As I write this this I am getting ready to take my Daughter Cami and her friend AJ to California for Summer Vacation. We will be reuniting with all the Johns side of her family including her Sister Candis, Nephew Nathaniel, Uncle Reg, Auntie Savvy and of course Cousin Christina. We’re all staying at my Brother’s place in Carlsbad for a few days before our group heads off on our long trek up north through LA to Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, Big Sur, Monterey, Carmel, Redwood City, San Francisco, Sausalito and then finally up to the Wine Country for a few days. We may even pop up to Francis Ford Coppola’s Winery so I can introduce Cami to Casey. Now where the hell did I put that big ring again.

Brent Farris claims the dude who made the 5 month calculating error in predicting the end of the World needs to become the Poster Child for the Teachers Union. Under his picture the caption should read, NEED MATH SKILLS …  SEE A TEACHER!

No matter the out come of the trial I know one thing for sure Casey Anthony has no shot at Mother of the year. But then again she has more than a decent shot at “Mutha” of the year.

There are a ton of rules in place for each year’s running of The Indy 500. Most of them concern safety but a lot of them are there only because of tradition which in my World is a good thing.

Speaking of things going on in the News, my long time friend Bobby Cole writes a very contemporary wrap up to it all each month called “D’ Buzz” Check it out here.

Wow I hear The Atlanta Thrashers may soon be called The Winnipeg Jets. If that rumor is true, count on me to head home this Winter to catch a few games with my buddy Jim (Easter) Quail. I may even be able to talk Bob Christie into joining us.

Physically I am a lot older than I am mentally. It turns out a lot of people must agree with me because I quite often hear the words, WHY DON’T YOU JUST GROW UP !

Radio Sales People who bill more than the ratings claim they should, really impress me. The rest … Well I’ll get into that later I don’t want to upset Tom Skinner or Barry O’Brien any more than they already are.

Have you ever noticed the Restaurant staff seems to be a whole lot busier on the nights it’s not that busy.

If your staying in a $3000.00 a night hotel suite don’t you get to call down to the concierge if you so desire and say … Tonight I want you to send me up another woman, but this time I want her dressed in cleaning maid’s outfit. If I was Strauss-Kahn that’s the defense I would go with.

Roy Laughlin asked my Brother why he got out of programming and moved into big promotions field. Reg answered with … When your brother is George Johns and you’re a programmer, where’s that all going to go for you. I hear ya Bro. because in 1981 I too had to leave Jim Hilliard’s big shadow to do my own thing.

A couple of weeks ago Carla Alexander sent out an inquiry asking what she should call her new Real Estate Radio Show that she was going to be doing on WSVU soon. I responded with a real estate show sounded pretty boring to me so I suggested she needed a snappy show name to spruce it up a little. With that in mind I offered up “Your Place Or Mine.” She kinda blew it off because she didn’t think the title fit the image nor represented correctly what her show was all about. Now I’ve just read on Facebook that she has launched her new show, it’s called “Your Place Or Mine”

Speaking of Real Estate, Lesley Palmiter once again proved my theory that only good looking women end up in Real Estate. I think the same holds true for passengers on boats.

I figure except for who they give all the free money to Republicans and Democrats are basically the same.

Speaking of Republicans and Democrats would you let any of them baby sit your kids.

Ray Lewis claims that if there is no NFL Football this fall crime in America will go up because the folks will have nothing else to do.

I’m humming along to Walk Away Renee by the Left Banke which is playing on the sound system at Duffy’s Sports Bar. As much as I liked the tune back in 1966 I never realized until this moment how great it really was. The same is true of most of the Beatles stuff which  seems to get better with age and it’s also especially true of Queen and I’m sure a bunch more. Most top 10 records all sounded pretty equal in quality when they were current. But only the passage of time truly can sort out true genius.

Radio is a lot more personal to the folks than any other media. So hey maybe you better watch your language.

Bob Lefsetz says in the last few decades artistic quality has become irrelevant.

“Journalism is what somebody doesn’t want you to print, the rest is publicity.” A J Leibling

Ermanno Barone writes … George never mind the 2 Billion the Government sent to the middle east. What about the 3 Billion they send Israel every year whether they need it or not. Ermanno my only question is how much is Germany sending.

Bette Midler said old age is not for sissies and if you ever want something done get a couple of old broads to do it.

