Geo’s Media Blog. (3 Halls Of Fame Baby!) New 5/13/19 #11

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During my career. I’ve had the privilege of working with some of North America’s greatest air talent. In fact, many of them have ended up in the Hall of Fame along with some folks from Indianapolis who should be in there. These special people provided a kid from Transcona a life that he should only get to dream about. Not only did I get to create some great radio with the very best, I also got to work closely with some radio’s leaders like George Lund, Keith Dancy, Ted Rogers, Gary Miles, Toney Brooks, Dana Horner, Steve Dinkle, Frank Osborn, Ed, and Tom Shadek, Tom Skinner, Gordon Zlot, Betsy Cameron, Joe Amaturo, Jerry Bobo, Bill McMartin, Mark Hubbard, and one of the best, Jim Hilliard who was my first radio boss and also my last.
Jim not only taught and nurtured me my whole career, but he also figured out how to get me into America when immigration was saying, “Hey, we already have too many radio people, why would we want one from Canada?”
When Jim read this part, he said, “Johns, you left out the part about how much money I also paid you which was enough to keep you and your family in big homes and fancy cars as I recall. However, you f**ked me anyway when you left.

Over the years I’ve, stayed in touch with a few of the folks from back in the day and course now with others who have recently found me on Facebook. Many of whom have gone out of their way to thank me for helping them. However, the truth be known, I never really tried to help anyone and in fact, I only worked with those who could help me. Even now I still hear comments like, “Man, I remember the day you changed my whole life when you said…” Unfortunately, I don’t remember saying what they claim, but if I did, I wish that I’d written it down because some of it was good shit.

I had the honor of being at two of the three Halls of Fame that Ron Chapman was inducted into. I also had the honor of inducting Ron into the National Hall of Fame. How cool was that?
The first one he inducted into was in Las Vegas at the NAB where my date was the tale ted Lorenda Rae Edwards. (shown on top with me)I’ll never forget the next morning while we were all having breakfast, Ron turned to Lorenda and said, “Not only are you beautiful but I also think you must be very intelligent. Why would you assume that she asked? Ron answered her with, “Because when two legends are talking to each other, you were smart enough to not interrupt.”

After inducting Ron into the National Hall of Fame in Chicago, we headed back to the Palmer House to have a few pops in the lobby bar and swap old KVIL stories.

After more than a few adult beverages, Ron said, “George, I still remember the day you changed my career. We were walking down the hall at the old KVIL studios in Highland Park where I was bragging about why we didn’t have a phone in the studio. I felt that it only distracted the on-air talent. You suddenly stopped walking he went on to say, looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then said, Ron, you may want to have one in there if for no other reason other than to hear what the folks think about all the new stuff we’re doing right now.”

He claimed that the phone went into the studio the very next day, and not only did I spend the rest of my career answering it he said, but I believe that it was also responsible for my being in three Hall of Fames.”

GEO’S LIFE-LINERS

If the way the police treat black suspects is considered racist, why do black cops participate?

Why does my 14-year-old grandson already know that he will be taking care of himself, not the government? Is that a male thing?

If you could choose, would you choose to be gay?

Why does Mr. Businessman start everything on a Monday, isn’t that a little old school?

Is looking the other way when a minority does something bad really helping them?

Most women need a reason to have sex bit just for the fun of it, ain’t one of them.

It’s still T&A ladies, not Tat.
 
Only beautiful women have the power to break up a great friendship. 
 
Just because we haven’t called you on it ladies, don’t mean we ain’t noticed.
 
If you want something done quickly, give it to a person too busy to do it. 
 
I used to believe that the muses lived at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. However, now that I’ve learned that whiskey isn’t good for you, I’m hoping to find them at the bottom of a nice red.
 

The thing I’ve noticed is that you get much more selective as you grow older.

I don’t think most people realize that politicians represent their own kind. So seeing as they’re all rich …  Well, I’ll let you do the math.

I don’t talk fast, people just listen slow.
 

Speaking of talking, Richard Branson talks a good game but has any company ever been about its employees?

