Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - John Gallagher: Toronto Mike'd #283

Episode Date: November 18, 2017

Mike chats with John Gallagher about his drug use, his unbelievable but true stories, his new book and his father.

Welcome to episode 283 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent brewery celebrating 30 years in the craft beer business. Visit GLB at 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard for $5 patio beers. at 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard for $5 patio beers. Although now that I look at the temperatures, maybe I need to revise the script because that patio is going to be awfully chilly. You can always go inside and drink at the bar like a sensible person. And propertyinthesix.com,

Toronto real estate done right. And our newest sponsor, PayTM, an app designed to manage all of your bills in one spot download the app today from paytm.ca I'm Mike from torontomike.com and joining me this week the man the legend John Gallagher The legend, John Gallagher. Welcome back, Johnson.

Good to see you, T.O. We're playing back in black off the top because Malcolm Young passed away. Founding member of ACDC. When? Like maybe while we were sleeping. You do sleep still, right? I can't tell. You have such an exciting life.

But I don't know when you fit it in. But if you sleep, it probably happened while you were sleeping last night. But yeah, I woke up to that news. That's sad news. But you're wearing black anyways. Like you are literally. We both are. Yeah, back in black.

Last time you were here, I got to tell you what happened last time. My hard drive, the first time ever, the hard drive on this computer failed that day. And I was frantically trying to like stitch together like a computer network that could actually record our chat. And it's like one of the more anxious recordings because I didn't know if it would work. I didn't have my soundboard that I like, I rely on. And I knew you were going to have some great stories and I didn't want to blow it,

but you came over, you shared incredible stories about everybody from Aaron Davis to Ann Romer, to Mark Wahlberg, to Robbie Alomar. And it was fantastic. So I'm glad you're back. It moved to you. It moved.

It was a quick and very vibrant hour plus. And we're back to do it again. This is like a, the sequel. It was a quick and very vibrant hour plus. And we're back to do it again. This is like the sequel. So much like Terminator and The Godfather and Toy Story, this is a sequel that will not disappoint. I had an argument the other day with Frank D'Angelo who said Godfather 2 was way better than Godfather 1. I'm like, well, maybe a little bit.

Yeah, you know. Not way better. It's not way better. No, God, no. I've recently revisited both movies with the teenagers upstairs and not way better. It's not way better. No, God no. I've recently revisited both movies with the teenagers upstairs, and not way better. Fractional, like a fraction of a decimal percentage point, but they're both fantastic films. Yeah. If Godfather III was a character in The Godfather, it would be Fredo.

That's right. I'm smart. I'm smart. Fredo. Fredo, by the actor who played Fredo Fredo by the actor who played Fredo did like five movies and four of them

were nominated for best picture or something like that you know even Dog Day Afternoon was underrated for goodness sakes and you know

the Godfather films he was in Deer Hunter Deer Hunter yeah terrific in that crazy yeah and he died young

of like a brain tumor or something and Meryl Streep was dating him at the time. Yes. If you're going to wake up to, you know what I mean? If you're going to go to film school, wake up next to her. Yeah. That's right.

That's right. So let's tell people that if they want to hear the first in this series, they want to go back to episode 181. So this one's 283. Go back to episode 181. I'll read the description of that episode just to tease you a bit. Please. Mike chats with John Gallagher about his years

at Q107, City TV, and TSN, how he saved Mark Wahlberg's life, his time on Zoomer Radio, and so much more. This episode is exactly one hour and 18 minutes and four seconds. And I'll just add it was recorded on some crappy Windows laptop I salvaged off like a recycling bin.

But we got it done. Sounded fine to me. You sounded great. Now, when you talk, you are a passionate, emphatic man. And it means you will move and you go off the microphone. So we had a good chat because I got a lot of like, John's content is A+, but it's hard to listen to when he goes off the mic.

But you're going to like, I felt like I should get duct tape maybe and just secure your head to the mic there. You're going to stay right on that thing. My hockey coach used to do that. He would actually tie me to the net so I wouldn't chase the puck into the corners. Your hockey coach and I have the same idea.

How do... I led the league once in fights, and I was a goaltender. Oh, my God. Now being a former Golden Glove boxing champion, I mean, hey, let's drop him, man. You're going to take a whack at me? Let's go. That explains the George Chevalho thing. Since you said boxing, let's do this right now.

I promised Joel Goldberg I would do this. We were supposed to record yesterday, but you had a paying gig. A paying gig? You blew me off for money. I blew you off? You didn't blow me off. I see what you're saying.

I see where you're going there. It's going to be one of those shows. I do a lot of voiceover work, but it's just so tedious. You've got to wait for the French guy to finish, because it's a national commercial and he does it in French, and you've got to wait for the higher-ups to get a copy of the voiceover, and they've got to agree to it.

You don't have to, obviously, if it would jeopardize any money in your wallet, but are you allowed to tell us the name of the brand that you were working with yesterday? Sure. Okay, go ahead. Slim Jim. Wow. I'm the 2018, 2017 version of Macho Man Randy Savage. Oh, yeah.

Macho Man Randy Savage and Johnson Gallagher. I used to, I interviewed Randy years ago. And when you look at the faces of these guys, the Ric Flairs and the Hulk Hogan's, especially Randy, because he'll do his big, oh, and then he'll give you a little wink. Like he knows and I know that it's just a big act. And this is not the way I really act back home with Miss Elizabeth. It's a little wink, you know? They both died young,

because Elizabeth OD'd a long time ago. You and Randy have something in common we're going to get to later. It's a white substance you stick up your nose. I understand. We're going to get to that. I didn't know Randy did that. I think so.

It's been 25 years for me. See, I assumed that's how he got his mania, but we'll get to this. Oh, I've got to mention Shia, too. Yeah, go ahead. If we're still on that. Yeah, yeah, of course. Shia and I got to be really, but we'll get to this. Oh, I've got to mention Chyna, too. Yeah, go ahead. If we're still on. Yeah, yeah, of course. Chyna and I got to be really, really good friends. We met, remember

Gino Empry? Now, speaking of colorful people. He would represent all the Playboy magazine cover girls when they came to town, so Sable and I would go out all the time. Sable, man. And she'd bring her husband, who was Johnny B. Goode. But Chyna and I got to be so close.

She threw a surprise party for my birthday in Los Angeles one year. This is in the book. I should point out. I read this book, and I'm going to talk about the book in just a moment after the George Chivalo thing. But that's in the book, and that's an amazing story. I know. One of many. George Logigiannis actually did a story on City Pulse with rumors floating that Shaina and I

were dating, which would be a really stupid thing for me to do because she was dating Triple H at the time. So anyway, in Los Angeles, she whispers into my ear, what are you doing tomorrow? I'm like, nothing really. All I really wanted to get for my birthday was to put my head in the middle of those 38...

Don't hurt yourself. Those aren't real, you know. And do the old motorboat. She says, I got a better idea. Of course, I was just joking. She says, I'm taking you tomorrow to the Playboy Mansion for the annual Hugh Hefner Midsummer Night's Dream Pajama Party.

Do you have any silk pajamas? No, but I can get them. But I had a girlfriend with me, and I just couldn't leave her alone on a Saturday night, so I did the, you know, I did the... Boy, that I can get them. But I had a girlfriend with me, and I just couldn't leave her alone on a Saturday night, so I did the, you know, I did the, boy, that was a tough call. You brought sand to the beach. Yeah, you know what? Well, I, you know,

what would you do? Good listenership. I can't even imagine being in that scenario. That's what I like about the book, but I'm going to get to the book in a minute. Yeah, but I had to say no. I lived precariously for you. And the Playboy Mansion and the Grotto, and you can just imagine meeting Hugh Hefner, another guy who just recently passed.

Yeah. But no, I had to pass, speaking of. At least Hugh got to live a full, a good life. You get into your mid-80s, I feel like, okay, we're okay. But to miss Elizabeth so young, and Macho Man, just get back to him. I don't know if you've ever heard his rap album. Oh, God're okay. But Miss Elizabeth's so young. And Macho Man, just to get back to him, I don't know if you've ever heard his rap album. He wrote it. Oh, God, no. Yeah, and I should pull it up and play it,

but he has a diss track against Hulk Hogan. And I remember there's one line where he's like, he's making fun of Hogan's Hollywood career. And he goes, meanwhile, I got a starring role in Spider-Man. Okay, so I saw that Spider-Man several times. Macho Man's great in it. That's not a starring role in Spider-Man. Okay, so I saw that Spider-Man several times. Macho Man's great in it. That's not a starring role. I would say that's a two-minute cameo,

but it was fantastic. Which Spider-Man? The one with the first one. Tobey Maguire? Sam Raimi, yes. Sam Raimi. I don't remember him in that. He's the guy,

the origin story when Peter Parker goes to, I guess he goes to wrestle. He wrestles. He's wrestling somebody like any regular person can wrestle. Macho Man plays the guy that he wrestles. Spider-Man 1. Yeah. My God, I must have seen it five times.

Did he play himself? You know what? His hair's a bit darker, I'd like to say, but it's definitely Macho Man. Next time you watch Spider-Man, you'll say, there he is. You know, he was a catching prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Randy Poffo was his name. Right, because Leaping Lanny, he's like his brother or his cousin or something? Yeah, that's right.

Leaping Lanny Poffo? That's amazing, man. Okay, so I better... I'm going to skip my George Cheval. So, George Cheval. So, you were going to come over yesterday, and we were going to talk about this, which is what's going to happen tomorrow. But now that you're here today, this is very confusing.

You're here on a Saturday morning, and this happens tonight. Tonight, everybody. So I hope you're listening to this thing on Saturday. What are we now, like November 18 or something? It is the... 18. Uh-huh. Let me just say this.

There is a benefit for the new Georgeorge chivalo community center at the review cinema tonight at 7 p.m not only will my friend here spike gallagher be there but former toronto mic'd guest ziggy ziggy lawrence will be there you bet and former who came over a couple times norm wilner uh will be there uh because there's some movie spin to this whole event you can speak to. But I just want to also say the beer that will be served at this event is Great Lakes beer, which will tie in nicely. And George

himself is going to be there, obviously, so you can meet George Chiavallo. So please, if you want to go to this benefit and help support the George Chiavallo Community Center and meet all these fine people I mentioned, it's Eventbrite. I guess you get tickets at Eventbrite. Yeah, George has been in several movies. Of course, most famously

I think The Fly when he had the arm wrestle with Jeff Goldblum. Brundle Fly. But he's been some real mutts and he's been in some really good ones too, including The Untouchables. So we're going to rate his performances tonight a la, you know, holding up cards one through five.

It'll be hilarious. You don't want to take George off, by the way. Trust me, I know I don't. His claim to fame is he was never knocked down. Is that right? 93 fights. That's amazing. And he fought Ali twice.

He fought George Foreman. He fought Oscar Bonavino. Right there. Beat Jerry Corey. He lost to Joe Frazier, Mike. And he got beat so badly. I there. Beat Jerry Corey. He lost to Joe Fraser, Mike. He got beat so badly. I mean, to a pulp. It never went down. His wife, at the time, jumped into the ring

to stop the fight in New York in 1967. And you're pretty tight with George. I'm your Facebook friend. I see photos of you and George all the time. So, can you just tell me, because Mary Ormsby wrote that article for the Toronto Star that suggested... I was surprised at that. Tell me about, like, when you were with George, he's got his wits about him, right?