I remember going to the Del Mar Fair with Jamie Gold years ago. While wandering around she suggested getting our palms read just for giggles. I cant remember what her palm read but mine said I was going to have another child. Jamie said don’t look at me I have no interest in having any kids. Ten years later Camera Anne Johns Summerfield was born and Jamie definitely was not involved.

Every time I read in the trades about someone getting a new job in radio they always talk about how wonderful it is going to be to work with and for the already genius team in place. You would think that with all the geniuses the new hires are gushing about, radio would sound and be doing a lot better.

I guess you need a lot more education than I have in order to figure out what the hell we are still doing in Iraq.

  

 

When I first formed my band “The Jury” the Radio Dee-Jays were much bigger than the music. The Beatles soon changed all of that.

Wow a couple of Billion in Foreign Aid was recently sent by the US to the Middle East as a gift. Try explaining that to the 1400 teachers who just got laid off here in South Florida the same day.

Do you think in our all out quest for freedom of speech our language has improved or deteriorated … Just askin’ as I hear another big hip hop hit my Daughter is listening to on the car radio as I drive her to Church. Color me red with embarrassment.

In the summer of ’83 my tax accountant Roger Snowdon informed me that I had just become a Millionaire. I never imagined nor did I anticipate how quickly Wine, Women, & Song could burn you through all that.

I hear the new owner of WRMF is out to cut 200 thou from the station’s expenses. I have the short list of everyone over there who is making over 200 thousand. No sense him Nickle and Dimming it he might as well just get after it. Oh and here’s a time saving clue, none of the 200 plussers are working in programming.

Cris Conner says that thanking Obama for killing Osama is like thanking Ronald McDonald for the burger at McDonald’s. Its the cook who should get the credit not the clown.

The only women I have ever believed had my best interests at heart were my Daughters.

Have you ever noticed since the Airlines have been deregulated we the passengers have been a way over regulated.

When the Jox were the Kings of the Radio Stations didn’t we except maybe for the accountants, make a lot more money.

Speaking of accountants. They always thought that most folks at a radio station made a way too much money but until now they never had the power to do anything about it. Don’t they just look like kids in a candy store.

I remember while touring a recording studio in Nashville seeing a storage room filled with  Mics. One of them stood out from the rest because it had a permanent sticker on it that read … Reba’s! I remember when radio used to have that kind of attention to detail. Now it’s just punch lists.

I am totally into Gay Rights, Equal Rights, Women’s Rights, Etc. Etc.  Just as long as those rights don’t give them one more right than me.

Most Program Directors are like a Quarterback on a Football team but what they need to become are coaches, until then you’re going to need some outside help if you ever hope to succeed.

All the nice things you do for people are really never noticed so you better just do them to make yourself feel good. You wont have that much time to worry about it though because you will be busy dealing with all the people who noticed you hadn’t done anything nice for them lately.

If Government workers made most of their money from tips, how well do you think they would do.

Speaking of Government workers, if we got to vote on their benefits package how would you vote, more or less ?

Most Air Talent just sing to the choir.

Using the theory that luck is just where Preparation meets Opportunity wouldn’t that make a Coincidence just part of the plan.

The Oil Companies in Canada are so fearful of the possible repercussions from the price of gas that they post on the pumps exactly where all the money goes. Surprise !  The Government gets most of it. Who would have thunk that ?

I like the way our Government is slowly leaking all the stuff they found in Osama’s compound. It must be scaring the hell out of all the terrorists about whether or not their name and location is on a list. How powerful do they feel now huh.

Doug Erickson who lives in Denver was complaining that it was still snowing at this late date. I told him I didn’t know how he could live like that. Even though I was born in Winnipeg I lost my snow chops long ago.

On I 95 in Florida there is a great Billboard for a Heart Hospital that reads … YOUR HEIRS CAN WAIT.

Pretty Boys are much like most Pretty Girls, their only expertise seems to be in being pretty.

Speaking of pretty, I think guys handle pretty girls much more easily than girls handle pretty guys.

I have had a few unique surprises in my life but none as unique and long lasting as my Daughters.

Most good air talent are pretty difficult to handle but if you do it even half right they can give you a pretty good life. Just ask me!

I wish I had a lot more money but not enough to change my life to get it.

This recession must be hell on all the oil companies, he says sarcastically.

New study out says that the stations who consistently do well in PPM are the ones that sound good.

   

 

A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of me surrounded by 4 beautiful women at the 40th anniversary party of KZST in Santa Rosa California. Like a fool I asked for captions and they are listed below along with my replies.

