Getting his point across with humor

On “Cornerstone,” Hovagimian speaks on healthy family values and relationships. He started speaking on television with the AMGA show “New Generation” in 1993.

On television, Hovagimian is known to discuss sensitive topics pertaining to Glendale’s Armenian community, but they are universal in scope. He willfully raises issues that many avert their attention from.

“Don’t deny that we have teenage pregnancy, don’t put it [away] like skeletons in the closet. Don’t deny that we have a gang problem. Don’t deny that we have materialistic urges,” he said.

It is not that Hovagimian is “a peace dove in the world,” as he relays it. He knows humans will always face conflict. His energy is spent on solutions, certain that every person is blessed with a gift, his being a love of fellow humans.

“Maybe it’s all those years of isolation in the monastery,” he said, “But I love people.”

In working with others, the only visible hurdle to Hovagimian is the barrier that death creates.

“Anything else, you can do. I’m not going to be able to please everybody,” he said. “What I can do, at least, I can say, ‘Hi. How can I help you?’”