"VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY, I'M HUELL HOWSER.

GET READY FOR A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE ABOUT DOUGHNUTS.

NOW, LET'S SET THE STAGE.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WAS LOOKING THROUGH A MAGAZINE, AND I NOTICED IT WAS TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY.

WELL, LOOK, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROMOTIONAL DAY--NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, NATIONAL HOTDOG WEEK, NATIONAL STRAWBERRY MONTH, WHATEVER.

BUT UPON A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THERE'S A RICH HISTORY BEHIND NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, AND IT INVOLVES NOT ONLY DOUGHNUTS, BUT THE SALVATION ARMY.

SO WE HAVE COME TO THE VETERAN'S ADMINISTRATION CAMPUS HERE IN WEST L.A. TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SALVATION ARMY TO TELL US ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY DOUGHNUT--NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY CONNECTION.

YOUR NAME IS?

I'M CAPTAIN DIANNE MADSEN.

OK. NOW, YOU ARE HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THAT CONNECTION.

AND IT'S A WONDERFUL BIT OF, I THINK, OBSCURE DOUGHNUT SALVATION ARMY HISTORY.

WELL, SALVATION ARMY AND DOUGHNUTS GO WAY, WAY, WAY BACK.

BASICALLY BACK IN WORLD WAR I, EVANGELINE BOOTH, WHO WAS THE NATIONAL COMMANDER OF THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE UNITED STATES, WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES TROOPS THAT WERE OVER IN FRANCE.

AND SO WHAT SHE DECIDED TO DO WAS SEND OVER 250 YOUNG WOMEN OVER TO THE FRONT LINES, AND THAT IS WHERE THEY STARTED THE WHOLE DOUGHNUT-MAKING ENDEAVOR TO HELP BRING SOME COMFORTS AND SOME FRIENDSHIP TO OUR BOYS THAT WERE SERVING OVERSEAS.

NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.

DURING WORLD WAR I, THE SALVATION ARMY SENT 250 WOMEN--AND THIS LADY, YOUR NAME IS?

I'M ALESSANDRA PEREZ SILVA.

NOW, YOU'RE DRESSED TO LOOK LIKE--THIS IS THE WAY THEY WOULD HAVE LOOKED.

YEAH.

I THINK SHE DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH DUST ON HER AS SHE MIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, BUT IS A FREAT REPRESENTATION OF ONE OF THE DOUGHNUT GIRLS.

THEY WERE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WENT TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME.

AND THEY PUT LITERALLY THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO BRING COMFORT AND FRIENDSHIP TO THE GUYS THAT WERE OUT THERE.

MORE THAN COMFORT AND FRIENDSHIP.

THEY BROUGHT DOUGHNUTS.

HALLELUJAH.

WHY DOUGHNUTS?

WELL, PART OF IT WAS THAT THEY WERE--YOU DON'T NEED A WHOLE LOT OF INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A DOUGHNUT.

IT WAS SOMETHING THEY COULD DO QUICKLY, SMALL BATCHES.

THEY WOULD FRY THEM UP--SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO USE BUT A HELMET.

AND THEY WOULD ROLL THEM OUT, DO THEM.

SOMETIMES THEY WERE ABLE TO BAKE BIGGER THINGS LIKE PIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THEY WERE ON THE FRONT LINES WITH THE GUYS.

NOT A LOT OF SPACE, YOU DON'T HAVE A BIG COOKING KITCHEN THERE, SO YOU MAKE DO.

THIS MUST HAVE MADE AN IMMEDIATE AND VERY LASTING IMPRESSION UPON THESE AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT LINES, TO LOOK UP AND SEE A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY IN A SALVATION ARMY OUTFIT SERVING THEM HOT, HOMEMADE, FRESH DOUGHNUTS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT BROUGHT SOME BRIGHTNESS TO SUCH A DARK, DIFFICULT TIME.

AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE YOUNG WOMEN TO REACH OUT WITH THE LOVE OF GOD AND A DOUGHNUT.

WHAT--WHAT GREAT ACCOMMODATION DO YOU HAVE THAN THAT?

AND THIS SURVIVED PAST WORLD WAR I.

WHAT HAPPENED?

YOUR NAME, SIR, IS?

ROBERT BRENNAN.

YOU'RE ALSO WITH THE SALVATION ARMY.

YES.

HOW DID THIS BECOME NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY?

WELL, IN 1938 DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE DEPRESSION IN CHICAGO, THEY DECIDED TO HAVE A FUNDRAISER.

AND 20 YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE WORLD WAR I HAD ENDED.

AND THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE DOUGHNUTS AND THE DOUGHNUT LASSIES, THEY WOULD CALL THEM.