Ron Ruth says: I think this was PhotoShopped. geo says: If this pix was PhotoShopped Ron I would have made myself appear much younger.

Walter Powers Says: George Johns is the Charlie Sheen of radio. Gordon’s crazy to let you hang around with all of HIS beauties, GJ! geo says: Walter, Gordon was too busy with a “Babe” of his own to worry about what I was up to.

Alan C says: Georgie 3 big smiles and one on her knees with your shirt in her mouth? Wow, am I in the wrong biz! Mazel Tov geo says: Alan, Radio be berry berry good to me.

Pat O’Day says: Those young ladies are jail bait George. You must be more careful I thought Hilliard had taught you better! I can see it in your eyes. Shame! Shame! geo says: Jim has always proudly said Pat that he taught me everything I know. So we know exactly where to put the blame don’t we.

THE SMASH SAYS: YOU’RE A LOT TALLER, YET A LOT SHORTER THAN YOU USED TO BE. geo says: I keep reading things that say they can fix that.

Bobby Cole says: “What did you say your name is, The Little General?” geo says: No that’s the name of the guy who has put me in the shape I am today.

Bwab says: I’ve given you all the counsel I can, you must act, take the initiative at the minimum, my God man, strike while the iron is Hot! geo says: That never worked out well me for me in the past Bobby

Buster Bodine says: ” Hey you’re right! Cannuks don’t use zippers.” geo says: Buster that must be Cajun humor ???

Buzz Barnett says: ….. & Hefner turned it all into a magazine!! geo says: … and I turned it into my life Buzzy.

Doc Harris says: Well – known chick magnet turns up magnetism too high; has trouble taking shirt off later in evening. geo says: And a good looking shirt it was Doc until the charming ripped it off me or at least thats how I kinda remember it. Memo to self … Cut back on the red wine medicine.

Eric Chaney says: George has lasted well over 4 hours and hasn’t once thought about calling his Doctor! Thank God for those little blue pills. geo says: Eric did your wife Karen approve of this message.

Dick Taylor says: Georgie’s Angels – Hooray for Hollywood !!! geo says: Dick if this wasn’t show business I wouldn’t put up with this tough duty.

Brent Farris says: I want to know, where George’s other hand is. geo says: It had a life of it’s own Brent and now doesn’t want to come home.

Jerry K says: Looks like the girls of KZST another noted radio consultant into their lair. Several have been known to have come back for further abuse. geo says: No they have come back for checks Jerry.

Kevin Robinson says: Breaking News – Hugh Hefner has a long-lost twin brother who runs circles around his sibling. The story and shocking photos in THREE minutes! geo says: A much younger twin brother I may add, Kevin.

Bob Glasco says: It’s nice to see you had time to visit your grandkids while you were there….. geo says: That was ugly Bob ! BuzzyBoyBarnett says: …..That was hilarious, Bob!

Roy Cooper says: Looks like the biz is coming back George. They look better than the ladies we had at the Grog Shop Christmas party! geo says: Yeah Roy we kinda had to drink a few of them pretty but then again one or two of them were keepers. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Barry J. O’Brien says: Upon his recent release from prison, well known broadcaster George Johns is surrounded by every sales rep in the radio industry who loves him. geo says: Barry just how much love from the sales department do you think I could handle.

Dana Horner says: Mr. Johns conducting yet another focus grope….uh, group. geo says: I did become too good at that didn’t I Dana. But I also remember when you decided it was time you bougt a Porche and conducted your own research.

Tom Skinner says: And on top of this we pay you? Whats wrong with this picture!! geo says: Tom now I know what everybody means when they ask if any bennies come with the gig.

Jerry Bobo says: I’m pretty sure three out of the four of these ladies are from the sales department. They are used to non performing clients. geo says: Jerry I remember at KVIL you had quite a few sales types I would have loved to have performed with.

Paul Cavenaugh says: Lets see…The tall one is a lesbian. The slutty fake blonde chick George is hugging…is removing his WALLET! The woman falling down with a few miles on her is a Sales Rep! The chick who’s already drunk on her knees…is a GM! Shortly after this is photo was taken, the hotel charged George $1100 for a bottle of sparkling Burgundy! geo says: Paul just because you are immune to Women’s charms doesn’t mean you have to be nasty about it. (-:

Tim Moore says: So many women…so little time. geo says: Exactly Tim, but I’m up for it.

Your comment goes right here.

