Monthly Archives: April 2023

Radio Geo’s Media Blog. (Puttin’ On the Ritz!) New 9/25/23

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One of the great things about being lifelong friends with Jim and Barbara Hilliard is that they have always lived in spectacular homes all over America, which I had the distinct pleasure of visiting.
One of my all-time favorites was Aspen, Colorado, where they had a magnificent home 8000 ft. up in the sky.

While dining with them at the Ritz Carlton one evening, I noticed our server had a strange-sounding British accent and also a wee bit of an attitude.
When I asked whether he recommended the chicken or the fish, he sarcastically said, “Only the Colonel serves good chicken, sir. “

Later, while taking our dessert order, I enquired about where he hailed from, and he seemed to stand a little taller when he said Wales.
Upon hearing his response, I couldn’t help but tell him that I had a Welsh name, and without missing a beat and through gritted teeth, he said, “And just what Welsh name would that be, sir?”

When I disclosed it was Johns, he broke into a huge smile and said, “Ahhh, Son of King John.”
I think I’ll go with that and not bother to do any more research on the subject.

Unfortunately, after doing his own research, my good friend, Tim Reever, discovered that his name means “Keeper of the King’s Pigs.”
Tim’s research continues.
(If you’d like to sing along, click the link below.)

GEO’S LIFE-LINERS

Why does being a white male disqualify you from most government programs and also put you at the back of the line at most Ivy League colleges?

Who does the government think will pay the bills when they allow the rich and the poor to take over our country?

Saying you’re sorry is only the beginning of your long climb back into good grace.

Of course, the first in line has to put the family business ahead of their immediate family.

One of the worst things about growing old is the stuff that pops into my head doesn’t stay long enough for me to write it down.

Do the folks who write about white people being bad include themselves?

When has a radio station sales department ever been right about anything?

Does the black community realize that the more illegals the Democrats welcome to America make them less important?

I loved the line Tom Hanks said in a movie where he played a congressman who when asked why he only had beautiful assistants, replied, “Well, It’s much easier to teach them how to type than grow big tits.”

Why should we support any government heavily influenced by the religious right or the socialist left when it’s only what’s in between that counts?

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that God is on both sides.

The truth is, most Americans don’t give a shit about a country they can’t spell and don’t want any free money sent there.

It’s never been about black or white; it’s about all of us, and some of us are brown, yellow, and red.

Why are the police never near the scene of a crime?

What parent doesn’t want their children to become a bigger deal than they are?

When the Democrats and Republicans stop taking bribes from the wealthy, maybe I’ll stop thinking of them as clowns.

Ain’t it weird how embarrassed women get when their sexual exploits are revealed, whereas men tend to puff up?

Do colleges all over the world worry about diversification?

Who understands John and Yoko?

Most great writers don’t talk much; they write, whereas most great singers talk way too much.

The roots of your successes lie deep in past failures

If the authorities don’t obey the rules, why should we?

My old buddy Joel Thompson claims the crazies are shooting the wrong people.

Peacock emailed me about seven new movies they were excited about streaming soon. Unfortunately, only two were about white folks. Hmmm.

So long-time friend Brent Farris hangs ’em up after thirty-eight years of being #1 in Sonoma County on KZST. The current Mayor better hope Brent doesn’t want the office; he’d be a shoo-in.

COMMENTS

Tom Hoyt: French tunes you can hum…..  think Carmen by Georges Bizet; Edith Piaf, “La Vie en Rose” and “Non, je regret rien”;  Charles Aznavour; “She”; Le Compagnon de le Chanson (the original “The Three Bells”, country hit by The Browns) (Tiki Taxi)
Geo: I’m humming them all right now, Tom

Tim Moore: Hoyt knows his music, George! He can actually carry a tune in a thimble!
(just messin’ with ya, Tom)(Tiki Taxi)
Geo: He also Captains the BenT quite nicely, Tim, and is very generous with the adult beverages.
Tom Hoyt: Yeh, make that a big bucket, and I’ll carry it!
Geo: Tom, make sure that bucket doesn’t have a hole in it. 🙂

Radio Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect inside look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Books, Social Media, Politics, Religion, and Life, primarily written with men in mind.
For a peek at upcoming Blogs or to see some you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.
If you’d like to subscribe to Radio Geo’s Media Blog, send your email address to radiogeo@gmail.com.

Radio Geo’s Media Blog (Memorable Things I’ve Read & Heard) Part VI of VII. New 2/05/24

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Charlie Minor told me that even though label owners were wrong, 90% of the time, they’re still multi-millionaires.

“As someone once said,” Tom Hoyt remarked, “It’s easier to drink like Hemingway than to write like him.”  Now, I ain’t suggesting that you are writing like him….but we both drink a bit like him, and you write better than I do! 

Wilson Parasiuk wrote to my daughter on my blog, Hi Cami, Congratulations on your high school graduation from another product of the hallowed town of Transcona. Your Dad, George, was an inquisitive, intrepid guy who made his way in the big wide world but never forgot his roots, and he never forgot the little guy. Go for it. Curiosity and zest for life will make your life fuller and more meaningful.