He's sound mind and body, as they say. You know, he's a little slower than he was when I first met him on the Lou that was many years ago. But no, he's still sharp as a tack. But I didn't understand the Mary Ormsby. If you look at the article, Mike, no one really close to the Chiavello camp really commented. You know, I mean, Spider Jones did say something. Spider Jones. Yes, on the radio.

Spiders on the radio. When you go, double shot power. I think he'll be there tonight. That'll be fun. Oh, that's cool, man. My buddy Michael Weckerle, hopefully, as well. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He wrote a foreword for the book.

It's on the back. The book, which when I get my picture with you later, I'll be holding it up. Big league babble. So let's, okay, really quick before I get to the book. Sure. Did you ever work for Bell Media? Not to my knowledge, no.

Worked for the Slates, worked for Chum, worked for Moses with MZ Media, but never Bell. Because you were at TSN before Bell bought it. This is different owners of TSN when you were there. Would Bell be CTV? Because I'm confused. I get confused, too. CTV Globe Media somehow became a hot bot by Bell Media.

You know what was really weird? Just so we're on that. Go ahead. I mean, I was working for City TV, and it was at the time when CP24 was owned by another company. I can't figure them out either. Chum. Yeah.

Chum sold it to Bell Media. That's right. Because they had to, because they had City TV. Yeah. No, Rogers bought it and had to sell it. There you go. Yeah, you know. Yeah.

And it would be a big scoop. You know, the cameraman would come in with some, you know some fiery crash, and he wouldn't know where to give the tape, because he was employed by both stations. They were in the same building for a while. The same newsroom. And Moses said to me, he took me by the arm and he pulls me into the newsroom. He goes,

John, you can't go to TSN, because this is your home. I said, you know, Moses, my mom gets to see me every night on TV and I'm national. He goes, you know what I'm going mom gets to see me every night on TV. And then I'm national. He goes, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to have a peer later send your mother a tape of your sportscast every night. I go, you know, it's called The Gallagher Show. They need a guy named Gallagher.

And I've already said yes. And he says, you know what's going to happen? This is also in the book. Yeah. He said in the spring, this is the fall of 98, in the spring, CTV will buy TSN and they'll fire your sorry ass and you'll come groveling back on, groveling back on broken glass

for me to hire you. And almost to the day, he nails it. And I did come groveling back and he did rehire me. He's hired you three times. I know. Yeah, that's like a biblical prophecy from a man named Moses.

I think that's appropriate. This is true, yeah. Okay, but I bring up Bell Media because they're making these cuts across the country. You know what that's like, saving a buck by letting go veterans who make more than $35,000 a year. You're on the choppy blog. I made up that number, but you know what I mean. So three names of note were caught up in this. I think 50 people across the country, but three names of note were caught up in this. I think 50 people

across the country, but three names of note for GTA listeners, Greater Toronto Area listeners. Paulie Morris from 97.7 Hits FM, who's been there since like 86. I think he went and had a cup of coffee at Y95 in the 90s and then came back. He was not just a host there forever, decades, but he was the music director and he got the axe yesterday. So people will be... Have you ever met Pauly Morris? I have not met Pauly. I do listen to hits from time to time.

Scruff Connors' son is working there now. Yes, T.J. Connors. That's the one. Yes. Pauly Morris... Scruff, another guy we just lost. Well, you know what? I'm going to bring him up later because I got some Scruff questions.

Sure. Because I know you worked with him. But Pauly Morris is gone. Listeners of this show know Siobhan Morris has been on a couple of times. She's a reporter at News Talk 1010. Siobhan is Paulie's daughter. That's how they're connected. So kind of sad

news for the Morris family. He was there a long time. And two names we all know from CFTO, which now likes to be called CTV Toronto. Lance Brown and Joe Tilley, although you might see them on the... You're joking, man.

I wish I was joking. The union put out a press release yesterday to say they have been laid off. Now, people... I wrote about this, and people are like, you know, he was on the broadcast today as if I'm trying to tell you somebody's dead

while their heart's still beating. You know, this press release came from the union. They were laid off, but they're going to keep local sports on CTV Toronto until December 27, and then they're going to start just using TSN people because it's much cheaper to do that. Joe Tilly and Lance Brown. And I believe, and you know this era, but I believe Lance Brown started there in, I'm going to say, 85.

And I'm going to say Joe Tilly was already there. I think he started at CFTO in 84. So three longtime veterans from the GTA got caught up in this latest round. Do you have any Joe Tilly or Lance Brown stories? I read the book. I didn't see a lot of Lance Brown in there. I remember playing a celebrity hockey game, and Lance Brown got into a fight with an Asian cameraman from another station and just beat the crap out of the guy.

Oh, man. Lance, it's a pickup game. It's a celebrity, you know, against the Hollywood stars. Joe Tilly and I, yeah, we go a long way back. Yeah. Some stories I'd rather not tell. Oh, man. I know there's a lot of those stories in the book that you'd rather not tell, but you told them anyways.

This is true. I'm surprised with that. Because, I mean, I was on with, is it okay if I mention one of your competitors, Humble and Fred? In the podcasting world, they're not competitors. They're like allies. Atta boy. Good idea. We want people to all be listening to podcasts.

I was on with Humble and Fred the other day on Sirius XM. And Fred and I were talking. I mean, we did five-minute sportscasts in the morning when we were on radio. I read this in your book. You talked about, and let me just, the name, Bill Stevenson on CFRB. Fred Patterson at CFNY. You on Q107. Rick Hodge on Chum FM.

And don't tell me the gent's name. He was great, too. Brian Henderson. You got it. Man, those days are long gone. And we'd all listen to everyone else's. And we did a commentary every day. And then we were competing for the Foster Hewitt Award.

Before I even knew it existed, all these guys had won one. And I'm like, I'll throw my hat in the ring. Let's be clear. Freddie P has not won a Foster Hewitt Award. He has not won a Foster Hewitt Award, no. He wishes. Did you really win one, and I'm like, I'll throw my hat in the ring. Let's be clear. Freddie P. has not won a Foster Hewitt Award. He has not won a Foster Hewitt Award, no. He wishes. Did you really win one, though?

Absolutely. That's prestigious. The real thing, or it's not a reasonable facsimile? Oh, no. That's pretty amazing. It was an actor, a radio award. They called it the Foster Hewitt Award. It was the Nelly.

Have you seen Nelly? It's a very, very, very Rubenesque-type model who modeled for it. She's a large girl. We should call her... Voluptuous, you say. Yes, exactly. Other people, not me, used to call her the fat chick on a stick. You used to be able to say that.

You can't say it anymore. I can't say that anymore. I didn't say it, though. It was described as that at one time. Where is it now? Do you have this... Oh, it's on the mantelpiece. Oh, yeah, it's on the mantelpiece. Oh yeah, it's on the mantelpiece.

Foster Hewitt Award. Sounds impressive. I know! It's on the top of the book. Foster Hewitt Award winner, John Gallagher, Big League Babylon. But again, we did five and a half minute cast. It was hilarious. I think it was the promise of performance for radio stations back then, but still. You know what right now is? There's no sports

on radio. It's Maple Leafs and the Canadiens tonight. Argo's getting ready for the playoffs and the Raptors lose to the no sports on radio. It's Maple Leafs and the Canadians tonight. Argo's getting ready for the playoffs, and the Raptors lose to the Denver Nuggets. Weather's next. That's right. That's right. That's it.

That's right. And now they're getting all the CTV and the Sportsnet people just to do weekend sports. And now with Lance and Joe, they're doing that on CFTO. They did it across the country. Toronto, I think, was the last man standing, if you will, that had local sports guys still. If you watch a CP24 sports update,

my friend Laura Dykin or somebody from TSN is usually piped in from the TSN. Let me just do my Kensha before we're through. I'm Kensha. CT Big News starts now. I do a Kensha. You do a Kensha too? Because when I'm flipping the stations,

this is Kensha. I know what? Honestly, I do a Kensha. I've been, because when I'm flipping the stations, and this is Kensha. I think it's getting worse, the Kensha. And he's different. Let me tell you, I'm stupid. I never watched CTV News, okay? I know it's the most popular. I was a City TV guy when it was cool. Right.

Good for you. Yeah, seriously. City TV is my station when it was cool. That's why I keep having you guys over. I love talking to you guys and Dwight Drummond and all you guys. Ann Roszkowski,

we'll get to that. But then I switched when they lost their cool. And lost their identity. When they scrubbed the Moses out of there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sanitized it.

I jumped. Then I started CBC and that's where I am today. Judge Away. But I never watched CTV News or CFTO News. But, although Kate Wheeler's daughter

comes on next week. Go ahead. You know, the thing is, with CFTO, the reason they were number one and still are is because, you know, your grandmother, you know, your two-panty granny in Oakville hasn't changed, you know, Channel 8 since 1972. You know, I bought my grandmother a remote control one time. She never used it because she

thought if she missed the TV, the drapes would catch on fire. That's probably right. They got the doilies on the side of the sofa. That's why they're always number one, because what? There's another station? What is channel 57? It's new, Granny.

You'll like it. It's got that Gallagher guy on. But holy smokes. Where was I going with that, that I didn't watch CTV? I was going somewhere, and I totally lost it, but I'll come back. That's also with the book. I mean, Moses was such an envisionary

and a revolutionary. I mean, he would hire, you know, the Jojo Chintos, the Dwight Drummonds, and crazy guys like Gallagher and, you know, and personality. Yeah. I mean, as opposed to the Tom Gibneys

who have been there forever, Gray-haired guy. Ted Knight. Or Ken Shaw. Ken Shaw. Who's probably a lovely gentleman. Oh, man. That's a pretty good Ken Shaw. That's where I was going with this. You know, when I'm in my... I bike a lot

and I drive as well. I also drive a car, believe it or not. But I see a lot of cars that say, like, Kensha Motors on the license plate. I saw those. There must be a dealership in the GTA. I don't think it's him. That's what I'm saying.

I always think, in my mind, I'm like, is that Kensha owns the dealer? You know what I mean? Like, is this the same Kensha? Or we got two Kenshas in the GTA? And it's funny that Kensha is doing the voiceover. He's the voice of CTV News. Oh, you know what?

So Mark Daly passed away a couple years ago. Yes, the voice. Oh, my goodness. So I'm at the funeral. And all of a sudden, I smell smoke. And I see light bulbs go off with the middle management people at City TV. And they go, Gallagher. I used to fill in for Mark Daly for the voiceovers.

Yeah, you did a great voice. Well, thank you. Yeah, yeah. Slim Jim knows it, too. That's right. And all you get a great voice. Well, thank you. Yeah, yeah. Slim Jim knows it, too. That's right. And all the other stations, too, you know, including, you know, media television and CP24 and much music. And so they say, John Gallagher, now that Mark's gone, he should be the voice to carry

on the torch for Mark Daly. So why don't you come into the station? We'll meet. And I did. And I went to Moses. And Moses goes, no. And I had this whole thing written out, just what I was selling. You know, carrying on the tradition, passing the torch from Mark Daly to John Gallagher.

He goes, no, no. That's a shame. Why not? It's Tuesday. It's not John Gallagher day today. I'm not going to let you do it. Oh, come on. Moses That's a shame. Why not? It's Tuesday. It's not John Gallagher day today. I'm not going to let you do it. Oh, come on! Moses sounds like a figure.

