More hype about HGTV show!

HGTV show on Melbourne tiki artist airs Sunday

Breuse Hickman — Airwaves

Count Ed Volonnino among a few locals who certainly won't be tuning into ABC's "Desperate Housewives" or Fox's "Family Guy" this Sunday.

No, the Melbourne tiki artist is ready to enjoy a long-awaited moment on TV.

Not that he's desperate for the spotlight. In fact, Volonnino hopes that by the time his segment appears on Home & Garden Television's "Offbeat America," (6 p.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Oct. 16), he'll get a little peace and quiet from the buzz that's been building since early summer.

In June, an HGTV television crew followed Volonnino all over Brevard County. They filmed him creating his tikis from palm tree stumps and hanging out in some of the county's more iconic surf-
.

The crew was here for a few days — just long enough for Volonnino to expect that he might have been a little, um, well, offbeat in front of the camera.

Whether his Mick Jagger imitation makes the cut, Volonnino is looking forward to a viewing
at a local restaurant.

"I can't even go out for a romantic dinner with my wife without someone asking me when the show will air," he said, adding, perhaps only half jokingly, "I'll probably be
calls from the paparazzi."

a television celebrity who has yet to be on television? Matt LeBlanc probably wishes he could garner as much interest in NBC's "Joey," which continues to air to a
.

Judging by his feedback, that won't be the case Sunday. And Volonnino is quick to quip that he only allowed HGTV into his life "to help the show's ratings. I guess they saved my show for fall sweeps."

The show's segment is titled "Ed's Tiki Heads and More," and the
show also features a
who crochets
and rugs.

"I haven't seen the show yet but I know it will be good family entertainment and a great role model for kids who might want to try what I'm doing," he said. "Who knows? They may not be any policemen left."

For more information on Volonnino and the show, visit edsheadstikis.com and hgtv.com.

Carving a niche. An HGTV film crew followed tiki sculptor Ed Volonnino around Brevard County in June for an episode of "Offbeat America." The show airs at 6 p.m. Sunday.

FLORIDA TODAY