Wes “Scoop” Nisker was an award-winning broadcast journalist and commentator, a respected Buddhist meditation teacher, a bestselling author, and a standup Dharma comic who has been described as “masterful at using humor to lighten the enlightenment journey.”
His four-decades-long broadcasting career began in the late 1960s at San Francisco’s original free-form radio station KSAN, where he coined the catchphrase, “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own,” and was nicknamed “Scoop” by Abbie Hoffman while covering the Chicago Seven Trial. During his career, he received awards for excellence from Billboard Magazine, Columbia School of Journalism, and San Francisco Media Alliance. He was also inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.
Wes studied Buddhist meditation for over five decades with teachers in Asia and America, and for the past 40 years led retreats and workshops in Buddhist insight meditation and philosophy at venues internationally. He was on the Teacher Council at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. Wes published several highly acclaimed books, including the enduring classic The Essential Crazy Wisdom and the recently released Being Nature and Big Bang, Buddha and the Baby Boom.
As a “cosmic comic” Wes performed his monologue “Crazy Wisdom Saves the World Again!” and “How to be an Earthling” to critical acclaim in venues around the country, including the Berkeley Rep, the Freight and Salvage, and the Throckmorton Theater. (Recordings of his show are available on this website.)
Known for weaving together Buddhist wisdom, humor, poetry, science, social and climate activism, and a cosmic perspective, Wes delighted and inspired countless listeners, students, revolutionaries and fellow seekers with his kind heart and uniquely brilliant mind.
Remembering Wes 'Scoop' Nisker
Oaklandside, August 9, 2023
Bay Area FM radio news listeners knew him as Scoop Nisker. Buddhism students knew him as Wes Nisker. Readers knew him as a performer and author of Crazy Wisdom, Buddha’s Nature, and other books. I knew him as a close friend and spiritual big brother who encouraged and challenged me to be a better me and smile in the face of life’s absurdities. On Monday, July 31, after nobly struggling for a few years against the ravages of Lewy body dementia, Wes “Scoop” Nisker joined other crazy wisdom masters in that big comedy club in the sky. He was 80 years young.
For more remembrances please visit Scoop’s Facebook page.
Joke's Not Funny? Blame it on Buddha
New York Times, September 2, 2003
What is the sound of no hands clapping? It’s a Zen koan worth contemplating as Wes Nisker works the crowd on the stark bare stage at a park lodge here where L.A. Dharma, a Buddhist meditation group, is host to, of all things, a night of comedy.
“Before I became a Buddhist, I worried about my life,” Mr. Nisker said, ”Now I worry about my next life.”
Q&A - Wes "Scoop" Nisker Talkin' 'bout his generation of seekers
San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 2003
Anyone in the Bay Area who has been socially conscious and near a radio in the past few decades probably knows whose sign-off this is: “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own.
Wes “Scoop” Nisker has been challenging us — politically and spiritually — on local radio waves on and off for 35 years as an alternative newsman, starting on KSAN in 1968 and later on KFOG.
Dear Mr. Miser:
I see that you also grew up in Nebraska. whee did you grow up? I grew up in Falls City, NE. Population of 5,500 in 1966 and now 4,800. My wife grew up in North Loop, NE population of 400 people in 1970s.
I have lived in the Chicago area (Park Ridge) since 1973, and I have had my law office five blocks from my home since 1984. It makes life a lot easier.
Scoop, you were a major source of two things that were far too few and far between during my foggy Bay Area adolescence – insight and humor. Most of my party buddies back then wrote you off as being either too liberal or simply too far out there, but the few who did connect did something that the rest didn’t – we continued studying. I’m not saying you’re the main reason I went on to get a degree, you definitely helped.
Thanks, and keep on inspiring (and relaxing) others. We just yet might avoid a childish Armageddon…
Regards,
Mondo
Wes thank you again for leading this weekends retreat at Esalen. My level of concentration is vastly improved and learning to combine it with some movement right after as we did has been a real revelation.
I feel a new appreciation for the practice that I had until now not taken seriously enough.
Laughing as often as we did was the cherry on top of the whole experience
Your a gentleman & a scholar
Cheers
Hi Wes,
This is a divine appointment; take it or leave it.
An old Navy friend, whom I’ve not heard from in ages, recently emailed all the squadron buddies a funny piece on the topic of Geezers. For frame of reference, we’re all retired USN fighter pilots [aged 62 & older]. After reading the comic quotes that went along with the funny cartoons, a word search on “geezing” was done to see if the word was commonly used. I thought it was just a term young fighter pilots used to describe old fighter pilots. Your piece “The Practice of Geezing” was first on the list. With no intention of reading the full piece, I began reading.
Here’s where the divine appointment hit me. I’m a Christian who believes original Scripture is the inerrant Word of God.
Wes, your despondency over life is where God put the unction to continue reading: Your statement: “I sometimes feel that being alive is more of a burden than a blessing, but I am somewhat ashamed of this sentiment. I was brought up in a culture of humanism that cherishes life, and trying to escape another turn on the wheel feels as if I am betraying my own cause, devaluing everything that I love. Nonetheless, when I hear that life is not a desirable condition, I often feel a sense of relief. If life is not supposed to be easy or enjoyable or filled with obvious meaning, then I can relax. I’m not getting it wrong. This is just the way life on this planet is designed.”
Wes, I understand the plight of what secular humanism does to the soul. God speaks to me and indicated the need to reach out to you. Buddha is dead; but Jesus Christ lives. Please read John 3:16, Romans 10:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9. If these verses speak to you, in a way that nothing else has, this was most certainly a divine appointment. You’ll have a refreshed purpose and a whole new outlook on life. If that’s the case, recommend reading the book of John, the book of Romans, and the rest of the NT from Romans on, in order of placement. Feel free to contact me if you would like assistance in any of these spiritual matters. Maranatha, Curt
I am enjoying the book Crazy Wisdom so much. Renee Long , Missoula.
I meant every word of what I said above.