  

 

I hear the drums beating loudly for a full blown WNAP/WIBC reunion in Indy.

Centuries ago the news of a far away battle might take years to get back to the homelands. With Pheidippides running of the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens bringing the news of Greece’s victory over the Persians, news reporting moved into the modern era. Today the news is instantaneous as Osama’s execution came to us in the form of a tweet from Pakistan just as the first gunfire broke out at his compound.

Bob Pittman is possibly the most powerful person at Clear Channel today mainly because I don’t think he is chasing the top job so his vote counts double.

I think the new Radio Revenue in the future is in Sales Promotions. Tracy Johnson I hear is already all over it.

Speaking of Sales Promotions I have a few of them myself, but I ain’t talkin’.

Wow I hear the Hatchet Men got cut at CC. How sweet is that!

I understand one of the last acts of George Toulas before he got sacked was to fire a ton of production guys across the land. Being an old production dude myself it had not gone unnoticed by me. For his sake I hope he doesn’t run into any of of my production brothers while waiting in the welfare line “cuz it could get nasty”

Human beings have about 3000 thoughts a day. Most of mine unfortunately can not be repeated out loud.

I think like can eventually turn into love, but I don’t think love can turn into like if it’s not there already.

When she is with me my daughter Cami controls the radio in the car. Her station selection is very interesting to me as she usually likes to listen to Contemporary Christian, Rhythmic CHR, Hot AC and Alternative. Now she has added a Country Station to the mix which I was very happy about but I am sad to say that it sounds like a radio station thrown together by accountants and research people. Yuk!

I’m not sure my folks ever thought about whether I was happy or not. I on the other hand think a lot about whether my children are happy or not. So I must have missed that lesson.

There are two types of intelligence, Intellectual and Smart, but the latter I would suggest produces a lot more money.

I often think back to all the lessons I learned about radio from Jim Hilliard when I worked at Fairbanks Broadcasting I realize that it is useless information now. Jim was teaching us how to become successful doing radio. Today they just do radio which is an entirely different thing.

Nobody is happy in a marriage where everybody isn’t happy.

My Daughter Candis once said to me, Dad stop trying to make us happy, make yourself happy then we will all be happier. Turns out that task is much more difficult than one would expect. Much easier to make someone else happy I have since found out.

I recently told Linda Duffy that it looked like Cami was bringing a guy friend along with us on our annual trek to visit her California family. She went “Woo-Hoo” and I said calm yourself Linda he’s not of that persuasion. Oh she said he’s gay, that’s cool. I really like him I said, and she replied, of course you do he’s not constantly trying to attack your Daughter.

Speaking of my Daughters I was shocked recently to discover that they along with my niece Christina seem to be the only innocent females left in America.

Have you ever noticed the woman who married you is a lot different than the one you asked. And they even wonder why it doesn’t seem to be working out as well as expected.

John Gehron said on a panel we served on together at the NAB this year that the biggest thing he ever did at WLS was give away 41 cars in 41 days. He said the only way to do that kind of promotion is if it didn’t cost anything. It didn’t! Radio doesn’t know how to do that anymore because there is no room in the system for it.

Jerry Bobo once told me he wanted to hire me as a personal consultant and would pay me anything I wanted if I could come up with copy for Mel’s second call of the day. He had the first one covered easily.

My Father discovered early on that I had no intention of working for a living which resulted in intense arguments and him finding me various jobs. When my radio career started developing I think he realized … I had, beat the system!

Jarl Mohn ( Lee Masters) stated I was his most trusted source for Brandon Flood News and I could go ahead and put it on a Billboard and he would handle the NPR liners.

There seems to be a little confusion in Canada about who won the war. My History book says General Wolfe kicked Montcalm’s ass not the other way around as it appears to be if you ever visit my homeland.

Speaking about things Canadian, my proudest moment was when the Canadian Government kicked Charles de Gaulle out of Canada. Even the US wouldn’t have had stones that large.

We need new rich guys the old ones are tired and burned out just like old athletes. They don’t seem to be starting any new businesses and carry on running theirs even though it’s a new world, with old ways. The big new difference is they are firing people rather than hiring them. My question is how do we fire them.

Women are the people who create womanizers.

I have lured multi-talented Rich Stevens (his words not mine) to Ft. Lauderdale to do a talk show on WFTL. Even though Rich has worked a lot of big markets and even programmed a few I am looking forward to having some discussions with him about a bunch of stuff he doesn’t even know he doesn’t know.