It sounds like he's definitely a bright visionary and sees the big picture, if you will, and has great visions. And that's why I loved City TV back in the day when it had all that character. And Silverman, Peter Silverman. Another guy. The names just roll off my tongue.

I mean, Monica Dior was terrific. I mean, and then Jennifer Valentine. Speaking of, I mean, Gordon Martin. No, 39 years. 39 years. They want to see you in the boardroom. And he's thinking, of course, you know, the celebrations for my 40th anniversary here at City TV. No, you're fired.

And then, you know, and then Jennifer Valentine, another dear friend. They just drop the lie-by on the breakfast television or whatever it is. I have a Gordon Martineau and a Jennifer. I got a little section, but here, so I'll put, what is this? What did the broadcaster say now? I'll put a pin in that. This is what they say. I hate it when they say it, but I'm going to say it now.

Put a pin in that because I want to tell people that your book, I need to mention your book here, Big League Babylon, B-A-B-B-l-e-o-n very clever big league babylon and then the uh was it the second line i like says uh the miss the misadventures of a rabble rousing sportscaster and why he should be dead by now indubitably and you i was lucky enough i'm holding it up nobody can see this because it's audio only but i've got the book in my hand and it's one of those, so it arrives late. A few nights ago, it arrives, and in fact, I had Stephen Stanley,

who's one of the original members of Lowest of the Low, he was coming over to kick out the jams with me. We were going to do a recording and play his 10 favorite songs of all time, so I knew he was coming over, and I got the book. It just arrived. I came home from the daycare,

and I was looking at the book, and I start reading it. I. And I start reading it. I'm going to start reading it. I swear to you, I could not put it down. Like, these stories are, like, there's so many stories. And, you know,

the fact that this podcast right now exists and I have people like you coming on to have these kind of conversations. I have Ziggy over. I have Dwight Drummond. I have these people over to talk.

So, obviously, I'm fascinated by this part of Toronto's history and the City TV years, the TSN, the Q107, your stories. You got David Bowie shows up. I mean, we'll get to some of the more stories later, but I couldn't put it down. It was written the way you talk.

So while I'm reading this, I hear your voice because you have an emphphatic passionate way of speaking that i quite like for stories and that's how the book is written and it's frenetic like it's like a rap i felt like it was untouchables when they had the machine guns or whatever like it was the names that were dropped and the stories and it's one of those things like this guy's lived a life and then we're gonna get to this later but i'm reading it and it's like bang bang bang bang i had to put it down to do the recording i picked it up the next day. I kept going. I couldn't believe how interesting

it was. And then you have a chapter 32. I'll get to it later. And it's like, that alone was like a standalone book to me, a completely different tone. We'll get to that later. I just want to tell you this is not bullshit. If I don't like a book, I just won't say anything. I'll be nice. You get a book coming out. I hope people buy it. I loved

this book. Oh, that is so cool. From a guy like you, you know, who is so passionate about radio and TV and just the history of TV and radio in the city of Toronto. Thank you so much. You told me that the other day, and I'm thinking, wow.

If I can get, you know... You're not surprised, are you? I don't know. I will pass it on to my girlfriends and ex-girlfriends. They're like, and not to blow any smoke, but since you just did, they're like, wow, this is, you know.

And there's no inclination that I could write at all. Well, okay, last time you were here, episode 181, I believe, you said you were going to write a book. Like, you told me. And I have to admit, after you left, I'm like,

yeah, sure. Everybody's going to write a book. Like, I'll believe it when I see it. after you left, I'm like, yeah, sure. Everybody's going to write a book. Like I'll believe it when I see it. Like when there's an actual physical book out there, okay, because I said to you, you come back when the book comes out. And you're like, I will.

You're a man of your word because you're right here. And it comes out today. So is today the day? Absolutely. Today is the day. But there are people who have bought it already.

Like do you think bookstores just ignore the drop date and just put it out anyways? Yes, yes. Because I got some tweets and people were like, some Tina in Toronto, I believe is her handle

on Twitter, and she's like, it's amazing, isn't it? I bought it and read it and I'm like, okay, this thing's out there. People are buying it and reading it.

I know the drop date is today, but I think it leaked out. I don't know why they beat me to the punch, but hey, it's already sold out at Young and Eglinton of the chapters there.

It's available at Walmart, so there's a nice plug. There's books on the shelves coast to coast. You said you were going to write it. You did it. So right off the bat, kudos. You said you were going to write this book, and you did. And it got, you know, there's a real publisher behind it. You didn't

print this on your home dot matrix printer. No, and I know a lot of people in the industry who couldn't get their book published. So this is, and you can get it at Dundurn, D-U-N-D-U-R-N dot com. Right. I'm so glad you liked it. It means a lot.

It really does. It's the kind of, you know, and this is the other thing. My wife sees me reading this because usually we were going to watch, I'm watching the series on HBO called The Deuce, okay? It's from the guys who did The Wire. I flick around.

I see that from time to time. It's got a lot of Wire actors in it. And it looks like 1971. I wasn't actually alive in 1971. But my first memories of the late 70s. Well, it depends on where you're looking from. I had a guest in here. I have a guest next week.

I mentioned Kate Wheeler's daughter. She's coming in. We're going to kick out the jams and talk about it. She's in movies and TV shows and ads and she's whatever. And I'm like, my daughter knows her very well. And then I'm like, I found out she's 21 years old. Okay. So I'm like, I could be her dad.

That's funny. Okay. So I digress. But the book, you said it, you did it. It was fantastic. Right off the bat, before we do the plugs and then we dive in, because we haven't actually started, this is all an intro, believe it or not. This is going to get good.

Not that it isn't already. But did you have any fear when you put this book together, did you have any fear that you would be sued? Do you think it's that racy? Well, I don't know, except that people are so litigious, at least in terms of threatening stuff. I'm curious, did you run it by a lawyer before this thing goes?

How does that work? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We had to cut a lot of stuff out. Okay, that was my question. Because of libel and suggested lawsuits here and there. So can I please see the version before the names were removed to avoid you from being in court for the rest of your life. There must be a version of this book you wrote and then they said,

okay, we need to not name this person by name. You need to maybe take this part out because you're going to get sued. Can I see that original version? I can send that to you. It's got to be somewhere on the computer. I need to see that. That's the book that's out. We're going to talk

about that book and we're going to talk about that book and we're going to tell some stories. Of course, there's so many stories. If you were to tell all the stories, this would be like a 25-hour podcast. So people, if you're looking for it again, Big League Babble On is what this book is called. Look up the John Gallagher book.

At Dundurn has it. But please, let me tell you a bit about the beer. Oh, you moved the beer. Okay, I was going to say, did you drink all that beer, John? because it's very early on a Saturday morning you know it's so strange because when you posted that John Gallagher is coming to be on your show and he had a picture of the Great Lakes brewery beer

they're like oh I didn't know that the Great Lakes made a Chardonnay that's right I'm a white wine drinker myself I love this beer though that's yours so you take that six pack home with you courtesy of Great Lakes beer, who, of course, you'll have another Great Lakes Beer tonight at the Chivalo event. And my book is signing books at the event tonight as well.

Right. At the Review Theater. And I loved how that all came together. Like Great Lakes is doing the beer. My buddy Norm, a brother of Mike Wilner, he's there because he's a movie reviewer. That makes sense because Chvalo movies stuff. And Ziggy, who's coming back again

to kick out the jams, but she came over here with Joel Goldberg. I know he's the big guy behind the whole Chevalo community center. He's, although he loves Cleveland teams, that's okay. He's from Cleveland. I didn't know that. Yeah, he's from Cleveland. So like, he's a big Indians fan and it's like, I don't even like saying Indians. It just

feels wrong now. Jerry Howarth won't say the name of the Cleveland baseball team. Well, good for him. Because at least when he started doing that, he wasn't making a noise about it to be, hey, I'm the guy who won't say the name. He just stopped using the name. That's right. That's right.

And it was a long time later when we played him in the playoffs that it actually got revealed. And someone just picked it up. It's like, hey, how come the Leafs aren't raising their sticks after a win anymore? Right. Oh, it up. It's like, hey, how come the Leafs aren't raising their sticks after a win anymore? Oh, stick gates. That's right. That's a good analogy there. So you will need

a good pint glass to pour your Great Lakes beer into because you've got to stop drinking from the can, John. I know you're a white wine drinker, so this is not a problem for you, but you've got to pour that beer into a pint glass. So there is one beside your water there. That is yours as well. So there is one beside your water there. That is yours as well.

That is from propertyinthesix.com. Gentleman there named Brian Gerstein. Brian is a proud sponsor of this program, which means he's a good guy because he's sponsoring wonderful content like this. And Brian has a message for everybody. Let's listen to Brian. January 1st for all lenders, this will have a huge impact as it will affect those buyers with a down payment of 20% or more who were previously exempt. In January, expect your affordability to also drop by 20%. You can call me at 416-873-0292 for more information on the changes,

as I fully expect a rush of buyers to purchase before you're in. I can also refer you to our in-house mortgage broker team, who can qualify you so you know how much purchasing power you have now and what the number will be in 2018. Thank you, Brian. Again, Brian is, what is his number? 416-873-0292. But when you call him, make sure Toronto Mike sent you.

More beer for Toronto Mike. That's right. That's right. And load up a little Floyd. Let me tell you about Paytm. John, you'll love this. This is an app designed to manage all of your bills in one spot. You don't have to visit each of your bills in one spot.

You don't have to visit each separate website to make a payment. You pay all your bills on the PayTM app. And no, PayTM does not stand for Toronto Mike. That is a glorious and wonderful coincidence. So use the promo code Toronto Mike on your first transaction, your first bill payment using the app, and you get $10. $10 off your first bill payment. That's free money. I saw that if you make a transaction of $25 or more, you go in a draw to win whatever the new $10,000 iPhone is. iPhone X, I think. I'm not an Apple guy, but they're giving out iPhone Xs too, so download Paytm

from paytm.ca and please use the promo code TorontoMike. All one word. Never got into Floyd, by the way. Never a Floyd fan. All my high school buddies were into the Floyd. Not even comfortablyfortably Numb.

No, no. Into the Straubs, into Emerson, Lichen, Palmer, into Jethro Tull, prog rock. Prog rock, yeah. Oh, my God. I'm a Bowie, T-Rex, Mott the Hoople type guy. I want my freaking music fast. I want it hard.

I want it to jump. I want to be entertained. I want it to be funny. You know, like Sparks is a very underrated band. Love them. But ELP, all those guys, you listen to be entertained. I want it to be funny. You know, like Sparks is a very underrated band. Love them. But ELP, all those guys, you listen to ELP. You listen to Floyd. So some jams like this would be a Gallagher jam,

like David Bowie's Suffragette City. Love Suffragette City. Did you ever see an HBO show called Vinyl? Loved it. How about the guy who played Bowie? That's where I'm going. The guy who played Bowie, who was amazing, I believe he performs this song in that show.

I remember him doing Suffolk City. Yes, he does. It's exactly the song. And I'm playing Suffolk City because I'm going to play another jam from this album later in the podcast. All right. So be ready. Oh, my God, my David Bowie story.

Tell me the David Bowie story off the top and then I got to ask you about Gordon Martineau. I will. I'm at Skydome watching a baseball game. It's 1990 and a limousine driver's dropping some guys off. I'm watching the game with Lloyd Robertson who's wearing a one, he's wearing a... Speaking of CCTV.