Death is the certainty that we’re not very certain about.

Lions may be King of the jungle but have you ever seen a Wolf in a Circus?

It is said that when the restoration of Notre Dame completed, the only person still living will be Keith Richards.

No NBA team will ever win a title unless their number two guy is headed for the Hall of Fame.

60% of the wealth in America was inherited so unless you’re a member of the lucky sperm club, you’ve only got two choices. Get a great education from a great school or invent something.

Being addicted is not a choice but becoming addicted is.

Men must be great teachers because they seem to know little about how the world works until they walk down the aisle. Then they become experts on everything.

A man’s primary job is to hide the ugly part of the world from the women he loves. However, for the rest of you, your tour begins now.

Wow, a white high school kid just ran the 100 in 9.98 which is Olympic speed. That changes everything.

The only thing politicians work hard on is raising money.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs, or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.
 
 
 

Geo’s Media Blog. (The Times They Are A-Changin’) 5/06/19

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Boy, when Bob Dylan wrote, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” was he ever right. Recently I had dinner here in West Palm Beach at The Breakers with my nephew Jamie, (shown above with me and on Wall Street) his beautiful wife Lindsay, and three of his precious daughters. Jamie, like me, hails from Transcona, a suburb of Winnipeg, now lives in Jacksonville where he is the SVP of CSX Railway.

After catching up about all the folks back home, Jamie asked if I knew Burton Cummings who was also from our area? When I told him that I known Burton long before he was even in The Guess Who, he asked about how he would go about getting him to play at his upcoming birthday party? I told him that I would try to find out and because Burton does a one-man show, the fee should be reasonable because we won’t need his band. (shown above)

First I got in touch with my friend Gary Bachman (pictured with me in the last picture above) who used to manage his brother Randy’s band, BTO, to see if I could get a contact number. Gary, who now is a real estate mogul back in Winnipeg, told me that he had an old phone number in LA for Burton’s manager, Lorne Saifer, but I should text him first because he never answers the phone.
After doing so, sure enough, Lorne called me back, and after finding out that he was also from Winnipeg and remembered my band, The Jury, we got down to business.
I told Lorne that my nephew wanted to know what it would take to have Burton to play at his birthday party? He then asked what kind of budget did we have in mind? When I told him that we didn’t have one, he said, “The best I can do is seventy-five grand and expenses. Ouch! Hell, even Elvis only got fifty, and he brought a band.

GEO’S LIFE-LINERS
 
MEDIA
Why don’t they do news the way Walter Cronkite did it? He’d kick their ass today.
 
PHILOSOPHICAL
The things we count the least are what we should count the most, our blessings. 
 
If only politics were important enough to be worthy of lifelong friends coming apart.
 
You’re either running from or towards something.

 

POLITICAL & POLITICALLY INCORRECT QUESTIONS?
Isn’t reverse sexism still sexism?
 
I don’t think I’m racist although those who accuse me of it may be? 
 
Who are nastier human beings, rich men or their wives? Talk about privileged! 
 
What the hell happened to home advantage? 
 
I remember when killing Commies was the craze. What is it now?
 
So Liberals, do I have this right? If a Jewish father forbids his daughter to date a man who is not Jewish, it’s ok, but the Father who won’t let his Daughter go with a black man is a racist? 
 
Why is the left so quiet whenever the Arabs do something nasty? 
 
REALITY
Jim Hilliard once said to me in Indy, “George if I call out your name and you can hear me, know this, I already have all the money.” I took him seriously and moved to California. 
 
I think a lot of folks are confusing racism with prejudice which is a whole different thing. 
 
The thing that Elvis had that no other artist had was his charisma. He didn’t even need to perform, all he had to do was walk into the room, and nobody could take their eyes off him. 
 
The only thing on earth more powerful than God is a beautiful woman. Just ask David. 
 
The thing I like most about vigilantes is that they don’t bother reading folks their Miranda Rights. 
 
Just because you can’t prove, it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. 
 
Your memories come from life, not books. 
 