AND SO, THEY DECIDED TO CREATE THE FIRST FRIDAY OF JUNE EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY.

AND THIS REALLY GREW OUT OF, TOO, A LOT OF THESE VETERANS CAME BACK AND REMEMBERED THESE DOUGHNUTS, THIS DOUGHNUT EXPERIENCE.

AND ACTUALLY DOUGHNUTS GREW IN POPULARITY AFTER WORLD WAR I BECAUSE OF THIS.

THEY REALLY DID.

THE GUYS CAME BACK HOME AND THEY HAD A HANKERING FOR THAT GREAT DOUGHNUT THAT WAS THERE.

AND THEY WEREN'T VERY COMMON IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO THAT REALLY BROUGHT UP--A LOT OF BAKERIES DECIDED TO START OFFERING THE DOUGHNUTS, AND IT REALLY EXPLODED.

HOW MANY STREETS--YOU CAN'T GO A STREET NOWADAYS WITHOUT HAVING A DOUGHNUT SHOP AROUND.

BUT WHO MAKES THAT CONNECTION WITH THE SALVATION ARMY AND WORLD WAR I?

WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE STARTING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

BUT THAT'S AN OBSCURE BIT OF AMERICAN DOUGHNUT HISTORY.

WE ARE HISTORY.

AND THIS IS A RATHER OBSCURE CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY.

I HAD HEARD SOMEWHERE THAT THE TERM DOUGHBOYS FROM WORLD WAR I CAME FROM THIS WHOLE DOUGHNUT EXPERIENCE.

IS THAT TRUE?

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, YES.

HE PUT A DISCLAIMER ON IT.

GOOD ANSWER.

GOOD ANSWER.

THE WAY I HEARD IT IS THAT THE BRITISH SOLDIERS, THE TOMMYS THEY WERE CALLED, WOULD LOOK AT ALL THE DOUGHNUTS THE AMERICAN GIs WERE EATING AND THAT'S WHERE THEY CAME TO CALL THEM DOUGHBOYS.

YOU'RE NOT WILLING YET TO BACK THAT UP COMPLETELY.

YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T DONE MY OWN PERSONAL RESEARCH ON IT, BUT IT'S A GOOD STORY.

IT'S A GREAT STORY.

SO THE DOUGHNUT, THE DOUGHBOYS.

AND THE LADIES WERE CALLED?

THEY WERE CALLED DOUGHNUT GIRLS OR DOUGHNUT LASSIES.

DOUGHNUT LASSIES.

ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO WORLD WAR I.

WE'RE MAKING DOUGHNUTS.

AND WE'RE MAKING DOUGHNUTS IN A VERY HISTORICAL WAY, AREN'T WE?

YES, YOU ARE.

SHE'S DOING A GOOD JOB.

WHAT'S SHE DOING?

WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH THIS?

THIS ISN'T A ROLLING PIN.

NO, IT'S NOT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE IN FRANCE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF WINE IN FRANCE AND A LOT OF EMPTY WINE BOTTLES IN FRANCE.

AND SO THE DOUGHNUT GIRLS WOULD REALLY USE WHATEVER THEY HAD AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS.

SO IF THEY HAD TO USE A--IF THEY HAD A ROLLING PIN, THAT'S GREAT, BUT CHANCES ARE THEY DIDN'T, SO THEY'D USE A WINE BOTTLE.

THEY WOULD SOMETIMES COOK IN THE METAL HELMETS.

SOMETIMES THEY WOULD USE LITTLE CANS OR ARTILLERY SHELLS OR WHATEVER THEY HAD TO CUT THE DOUGHNUTS.

SO WAIT A MINUTE.

ISN'T IT KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE SALVATION ARMY WAS ROLLING OUT DOUGHNUTS WITH WINE BOTTLES?

YES.

AGAIN, IT WAS FRANCE AND THEY'RE EMPTY.

OH.

OF COURSE THEY'RE EMPTY.

NOT EMPTIED BY THE DOUGHNUT GIRLS, MAY I ADD.

AND THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE'RE ROLLING OUT THE DOUGHNUTS WITH THE EMPTY WINE BOTTLES.

AND THEN YOU MENTIONED--HERE ARE OUR FINISHED DOUGHNUTS OVER HERE--THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE BIGGER THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN--WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN FRANCE.

CORRECT, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THEY HAD TO USE WHAT WAS ON HAND, AND MOST COMMONLY THEY USED THE BAKING SODA TIN AS THE CUTOUT FOR THE DONUTS.

AND WE JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE AN EMPTY BAKING SODA CAN.

AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO THAT FOR US.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE LITERALLY USED WHATEVER WAS AVAILABLE.