A safari outfit, like a one-piece safari outfit. I'm like, I won't even ask. A guy goes, hey, Gallagher, I'm a limousine driver. I know you're a big Bowie fan. Guess who I just dropped off? I'm like, who? Bowie. You want to meet him?

I'm like, come on. So we go to this big, beautiful upstairs patio, and there's David Bowie. And I haven't even met him yet. He takes the cigarette out, and I jump in front of the line and light David Bowie's cigarette, right? I'm thinking, this guy, and he's the coolest guy in the world. Dennis Leary did a story a little while ago when he was, you know, having a smoke, I guess, in one of the talk shows when Leary was hot.

And Bowie's there, and, I mean, Leary, as big as he was, is flabbergasted. He's absolutely speechless. He's next to, you know, David Bowie, the rock and roll god. He had nothing to say because he was just... Same thing happened to me. And Bowie's the funniest guy in the room. And you've met some famous people, so when you're kind of in the

presence of greatness like that, because I mean, from Muhammad Ali, some of the biggest celebrities in the world, and that's why the book, I mentioned the names that are dropped, like, bang, bang, bang, bang, like, rapid fire. And even that story there, which is like, oh, by the way, I'm beside Lloyd Robertson. That's the little stuff that gets me. It's like,

Lloyd Robertson's not the story, but you happen to be, like, with him in a safari suit. You know what I mean? And there are pictures, too. There's pictures with Valli, and there's pictures with David Bowie and Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt. Here's what I've noticed.

When somebody famous dies, like, let's say, David Bowie, when somebody passes, I know on your Facebook page there will be a photo of you with that person. I know. I'm the king of the name drop. But if you got it, flaunt it, right? You know what was left out of the book is the story of Kevin Spacey. After a night at TIFF where the bars were all closed, I said, hey, I've got lots of wine at my place, so back to my house we go.

And it didn't make the book. And I'm talking to my publishers, oh, my God. And you cut that. You cut that story about Kevin Spacey looking for Bobby Darin music out of my collection of 4,000 CDs. And then he was gone. and he was quite the gentleman nothing he played Bobby Darren right? He played Bobby Darren in Beyond

the Sea man there's yeah thankfully I never got into the Spacey show on Netflix that's gone now the middle of the season they're like we're done wow do you have Netflix? I have Netflix yes That's gone now. They're just in the middle of the season. They're like, we're done. Wow. I've never, yeah.

Do you have Netflix? Because I... I have Netflix, yes. Yeah, I'm... What's it pay a month? I'm thinking of getting that. I'm pretty sure it's something like $10 a month or something. Not bad.

It's reasonable for the... He's unhirable now. Good God. And it all happens so quickly. You get whiplash. One day you're top of the world. The next day you're unhirable. It's bam. And then it's boom, One day you're top of the world. The next day you're unhirable. It's bam.

And then it's boom, Dustin Hoffman. Boom, Louis C.K. Boom. It's great. Richard Dreyfuss. Boom. And what got me is the guy from Transparent. I love that guy.

Hank Kingsley. I read that too. Hey now. Hey now. The greatest show of all time is the Larry Sanders show. I love that show. I just bought the entire series on DVD. And it's unbelievable.

The sign says applesauce. That's right. You know what? You're right. I'm not even going to have that. I mean, it's one of my favorite shows of all time. And just things like Warren Zevon, his episode, or the David Duchovny stuff. Ah, Zevon, his episode, or the David Duchovny stuff? Just people playing themselves

in kind of a satirical, kind of a self-deprecating way or whatever. Yeah, Warren Zevon. What do you think, Zevon? I'm an absolute, I have every Warren Zevon album. In fact, I tried to use one of his lyrics in the book. Accidentally like a martyr,

you know, and they wouldn't let me because you can't. I mean, Dundurn came out with a book last year about Johnny Cash and his manager, who's based out of Hamilton or Toronto, and they couldn't use one lyric from Johnny Cash in his entire library because it's very expensive to use lyrics in a book. Interesting.

And it's still with Larry Sanders. Janine Garofalo is in that. Okay. And I'm out drinking one night, and there's Vince Vaughn. Janine Garofalo is in that. And I'm out drinking one night, and there's Vince Vaughn and Janine Garofalo and Joaquin Phoenix. And I make Joaquin cry because a couple of years ago,

I'm with his older brother, River, who's no longer with us, and he's at the Barracuda, and I'm working there. And he's trying to smuggle some beers out to go back to the Four Seasons. I'm like, I can take care of that for you. Here, come this way.

We'll get you all loaded up. And I told the story to Joaquin. And he goes, oh, my God, that's exactly what River does in Los Angeles. Smuggles beer out and takes it home. John, you just. And then he started to cry because we talked about River. I talked about the night with him. And it didn't really dawn on me because River

died at the age of 23, and in that exact time, Joaquin was 23 years old. He got teary-eyed, and his handlers had to whisk him away, away from me. I didn't mean to make him cry, but I guess I did, bringing up Phoenix or River.

You mentioned the Barracuda, so just real quick, that's where I met my first wife at the Barracuda. So just real quick, that's where I met my first wife at the Barracuda on a Thursday night. Come on. They had a thing there Thursday night. This is 21 Scholar Street. Don't look for it. It's not there anymore.

No, it's long gone. You should be the old copa. Yes. So they had a thing on Thursday nights. I think they had to stop because it was against some liquor license thing. But they had 98 cent beers before 10 p.m. How about that?

Yeah, thinking about that now. We used to hoard the beers at our table. So we would get so many 98-cent beers and hoard them at our table. So we'd get them before 10 p.m. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Eric Lindros, he's not in the book. He did that one night. He ordered like 100 beer with him and his buddies at 10 to 2 at night.

And, you know, no. And they had to kick him out. Didn't end well for Eric. No, crazy bananas, right? Cuckoo bananas. Cuckoo bananas. In Oshawa. Right.

How much would they, are you talking, when you said you worked at the Barracuda, what kind of cash would they give you to do appearances like that? You know what? This is not in the book, but they kept offering, okay, we're going to give you $500. I'm like, $500? Not bad. It was a different day and age back then when $1,000 per appearance fee is pretty well the... It sounds amazing to me in 2018.

What is this, 2017? So I said, I tell you what, give me the $500 and give me a buck ahead for anyone else who comes over $500. So the last check they gave me, because people come in and they come out, and all they need is a guy in the front door with a clicker to see how many people are in because of

fire marshal rules. So the last check they gave me, no word of a lie was 4 850 bucks because that's how many people came in and out of the barracuda that night they're like oh all right will you take a thousand yep that's all i wanted wow and i when i hear that story and then i think about something i read in the book about uh you were offered the uh pa announcer gig for the raptors when they first started. Absolutely.

Tell us what money they offered you originally. John Bidhoff pulled me into Wayne Gretzky's one night. I got an offer for you. We're going to make you, when I'm going to audition, you are going to be the new PA announcer for the new franchise, the Toronto Raptors. I'm like, oh, that's great. That's terrific.

He goes, we're going to pay you $50 a game. I'm like, $50 a game? I went back to Moses and talked to the Martinos and the Jim McKinnies and Monica Deals. I'm like, no! $1,000 a game? Minimum! What am I going to do with it?

And then they go, okay, $100. I go, no! Then they go, okay, $100 and two front row seasons tickets. I'm go, okay, $100. I go, no! Then they go, okay, $100 and two front row season's tickets. I'm like, well, what do I need those for? I'm in the front row anyway at the desk. So I said no to that because I'd have to take nights off at City TV. So that'll come out of my vacation days. I'm thinking the whole thing might be five hours of work, I'm guessing.

Yeah, $50 wouldn't pay for parking, Mike. That's $10 an hour. I know. I just emphatically said no. And Herbie Kuhn. Herbie Kuhn got it. And he's had it ever since. Are they paying Herbie 50 bucks?

I hope they pay more. And he's been there forever. And then I just auditioned for the Toronto Maple Leafs gig. Does that pay more than 50 bucks? I don't know how much Andy got. Andy Frost. Andy Frost. So you were his roommate. 2007, I was his roommate. Okay, do more than $50? I don't know how much Andy got. Andy Frost. Andy Frost.

So you were his roommate. I was his roommate. Okay, do more Frost for me. I didn't mean to interrupt your Frost. Psychedelic Sunday, Andy Frost, Q107. Goal scored by number 13, Matt Sundin. That's right. I'm almost going into a Paul Morris there.

That's right. Goal scored by number 93, Doug Gilmore. That's right. Toronto Goals scored by number 14, David Keough. Assist number 20, Gary Monahan, who's my cousin, by the way. No way! And I'm a huge Montreal Canadian fan, because back when I was growing up...

And you were growing up out east, we should point out, right? No, well, yeah, we moved... I lived there for five years. Yeah, during the salad years, I guess. But, you know, I was in Montreal. I had to go to Stanley Cup parades, you know, like, you know, 68, 69, 71, 73, 76, 77. Yeah, we get it. But I mean, Gary Monahan's my cousin, so I was a Leaf fan growing up in Montreal, which

is so strange because the Habs were so good and the Leafs were not good. No, but we're getting better. Oh, and Harold Ballard's story. You want to talk about that real quick? Okay, do a Ballard. Yeah, then I got to get to Gord and then we'll stick to my little notes here. Absolutely.

I can never say no to Harold Ballard's story. I was just starting at Q107. I guess it's the mid to late 1980s. And I think they lost a game to Detroit in the playoffs. I think it was like eight or nine nothing. And I interviewed, And here comes Harold and he's coming out of his bunker and doesn't know me from Adam.

And they're putting him into his wheelchair and he goes, Who the hell are you? And I said, just a couple of questions. No! And he hits me with his cane. Twice. And you can't complain because, you know, I mean, if you complain, you're barred from Maple Leaf Gardens for life, so you take it.

He hit me twice with his cane. And of course, he used it the next morning on cue. After this, you drive to Park Lawn Cemetery. It's right at Bloor, near Bloor in rural York. It's not too far from there. And you can hit his grave marker. He's buried in Park Lawn Cemetery. Oh, my. I took photos.

I found it because Jeff Merrick, who is a Rogers Sportsnet hockey analyst now, is the guy who worked at Park Lawn Cemetery and threw the last, he buried, like physically threw the dirt on top of Harold's casket when they buried him at Park Lawn Cemetery. Wow. I mean, you don't piss Harold off. I mean, Dave Hodge threw a pen up in the air once, and Harold, I think, banned him for a year,

and they had to grovel to get him back. I had Paul Romanuk here earlier this week. Paul Romanuk sat beside, he was sitting beside, you don't see him on camera, but he was working for Hockey Night in Canada at the time, and he was the guy beside Dave Hodge when he threw the pen. Come on. And I had Paul

give me the play-by-play, what he remembers from that day. Wow, the pen flip. How is Romy? He's great. He's a happy guy. He lives in East End of the city.

He goes to Kensington Market every weekend. He's a happy guy. He's calling the regional Leaf games for Sportsnet, and he does a lot of Hockey Night in Canada games, and he gets to do

conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He's a happy guy. Nice. It all worked out for Romy. And I guess my name came up the other day during the conversation. Did it not? Hockey Night in Canada games, and he gets to do conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He's a happy guy. Nice. It all worked out for a moment. And I guess my name came up the other day during the conversation. Did it not? Yeah.