Walt Disney created the last business designed for the customers instead of the stockholders. 
 
Most surprises are not pleasant, so I’ll pass. 
 
Nobody wants to hear bad news so of course the messenger must be killed. 
 
Sitting here in the middle of the political scene, I can’t help but sing, “Clowns to the left of me jokers to the right.”
When I used to run in races, the person in front ran wherever they wanted. I guess that’s not true in the Kentucky Derby.
Wow, 29 years after attending my oldest daughter’s graduation from UCLA, I just attended my youngest’s at USF. Whew! 
 
MARS & VENUS.
Men do stupid things for the women they love.
 
Sex is not that serious until you do it with someone you adore. 
 
I don’t listen to much advice from women except maybe from Barbara, Jan, Linda, and my Daughters. But then again perhaps not. 
 
I find it weird that accepting presents for sex is ok but taking cash will put you in jail.
 
SPORTS.
College players are much easier to coach than the pros because college guys want to make the bigs. The professionals only wish to extend their career which unfortunately includes laying down. 
 
Once again no Canadian Team will be in the Stanley Cup final. Hey maybe if Victoria, Regina, Saskatoon, Hamilton, Quebec City, and Halifax had teams at least, they’d up the odds. 
 
Isn’t it weird that all the NHL front runners didn’t do well in the playoffs? 
 
Is it just me or has the NBA cooled off?
 
Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs, or some that you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.
  

Geo’s Media Blog (Hey There Nathaniel) 6/03/19

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Dear Nathaniel,

Hey, buddy, your graduating from middle school this week brought back the memory of your Ra Ra doing the same when I spotted her for the first time. Seeing your Grandmother that day eventually led to my meeting another beautiful girl whom I also fell in love with instantly. However, that creature so smote me, that I left my band, The Jury, whose new release had just become the #1 Canadian record in Canada so I could spend more time with her. How crazy was that?

We first met at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, where I was patiently waiting for the birth of your Uncle Curtis. I’m sure that you can understand and appreciate how shocked and surprised I was when your Mom showed up instead. I had absolutely nothing planned for a daughter, but knowing her as I do, she probably had an idea or two of her own. As I said, she was a total surprise which she continues to be.

Through the years, your Mom has provided me with so many cherished memories that I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few of them with you.

With our #1 record
still on the charts
My baby girl Candis
grabbed hold of my heart.

Time to grow up and be a man
But I still kind of miss
just being a kid in a
Rock&Roll band.

Your Mom’s story began in a suburb of Winnipeg called Transcona where I fondly remember her first Christmas. The presents almost covered the entire living room floor and looked a lot like how it looks at your place at Christmas time. I can still picture her sitting there surrounded by all the gifts, licking the Smartie I was feeding her whenever your Ra Ra wasn’t watching.
It almost took all day to open up all her presents, but the one I remember the most was the green race car her “little” Grandpa gave her. I have no idea what my Dad was thinking, because, at three months of age, it was going to be a little difficult for her to peddle it.

The thing about your mother that was so unusual was she could sing before she could talk. I’m pretty sure that she loved the Christmas tree more than the presents under it because the ornaments looked like little microphones that were waiting for her to sing into them.

As I said, shortly after your Mom was born, I left my band the Jury and started a whole new career in radio. Unfortunately, the only way you make decent money in the communications business is you’ve got to move around a whole lot. Eventually, after living in Saskatoon, Sudbury, Ottawa, and Toronto, we ended up in America, where our first stop was Indianapolis.

We lived in a very cool suburb called Carmel, which was where your Mom started Kindergarten. Back then, she was just an average student, which she remained until the fifth grade, where she met Mr. Koke. Mr. Koke not only turned her on to learning, but he also turned her into an “A” student.

Nathaniel, coming from humble beginnings as I did, I spent most of his life hoping to become somebody. Then one day after attending another academic award ceremony for your Mom, I realized that I could stop chasing that dream because I already was somebody. I was Candis Johns’ Dad.