YEAH.

WHATEVER IT WAS.

AND REMEMBER, THESE ARE THE FRONT LINES.

THIS IS WAR.

AND SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE NECESSARILY A WILLIAMS-SONOMA TO RUN DOWN THE STREET TO GRAB WHATEVER THEY NEEDED.

THEY USED WHATEVER THEY HAD.

AND THEY PUT NOT ONLY AS BEST A JOB THEY COULD DO, BUT THEY PUT LOVE INTO WHAT THEY DID AS WELL.

WOW.

AND THIS MUST BE INTERESTING TO YOU, JACQUES.

YOU'RE FRENCH AND WATCHING ALL OF THIS.

YEAH.

SOMETHING NEW I LEARN EVERY DAY.

SEE, AND IT'S JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT YOU'RE THE CHEF HERE AT THE HAVEN HERE ON THE VA CAMPUS, AND YOU'RE FROM FRANCE.

ORIGINALLY FROM FRANCE, FROM THE SOUTHERN FRANCE.

SO IT ALL KIND OF TIES TOGETHER.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE HERE IN THIS RESTAURANT, THIS PLACE WHERE PEOPLE EAT ON THE VA CAMPUS, THIS IS KIND OF A HOLD OVER.

WHAT HAPPENS HERE ON NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY?

WELL, ON NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY AT THE HAVEN, WE CELEBRATE IT BY GIVING FREE DOUGHNUTS TO ALL THE VETERANS NOT ONLY IN OUR PROGRAM HERE AT THE HAVEN, BUT AROUND THE CAMPUS AS WELL.

SO THAT TIE-IN CONTINUES BETWEEN VETERANS AND NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY.

RIGHT.

AND IT GOES ALONG WITH THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE VETERANS EVERY DAY.

AND WE CELEBRATE IT ON NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, BUT WE ARE WANTING TO BE OF SERVICE TO THOSE WHO GAVE UP THEIR LIVES TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW WHAT, NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY IS ONLY ONE DAY A YEAR, THE FIRST FRIDAY OF JUNE EVERY YEAR.

YOU CAN MARK THAT ON YOUR CALENDARS.

BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, AS FAR AS HISTORY IS CONCERNED, AS FAR AS VETERANS ARE CONCERNED, AS FAR AS THE SALVATION ARMY IS CONCERNED, EVERY DAY IS NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, ISN'T IT?

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF DOUGHNUT AND SALVATION ARMY HISTORY.

WE DISCOVERED THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY THAN JUST DOUGHNUTS.

NOW THAT WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, AND CONTINUING ON THE DOUGHNUT THEME, NEXT LET'S VISIT MY FAVORITE DOUGHNUT SHOP IN ALL OF CALIFORNIA, LOCATED IN WESTWOOD RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF WEYBURN AND BROXTON, IT'S JUST A LITTLE PLACE.

BUT ITS DOUGHNUTS AND ITS OWNER ARE ICONIC.

OK, HERE WE ARE INSIDE STAN'S DOUGHNUTS.

AND LOOK RIGHT DOWN HERE, HERE IS STAN HIMSELF, WHO'S AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE.

BUT STAN, OFFICIALLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

OH, I'M STAN BERMAN, PROPRIETOR OF STAN'S DONUTS OF WESTWOOD.

AND I GUESS I'M THE PATRON.

I DO EVERYTHING AROUND HERE, FROM WASH THE DISHES TO MAKE THE DONUTS.

AND THE MONEY, TOO.

OH, I--YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, TOO.

A LITTLE BIT OF THAT STUFF.

NOW, YOUR DONUT SHOP HAS BEEN HERE SINCE... 1963 IS WHEN WE TOOK OVER.

SO YOU'RE ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, HARDCORE HISTORIC LONG-TERM TENANTS OF WESTWOOD VILLAGE.

YOU'VE BEEN HERE--THIS PLACE IS ACTUALLY ICONIC.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE NOT Q-- I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE THE LONGEST, BUT AS THE SOLE OWNER OF SOMETHING--BUT I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE.

AND WE HAVE JUST HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE RUN.

BEAUTIFUL.

YOU SURE HAVE.

NOW, I'VE KNOWN YOU A LONG TIME.

WE FIRST MET IN THE EARLY 1980s.

YES, WHEN YOU FIRST GOT HERE FROM WHEREVER YOU CAME WITH THAT SMILE OF YOURS.

[LAUGHS] DEFINITELY.

YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH SINCE THEN.

YOU HAVE JUST PUT ON A LITTLE, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

HA!