When I was in Radio in Winnipeg I was a nobody just like, J Robert Wood, Chuck McCoy, Gary Russell, Warren Cosford and John Wells to name but a few.

The other day Florida passed a law making it illegal to have sex with an animal. Does this mean with all the human rights bills that have been passed over the years the folks in Tallahassee have finally realized we were drifting closer and closer to the animal kingdom instead of away from it as we were intended to do. Are they now trying to put a stop to it before it’s too late. Or are we already there.

 

 

If you live and breathe local news and think living in Northern California sounds better to you than living anywhere else in the World then I would love to pass along your resume with some of your sterling sound on to one of my favorite clients. Be forewarned though that the “Wine Country Life Style” isn’t for everyone because it soon becomes very addictive. But then again maybe working for the #1 station in town and enjoying a ton of benefits the station will throw at you will allow you to overlook all of that. Can you say profit sharing! If you can gather interesting local stories, love crisp writing and can perform a newscast that will set the town on fire, don’t just sit there I need your sound and resume and I need it right now at radiogeo@gmail.com

Ever wonder what happens to your old cell phone when you up grade. They sell them for $3.00 to urban kids who pretend they are talking to somebody on them.

Jacqui Bailey after hearing that Osama Bin Laden was with his youngest wife when he was executed said … Aren’t they all!

Speaking of Osama I think it was the special forces who took him out not Obama.

Speaking of Obama wasn’t gas about a buck eighty seven when he was elected.

Wow Canada just took a huge right turn politically. I wonder if that means all those folks with bad backs now are going to have to play hurt.

If you need any help from the government at all in order to succeed your just kidding yourself. Not going to happen!

Am I the only radio person in America who doesn’t understand what concessions Arbitron made to minority broadcasters. What ever they did sure seems to have helped their ratings.

The day of the Royal Wedding I was flying to Palm Springs for meetings and luckily American had Wi Fi on board so I got caught up a bit on the goings on in London. I watched as the soon to be Princess drove up in her car and was greeted by what turned out to be her sister. As I watched I said to myself this woman even though I cant see her face yet has something special going on and I wondered if I was the only person who noticed it. By the time I landed in “The Springs” 155,000 people had already joined the “Pippa Middleton Ass Appreciation Society”

After our meetings in Palm Springs were over Gordon Zlot flew us all to Santa Rosa to start implementing what we had conger ed up in the Desert. While there I was hoping I would have enough time to reunite with the lovely Casey Callahan. I always like to do some heavy drinking with her and have her once again charm me with all her delightful and intoxicating specialties which always puts me in a weakened position and always leads to me giving her exactly what it is she wants most from me. Luckily I am a manly man and have no trouble giving it up to someone as beautiful as her no matter how she treated me.

Have you ever noticed that the Republicans and the Democrats all agree on how much each of them should make, how much time off they should have, how expenses should be handled, what kind of Medical plan they should have and what their pensions should be. The only discussions they ever have about this topic is when should they increase it all.

So let me see if I’ve got this straight, Oil prices by the barrel went down and Gas prices by the gallon went up. Now this is good for America how ???

When women meet me for the first time they claim I am funny and kinda smart but they soon get over it.

As I have said many times there are only a handful of people on the planet that can make stock prices rise and none of them are in radio. What I’m confused about is just what the hell are they doing.

Years ago a friend of mine, Randy Bachman wrote a song called “Taking Care Of Business” but other than his life it didn’t change much. Only a teeny percent of the population both in Canada and The US do so.

The quest of mankind should be to move as far away from the Animal Kingdom as intellectually possible but with the passage of all the human rights bills over the years I feel us instead drifting back to them. Not a good ending waiting for us they are a lot better at it then us.

I just realized that when I was a kid I just liked the Jox who sounded like they loved the music as much as I did. I didn’t know from talent.

I think our immigration policy should closely match the policy of the Country where the folks are coming from.

“Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” – Chicago has finally been answered by radio. The answer must be yes because I no longer hear the time on radio so either its not needed anymore along with the temp or nobody knows because the show is voice tracked.

I love buying stuff but I detest being sold.

Play by play Announcers are much more forgiving of Multi-Millionaire Athletes than I am.

Variety is the spice of life not life.

There are only 4 things that you can do on the radio that will affect the ratings. If you cant do all 4 you better be the absolute best at one.

Slowing down the music rotation doesn’t change the fact that you’re still playing the song I hate a way too often.