What’s up?! I’m your history homie Foo Howser™ AKA Javier Servin and I’m a dude that loves California History, and I mean every aspect of it: its people, its places, its plates, and everything in between. I wanted to share this passion with as many people as possible and that’s why I started Californiography.
What is Californiography?
It’s a word I made up combining “California” and the suffix “-ography,” which means both a field of study and to write about something. In my case, writing is making videos and podcasts episodes about California history.
Why Foo Howser™?
One of my early videos was on why there’s so many taquerias with the suffix “-berto’s” in California and the Southwest. That video went viral after it was shared by rapper Lil Rob and eventually made its way onto the “Foos Gone Wild” Instagram account. Somebody in the comment section called me “Foo Howser” and I had to run with it since it fits me so well.
I grew up in the Southeast L.A. city of Huntington Park. Growing up all my friends used a lot of Chicano slang, words like firme, chelas, vato and foo were part of our vernacular. Being called a foo was another way of being called a homie or friend. I’m very proud of growing up where I did and even though I’ve mastered code-switching at work, I still talk like that kid that grew up in HP. I also like to think that I’m a very friendly dude, so I’m everybody’s homie, so feel free to call me Foo.
And Howser, well, that is the homage to the GOAT, Huell Howser. I grew up watching his shows with my dad and Huell inspired that love of California and desire to explore it all. So, Foo Howser™ it is.
I hope you’ll join me as we–because it’s going to be you and me–continue to explore the history that can be found in this great big backyard of ours called California.