As smart as your award-winning Mom was and is, she like you, wasn’t a nerd, and in fact, she ended up finishing 3rd in State in Gymnastics when she was your age.

Nathaniel, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but only 23% of the population is a type ‘A,’ and your Mom undoubtedly is one of those. She was never shy, and in fact, whenever we moved into a new neighborhood; the first thing she’d do was go door to ask if they had any children who could play with her? I can’t imagine your Aunty Cami, pictured with your Mom below doing that in a million years. 🙂 I believe that her “showbiz” career began in the second grade where she got to wear the Donald Duck costume at a school event because as small as she was, it fit her. Her job was to pass out pamphlets, but once that duck costume went on, she was on! She immediately started doing cartwheels down the aisles and shaking everybody’s hand as her teachers looked on in amazement.

Leaving the eighth grade as you are, reminded me of when your Mom did the same and I did the unforgivable. I ripped her away from all of her friends and moved her to California. However, California loved her, and even though she didn’t start school at Coronado High until late December, she became “Freshman Of The Year” anyway. (pictured above with your uncle Curtis, and your great grand-parents, Sandy, and Betty Johns)
Coronado just wasn’t ready for a smart cheerleader who could not only make unbelievable gymnastic moves while cheering but could also sing. This, of course, led to her getting the lead in the school’s big production of “South Pacific” where the teacher who played opposite her had to use a mic because your Mom’s big voice drowned him out. (see newspaper picture below)

During her Junior year, where she was the “Junior Of The Year,” and like you was also on the speech and debate team and managed to win the state tournament with a composition she composed as she walked towards the stage. (see picture above)

Even though her Mom and I weren’t very excited about it, she finished her senior year in France. (I’d made a deal with her that if she got straight, A’s she could go) When she returned home to graduate with her class, (see picture below), Buppa surprised her with a “Welcome Home” billboard at the entrance to the Coronado bridge. Unfortunately, it stayed up for several months which was somewhat of an embarrassment to her because whenever she met someone new, and they heard her name, they’d immediately ask, “Are you the chick on the billboard?”

Your Mom began her college career at NYU in New York, where she started in drama. (your Grandparents were also not very excited about her living in New York either) Realizing that she could learn acting anywhere, she decided to switch back to academics and made the Deans List. Then transferred to UCLA where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. (I’m thinkin’ Suma for you)

At some point, she went back to New York for a visit and popped into NYU to see her old drama professor. To see if she still had her chops, he made her read for him and after doing so, he told her that she was wasting her time going to college because she was as ready to audition for Broadway. He even offered to call me for her to explain the situation, but your Mom said that there was no need to because I was already her biggest fan. Whew!

While attending UCLA, she began writing songs and singing them at places like the Whiskey the Roxy in Hollywood. (pictured above at the Roxy)She also loved running as did I so we decided to run the LA Marathon together. (see a picture of us running a 10k in San Diego below)Living in different cities, we didn’t get to train together much, but we did get to do an excellent training run along the Mediterranean in the South of France when I took her back there for her 21st birthday. Running that Marathon Nathaniel was absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but doing it with your mother made it also one of the best things I’ve ever done.

After graduating she began working for Charlie Minor who was the president of Giant Records who taught her the record business which eventually led to her becoming the Licensing Director for WEA. (Warner, Electra, and Asylum Records) At about the same time, she also recorded an album with her band The Tortured Poets but wouldn’t sign the one-sided contract which meant that the album was never released. However, I still have it so I get to enjoy it over and over again. You can hear my favorite cut by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page,

While training hard so she could get fast enough qualify for Boston, a couple of things happened. She began a relationship with your Dad and she also decided to become an Ironman. (see picture above) Are you sh**ing me! 

I’ll never forget being with her at Camp Pendleton the night before the competition enjoying a carbo-loading dinner when the Company Commander got up to welcome us. (your Dad couldn’t be there because a rattlesnake had bitten him while he was running trails back in LA) He said, “We Marines are supposed to be the toughest people on earth, but, I don’t have a single person on this base who can do what you’re going to do tomorrow.” I think your Mom may have missed the part about the event being called the Ironman, not the Ironwoman.

