Know Something About Bob Hamm?
If you knew him, worked with him, have a Bud Fletcher record, remember him on KATC, or heard one of his stories — we want to hear from you.
An AI named Diogenes has read Bob's entire personal archive — 145 files of his writing. You can ask it anything about his work, or share your own memories.
Text: (404) 410-0090
Email: diogenes@thecynic.ai
Who He Was
- "The foremost commentator on the Cajun way of life" — Baton Rouge Morning Advocate
- Co-coined "Acadiana" — named an entire region
- Poems reproduced 100,000+ times — cultural artifacts found in homes across Louisiana
- Creator of Bud Fletcher — first Cajun comedian who didn't mock Cajuns
- News Director, KATC TV-3 • Chief Editorial Writer, The Daily Advertiser
- Author, "Cajun Nursery Rhymes" — regional bestseller
Historical Context
In 1921, Louisiana's constitution banned French in all public schools. For nearly 50 years, Cajun children were beaten for speaking their language. "Cajun" was used as a slur meaning poor and trashy. An entire generation was taught to be ashamed of who they were.
The Cajun Renaissance began in the late 1960s. Cajuns started reclaiming their identity from shame to pride. Bob Hamm was creating during this exact inflection point, when the culture desperately needed authentic voices.
He gave people words to describe who they were when they'd been told to be ashamed of it.
The Invisible Architect
Bob Hamm shaped how an entire region sees itself. He never knew.
Everything he created was designed to disappear into the culture: "Acadiana" became just a region name, not something someone coined. His poems circulated without his name attached. His editorials were unsigned. Bud Fletcher was a character, not Bob Hamm. His speeches were delivered by other people.
This site reconnects a man's name to work that outgrew him.
What People Said About Him
"Bob loved the English language. He worked very hard to use it properly and to use it well."
"His knowledge of 'old' Lafayette was astounding: there was no better storyteller than Bob Hamm."
"He was a very private person in very public jobs."
"The most popular Cajun humorist during the early 70s."
"Larry Lunsford won't be with us at ten p.m. He's covering one of the biggest stories of his life: the arrival of his first born. The newest junior anchorman in the news field was born about two o'clock and weighed eight pounds. Karen is well, the baby is well, but we're not sure about Larry. He tried to report on the situation and started off with, 'Good ladies evening and gentlemen of the audio radiance.' So we let him off tonight to pass out cigars, or just pass out, maybe..."