished by the news, Herbie is confronted by the Wiser Old Fisherman, who tells him he has further still to go. But instead of pushing on, Herbie decides to take a shower, causing him to miss a special report on television that reveals the secrets of POG! POG, it explains, is a popular game that originated in Hawaii and is played with collectible milk caps.

After his shower, Herbie once again sets out blindly to find POG, and eventually happens upon the Wisest Old Man, who tells Herbie of the two ways to find POG: 1) Slay the Dreaded Dragon in the Cavernous Cave, saving the Merry Maiden Mary. Or, 2) Go to any corner store, where POG is available for purchase. The Wisest Old Man then produces a pack of POGs, and Herbie achieves nirvana.

Herbie now experiences a series of strange and inaccurate visions of earlier events, which somehow compel him to drive a tractor into another dimension.

To be continued...

Back cover copy
Join rookie newspaper reporter Herbie J. Winkleman as he goes "Searching for POG&trade;".

Herbie’s boss, Eddy Tor, wants the story and he wants it now! Lots of hilarious things happen as Herbie travels all the way to beautiful Hawaii to find the true origin and secrets of POG&trade;. Don’t miss this wacky adventure that’s loads of laughs for the entire family complete with great music by Janet & Judy.

Credits

 * Executive Producer: Stan Esecson
 * Directed By: Boix Nathanson &amp; Cindy Erdman
 * Written &amp; Created By: Stan Esecson, Boix Nathanson &amp; Cindy Erdman

Cast

 * Herbie J. Winkleman: Curt Visca
 * Eddy Tor: Mike Lowe
 * Miss Smedley: Janet Robinson
 * Miss Smedley's Twin: Judy Brock
 * Waitress: Deanna Hurst
 * Wise Old Man: Jack Becker
 * Wise Old Fisherman: Ed Elkin
 * Wisest Old Man: Gerald Barron
 * Man giving directions: Boix Nathanson
 * Lady in Mumu: Marianne Rivera
 * Fish Market: Charlene Ishimoto, Ken Nhieu, Jose Villalba-Lopez, Chad Hatae
 * Hula Hoopers: Shay Lucey, Kevin Best
 * Kids Playing POG: Chantilly Mers, Kamaili Mers, Keli'a Smau, Kupono Peterson-Rivera, Dean Line, Nicole Palmer, Shay Lucey, Sam Esecson

Production

 * Director of Photography: Cindy Erdman
 * Sound Recordist: Willy Beal
 * Production Mgr Hawaii: Nancy Emerson
 * Production Coordinator: Camille Hendrickson
 * Casting Hawaii: Cynthia Campbell, Chameleon Talent
 * Casting San Diego: Shamon Freitas Agency
 * Gaffer: Willy Beal
 * Grips: Ken Folta, Michael Green
 * Production Assistants: Carolyn Tate, Alicia Cole, Heather Hays
 * Hair &amp; Makeup: Catherine Bills

Post Production

 * Edited at: JMTV
 * On Line Editor: Gary Childress
 * Supervising Editor: Cindy Erdman
 * Tape Op: Holly White
 * Audio: Bill Coe, Chuck Everts, Martin Lopez

Music
"Herbie J. Winkleman Searching for POG" Performed by: Janet & Judy and The Hotbilly Boys Written by: Janet Robinson &amp; Judy Brock

"Herbie's Shower Song" Performed by: Curt Visca Lyrics by: Stan Esecson

Special Thanks

 * World POG Federation
 * Alan Rypinski
 * Shane DeRolf
 * Stouffer Wailea Beach Resort
 * Kahalui Airport - Maui
 * Collectors Caps Price Guide
 * Waipo Little League
 * Times Orange County
 * Kookie's Diner (called "Kooky's Diner" in the Legend credits)
 * Haleakala Dairy