Nathaniel, your Mom, was on track to become a V/P in the record business when suddenly she married your Dad and then with your arrival, she walked away from it all and became “Supermom.” (pictured below with you & me)
Huh?
 
Congratulations, Buddy, I love you. Buppa

To hear Candis sing her composition entitled, “Let Me” click on the link below.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs, or some that you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

 

Geo’s Media Blog (What Ever Happened To My Old Friend Riley?) New 4/29/19 #1

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417559_253646634716847_134010383347140_608468_290450172_n11159507_10152655985286330_6509167115517266898_n10404877_10153003351204307_8665266998486747413_n1(Three very scarce pictures of radio legend, the late great Chuck (Dann) Riley.
Above at CKY in Winnipeg, on the left at KOMA in Oklahoma City, and on the right at WIBC in Indianapolis)

It’s hard for me to believe that my old friend Chuck Riley has been gone for almost twelve years. I met Chuck when I was was working as a part-time board-op at CKY in Winnipeg and he was teaching me the tricks of the trade. Little did I know that I was learning from the very best.
However, my being a board-op meant I had many other tasks to attend to besides learning how to do radio production. (can you spell gopher) One of those tasks was being sent each week to pick Chuck up at his apartment so he wouldn’t miss the weekly jock meetings. Each week when I would arrive at his place to get him, I would be a total surprise, and he’d ask what I wanted. Then when I would tell him he would say with a smirk on his face, “George, tell Jimmy that I’ve heard all his stuff before so I won’t be needing to attend his little motivational seminar.” However, and probably because he didn’t want me to get in trouble, he’d reluctantly end up coming come with me, but first, he’d make wait.

It was while waiting for him at one of my weekly wait sessions that I’ll never forget his answering the phone but for the longest time not saying anything. Finally, he said, “Hey pal, this is how it works, every couple of weeks I put all my bills in a hat and then I draw one out and pay it, if you don’t stop bugging me, your name’s not even going in the fucking hat.”

I am so grateful to Chuck for taking me under his wing those many years ago because production became my first love and to this day I’m still addicted to great promos. Hell, I only reason I ever left the production room to become a Program Director was because they always seem to drive nice convertibles and had pretty wives.

Even today I can’t imagine doing radio without having some super voices around like Chuck Riley, his brother, Buster Bodine, Roger Klein, Earl Mann, Gary Housley, John Polk, Eric Chase, TJ Byers, Billy Moore, Tony Maddox, Bruce Buchanan, Eric Edwards, Jason Williams, Jack Mccoy, Bobby Ocean, only to mention a few that I’ve had the honor of working with.

Luckily, I learned early on that creating great promos was similar to writing a song, producing a movie, staging a play, authoring a book, or creating the next great break on the radio. You just need an attention-getting opening, a little drama in the middle, and then wrap it up with a killer close.

When I worked with Chuck back in Winnipeg, he, like the rest of the Americans that worked at CKY, eventually moved back to the US and that was the end of my radio education. However, as fate would have it, some ten years later, we hooked up again at WIBC in Indianapolis where I now was his boss. (like anybody could be Chuck’s boss)

Now instead of having to pick him up to bring him to jock meetings like I did when I was a rookie, I had to attend meetings between him and Jim Hilliard and one of those meetings was unforgettable.
On this particular day, I was told by Jim’s secretary that he needed me in his office immediately. When I arrived, Chuck was sitting across the desk from Jim and I could tell that Jim was pissed. As I sat down he said, “George, you’re here as a witness because if Chuck ever forgets what I’m about to tell him, you will be able to remind him.” Then he turned to Chuck and said, “Riley you’ve been acting like an ass lately! Every day, not only do you have the switchboard or traffic girl crying, you have most of the staff at the station pissed off at you. In fact, they are so pissed that they’re calling for your head and if your ratings even slip a tad, I’ll be forced to give it to them. Now, do you understand me and do you have anything that you would like to say?
Yeh, Chuck said, “I understand what you’re saying but I need you to tell the staff not to hold their fucking breath” and with that, he walked out.