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS I'VE PUT ON A LITTLE--AND YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO LOSE SOME OF THAT--IS THAT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW, WHENEVER I'M IN THIS PART OF TOWN, I SWING BY THIS PLACE.

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BE IN THIS PART OF TOWN... WE SMELL UP THE WHOLE AREA.

YEAH.

BUT WE HAVE A NICE SMELL.

I MEAN, IT'S CINNAMON AND PEANUT BUTTER, AND THE AREA REALLY SMELLS GOOD AROUND HERE.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WHO SAY THAT, DON'T THEY?

I MEAN, THEY MAKE A PILGRIMAGE JUST TO COME BY HERE.

I HAVE THEM COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND BASICALLY, ALL OVER THE WORLD-- THE PHILIPPINES, ISRAEL.

WE HAVE MADE FRIENDS HERE.

I MEAN, IT'S PHENOMENAL.

FROM NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING DOCTORS TO THE CHANCELLORS OF THE UNIVERSITIES TO THE HIGH-PROFILE BUSINESSPEOPLE, THIS AREA HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL.

EVERYBODY COMES BY STAN'S DONUTS.

NOW, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE GOT AND WHY PEOPLE COME BY STAN'S DONUTS, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING SPECIAL BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TODAY.

NO.

THIS IS OUR ASSORTMENT.

THIS IS THE LAYOUT THAT YOU HAVE EVERY MORNING WHEN THEY'RE MADE FRESH RIGHT IN YOUR LITTLE KITCHEN BACK THERE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

NOW, YOU'VE GOT HOW MANY DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF DONUTS HERE?

WELL, SOMEBODY COUNTED THEM AND CAME UP WITH, LIKE, 72.

BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO REALLY PINPOINT IT.

MOST SHOPS CONSIDER A GLAZED DONUT AS ONE AND A CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUT AS ANOTHER ONE, BUT HERE, IT'S ALL THE SAME DONUT, JUST WITH DIFFERENT TOPPINGS.

YEAH.

SO-- EXCEPT FOR MY FAVORITE.

NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I ALWAYS GET.

YEAH.

YOU GET THE SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE.

[LAUGHS] NOW, THAT IS WRITTEN UP IN MORE MAGAZINES, THAT DONUT-- THE PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE DONUT.

THE PEANUT BUTTER AND-- THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE.

AND BOY, THAT IS A WORK OF ART RIGHT THERE, THE PEANUT BUTTER POCKET.

WE CALL IT A REESE'S.

WE ACTUALLY CALL IT A REESE'S.

AND YOU KNOW, I CALL IT A REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER POCKET, HOPING THAT SOMEDAY REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER WILL COME THROUGH THE DOOR AND TELL ME I'M INFRINGING ON THEIR NAME.

CAN YOU BRING ONE OF THOSE OUT?

CAN WE TAKE A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT ONE OF THE PEANUT BUTTER POCKETS?

BECAUSE BOY, YOU CAN SMELL 'EM, AND BOY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT 'EM-- NOW, LOOK.

OH!

IT'S STILL WARM!

OH, YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT OFF THE PRESS.

LOOK AT THAT.

NOW, YOU KNOW WHY I'M HERE.

TO EAT ONE OF THOSE!

I'M FALLING OFF THE WAGON.

THAT'S WHAT I'M CALLING THIS EPISODE, FALLING OFF THE WAGON, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SO GOOD ABOUT EATING SALADS AND TOFU AND BEAN SPROUTS AND ALL-- SKIM MILK.

SO THIS WILL BE A DAY'S FOOD FOR YOU.

BOY.

WELL, LET'S PUT THIS DOWN FOR JUST A MINUTE.

I'M GOING TO HOLD OFF TEMPTATION FOR ONE MINUTE BECAUSE IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU MAKE A DONUT, AND YOU'RE READY TO SHOW US HOW YOU MAKE--ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE A PEANUT BUTTER POCKET BEING MADE?

YES, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

I'VE GOT THE DOUGH WAITING FOR US, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE, I'M GOING TO ROLL IT OUT.

I'VE GOT TO TAKE IT OUT.

YOU'LL SEE WHAT I DO.

I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURE.

WE'RE GOING INTO STAN'S MASSIVE KITCHEN FACILITY.

MASSIVE KITCHEN FACILITY!

OK. WE'RE IN THE KITCHEN, AND YOU'RE WORKING THE DOUGH.

NOW, YOU DO THIS EVERY MORNING.

7 DAYS A WEEK.

YOU'RE HERE AT WHAT TIME IN THE MORNING?

OH, I'M SEMI-RETIRED NOW.

I DON'T GET HERE UNTIL BETWEEN 7:00 AND 7:30, ALTHOUGH FRIDAYS--'CAUSE I HAVE SOME ORDERS, I GET HERE QUARTER TO 7:00.