Well, I was in the middle of your book at the time, I think, and I brought you up for sure. For sure. Any chance I get to drop a Gallagher story? Atta boy. You're going to sell a lot of books for me, Mike. And this is not yet. People are going to think, oh, did he slip you? Did he slip you $50?

Or as you would say, my cake. Because I love the cake. I've had Hebsey on a few times, Mark Hebsey. And he talks about the cake. He told me about the cake. And this is a Fergie Oliver. Is he the guy we blame for this? Fergie would have a bundle of $50 American bills,

crisp and clean, to give to players after they did the interviews with Fergie. Right. And so I'm at the World Series in Atlanta, right? You know, history, of course, you know, I mean, by the way, I'm downstairs and I see the color guard about to go on the field, or I'm with Tom Cochran, and they've got the flag upside down. And I'm thinking, ah, they'll figure it out.

Well, they didn't figure it out. That's hilarious. You could have prevented a great controversy there, but what's the fun in that? So, I mean, and now I'm and all the players are in the clubhouse, and there's only a couple of guys, you know, getting ground balls, and it's six, what were the sports cast? It'd be 6.30 or so.

Game's at eight. So, I mean, Darnell Coles was out there taking balls. I'm like, you got a second, Darnell? Yeah, yeah. You got. So, I mean, Darnell Coles was out there taking balls. I'm like, you got a second Darnell? Yeah, yeah. You got any cake? I go, what? Well, I'll eat some cake. What? Money! 50 bucks! Go see Fergie Oliver. Get it from him.

I'm like, my God. So I actually went into my wallet and took out a 50 and gave it to him. Just like mom. And he put it back. And he put it in his back pocket, you know, next to his batting glove. I'm like, oh my God. Darnell Coles.

Come on, give me Robbie or Kelly or somebody. What gets me is like, okay, even in the early, way back in the early 90s, even back then, a guy like Robbie, I'm guessing was making five mil a year or something. Like they still needed their $50 cake.

No kidding. Oh, Robbie Alomar's story is in there. I'm at Alice Fizzuli's one night. I think, you know, I like to warm up in the bullpen with a couple of cocktails before the sportscast. I mean, gosh, who doesn't, right? So I see Robbie there, and Robbie and I are good buddies. I said, Robbie, why don't you come over and do

a little appearance for me at City TV? And of course, you can hit City TV to Alice Fizzuli's with a snowball. And he goes, yeah, sure, Jan. I'll come over. I'll do any of this sports for you. So he takes his limousine and his entourage and comes in. And they get them all made up.

And he walks into the newsroom. And he's God. You know, he's won back-to-back World Series. He's probably the greatest athlete this city. I'll say it. This city has ever seen. I can't argue with that. You know, you got your Gilmores.

You got your Georgie Chevalers. You got your Doug Fluties. He's the greatest ever. I'm sorry, but he is. And you're not going to argue. I actually cannot come up with a name that is a better, I think you might be exactly right with that. So Robbie's with me on the air,

and I can just hear the news directors and sports directors at Global and CBC and CFTO, and they're going, oh, Gallagher's got Robbie Alomar live. Sitting right there on the desk where we do our sports. Oh, my God, he kissed him. Gallagher just kissed Robbie Alomar on TV. And Robbie and I would go out later. We'd pick up some, chase some skirt

and take him back to his hotel room. And is that where you think the lawsuits are going to come in, right there? I don't know. No one will sue me. It's all true. If it's true, I guess they can't sue you. That's right. Now I'm going to bring up some topics

because I realize now if I let these... You have so many stories. This is going to easily be three hours before I get to my notes here. So I need to know. Tell me what you know about the Gord Martineau firing because Gord Martineau was at City TV forever. I know he took a cup of coffee at Global and came back in the early 80s or something.

For two weeks, he was on Global. Right, that's right. But he was there forever, whatever, almost 40. 39 years. That's amazing. And as I recall, he does a newscast one night. At the end of the newscast, he says something like, up next, Modern Family.

Then they go out credits. And then a press release comes out from Rogers later that night to say, we thank Gord for his services. Unbelievable. He's gonzo. Wow. What happened there? Your guess is as good as mine.

And now you know what they have. They have an anchorless newscast. Right. If you look at City TV, they're on location wherever. They just go, boom, boom, boom, Roger Peterson. They let the reporters do it or whatever. Yeah, yeah. But you know what?

I don't know. Was he just making too much cash? Absolutely. Absolutely. And I got in touch with him. He says, John, by the way, I'm not retiring. I was out and out fired. To me, it was clear he was fired.

I don't think it was even spun. Sometimes, and we'll get to, I'm going to ask about Ann Romer in a minute, but sometimes they spin, yes. Well, you know who's a good example, and I can never, I just brought up Kate Wheeler twice, but she came in with a long time CTV, a woman who would anchor

CTV newscasts. Sure. And Bentley, Christine Bentley. Great gal. They've got their own show, I think, on SiriusXM. I don't. I don't know if it's Sirius or not. I don't think it's SiriusXM, but they do have their own show. It's Sirius XM I don't I don't know if it's Sirius or not I don't think it's Sirius XM but they do have their own show

it's definitely a podcast it's on Jewel like you know those Evanov group stations I see it on Dundas near Dundas Street Grill there but yeah

she was great Christine Bentley they spun it to the public like us they spun this and she came on and told this story where they spun it

as a retirement Christine Bentley is retiring no no this was a she said an executive came to her and said your time is up And she came on and told this story where they spun it as a retirement. Christine Bentley is retiring. No. No. This was a, she said an executive came to her and said, your time is up. We can do this two ways. We can walk you out and you can, you know, be fired. Or we can spin this as a retirement and you can have your pride or whatever. And she chose that option too.

But the danger in that, I think, is getting other gigs. People think you've retired. Right. And you want to work. Yeah. Gord Martineau, I'm sure, wants to work still.

How much do you think Joe Tilly and Lance Brown were making after all those years? After 30 plus years? You're right. That adds up. Jennifer Valentine.

Okay. So Jennifer Valentine. Another great gal. She was on, she was at City TV Forever and she joined the Breakfast Television crew where she would do live eyes.

And I remember it was April Fool's Day when they issued the press release that she was, we no longer, we cut the live eyes. So Jennifer Valentine is no longer with us and we wish her well or whatever. And I swear to you, and I'm a pretty savvy guy. I talked to a lot of industry and said, I swear to you, when I read it the first time, I thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. Isn't that a catch? I swear to you, because I was already on guard time, I thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. Isn't that a catch?

I swear to you, because I was already on guard because everything was coming at you bullshit because it was April 1st, which sucks. But this thing comes in, we cut the live eyes, we no longer after whatever, 27 years, whatever it was. And it wasn't a joke. It wasn't a joke. Jennifer Valentine was, and I will tell

you this, the very next week my wife was on maternity leave, so she would watch some breakfast television. There was a live eye. Oh, no. I think it was Winston, I think, they sent over, who probably was making... Winston's a good guy. I just met him at the Bloor Street Village Halloween Festival. But I'm pretty sure Winston's making half of what Jennifer Valentine's making.

Yeah. If you listen to some of the morning shows in this city, I mean, there's some high-priced talent, and some high-priced talent, and also very highly talented people is what I'm trying to say. Kevin Frankish, you mean? No, I mean, basically, you know, Roger and Marilyn, and now you've got Moe on CHFI. And then the rest of the, I mean, God love them,

but the rest of the day parts and the rest of the announcers, they're not that strong. So do we know what happened with Jennifer Valentine? It was just making too much money again, right? Probably, yeah. It's funny, if your wife tuned in and watched the live eye, well, that's just an out-and-out bald-faced lie. In fact, Kevin Frankish came on the show and basically said as much,

which is like, that was bullshit. I guess they have to spin it somehow, but the whole idea, we don't do live eyes. If you tune into Breakfast Television on Monday morning, somebody like Winston will be live from some local fair or something, a Christmas market or something, and that's a live eye. I don't care what you call it. That's what Jennifer did.

How about that? Come on. She's landed on her feet well with Q in the morning. Are you still friendly with John Derringer? Oh, all the time. I was at his house during the summer. Tell that guy to come on the show. I know.

His brother was on the show. Bill Hayes. Well, John lives. John, I'm trying to get him to come to mine. If I can say this out loud, I'm having a big book launch at the Cadillac Lounge on Queen Street on Monday. I'd love you to come. George Chiavallo is going to be there. I think we're inviting Ron and Don and Lennox Lewis.

I'm going to try to be there. I'd love that. Derringer lives up in King City, so he doesn't really come into the city a lot. Put in a word for me. I will. I know you're trying to get him. I've been working on him a long time.

Derringer's a whale. I'm a minnow. He is a whale. To get him on the show would be quite a catch. He hasn't given me a firm no. He's in that thinking about it mode, but he's been stuck in that mode for a few years now. I mean, you're not for lack of talent on this show.

I'm not saying me. Tell him I'm a big fan and he'll have a good experience. You are a big fan, but look at the people you've had on, for goodness sakes. Okay, speaking of people I've had on, Ann Roszkowski came on. Love her. She was very frank about the fact that for the three years, the last three

years she worked with Gord Martineau, Gord would not talk to her when the red light was not on. This is what she

said in the public on this show. So I'm not telling stories. I didn't know this. I was going to ask you, did you

know that there was a frosty apologies to Andy who says he will come on your Christmas because you need a guy named Frost to

come on. That's what we're going named Frost to come on at Christmas time. That's what we're going to do. But I digress. Did you know anything about Anne? First of all, what do you think of Anne? What was it like working with Anne? Because I'm a big fan, but I need to hear from somebody on the inside. And did you have any idea there was a frosty relationship between Gordon and Anne?

I will be honest. I was not there at the time for the last three years of the Mirzk the Mirzkowski, Martineau, Tete-Tete. I didn't know that. I didn't know that. Well, I didn't know. I mean, I didn't know either, but she's. I see Anne all the time at auditions. You know, we auditioned for the same film.

And I got it. It was. Which film? It was. Oh, come on. Oh, come on. Jessica Chastain. Sam Waterston.

Oh, wow. John Lithgow. It's a big cast. Oh, come on. She was a lobbyist against the guns. It was Miss Sloan. Thank you, Miss Sloan. And I sat around all day with John Lithgow and Sam Waterston.

But anyway, I saw her at that audition. And she's great. She seems like she's having a lot of fun. I think she went to Global for a book. Oh, yeah, without a doubt. She was at Global, and then they walked her out, maybe for making too much money as well. And I asked her, because she was saying some things

that would be not good things, I think, if you were trying to get another gig in the incestuous little media we have. I was worried for her, because she was... Here's how I'd say it, and this is an explicit show I can say it. She was talking like she was out of fucks to give. Ann Roszkowski decided,

I'm going to just tell the truth. I'm not going to spin the bullshit anymore. This is what happened. And she was so frank and honest. It was an amazing discussion. Wow. For her to say that about Martin Owen not talking to him for the last three years is very un-Ann-like. You need to listen to this episode, my friend. If you ever have an extra 90 minutes, you listen to the Anne Roszkowski and tell me what you think.