Chuck, later became one of the biggest voice over guys in America when he moved to LA and landed the CBS Television gig.
However, what I most remember about Chuck was that he had the rare ability to sound much different on the air than he did in the production room and even in the production room he had several different commercial voices. Because of that, I could use him for promos on both WIBC and WNAP.
It was at one of these promo sessions that Cris Conner and had with him that we recorded the top-hour ID for WNAP which Buster Bodine later mixed it all together and made a classic out of it.
(You can hear that 1973 session by clicking on the Buzzard at the bottom of this page. Below is the demo tape that got Riley his shot in Hollywood, followed by a taste of his on-air warmth from a Saturday morning show on WIBC. Great acting on his part). Enjoy!

PS. One of the things I’m very sad about was that years later when Chuck was a big deal in Hollywood, he surprised me with a phone call claiming that he wanted to apologize for mistreating me over the years. I told him that I didn’t recall him ever being abusive towards me, but he demanded that I hear him out anyway. However, before he could get started, I interrupted him with, “Chuck I only have good memories about you, why would I want to replace them with whatever you’re gonna say?” And with that, I hung up because I had no idea he was going through a 12 step thing. Miss you my old friend.

GEO’S LIFE-LINES

Doubt, without a doubt, will kill a great relationship.

I heard a thought-provoking line on a TV series the other night, “When I lived in Russia, I was poor, not American poor, real poor!”

Speaking of the not so poor, the wealthy don’t like to show their wealth like the rich who are always ready to flaunt theirs.

A wedding ring is the smallest set of handcuffs in the world so choose your cellmate wisely my friend.

Socrates claimed if you marry a good woman you’ll be very pleased, but if you marry a bad one, all is not lost because you can still become a great philosopher.

I was told that Asians used to bind the feet of female babies for aesthetic purposes. Now I hear that their undeveloped feet caused them to walk in a fashion which strengthened their vaginal muscles. I think Paul Simon had it right when he sang “All The Crap I Learned In High School.”

Just because you agree with something doesn’t make it less controversial.

Success won’t necessarily make you happy, but doing what makes you happy usually makes you successful.
 
Every situation has six points of view.
 

Does anybody but the government think that tax evasion is a horrendous crime?

I wonder what our ancestors would think of today’s modern man?
 
As long as the sex is good a lot of men will hang in there, but I rather doubt that women will.
 
If you are passionate and have a great imagination, not only can you become a great lover but after the lovin’, you can also become a great air talent. 
 
Women created modern Man in more ways than one.
 
Some women will love you enough to kill for you, but none will ever die for you.
 
The good news is that there are two ways to argue with women. However, the bad news is neither of them works.
 
How many careers do you suppose would have been lost had we told our bosses what our wives told us to say?
 
Radio only needs to move @ the speed of life.
 
Isn’t it strange how upon winning, winners begin to take on the appearance and style of losers?
 
If you don’t feel grateful, you’re a long way from being happy.
 
I’ve been influenced by a lot of great women but unlike some of my friends and family members; I’m proud to say that I’ve never been pussy whipped.
 
Democracy works best if you have a large middle class; otherwise, some form of Communism probably would be a better way to go.
 
Speaking of not having a middle class, isn’t it amazing how the President of Mexico always seems pissed at us for not letting his citizens flee his country?
 
The only justice in the world is the justice we as individuals hand out.
 
The ability to see what yet doesn’t exist is a fantastic gift.
 
Over the years radio sales people have tried to upgrade their image by calling themselves Senior Account Executives and Media Marketing Managers. On the other hand, on-air actors downgraded theirs by becoming Jocks.
 
You are the person you are at your worst.
 
Have you ever noticed that your failures are a hell of a lot better known than your successes? 
 
The thing that is so neat about being successful is that you can get up, and go to bed whenever and do whatever you want when you’re not sleeping.
 