BUT BEFORE THAT, YOU WERE GETTING HERE AT WHAT?

I WAS GETTING--MY AVERAGE WAS 4:00 IN THE MORNING.

TO MAKE THE DONUTS.

EXACTLY RIGHT.

AT 4:00--I HAD ONE MAN WHO CAME IN AT MIDNIGHT, AND I CAME IN BETWEEN 3:00 AND 4:00, 'CAUSE WE NEED 2 MEN ON THE PROJECT, AND I WAS HERE, I'D SAY, FOR MAYBE 20 YEARS, MAYBE MORE, COMING IN BETWEEN 3:00 AND 5:00 EVERY DAY.

AND EVERY ONE OF THESE DONUTS IS MADE--'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE THING RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS PHENOMENAL.

EVERY ONE IS MADE HERE.

THE SMALLEST LITTLE SHOP YOU'VE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE, COMPLETELY ILLEGAL TODAY-- WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ILLEGAL TODAY?

THIS IS GOING TO BE SEEN BY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT-- NO, THE SHOP IS WHAT THEY CALL GRANDFATHERED.

OH, OK.

THIS IS A GRANDFATHERED SHOP.

WHY IS IT ILLEGAL?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE--OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE CHANGED THE EQUIPMENT, AND THEY'VE CHANGED THE SET-UP.

THEY'VE CHANGED ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT THEY--THIS IS THE ORIGINAL.

THIS-- THIS IS AS BASIC AS IT GETS.

THIS IS EQUIPMENT FROM THE FIFTIES.

WOW.

THE SAME EQUIPMENT, THE SAME BENCH FROM THE 1950s.

THE ONLY THING THAT I REPLACED IS THE MIXER.

THAT'S ALL.

[LAUGHS] EVERYTHING ELSE IS ORIGINAL.

ALL RIGHT.

HERE IT COMES.

HERE COMES...

THE PEANUT BUTTER.

NOW, YOU DON'T REALLY MEASURE THAT OUT EXCEPT JUST BY THE WAY IT FEELS.

THAT'S IT.

MOST LIKELY IS BETWEEN A HALF OUNCE AND 3/4 OF AN OUNCE.

WOW.

WE DON'T MEASURE ANYTHING.

JUST THE WAY IT FEELS.

WE DON'T HAVE--WE DON'T HAVE A SCALE HERE.

EVERYBODY HERE IS A PROFESSIONAL.

WE DON'T USE SCALES.

THE GOD'S HONEST TRUTH.

IF YOU--I KNOW WHERE THE SCALE IS.

IT'S HIDDEN AWAY.

BUT WE DON'T USE SCALES.

ALL OUR DOUGHS, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS DONE BY HAND.

WELL, THIS IS THE OLD-FASHIONED--THEY TALK ABOUT OLD-FASHIONED DONUTS.

THIS IS OLD-FASHIONED DONUTS DONE THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND IT'S-- IT'S NOT EASY.

IT LOOKS EASY.

EVERYTHING, OF COURSE--WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING, IT LOOKS EASY, BUT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF--THE SAME WITH YOUR JOB.

IT LOOKS SO EASY.

YOU'RE JUST TALKING TO ME.

BUT IT'S A ONE--YOU KNOW.

CERTAIN PERSONALITY, CERTAIN PROPERTIES.

WELL, YOU PUT PERSONALITY IN YOUR DONUTS.

BASICALLY, THAT'S WHAT MY JOB IS.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

THAT I JUST TALK TO PEOPLE.

HA!

I COME FROM A BAKERY, AND MY FATHER HAD A BAKERY IN 1929.

HE HAD PEOPLE MAKING IT THIS SYSTEM.

OF COURSE, IT WASN'T PEANUT BUTTER.

IT WAS WHAT THEY CALL DANISH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S ALL HAND--IT ALL COMES FROM EUROPE.

ALL THESE GUYS FROM GERMANY, FROM SWITZERLAND, FROM AUSTRIA, THEY BROUGHT ALL THIS STUFF HERE.

AND IT'S KIND OF IN YOUR BLOOD, ISN'T IT?

YOU'RE FROM A BAKER FAMILY.

ALL THE WAY BACK.

MY FAMILY IS RUSSIAN, BUT THE RUSSIANS WERE ALL OVER THE WORLD, TOO, AND SO, WE PICKED UP ALL OF THIS.

AHH, NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO THE POCKET PART OF THE PEANUT BUTTER POCKET.

THIS IS THE POCKET PART OF THE PEANUT BUTTER POCKET.

