I guess your'e right Joe

 I guess you're right Joe





     This was a sentence that entered into the Greg vernacular in the mid-1960's from the obnoxious but entertaining TV host Joe Pyne. Pyne was THE first shock-jock and bounced from radio to TV but settled in during the 60's at KTLA and KTTV. (channels 5 and 11)  I don't believe John would have watched this conservative prick but Jack, Greg and I loved to hear his guests attempt to debate him over the most outrageous of topics. Pyne would intentionally invite unappealing kooky guests and then berate and humiliate them on air. He was a WW II Marine veteran who was wounded several times in the South Pacific and he reminded his audience that he was a marine vet constantly. Pyne smoked one cigarette after another on air and maybe that is why he died of lung cancer at 45. He invited watchers at home to call in occasionally and because we hated him so much Jack and I called in to support a man who had stomped a puppy that was on his private property. Although it was never allowed to be discussed on air Pyne had a wooden leg that was necessary because of a cancer that set into an old war wound. He was on late on Saturday nights and while he was a complete jerk the show held your attention even if it was repulsion. The crazy Gypsy Boots was a regular, along with nazis, gays, UFO nuts, transexuals, commies, hippies and conspiracy kooks who took their stand in the "Beef Box" where Pyne would rain insults down on the easy targets. He really bullied most guests into submission with comments like "there is a bus out of town leaving at 3 O' clock...be under it!" Once in a great while he got bested like one time he invited Frank Zappa on when the Mothers were a hot band: Pyne: "So I guess your long hair makes you a woman. Zappa: "So I guess your wooden leg makes you a table!" We spent many an hour watching Pyne but we rooted for his punching bag "nemesis" named Ozzie Whippletree who appeared regularly on the show to argue about anything under the sun. The fights were staged and Pyne always outtalked poor Ozzie who would get worn down and meekly admit "I guess you're right...Joe" The sentence became part of our discussions and whenever one of us said something we finally agreed upon we would cement our endorsement by saying "I guess you're right Joe" Sadly, this is just one more colloquilisms that will fade into the ether since only a couple of friends know from whence it came.




                                Anton Sandor Lavay...devil worshipper

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paul Knowlton's White Lotus

Image
 Paul Knowlton's White Lotus \      It is ironic that this post is titled something that means nothing to the protagonist. Paul, Zeke, "the Prince," "Senor Suerte" or the Snail (I never called him that.) My old pal just created a memorable vacation on the island of Oahu where the mean old world was a far off nightmare and the closest thing to stress was choosing which kind of massage you would request. Paul was the second friend in my life and we grew up about a block away from each other. We were Catholic boys and loved sports that created a bond lasting seventy years. This connection continued from grammar school to High School, to Community College to University. We were roomates from 1968 to 1972 and our families had a solid respect for one another. Paul grew up in a family of nine kids at a tract house in South Gate when the common man lived the American dream. Then again with 11 mouths to feed the American dream can only stretch so far. It is a cliche but ...
Read more

alright mother

Image
  alright mother- “You can find poetry in your everyday life, your memory, in what people say on the bus, in the news, or just what’s in your heart.” —Carol Ann Duffy  Greg was always delighted by a story told by his mother in law about a "sortie" dinner party attended by a Doctor "Putty" Putnam who had been forced to attend an opera by his wife. When asked by a clueless guest if he enjoyed the opera, his response was  "fuck you!" When I was visiting Bear Cove and sitting next to the matriarch Greg goaded her into telling the tale. But a rum n' coke had loosened "Minnie's" tongue and when she got to Putty's answer she blurted a rather hard FUCK YOU!  Roy, hearing his bride curse thusly said across the table "Alright mother!"
Read more

Athletic Club Flower shop

Image
  Athletic Club Flower shop      This phrase is actually the telephone greeting at Greg's uncle Johnny Tassano's flower shop at 808 W. 8th street near Flower street in downtown L.A. Greg loved the place and culled many a story and line from his experiences at a place he worked and visited fondly. Even when he wasn't employed he drove around with cousin Kent (Kevin Smith) and they had a ball observing the absurdities of modern living in the Southland. The phone was answered by different employees and each had a unique turn of "Athletic Club...flowershopppp" There was owner John Tassano, right-hand man Ronald P. Lord, "Speed," a delivery man, and Carmen who cut flowers and told odd anecdotes such as the origin of pizza. I believe Greg and Kevin could go on for weeks about the people they met on their deliveries as they set forth across the city of the angels to spread floral joy. This might include places to eat, fascinating neighborhoods, cemeteries, lone...
Read more