Now, at the end of it, I did ask her. I said to her, well, Kate, because she's 63 years old. At the time, she was 63. She looked like she was 39. Absolutely. Unbelievable. But she was 63 years old, and I just said, would you like to work again in this industry that you worked in for decades? And she basically looked

at me and she said, Mike, I'm a 63-year-old woman. Nobody is going to hire me. And I think she had this realization like there was no gigs for a 63-year-old woman, so she might as well tell the truth. This is what I said. Well, you know what? It's not that I'm in my mid-50s, mid

to early 50s. And this book is basically I'm sure I'll get a broadcast gig and I've got some irons in the fire. But this is pretty well what Anne's thinking. You know, I mean, I don't know how many people I'm going to alienate with this book or take off. It's easier for men than women. Sadly, it's easier for men than women. This is true. And I will say this as just a guy who absorbs and is a fan of media and stuff, i don't understand why i find people like yourself and i'm gonna throw my buddy mark hebbs here in there too who was with me when i met

winston at that blue is village but so you are people i think tell a great story have something you can't teach which is perspective and uh experience and you're entertaining personalities and it blows my mind that neither of you can get a mainstream, or not that you can't, but don't have a current mainstream media gig because, oh, why are we hiring these? I know why, because young people will work for $35,000 a year or something. That's the number I always come up with. In fact, whenever I'm talking about what they're giving these announcers on any station, $35,000 is exactly the number that I bring up, too. It's funny you'd say that, because that's what we were getting back in the day, when I was hired

at Q107 back in 1996. When I worked at McDonald's as a teenager, that's what the salary managers would get. There you go. At the time, it seemed like big cheese, but we are going back to the 80s, so okay. But moving on, I think personalities like you guys are missing. And it's sad that instead of embracing these big personalities, these name brands that we all know and love, but we sort of discard them because they demand more than $35,000 a year. And I think we're lesser off because of it.

I agree with you completely. Humble and Fred and I talked about that in length the other day on SiriusXM. And just the great stories. That alone should get me or other people like me noticed.

They couldn't get hired and they decided we're going to do this ourselves. And I only know this because they called me up and said, hey, we want to do daily podcasts and we know how to create content.

And they said, I know how to... Basically, and I used to do this for them when they first got let go from the mix. We would go to

Dan Duran's house and do it. Right, right, right. And I was the guy, the digital backend guy. They came to you for advice. Talk about that.

and said, we know how to create an MP3. This is why... Buddy, I don't want to spend much time on me because this is all about you. But the reason I have a podcast today

is because I did the back end for those guys and for the first two weeks, they broadcast every day from another studio, but in the neighborhood. I sat there for the first two weeks and I basically watched them work. And in less than a year, I had bought my own shit and started doing it myself

because I basically was inspired by what I saw. Good for you. So that's a good example. They realized nobody's going to hire us, so we're going to do this ourselves and own our own shit. And today, they sell their own advertising and they own their own business. Yeah, I think Freddie worked a couple of hours away for a while. He was a station manager and he'd come home to Brampton with his wife and kids. He was the program director for the

Peterborough Chorus Cluster. Yeah. There was a couple of stations. And that didn't end well for Freddie. I mean, they kind of shown him the... Oh, it's a strange business, isn't it? It's a tough business. Let's talk about somebody you worked with at Q107 who passed away recently, and a lot of people loved, was Scruff Connors.

Scruff Connors. Talk to me about Scruff. Piece of work. Interesting guy to work with. I'm not going to go too much, because I'm actually, truth be told, writing another book. And a lot of the people that we've been talking about today,

it's mostly about broadcasters and the relationships I've had with them. Scruff was a talented guy, just an absolute closet genius, funny guy, but sometimes not the friendliest guy. There was actually a memo that went out that, Scruff, you have to say good morning to the rest of the team when you get to work.

That actually was a memo, you know, given to Jeff Chalmers and Donna Saker and I. Scruff, you got to say. And sometimes he'd call, you know, I can't make it. I'm in my limo and I'm in Oakville. Well, Scruff, it's 8.30 in the morning. Just go, go, go, go home. Because he lived in St. Catharines.

That's a long drive. That is tough. A drive to Toronto. But just, you know what, if I may say so, just an extremely talented guy. And funny. And he was great with the phone calls and working the phones. you know what, if I may say so, just an extremely talented guy and funny. But after Mojo... Phone calls and working the phones. And I remember I would listen to him on cue

and then he got, like, later in life, although he's probably younger than I envisioned him, he seemed always older than he was, actually. Yes, with that voice, yeah, sure. But on Mojo Radio, he was a part of that lineup when they did the Mojo, speaking of Humble and Fred. But after that gig, they let him go from there. I don't think

he ever got like a, I don't know, maybe he went out west or something, but I don't think he ever got hired again. And that would be decades. Yeah. Yeah. And he didn't, I mean, when he died, he died, in my opinion, he died at an age, I want to die older than that. You know, I don't remember exactly, was he in his 50s or 60s?

Oh, good gracious. He wasn't an old man. Yeah, I think late 60s. I'd have to look that up. Okay. Scruff, I guess it was last year he passed away, but you mentioned his son is on the air at Hits FM, so good for TJ.

I think actually, just to bring the story full circle, I'm pretty sure that TJ, maybe he even got a start in Peterborough working for Freddie P's. I think actually, just to bring the story full circle, I'm pretty sure that TJ, maybe he even got a start in Peterborough working for Freddie P's. I think Freddie P might have gave him a gig in Peterborough. So it all comes full circle. Freddie P and Scruff were buddies. Yeah.

I mean, Humble and I were talking. You know how far we go back? We had the fondue parties in the 1980s at Humble's house. Fondue parties? Remember those? See, I know of them. I believe I was too young at that time to ever attend Fondue parties. Remember those? See, I know of them. I believe I was too young at that time to ever attend a fondue party.

Good for you. Overrated. That's funny. Alan Thicke is another guy who died too young. And he and you, and I read the book so I can tell you about, I would rather hear it from you, but tell me about, I think it's the summer of 1990. This is a story, just to set it up, I talk about

name dropping. Some people are like, oh, dropping names, you better pick that up. I'm like, no. Drop the shit out of names. I love that stuff. Keep dropping names. I want to hear the names. I'm going to throw them. This is a story, this is an Alan Thicke story that you're going to share, but it's Shannon Doherty is in this story from 90210.

Bubba Smith, who I know from Police Academy movies, which filmed down the street at the Lunatic Asylum, the Mimico Lunatic Asylum, which is now a Humber College thing. That's down the street. Jim Kelly, who, the greatest quarterback, Buffalo Bill's

history. Brett Hull. Tell me about this Alan Fick story with these names that are just amazing. Jake Edwards and I got hired to do the play-by-play and announcing for the Wayne Gretzky Celebrity Softball Tournament in 1990 and 91. They had Dan Gallagher do it the year before, and they just figured, I'll bring Brother Jake and Gallagher. And one night we're sitting there with my girlfriend,

and Shannon Doherty comes in, and she's way underage, right? And there was a big party on the Friday night before the softball game on Saturday and Wayne Gretzky's behind the bar and Brett Hall and I are doing the Blues Brothers. It was just crazy. So the waiter says, or the bartender, can I see some ID from Shannon Doherty?

She's like, again, I don't know, 17 or 18. Bubba Smith leans in. She doesn't need any ID, sir. Hightower. Hightower, right? Yeah, yeah. And Alan Thicke, he was the master of ceremonies, and I'll tell you, man,

one of the funniest after-dinner speakers I've ever heard. And I've seen the best, including Dennis Hall, who's also in the book, because during the 25th anniversary Canada-Russia game, I'm ever heard. And I've seen the best, including Dennis Hall, who's also in the book, because during the 25th anniversary Canada-Russia game, I'm in goal. Ken Dryden whispers in my ear, you're starting the third period.

It was all prearranged. Sure, sure. And Ken, who's the coach of my team, starts, and I'm a big Montreal Canadian fan, from Montreal, he starts Guy Lepointe, Serge Savard, Pete and Frank Mohavlouche,

and Yvonne Cornoua to start the period. Oh, wow. And Dennis Hull comes down, and he's pissed because he hasn't scored yet. And he whizzes one right by my ear, top corner, where mom hides the sports cliches. That's right. You know, I'm not surprised to hear you're a goalie, because you know what they say about goalies.

Oh, we're nuts. They have to be a little nuts. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. You know, to have a vulcanized piece of rubber, you know, shot at you at 120 miles an hour. We have like an ongoing family contest, who can meet the most famous person, okay? So my daughter has the lead because she met Will Smith last summer. Good.

Big name. I can't touch that. John Gallagher's a big name, but he's no Will Smith. Like, what do I do? But I actually think the most famous person I've ever met and had a conversation with, I think it's Alan Thicke. That's what I think. I think, I'm trying to think who's my most, because, you know, some of them, they're very local or national names, like Ron McLean or whatever.

I think it might be Alan Thicke. And he was great. And a wonderful guy. You know, Kirkland Lake boy, you know, typically Canadian, just like all the other guys that we've met. They were huge. Like the Mike Myers and the Dan Ackroyds that I partied with. I mean, they're just so nice to be around.

Now, you're going to ask me who my biggest name is? My brush with greatness? It's got to be Muhammad Ali. I was going to say, but please tell me. That's an amazing big name. Yeah, Robert Plant's up there. David Bowie's there. Michael Jordan. And one time,

this is in the book too, I used to wait tables at the Hotel of Angeline, the Hotel Nova Scotia, and I had a little tuxedo, and I had kept it for reasons just like this. Lady Di and Prince Charles are in Halifax

in 1983, a big state dinner hosted by Pierre Trudeau. So just as a goof, I get my tuxedo out, and it's exactly what everyone else is wearing, the waiters and waitresses at the big ballroom. And I want to see how close I can get to Lady Di. So sure enough, I'm in the kitchen. They're giving me some looks, but I haven't been kicked out yet.

And I'm sure the head of security from London, England, is looking at me going, how the hell did he get here? In a deep English accent. I get one of those little plates of butter, you know, with the ice. And I can't believe I did this. I get all the way up behind Lady Di and Prince Charles and put the plate of butter right in front of Lady Di. And just like Hannibal Lecter did, remember when he touched

Officer Starling? Jodie Foster? Jodie Foster, remember that? Yeah, of course, yeah. Pinky on pinky? Yes, yes. I brushed Lady Di's pinky when I was putting the plate of butter and got the hell out of there. She was probably, I mean, next maybe to the Queen, but probably the most famous woman on the planet at that time. Absolutely. I met Demi Moore when she was the highest paid actress in the history

getting $20 million, so that's a name too. But I actually brushed the finger of Princess Lady Di. And what a story I told. I never met her, Mike, but the story I told the next day on the air, they went, you have got to be joking.

Because people waited in line for hours just to get near her. I'm worried about the security there. That was a good old day. The early 80s. I think today you wouldn't get close enough. Oh, God, no. Oh, God, no. Yeah.

And with that, in the 80s, when you're in a hot tub with Wendell Clark, and you're at Dougie Gillimore's pool until six in the morning drinking with Amy, we don't get that. I mean, no one has access like that. Did she have the cow legs on? Because that would be my request. Remember those?