NOW, THAT'S ALMOST LIKE TYING--YOU'RE DOING--WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

YOU'RE STRETCHING THE DOUGH OUT.

RIGHT, SO WE CAN GET THE PEANUT BUTTER INSIDE.

LOCKING IT IN.

LOCKING IT IN.

SEE, WE TRY-- AND THIS IS A LITTLE...

SOME OF THEM ARE A LITTLE WRONG SIZE, BUT THAT'S OK. WELL, THERE'S NO ONE PARTICULAR--THEY DON'T HAVE TO MEET A CERTAIN-- NO.

EVERY ONE OF THEM MAY BE A DIFFERENT SHAPE, A DIFFERENT WEIGHT AND EVERYTHING.

THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

I CAN ADJUST SOME OF THEM THAT I FEEL ARE A LITTLE LIGHT.

UH-HUH.

BUT SOME OF THEM, THEY GET A LITTLE BIGGER, THAT'S OK. YOU DON'T--WE'RE NOT PRODUCING CADILLACS.

WE'RE PRODUCING PEANUT BUTTER POCKETS.

FROM THE WORK BENCH TO THE... WHERE IS IT GOING NOW?

INTO THE PROOF BOX.

INTO THE WHAT?

PROOF BOX, A HEATED--A HEATED PROOF BOX.

WOW.

HOW OLD IS THIS THING?

I'M TELLING YOU, THIS EQUIPMENT IS IN THE FIFTIES, THE EARLY FIFTIES.

WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY MADE STUFF TO LAST BACK THEN, DIDN'T THEY?

STAINLESS STEEL AND THAT, YOU CAN'T GRILL THROUGH.

YEAH!

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT THESE IN THE--WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?

THE STEAM BOX?

STEAM BOX, YES.

STEAM BOX.

NOW, HOW LONG DO THEY STAY IN THERE?

OH, 15 TO 20 MINUTES.

OK.

SO, WHILE THEY'RE STEAMING IN THE STEAM BOX, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK OUT FRONT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER PART OF STAN'S BUSINESS THAT I HADN'T EVEN REALLY REALIZED WAS A BIG MONEY MAKER UNTIL TODAY.

BUT THERE'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER LEVEL TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE.

LET'S GO OUT FRONT.

WE'VE BEEN BLESSED.

WHAT CAN I TELL YOU?

COME ON!

I TOLD YOU THAT A LONG TIME AGO.

[LAUGHS] YOU'RE IN THE SPECIALTY.

YOU'VE BRANCHED OUT.

YOU'RE IN THE SPECIALTY DONUT BUSINESS.

"THE SIMPSONS", 20 YEARS--A BIG BOX HERE THAT WAS FILLED WITH DONUTS.

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

ONE DOZEN SIMPSON DONUTS WAS PUT IN THAT BOX, AND THEN, THEY WERE SHIPPED OUT UPS TO ALL THE FOX SUBSIDIARIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

ALL THE AFFILIATES THAT CARRY "THE SIMPSONS".

EXACTLY RIGHT.

SO, WAIT A MINUTE.

THE PEOPLE AT "THE SIMPSONS" CHOSE, AS A GIFT TO THEIR AFFILIATES, AS A THANK-YOU-- FOR THE 20th ANNI-- A DOZEN OF YOUR DONUTS.

EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND THEY WERE SHIPPED OUT, WHAT, UPS?

THEY GOT THERE FRESH.

THEY WERE SHIPPED--WE PACKAGED THEM.

THEY PICKED THEM UP BETWEEN 2:00 AND 3:00, AND THEY GOT THEM-- ATE 'EM!

HA!

AND THEY GOT 'EM THE NEXT MORNING, DELIVERED.

NOW, DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS, OR DID "THE SIMPSONS" COME TO YOU?

"THE SIMPSONS" CAME TO US.

NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.

DID YOU SAY THERE'S A SIMPSONS DONUT?

YES, THERE IS.

NOW, FROM-- IS THIS IT?

WE PULLED A COUPLE OF DONUTS OUT.

IS THIS IT?

NO, THAT'S NOT THE SIMPSONS.

THIS IS THE SIMPSONS.

HERE'S THE SIMPSONS DONUT.

LET'S SHOW THAT TO EVERYBODY.

NOW, WHAT MAKES THIS THE SIMPSONS DONUT?

WELL, THAT'S THE DONUT THAT HE EATS ALL THE TIME.

THAT'S HIS FAVORITE DONUT.

Both: ON THE AIR!

ON THE SIMPSONS SHOW, EXACTLY.

SO, THAT DONUT IS ONE OF YOURS!

WELL, HE--I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS ORIGINALLY OURS, BUT-- BUT I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOURS.

THE SAME THING.

