While getting ready to attend the long-overdue reunion at CKY in Winnipeg, I started thinking about all the great jocks I listened to while growing up in Transcona.
Unfortunately, we may have waited too long because most of the first crew were already gone.

While going to school at TCI in Transcon, I used to watch a very popular TV series which was called “The Millionaire.”
It was about a wealthy man named John Beresford Tipton who gave away a million dollars to random people.

You only saw Mr. Tipton from the back and heard his distinctive voice when he would summon his assistant, Michael Anthony, to his study and then hand him a million-dollar check.
“Michael,” he would say “I want you to give cashier’s check to (The actor playing the needy person that week). (Michael is shown on top with the legendary Jack Wells who I eventually ended up being was a board op for at CKY.)

The show was so realistic that the network received thousands of requests every week addressed to Mr. Tipton, begging him to give them the money instead of giving it to all those losers on TV.

I’ll never forget the day CKY broke into the middle of a tune with a news bulletin reporting that somebody in a gold Cadillac was driving around Winnipeg handing out free money.
About an hour later, a newsman from CKY was interviewing the guy who claimed that he was from Austin, Texas, where he’d recently purchased his brand-new Cadillac, and while test-driving it, he ended up in Winnipeg.

He went on to say, “I’ve never met anybody more friendly than the Winnipeg folks so I want to thank them for their hospitality the only way I know how, I’m gonna share my wealth with them.
Unfortunately,” he continued, “I have no idea how to communicate with them.

The news reporter, bless his heart, immediately jumped in and said, I have 2-way portable radio that you could use to tell the folks where you are so they can come to you.
I, of course, never noticed that this big news story was only a big story on CKY.

Sure enough, starting early the next morning, there was Mr. Money Bags on the radio every hour, saying, “I’m at the corner of so and so and the first five people who come and say hi, are gonna get some free money.

Before long, there was a mile-long line of cars following him, which was tying up traffic, so pretty soon, the police had to escort him.
I remember thinking how bizarre this was, but of course, I knew nothing about radio promotions, but I did know that all my relatives and friends were bitching and moaning about why he hasn’t shown up in their neighborhood.

Thinking back about all the commotion this promotion caused, you would think that it couldn’t be topped, but topped it was because this part was only the teaser.

Suddenly, one day, you hear John Beresford Tipton’s voice on CKY saying, “Michael, somebody in Winnipeg is not only handing out free money but also claiming that he’s a millionaire.
Michael, there’s only one Millionaire so I need you to go to Winnipeg and show them how a real millionaire does things.” 

The next thing you know, all the TV stations and newspapers are at the airport as Michael Anthony unbelievably steps off the plane.
Somehow though, he is quickly whisked away before any of the press can speak to him.

Wouldn’t you know it, somehow CKY has secured an exclusive interview and during it he says, “John Beresford Tipton has sent me to Winnipeg to outdo the fake Millionaire from Texas.”
Now what you hear on CKY is both of them calling in their location on CKY. Michael is in a chauffeur-driven Rolls and the Texan is still driving his gold, Caddy.

The city goes berserk. Traffic jams are everywhere; people are pushing and shoving each other as they rush to both cars to get their free money.
It’s like dualling Millionaires as they try to outgive each other.

Then when things are really getting out of hand, and the police are threatening to shut it all down, the Texan disappears.
However, it’s much too late, the line of cars following Michael’s Rolls is now over three miles long.

Finally, the mayor gets involved and says, “This has to stop; it’s putting people’s lives in danger.’
I don’t quite remember how it all wrapped up, but I think it had something to do with a listener receiving the interest on a Million Dollars or something.

Years later, I learned that there was a sticker on the front of the rating book saying, “Due to an unusual promotional activity that took place during the survey, the rating results may be inflated.”
Nobody was listening to any other radio station; CKY had them all. 

The Countdown Continues Tomorrow With #7