I've got a picture with him and I with those cow legs. Never forget the cow legs. I know. Speaking of famous women, Stevie Nicks. Here's the story. Never forget the cow legs. I know. Speaking of famous women, Stevie Nicks. Here's the story. I'm reading this thing. And of course,

you have a million stories in this book. So we're touching on a few of them here. Sure. Obviously, there's lots there. You've got to get this book. Can you just share, before I'm going to ask you

about the Gallagher show on TSN, I have something to say about that. But Stevie Nicks, can you share a little of that story? Yes. That's unbelievable. Yes. The doors swing open

at the penthouse suite of the Four Seasons Hotel. And there's Stevie Nicks. Can you share a little of that story? Yes. The doors swing open at the penthouse suite of the Four Seasons Hotel, and there's Stevie Nicks standing there with a black bustier and a long, flowing black gown. And she's got this look that says, hey boy, hey boy, eyes up here, boy. And she bends over. Well, there's a

rumor. It's number four on the Rolling Stone. Oh, I don't know what publication, number four on the rock and roll rumors of all time where Stevie Nicks is a deviated septum which he does, and she would have her little assistant blow cocaine up

different parts of, well you can get the idea, so as I tell it and Stevie bends over and passes me a straw and so it was her and I just sitting there giggling for half an hour before the band came upstairs. Actually, most of the band went to bed.

You know what I mean? Lindsey Buckingham wasn't with, oh my God, did you read the new, Stevie Nicks' new book? It's about how abusive Lindsey Buckingham was with her for years and years. But Stevie and I, yeah. And this is the same story where you pass Stephen Tyler, the Toxic Twins.

Unbelievable. It's the same story. That's what I'm talking about in this book. It's 4.30 in the morning. Hand to God, I'm coming downstairs, and they're coming in from the airport from another gig that night. And I'm like, hey, Steve Tyler. Oh, Joe Perry.

Listen, there's a party upstairs in the penthouse suite. Stevie Nicks is up there. You gotta go up, man. And they're looking at me like I have a cabbage for a head. Like, who the hell is this guy? And that, you know, when if you're at, you know, that was the thing at Q107.

You'd open the door, oh, Steve Miller. Open the door, oh, it's Eddie Murphy. Oh, you know, all these people would come in. John Candy would come in all the time. And then I'm at Much Music. And when you're at Much Music City TV, you know, the greatest names in rock and roll will pass by. You know? And it was just. And, of course, I always had one of those stupid little $24, 22, you know, exposure cameras in my glove compartment or in my, you know, in the desk.

And, you know, if they were there, oh, Stevie Nicks. Oh, Iggy Pop. Oh, Alice Cooper. It was ridiculous. And I always had one, but this is before iPhones and selfies. Oh, Gene Simmons, another guy. Good God. Gene Simmons, though, comes across as a bit of an asshat. I don't know.

Yeah, and I have this... There's a chapter in the book about, you know, I didn't want to sound sleazy, or you know, take a shower after reading the chapter. But we do talk a little bit about, you know, I love women. I just, I wouldn't, I'd be nothing without them. They're smarter, they're funnier than guys. They keep guys like you and I around for the sperm like the Amazon.

And I mean, I don't want, I didn't want to come off like a sleaze, but another reviewer actually reviewed me. Gallagher is a funny guy. He's a complete horn dog, but he's a funny guy, and I give this book four out of five. So I didn't want to sound like it was sleazy like Gene Simmons and Courtney Love and any members of Motley Crue, but hey,

it's my book. Speaking of reviewers, okay, I'm let me play a clip from 1999. It's like a minute long, and it's a clip from the Gallagher show on TSN. Let's listen in. There you go. Good job, guys. Over to you, Johnson. All right, our good fan wearing the World Junior Hockey sweater. You know what? If all comes together for us, we're going to have one of the World Junior Hockey,

hopefully gold medal winners on the show tomorrow night as they get off the plane at Pearson International all the way to Studio 99. Let's just cross our fingers. All right, my thanks to Mark Osborne. Ozzie, you're a good man. Good luck with the St. Mike's Majors. Keep up the battle. If you're a hockey fan, tonight is the night, people.

Coming up on TSN, an absolute classic. Canada and the Russian juniors head-to-head. You don't get any better than that. We're behind you from coast-to-coast, people. Coming up on TSN, an absolute classic. Canada and the Russian juniors head-to-head. You don't get any better than that. We're behind you from coast-to-coast, boys. Now, a little inspiration. They are watching us right now in the dressing room in Winnipeg. How about a little Canada? Canada!

Canada! Canada! Good luck, fellas. The Gallagher Show on TSN. Live from Gretzky's. The Gallagher Show on TSN. Live from Gretzky's. I want to ask you about reactions of some media reviewers of the time.

Back in the day, we went to the Toronto Star. We read what Chris Zeljkovic had to say or William Houston in the Globe and Mail. They just hated it. Tell me what they hated about the Gallagher. Mm-hmm. Now, in a little further. They just hated it. Yeah, so tell me what, what they hated about the Gallagher show on TSN. Like, and if you could,

if you, I mean, I've met Chris, I haven't met William, but if you could talk to Chris today or William today, what would you say? Like,

is there, is there, what do you mean, after I would knock them down? Right. And then, you know, next time you'll see me,

you'll be in court there, buddy. I just, you know, they just didn't get it. They just didn't get the, you know, I mean, all the sports'll see me, you'll be in court there, buddy. You know, they just didn't get it. They just didn't get the, you know, I mean, all the sportscasters now, Mike, they're all, you know, part sportscaster, part comedian. You know, it's like Jay and Dan.

You know, it's just a different genre. Back then, and this was, you know, late 1980s, or sorry, late 1990s. They just didn't get it. Freddie Patterson and I had a long conversation about this the other day. They just, you know, They're so used to the Jim McKay and Kurt Gowdy and they just you know, it was just a TV show.

It's just, you know, 93 shows, more than Magic Johnson, less than Johnny Carson. That's right, somewhere in between there. Now, Sean Ryder on Twitter he tweeted at me when he heard you were coming on and he wrote, I'll read his words.

I really enjoyed watching Gallagher on TSN in 98, 99. My question for John is out of all, and this is funny because we talked about wrestlers earlier, out of all the WWF wrestlers he interviewed on the show, which one was his favorite?

Oh, it would have to be China. Yeah. China would have to go out a lot. And again, the Los Angeles thing and having her invite me to the China. Yeah. China would go out a lot. And again, the Los Angeles thing. And having her invite me to the Playboy Mansion. Let's see, who else was on?

Mankind was an interesting guy. Ken Shamrock was on. And him and I were doing this piece. And I was knocking him in his solar plexus. And he's just built, right? You know, a six-pack. You can't say solar plexus, though, because then we have to get Brother Jake Edwards to compensate him, I think. You're doing a little champ thing.

Hey, everyone, it's me, the champ. And you did some champs, right? No. No, they were all Brother Jake? All Brother Jake. And you know what? For some reason, for a couple of years, I would stop arguing with people because they'd go, wow, you did a couple of champs. Because it's slowed down, right?

Absolutely. Like it's done, whatever. I lose it. I snap. I head fake him. It's all slowed down, right? Absolutely. Like it's a, whatever. I lose it. I snap. I head fake him. It's all slowed down, yes. You could do it, though. I used to say that I did a couple,

but I'm going to say, hand to God and the Bible on the T.O. Mike show. No. And your brother, Jake, speaking since I'm dropping some names here, you still buddies with bro? Talked to him last week. He's in great stead.

I love that guy. Great guy. So where, is he in Vancouver? He's in Vancouver. The team out there. And anyway, with Ken Shamrock, I'm hitting him, and all of a sudden, I inadvertently put my head up and

knocked him right in the chin. And I'm like, oh my God, I got two things. I got two things to do here. Run for my life, because he's the world's most dangerous man, according to ABC News, or take another shot at him, which I did, and things to do here. Run for my life, because he's the world's most dangerous man, according to ABC News, or take another shot at him, which I did, and he picked me up by the neck,

turned me upside down. And I was turning blue and about to faint, but it made for good TV, so of course I'm going to hit him. Reminds me of that Letterman. Remember when... Oh, yes. You know where I'm going with this, right? Sure. It was the actor course I'm going to hit him. Reminds me of that Letterman. Remember when... Oh, yes!

You know where I'm going with this, right? Sure. Who's the actor? I'm strong. The guy who killed him. It's the guy Jim Carrey played in Man of the Moon, isn't it? It wasn't Eddie Kaufman, but that was close, too. Oh, I knew it. A wrestler came on and really did beat him.

Or maybe I'm confusing two stories. Oh, I know what you're saying. Right, right, right. Yeah, it was the king, Lawler. Jerry Lawler and Kaufman came on. And it was all staged, as you saw in the movie. But it made for great TV. Man, that's fantastic. By the way, we just mentioned how today some of our sports personalities are trying to be goofy or funny or whatever, like Tim and Sid or whatever. But Jay Onwright, you call him one of Canada's

overrated sports media personalities? Well, I'm going to take a little step back because... Oh, because you want to be on a show. I want to be on their show. Anyway, I hate to say it, he might listen. He claims to listen to this show, so you're right. He might be hearing these words right now. He's been on this show.

Dan's a friend of mine, Dan O'Toole. Dan O'Toole, he's, yeah. Jay, I've had my qualms about Jay for quite a while. Is it because you don't think he's funny? Because he definitely, he tries to be funny. I think he's a little over the, sometimes a little over the top. I mean, let's just be. Look, Jay's a good guy.

I'm going to say this on Jay. Jay, you're a buddy of mine. Still have Gallagher on. He's got a pointy book. He's got great stories. He's being honest here. Let's respect his honesty. I'm going to say this on Jay. Jay, you're a buddy of mine. Still have Gallagher on. He's got a pointy book. He's got great stories. He's being honest here. Let's respect his honesty. Please continue, John.

Jay, Dan, have me on your show. How are they doing, by the way? I haven't seen a lot of them since... I don't know. I just know it was such a big media splash when they came back that I couldn't get Jay on without some TSN PR person sitting in the seat next to him. Come on. And that almost never happens.

I noticed you don't have a PR person with you. But yeah, but Jay was great, by the way. He's coming back to kick out the jams. He was great. But that was a huge push. They had Tim Horton's money behind that. And I think the, was it Budweiser that's behind the, Budweiser? I get confused.

I think it's one of the big beer conglomerates behind the podcast. But I don't know how it's doing. I mean, I read that they're going to have people on doing some interviews and stuff. They have a nice little setup with a couch and a little table. I'd like to sit in one of those seats one day. I mean, take your best shot, buddy. You know, if I've offended you over the years with some of my Facebook posts, then, hey, it's your turn.

Batter up. I don't think Jay's the kind of guy to have a blacklist. He's no Bob McCowan or whatever. I envision Bob McCowan's got a list, and he's like, these guys are banned from the show. How about that?

I believe so, actually. And good people like Mike Wilner might be on that list, and that's why you'll never hear Mike Wilner on Primetime Sports. I think there's a list. I don't think Jay is the kind of guy who would have a list like that. I've done the McCowan show from time to time back in the day,

and he's just like the Randy Macho Man Savage situation. He'll wink at you. He'll say something so... Because he's doing a shtick, and he lets you know, I'm wearing a mask. Absolutely. Good point. Yeah, it's all... He'll give you that little wink like, you know, I know that I'm full of it,

but I just wanted to make sure you did too. I'm full of it, but this has made me a very wealthy man and I'm going to be full of it more. You know what? When you say the Joe Tilly Lance Brown thing, you're thinking like, who's next? Good God. Yeah, you know, who's next? The people I worry

about would be people who have been at something a long time that they're making real adult money. People like Kevin Frankish. He's a guy I feel he probably walks around with a target on his back. I mean, what are these people supposed to do? Go to management and say, hey, please reduce my salary by 50% so I can continue to work in this field?