AND THEN, WHEN THEY HAD THE PREMIERE, WE GAVE OUT 150 DOZEN OF THESE SIMPSON DONUTS TO ALL THE PEOPLE FOR-- THE SIMPSONS HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO YOU.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD TO FOX, ALSO.

HA!

BUT YOU'VE GOT-- THERE'S MORE THAN THE SIMPSONS.

COME ON IN AND GET YOUR DONUTS.

WE'RE JUST SHOOTING A TV SHOW.

COME ON.

WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD YOU BACK FROM GETTING DONUTS.

HERE'S WHERE YOU BRANCHED OUT.

NOW, THIS ONE'S KIND OF RISQUE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO PROVIDING DONUTS FOR MOVIE SETS AND-- WELL, THIS IS A--I--THIS IS-- I GUESS, FOR THE DVD THAT THEY'RE SENDING OUT, THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCED THE MOVIE-- "SEX DRIVE" IS A MOVIE--AND THEY'RE SENDING OUT DONUTS WITH THEIR--VCR, WHATEVER IT IS-- DVD.

DVD TO ALL THEIR AFFILIATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND SO, THIS DONUT IS CALLED THE SEX DRIVE?

THAT'S WHAT--THEY-- [LAUGHTER] WELL, YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

TERESA HAS BEEN HERE FOR HOW MANY YEARS?

28 YEARS.

SO SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING WHEN IT COMES TO DONUTS.

OH, SHE TAKES OVER FOR ME WHEN I GO ON VACATION.

SHE TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING.

THAT'S TRUE.

NOW, WHEN PEOPLE WALK IN, DO YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE DOOR, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET?

YES.

WE HAVE SO MANY REGULAR CUSTOMERS FOR MANY YEARS.

WE HAVE SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, HOLDING THE LINE, WE JUST GO AHEAD AND PREPARE THE BAGS, AND WHEN THEY'RE COMING UP FRONT, WE JUST HAND THEM THE BAG, AND THEY HAND US THE MONEY, AND THAT'S IT.

SO, WAIT A MINUTE.

SOME PEOPLE COME IN FOR PEANUT BUTTER POCKETS.

SOME PEOPLE COME IN FOR--WHAT ARE THE FAVORITES?

WELL, WE HAVE SO MANY FAVORITES.

LIKE, EVEN THE REGULAR GLAZED DONUT, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN--FIRST ONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE REGULAR.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE OLD-FASHIONED, BLUEBERRY OLD FASHIONED.

THAT'S ONE OF THE FAVORITES, TOO.

AND THEY GO, LIKE, JELLY DONUTS, PEANUT BUTTER, PEANUT BUTTER JELLY, PEANUT BUTTER BANANA.

WE HAVE ALL THESE KINDS.

HUELL, WE'VE BEEN HERE GOING ON 46 YEARS.

THE DONUTS THAT DON'T SELL, WE DON'T MAKE THOSE ANYMORE.

AHH.

THE ONLY DONUTS WE SELL-- YOU GO WITH THE ONES THAT MOVE.

YES.

EXACTLY.

SEE?

Y'ALL ARE SMART BUSINESSPEOPLE, AREN'T YOU?

WE'VE LEARNED SOMETHING IN 46 YEARS.

HA!

AND YOU'RE HAVING-- YOU'RE STILL HAVING A GOOD TIME?

ABSOLUTELY THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE.

YOU'RE MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY.

OH, YES, A LOT OF HAPPY.

EVEN WHEN THEY COME IN WITH, YOU KNOW, LIKE, IN A BAD MOOD, AND WE TALK TO THEM, YOU KNOW, "HOW YOU BEEN?"

WE TRY TO GO SMOOTH.

AND THEY'RE SO NICE, AND THEY WALK WITH A SMILE.

"THANK YOU.

YOU MAKE MY DAY."

OUT OF THE STEAMER INTO THE--OH, BOY.

THEY'RE GOING INTO THE GREASE.

NO, IT ISN'T GREASE.

IT'S SHORTENING.

SHORTENING.

GREASE YOU PUT IN CARS.

YOU'RE FRYING THEM UP!

AND SHORTENING.

OH, WOW.

LOOK AT YOU.

LOOK AT THE WAY YOU WORK WITH THOSE STICKS THERE.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER 46-YEAR-OLD PROGRESS.

NOW, HOW LONG--OH, LOOK!

THEY'RE ALREADY BROWNING UP!

LOOK AT THIS.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN THERE VERY LONG.

NO.

YOU'LL SEE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO COOK THE PEANUT BUTTER, BUT YOU WANT TO WARM IT UP, DON'T YOU?

OH, IT MELTS.