Absolutely everything begins with imagination.
 

The hardest part of any project is getting started.

The only people I know who like selling older demos are old folks, and I’m not so sure about them?

 


https://youtu.be/D4Dr3dAIBW0

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs, or some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Geo’s Media Blog. (Jesus) Reposted 4/21/19

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It was bad enough that when I heard that shortly before his death, Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve done the math and peered far and wide into the universe but I couldn’t find any heaven” but when the Pope said that there’s also no hell, I knew it was time for me to go back to Church and find out what the hell was going on.

Thankfully my daughter Cami (shown above) who was home for Easter, agreed to come along. Even though we’d arrived at the church early, we still had to wait in line before being seated. When we were finally led into a dimly lit auditorium where about a thousand other folks were already seated, they handed us some small flags. When I asked I asked what they were for, I was told, “Don’t worry you’ll know when to wave them.”

As Cami and I sat there chatting about how beautiful everything was, suddenly a rock band burst onto the stage. The group consisted of a couple of guitars, drums, keyboards, two bass players along and a six singer chorus which featured a couple of whiskey throated front men. Whew, they were rockin’ man! The lyrics to all the tunes were up on giant screens and I couldn’t help but notice that they were not the words to “Bringing In The Sheaves.” Colored spotlights flashed all over us as everybody sang along and I wondered what the hell had happened to the Church I used to know?

Then if the above wasn’t enough, suddenly there was a loud explosion and hundreds of shiny colored streamers showered down us, and of course, that was the moment when the folks waved their little flags.

At one point, the preacher who appeared to have a sense of humor throughout the service shouted, “Don’t tell me about all the bad things you’ve done in your life, tell it to Jesus, I don’t wanna hear about it.” As I sat there with listening to him talk about Jesus for most of the service, I was reminded of once hearing that hidden deep in the bowels of the Vatican were some ancient scrolls which were supposedly written by Jesus. On those sacred scrolls, it is said that he wrote, “It’s not about me it’s about my Father.”

GEO’S LIFE-LINERS

Speaking of Jesus, what did you think of the updated version of “Jesus Christ Superstar?”

And speaking of Jesus, ponder this grasshopper, what if he’d been married?

Whatever happened to all those red light cameras?
 
I think it’s now gone full circle from, “Never trust anybody over thirty to, never to trust anybody under thirty.”
 
Knowledge is not a skill; it’s a never-ending learning thing.
 
Success and failure are kissin’ cousins. 
 
I think a lot of people go to therapy to learn how to deal with people who need therapy.
 
Me and most of my friends are against guns until we hear a one %er utter the words, “This isn’t personal it’s business.”
 
When you finally have enough money what then?
 
Why does there seem to be more gay characters in TV sitcoms and dramas than there are in real life?
 
Thinking about things for a minute is much more productive than talking about them for an hour.
 
Steve Jobs didn’t need to do any research to give us what we wanted.
 
I wonder what the athletes in the National Senior Games in 2019 will think if Caitlyn Jenner once named the world’s best athlete, shows up to compete in the woman’s division?
 
With the rating success of the rebooted Rosanne except in New York and LA means to me that either New York and LA are out of step or the rest of America is?
 
No matter how quiet a street looks in LA, there is no way you can make your way down it without having to get out of the way of an oncoming car.
 

Most successful on-air folks are not only talented, but they’re also very coachable.

How much money do you suppose rich people would give to charity if they couldn’t deduct it?

All white cops are not corrupt, and all black men are not good.

I think the extreme right and the far left cancel each other out which puts all the power in the hands of the people in between. Are you listening, candidates?

I read somewhere that somebody is proposing that college athletes who leave early for the draft should be able to return to college with their scholarship intact if they don’t make it. Isn’t that like getting your money back if you don’t win the lottery?

Speaking of sports, now that college hoops are over, what the hell do we do until the NBA and NHL playoffs?

Most people who claim they know, don’t.

Maybe if the government stopped handing out welfare like candy, they could afford to pay the teachers a little more.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs, or some that you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.