Hunky Hurricane Chaser

Houston TV news star named one of Sexiest Weathermen in world: But this hunky hurricane chaser still feels snubbed

TV Guide's ranked "The 10 Sexiest Weathermen on Earth" and one of Houston's own meteorologists made the exclusive cut.

"Garner claims to be the only broadcast weather reporter to have flown into Hurricane Sandy," TV Guide writes of KHOU Ch. 11 weatherman Brooks Garner. "While it was hurricane-ing. Brave? Foolhardy? Who cares? He’s hot!"

Garner got named the 10th sexiest, and although it's presumably an honor to be recognized as one of the best looking weathermen in the world, Garner mocked his placement at the very end of the Top 10.

"I do thank you for recognizing my professional proficiency in . . . meteorology."

"TV Guide, while you put me at the very, utter, lowest-you-can-go, algae-growing, dank, musty bottom of the 'Ten Sexiest Weathermen on Earth' list, I do thank you for recognizing my professional proficiency in . . . meteorology," Garner joked in a post on his Facebook page.

"I've always hoped that I'd be celebrated for my good weather forecasting because being 'sexy' never really occurred to me," Garner tells the Chronicle.

This isn't the first time Garner's good looks have attracted attention. He played a meteorologist in the film My Own Love Song alongside Forest Whitaker and Katy's own Renee Zellweger, and also consulted off-screen for two other movies.

Want to know how Garner stays so "hot" for his on-screen job?

"I make it a point to stay away from all fast food, fried stuff, red meat, smoking, etc . . .," he tells the Chronicle. "Instead, I cook most meals and eat organic when I can afford it."

"Too much running can make my body type twiggy pretty fast, so I drink protein shakes, do pull-ups and lift free weights in an effort to keep some meat on me."

Brooks Garner, KHOU's dashing meteorologist, is one of "The 10 Sexiest Weathermen on Earth."

Brooks Garner KHOU weather man head shot

Photo courtesy of KHOU News Channel 11

Brooks Garner, KHOU's dashing meteorologist, is one of "The 10 Sexiest Weathermen on Earth."

unspecified

H-Town's Moo Deng

Houston Zoo welcomes Akobi, an adorable pygmy hippopotamus

Akobi is Houston Zoo's newest pygmy hippoptamus

Photo by Jackelin Reyna/Houston Zoo

Houston Zoo welcomes itOH MY THAT IS ADORABLE

The Houston Zoo welcomes Akobi, its newest pygmy hippopotamus right as the species is having a massive resurgence in popularity.

Thanks to Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo born Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand this summer, pygmy hippopotami are more popular than ever. Moo Deng became a viral sensation thanks to cute videos of him playing and drinking from a spraying hose. He was even parodied on Saturday Night Live, where he was played by Bowen Yang.

Akobi is a four-and-a-half-year-old, 477-pound male pygmy hippopotamus who recently moved from San Francisco to Houston as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. His name means “first born” in Yoruba. This is definitely one California transplant all Texans can agree on.

As their name suggests, pygmy hippos are quite a bit smaller than their more famous counterparts. Common hippos can weigh up to 4,000 pounds and are among the most dangerous megafauna in the world because of their fierce territoriality. By contrast, pygmy hippos rarely get above 500 pounds and are comparatively docile.

Unlike their larger cousins, pygmy hippos spend most of their time on dry land and live solitary lives rather than in large herds. Akobi is the first pygmy hippo in the Houston Zoo since the death of Silas, their previous pygmy hippo. Acquired in 2020, Silas quickly became a favorite of zoo visitors. He died in 2022 after a short illness.

Akobi comes at a time of massive expansion and progress for the Houston Zoo. The 55-acre zoological garden just opened its massive Birds of the World exhibit, featuring bird species across three continents. It also swept a series of industry awards for its innovative Galapagos Island area, which introduced penguins to the zoo among a host of other species. These were all part of the Houston Zoo’s centennial celebration.

Hopefully, Akobi will have an easier time than Moo Deng. Visitors to the viral star’s enclosure would sometimes spray water or throw items at the hippo, leading to the zoo having to build more security to protect Moo Deng. Houston Zoo visitors should remember that pygmy hippos (and all zoo animals) should not be disturbed or molested for their health and the visitor’s safety.

akobi houston zoo pygmy hippopotamus