Bruce Munson said, “A woman you adore saying, “Hey, but we can still be friends,” feels about the same as someone saying your dog just died, but you can still keep him.”
Yes, that one will be on my Facebook page soon. Now, it’s not plagiarism if I give you credit, is it, George?

Jim Quail told me he fell off his chair while listening to an American talk show, and a first-time caller said, “I’m calling you from a place you’ve probably never heard of, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The host immediately said, “Of course, I’ve heard of Winnipeg; it’s where the Guess Who, BTO, Neil Young, and one of America’s most successful radio consultants, George Johns, is from.

Jim Wood wrote on my blog; I had a unique experience working with both Jack McCoy and George Johns on stations in Los Angeles. They helped me get hired at the ABC station that later became KZLA… One of my most incredible memories is driving down Sunset Blvd, in the heart of Hollywood, with Jack at the wheel, George in the front passenger seat, and me in the back seat as Jack and George sang at the top of their lungs…Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.”…It was incredible. BUT…How many of you can remember and still define “Reticular Activation System” (I am not sure of the spelling, but I can still tell you what it meant), and how many of you bought the hardbound “Chapter One” rating analysis books or RAM Research, especially the perceptual version…or remember not only “The Last Contest” and “MAGNUM ONE !”…I am lucky to have known and worked with and for both Jack and George.
They changed my life, and I will forever owe them for any success I have enjoyed…Proudly their friend.

Police Officer Kari Pallotto told me that you get pulled over speeding every 42 times you speed. It has nothing to do with those driving much faster than you; it’s just your turn.

Terry Kenny of The Jury commented; George, your story about The Jury was great…I loved the entire history, although I remember some of it differently. That could be because my history began with the ChorduRoys, which was an excellent experience until the Phantoms/The Jury. What a heartwarming legacy!

Bruce Murdock commented: Sensei, thought-provoking questions, as always. Doing my retired guy show prep, I looked up CDC death figures for 2020/2019/2018 only had 48 weeks of 2020 on the books, but it looks like, for whatever reason, 48 weeks of 2020 had 200,000+ more deaths than all of 2019 and 400,000+ more than all of 2018.

Kevin Metheny wrote on Radio Geo’s Media Blog, “Management is getting people to do what you want them to do. Leadership is getting people to want to do what you want them to do.”
At breakfast one day, 

Dion told me that sometimes you need to be lucky, like when he turned down a seat on the plane Buddy Holly had rented. And then again, when some Soprano-looking guys were waiting for him in the kitchen when he got home from school.
However, luckily, after hearing Dion’s record, they decided not to help him because, as they said to his Father, “Your son sounds like he’s singing through a dish rag.”

Jerry Baker wrote, Gawd, I miss real radio….and despise what represents it today. George, we had a great run at WIBC. I wonder if that sort of thing will ever happen again. If so, I can still talk up a :30 intro!

GM Terry Keilty gave me hell at CFRA in Ottawa for hiring Roger Klein, claiming he was too good for the market and would only leave. I made his prediction come true by taking Roger with me when I left for Toronto.

Gary Miles told me after I spoke at the Rogers management conference in Toronto, “George, even though we didn’t pay you, I still feel like we overpaid.

Gar Vidler wrote, the older you get, the smarter you become. It’s starting to get scary, Geo. Great stuff!

Doug Herman wrote, “Speaking of wealth, there is a huge difference between being rich and being wealthy.” Chris Rock explained this phenomenon a few years ago, “Shaq is rich. The guy who writes his paycheck is wealthy.”

Bill Johnson posted; Yancey bull-shitted you – he never offered my sales team a 35% raise if they’d work Saturdays – we were so greedy, we all would have been there. Also, I think most of the sales staff at NAP worked weekends anyway – entertaining clients.

Asher Benrubi (Smash) wrote; ALWAYS GREAT LINES OF INFO, PERSPECTIVE, AND ADVICE. SALUTE TO GEO.
After hearing a tape of The Jury’s “Until You Do,” Hal Ross, from London Records, said, “Hell, I’ll release that!”

Nancy Grace wrote on my blog, “TELL YOUR GUYS TO STOP SLAMMING ME!”

Mike McVay wrote, George, as someone who built a large radio consultancy myself and learned much from listening to your stations, you are undoubtedly the father of Adult Contemporary. You also taught us all how an AC could perform stronger than the then-dominant Top-40 stations of that era by building big, entertaining morning shows. The model you created continues to be a huge part of the “Best Practices” of Radio today. You and I had some great battles that drove the overall shares of radio upward. We grew the audience by competing. In the words of Sun Tzu … “When the elephants fight, the ants take a beating.”

VIDEOS

Below is a video I recently posted on Facebook which they took down for being too sexual and are punishing me. What!!!

Radio Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect inside look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Books, Social Media, Politics, Religion, and Life, primarily written with men in mind. For a peek at upcoming Blogs or to see some you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated. If you’d like to subscribe, send your email address to radiogeo@gmail.com.