IT'S AMAZING.

THIS IS AMAZING.

THE PEANUT BUTTER ACTUALLY MELTS, BUT IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE DONUT.

YOU NOTICE VERY--THERE'S A LITTLE BIT HERE.

BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

GET A TIGHT SHOT OF THIS, CAMERON.

THIS IS A WORK OF ART RIGHT HERE, TO SEE THESE THINGS, AND BOY, THE SMELL IS COMING OUT NOW, TOO.

AND THERE GO THE POCKETS INTO...

THE CHOCOLATE.

OH, MY GOSH.

OH!

GOSH!

THAT'S HEAVY-DUTY CHOCOLATE ON THERE.

NOW, DO YOU SPRINKLE THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS ON THEM RIGHT AWAY?

YES.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO--I JUST WANT TO GET A TOWEL.

YEP.

HERE GO THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS.

OH, WOW.

AND AGAIN, IT'S--YOU'RE NOT MEASURING ANYTHING.

NO.

SO, THAT'S IT.

THIS ADVENTURE WAS ALL ABOUT FALLING OFF THE WAGON, MY DIETARY WAGON, SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE SEEING YOU A LOT MORE.

BUT I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO TAKE A BITE OF THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS FALLING OFF THE WAGON IN A GOOD WAY, IN A--IN A-- WITH A SMILE.

WITH A SMILE!

HERE, HOLD THE MIC BECAUSE I WANT TO USE-- I WANT TO ATTACK THIS THING FULL-FORCE.

BOY, THERE'S NOTHING... MMM.

MMM!

[LAUGHS] THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THIS IN THE WORLD.

OHH.

NOTHING.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HERE, HOLD IT AGAIN.

WE CERTAINLY--WE CERTAINLY TRY TO DO THAT.

MMM.

MMM!

ARE YOU GETTING THE PEANUT BUTTER?

OH, IT IS SO GOOD.

[LAUGHS] IT IS SO GOOD.

AND THIS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL STORY, BECAUSE OTHER DONUT SHOPS HAVE COME AND GONE.

STAN'S, THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, YOU'RE STILL GOING STRONG.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT FOR 20 MORE YEARS.

YEAH?

YOU KNOW WHY?

I'M GOING TO BE 80 MY NEXT BIRTHDAY, AND 20 MAKES 100.

SO I'M HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SELL DONUTS WHEN I'M 100 YEARS OLD.

WOW.

AND MY WIFE UNDERSTANDS THAT.

THERE'S NO RETIREMENT PLAN, IN FACT.

NOTHING.

THANK GOODNESS THERE'S NO RETIREMENT PLAN.

NO, NO RETIREMENT PLAN.

HAVE I GOT DONUT ON MY MOUTH?

YES, YOU DO.

I FIGURED!

YOU HAVE A LITTLE.

I DON'T HAVE--I DON'T HAVE ROOM TO WIPE IT ALL OFF.

HOLD ON.

[LAUGHS] NOT MUCH.

YOU-- OH, BOY.

WELL, THAT'S THE SIGN OF A GOOD DONUT.

YOU WANT SOME MILK?

YEAH.

I GOT THE FAT-FREE MILK GOING HERE TO KIND OF CUT THE CALORIES DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

VERY LITTLE!

WE HAVE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL DAY.

THERE'S NOTHING BETTER--NOT ONLY THE DONUTS THEMSELVES, BUT THE GUY AND THE WOMEN WHO WORK HERE.

STAN, YOUR HISTORY, THE WAY--THE LOVE YOU PUT INTO YOUR DONUTS-- THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

IT'S ALL HERE, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL TESTAMENT THAT QUALITY SURVIVES, EVEN IN TODAY'S WORLD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT'S BEEN OUR DAY-- FALLING OFF THE WAGON HERE AT STAN'S DONUTS IN WESTWOOD.

COME ON DOWN AND FALL OFF THE WAGON FOR YOURSELF.

IT'S NOT SO BAD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DRINK FAT-FREE MILK ALONG WITH THE DONUTS.

[BOTH LAUGH] RIGHT!

AND NOW FOR A DONUT UPDATE-- BECAUSE AFTER OUR VISIT, STAN MADE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION AND DECIDED TO RENAME THE PEANUT BUTTER POCKET DOUGHNUT THE HUELL.

WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE MY APPRECIATION TO STAN FOR THIS HONOR.

AND, IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY, TODAY THROUGH THIS WEEKEND, STAN IS SELLING THE HUELL FOR ONLY $2.00.

THAT'S A DEAL.

AND TRUST ME, ONE WILL FILL YOU UP.

REMEMBER, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DOUGHNUT.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--] "VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.