Celebrated my 40th
at the Polo Lounge
Where a lot of my old friends
all came around.
Even my wife Lana
decided to show
But her moving to Cali
was still a no-go.
I’m sorta, kinda, reluctantly celebrating my birthday today which got me thinking about past celebrations. My 16th, 26th, 40th, 50th, and 70th which all come with a story.
All of them were memorable, but my 40th will always be my favorite
Years later, going through the mid-life crazies, I walked away from everything and left for California, where I started my own company in San Diego.
In San Antonio, I lot MOYL on the AM, and on the FM, I launched the very first “Class FM. In San Diego, after we modernized the FM and hired movie star Martin Milner to do mornings on the AM, it was time to party “Dude.”
Hey, if it was good enough for Bogey and Bacall, it was good enough for me.
What I did was email some invitations to friends all over North America asking them to join me for a birthday a drink in the Polo Lounge.The first person to respond was my old friend Charlie Minor who asked what arrangements I’d made with the lounge?
The bottom line is, none of your friends will be able to get in!”
Charlie then suggested that I meet him the morning of my get together in front of the Polo Lounge and bring $50 in cash.
Sure enough, true to his word, on Saturday morning there was Charlie waiting for me in front of the lounge.
After he introduced me to the Maitre D’and I slipped him the fifty, they both assured me that my birthday party would be the best.
I later realized that the fifty dollars I had paid upfront was the best investment I ever made.
How’s that tune go again, “Oh What A Night.” My party couldn’t have been better, red velvet ropes leading to a huge reserved table.
Then whenever one of my friends would show up, the Maitre D’ would loudly announce their name as being for Mr. Johns’ table.
I’d invited friends from all over North America, and because a lot of them couldn’t make it, some of them called.
Every time one of them did, the Maitre D’ would loudly announce, “Phone call for Mr. Johns,” as he brought the phone over to me.
One of the strangest of those phone calls was from Russ Morley from WRMF.
When I answered, he asked if my wife was there and, upon hearing that she was, said, “Oh shit,” and hung up, and a little while later, I heard, “Singing telegram for Mr. Johns.”
Then, before I knew it, a beautiful young lady was sitting on my lap singing happy birthday to me.
I remember thinking, “You would think that the singing telegram folks in Hollywood would be the best, hell, this girl can’t even sing.”
As the night progressed and the announcements continued, it wasn’t long before the celebrities who were all gathered at the bar were craning their necks to see who the hell I was.
It was a stellar night for a kid from Transcona who a few years before had sat around with his buddies in a shops class “California Dreamin’.”
I only wish Easter, Bomba, Ringach, and Shift could have been there to raise a glass with me and celebrate the fact that one of us finally made it to Surf City, Man!.
GEO’S LIFE-LINERS
So, let me ask you this, does a life insurance company have to pay the beneficiary if the policyholder is executed for a crime?
What’s worse for you, smoking or Covid 19?
I was a much better father than I ever was a husband, but then again, I had 3 shots at being a father.
I’m not a fan of women who marry very successful men and then try to crawl into their spotlight. Right, Yoko, Meghan, and Wallace?
Speaking of bad women, they make better spies than most men ’cause they can sleep with anybody.
Speaking of bitches, I wonder what Hitler’s mom was like?
The most exciting thing that can ever happen to you is meeting a woman who makes you want to start smoking again.
Guys are never late for their first date with a beautiful lady.
The biggest problem with the CanCon rules was, America stopped trusting the Canadian charts. Hell, even as big as the Beatles were, they knew, “If you don’t make it in the states, you didn’t make it?
Never ask the question if you’re nervous about the answer.
Sure easy to figure out that the New Yorkers have left West Palm Beach; the horn honking has finally subsided.
Memories are the greatest gift you’ll ever receive.
I find it amazing that politicians would have the balls even to consider fucking with the abortion act. Hell, almost every woman I know has had one, and they don’t appear ready to give it up.
Only God gets to decide what’s a sin.
Why would you want to live in a country where most of the population doesn’t look like you?
I love strong women, but I wouldn’t say I like taking orders from them. But then again, I don’t like taking orders from anybody.
Wow, the Chinese kicked ass in the Olympics, huh? Almost beat the US in gold. What kind of genetics is that?
Is anybody buying all the black and white marriages they’re showing in a lot of commercials?
If you can’t change the situation, try changing yourself.
A yes becomes a no, much easier than the reverse.
An obstacle sometimes attracts your attention more than your dream does.
Do Atheists do good things?
Why would anybody think that rich politicians who live behind the walls of mansions know what’s best for us?
The ratings were higher when we didn’t know what party Walter or Johnny were affiliated with.
Very few virgins have another guy on the side.
The most exciting women are the ones who make you want to start smoking again.
I’ve never been tolerant of those who try to tell me what to do. However, I must admit that I take my daughters’ advice under advisement.
Men horde money; women spend it.
Even though every child is special, your need to have one isn’t.
Except for my daughters, no woman is as innocent as she appears.
At what age do women start to think that they don’t look good naked?
As Fred Heckman use to say at WIBC in Indy, “If you want great ratings, then you have to be the radio station the people tune to when they see a huge column of smoke.
I’m politically unpolitical, hell, even I don’t know what that means.
Being gay doesn’t give you special rights.
Nobody wants, nothing.
Has taking hard drugs ever led anyone to a better life?
I remember when a lot of us felt insignificant, I think we may have overcorrected.
COMMENTS
Kevin Robinson: Reid is the best!
The 1070 towers are now gone. I could walk out of my front door and see the twinkling array. Sad indeed. (Self Transcendence)
Geo: Yes, very sad, Kevin. WIBC, or “Big Mama” as we used to refer to her, brought me to America and provided my family and me a pretty good life. May She Rest In Peace.
Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Politics, 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. Your sharing of my blog with friends and also commenting would be appreciated.
Wendy from Winnipeg: Looks like you’ve had a wonderful life, George! Congratulations! (They Say It’s Ur Birthday Dude!)
Geo: I have had a wonderful life, Wendy, but those Sunday nights were also wonderful.
Thank you, Wendy, I have had a wonderful life, unfortunately though I was totally unprepared for any of it.
Our first daughter was born on October 8, 1975. She will be forty six next Friday, can you believe it?I’ve had a really good life as well. Unfortunately my husband passed away this past March. September 27th would have been our 52nd wedding anniversary.
Wendy
Happy Birthday, George!
Thank you, Larry.
Happy Birthday. If the insured person committed a capital crime and is executed, but the premiums are paid, in most states (although I do not know of an exception), the beneficiaries are paid in full, if the insured person has been insured for two (2)-years. If not, then the beneficiaries are paid a pro-rated amount, usually the amount of premium paid into the policy for the first two years. There is one major exception, and that is in cases of suicide: Many states differ, but if the policy is less than two-years-old, and suicide is an excluded allowable reason for death, most likely, the beneficiaries only receive the return of the premiums paid. Newer policies, in most states, will pay out for suicide if the two-year policy date has passed. – Jed Duvall, Indiana Licensed Life, Accident and Health Insurance Agent, Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, (2008 – 2016)