It wouldn't be nice if you had the option. I got fired at Zoomer Radio. I thought I was going to be there forever. Happy Gang or whatever. I got fired the same day as Denise Donlan and Conrad Black, both music directors and most of the sales people, on-air announcers, all let go because Moses, God love him, bought a magazine.

Now, when's the last time you actually went to Iraq and bought a magazine? Although he is targeting the crowd. He bought the entire magazine. He bought the entire magazine. I was going to say, he is targeting the crowd that might still buy magazines. This is true. Zoomer magazine is a great magazine, but it just was losing a lot of money, as was AM740.

Moses will hire you again because that's what he does. He hires you, and then you either quit or get fired, and then he hires you back. Well, I'll see Ziggy Lawrence tonight at the Review Theater. Maybe I'll put a little bug in here. And we'll Joel, too. Joel's there, theater. Maybe I'll put a little bug in her ear. And well, Joel, too. Joel's there, too, right? Joel. Yeah, great guy.

Jay Gold, we call him. And you know who my buddy, my buddy, Retro Ontario, Ed Conroy. Great guy. He's working for Moses now. Moses has got something. You know People City, the song, The People City? That's right. Oh, my gosh.

He did like a little mini documentary about this. Toronto, People City. Terrible song. Oh, it didn. He did a little mini documentary about this. Toronto, people, terrible song. It didn't age well. Is that right? I think they said, oh, we wanted it to be like Sinatra's New York, New York. Oh, come on. And I'm like, that's timeless.

Or Sweet Home Chicago or something. I'm like, no, those songs, you can hear them now, and they're great songs. People City did not age well. Ambrose, right? What's his first name? I don't know. I remember listening to it. I'm thinking, what a mutt of a tune.

Just a dog. People's City. So Jay Onright, is there anybody else that you would like to tell me is... Okay, we won't mention the people you think are overrated because then they might not have you on the show. We don't want to burn any bridges. I'm here to sell books. Who's underrated? Is there anybody in Canada sports media who is better than the perception

is underrated? You know what? I listen to the fan. I listen to 1050. These nameless, faceless people who I listen to, I'm sure are quite talented. They're really good announcers.

They know their sports, but I don't know their names, Mike. You know what I'm saying? Like I listen in the car. I mostly listen to the two sports channels. Yeah, other than, I mean, Landsberg is a face everybody knows because he was on TSN since day one.

Right, right. And he does mornings now at 10.50, but you're right, there's not a lot of big names. I'm kind of a late night guy, so I'm not up early listening to these shows. But the people that I do listen to when I'm driving around, I don't know their names. Yeah, good point. But they're really good.

Let's talk about drugs. Can we do that? The byline of your book, I believe it's the last part says, and why he should be dead by now. Now, my question about your drug use is like, can you tell me a little bit about like when bit about when you would use, I'm not talking smoking some weed or whatever, I'm talking about cocaine, for example. When you would use it, how often, and did you ever go too far? Well, it was always down to three colors. It was either black, hash, green, marijuana. And I don't do any of that anymore, or white, and that would be cocaine.

How long has it been since you've dabbled? One T-plus years. Wow, good for you, man. And people come over, and they party, and they do it on the CD that's either Back in Black or The Eagles' Long Run, because it's got to be black, and they get their $100 American bills out, and they'll do it. And I'm like, yeah, knock yourself out. And it doesn't happen very often, But it's a terrible little drug. It's just so overrated.

But it was a cool thing to do when you had your little vial back in the 80s and early 90s. You know what? Cocaine use is up in the NHL 25%. It's back. Do they test? Yes. And I can tell a story that will turn your balls into raisins about a certain pro hockey team that was doing it just, I mean, out in the open at Casino, no, I won't mention the place.

Anyway, it was... Hmm. CasaLoma, that's where it was. They had their annual party there. Is this an 80s thing or a 90s thing? No, this was just last year. I would do it just kind of on the weekends, but you know, it's...

So you're a weekend warrior. Yes. Because, I mean, let's face it, you're on cue in mornings, and then at night we're seeing you on City TV. That's why I joked about sleep. I got this sense like there wasn't a lot of sleep for John Gallagher.

Well, I would sleep anywhere, anytime on a dime. It was great. It was a nurse's office at City TV in the bowels of the 299 Queen Street West. I'd catch an hour or two hours. I'd finish the show at Q at 9 o'clock. I'd start my shift at 6

at Q. So there was a great amount of time to sleep in, but never, ever during the week would I dabble. But when I did, there was a story in there. I hook up after my 6 o'clock newscast back in, I guess it was

1980, with a dealer, with a local drug dealer, and we do a couple of lines. And we do all through Friday night, all Saturday, and Sunday at around 3 o'clock,

no sleep, no food, nothing but cocaine and cocktails. And I'm thinking, all right, that's it. You got to go. And I just ordered the biggest pizza I could from the local New York Pizza in the Danforth.

And so that's why I should be dead by now. You know, I always wonder, do you get worried, for example, when you read, okay, it was last Christmas. Last Christmas, I gave you my heart. Thank you. Last Christmas, we heard George Michael

drop dead in his 50s, okay? And I don't know if this has ever been officially, but the assumption is he abused cocaine for a large part of his life, and that his heart gave out because a lot of these cokeheads from the day are dying in their 50s and 60s of heart attacks. Do you have any fear? Is this a risk at all?

Are you afraid one day you're just going to drop dead of a heart attack? Think about it all the time. You're not going to do it during this episode, though. No, and I'll just rush down and get an aspirin and chew that little bad boy. Do you take an aspirin every day as a preventative measure? No. A baby aspirin, right? Only if I...

Sometimes I get chest pains and I'm going, uh-oh. And I used to smoke. I smoked for 15, 20 years. And menthol cigarettes. But I only smoked when I drank. So that was another thing. But you know what? I didn't...

It's just the amount of cocaine we do while we did it you know it was friday night saturday night weekend warrior yeah i know well steve anthony's been on this show and he was quite up front that you know back in the day this is this happened and he's also clean now and he's been clean for a long time fantastic absolutely apparently that show cb24 breakfast now has more viewers than, according to Bell Media, they spin these numbers, but has more viewers than Breakfast Television.

He's number one. Yeah. It's amazing. Yeah. Steve Anthony. I'll be on his show. The guy who drop-kicked a monster truck

and broke his hip. Oh, my goodness. But he's a great guy. Him and I would throw the Christmas tree off the balcony at City TV every year. Fuck right.

That's when I watched that show. Oh, yeah, yeah. You were huge. Ed the Sog. You know, I saw you at the Christopher Ward book launch. That's right. Speaking of Joel, it all comes full circle. Ziggy was there.

That's where I met her and got her on the show. But I was there to watch, because Ed Conroy from Retro Ontario put that together with Joel Goldberg hosting it to promote the book. And you were there. I met you there outside. Absolutely. You called me T.O. And I thought, this is cool. He's the only guy who calls me T.O.

I love it. I do call you T.O. I love it. That's a really good book. And you know what I'm saying? Yeah, that's all that's behind you. Well, that's $40, for goodness sakes. This one's $23.99, available at Walmart.

And people really should read both. And finer bookstores. People should read both. It's sold out at Young & Egg, by the way. Well, get some more there, because Christmas is coming. This is it. available at Walmart. And people really should read both. And finer bookstores. People should read both. It's sold out at Young & Egg, by the way. Well, get some more there because Christmas is coming. This is it. So if you've got

somebody like me in your life, okay, somebody who's interested in like 80s and 90s Toronto media stuff or just wants to hear these kind of stories, this is the Christmas book

to get is the battle. Thank you. Get the John Gallagher book. The reviews have been exceptionally good. I'm just waiting for the shoe to drop. Well, I read the one from FYI Music, which is a Slate enterprise.

Gary Slate owns that outfit. Yeah, and Gary Slate is the guy who changed my life. Tell me. It's 1986. I mean, everyone's on strike. We're at a Halifax radio station owned by Chum, and there were actually placards. Is it placards or placards?

Yeah, placards. Yeah, placards. You know, we're outside the station with signs that say, you know, Let's talk new locks because they locked all the jocks out. And I'm playing some softball with Jake Edwards' little station, Q104. And I go, how's Jake doing? They go, he's doing great. I go, how do you know?

Well, we both applied for the sports gig at Q107. And I go, how's Jake doing? They go, he's doing great. I go, how do you know? Well, we both applied for the sports gig at Q107. They turned us down. There's a sports gig at Q107? Yeah. Earl McRae left to go back to Ottawa. Now talk about great announcers. Late great announcers. So I applied for the gig, called Jake up, and Gary Slade hired me. I don't know how many people applied for the gig., changed my life completely. Halifax, when you're about to go on strike into Toronto with the number one rock station in the country.

That was the moment. Life is full of moments. Absolutely. And I wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for playing a little softball for my radio station against Jake's old station. And Jake and I were great friends out in Halifax, which is very strange.

And it's the same thing with Humble and Fred and Jake now and Steve Anthony. I mean, even back then we were competitors, but just liked to hang out after hours. It's completely different these days, I think. And not to be the Grim Reaper here, but keep your healthy living going because I've had 200, what is this, episode 283

I think. This is over almost five and a half years span. Good for you. Every single guest 283 episodes is still alive today. How about that? I'm starting to think maybe I'm playing a role in keeping everybody going here. You're not allowed to drop dead

of a heart attack and force me to write something about the great John Gallagher who visited twice. Hey, maybe the Great Lakes beer is a magic elixir. It's good for you. This is the real talk portion of the program. You know, this is 90 minutes we've been on, by the way. I know, and now we're at the real talk, so we can finish.

Well, you stay there. You owe me, because yesterday I rearranged the real talk, so we can finish. Well, you don't have any. You stay there. You owe me, because yesterday I rearranged my schedule for your visit. Thank you. And I got a, you know, hey, I'm making real money here, so I can't see you right now. Slim Jim is giving me real dollars. And now I'm smelling something really good upstairs, because this is a Saturday morning. I know. I walked into your kitchen.

You have a big crock pot. I live by that thing. I cook stuff in crock pots. So the crock pot, because this one's i cook stuff and crock pots so the crock pot because there's this one's called a uh there's a good you're right yeah no just just hit me uh you're welcome to stay for lunch by the way of course but here let's get to the real talk portion uh i want to ask you about your uh i'm gonna guess it's a decision but you tell me so you lived this life that produced this book this wild man crazy life with these david bowies and stevie nicks and it's oh my god robbie alomar and doug gilmore and it's crazy it's amazing

with pictures with pictures like this all happened and it's all unbelievable to read about but of course uh there was a decision i'm guessing because a lot of these photos of you and beautiful blondes and there's a lot of girlfriends and i'm sure some who could be named and some who couldn't. A decision was made. John Gallagher, you made a decision not to marry. You never got married. No. I lived with a young lady for nine years, so that was pretty well

common law. No kids. First question is, any regrets? You do realize that lifestyle you lived is not compatible with fatherhood. This is true. This is an excellent point. Basically, you chose,

you only live once, rock and roll, balls to the wall, so people like me could read it, live through you precariously. There is a part of the book where, you know, we mentioned John Derringer, God love him, lives in King City, and all these people live, you know, outside of the downtown GTA.

I mean, my sportscast would finish, Mike, at, you know, like 11.15 at night, and I'm right there at Queen and John in the entertainment district, the entertainment capital of Canada, and my car is there, you know, and this was after, of course, I left Q107, because I'd go home,

but what kind of trouble can I get Q107 because I'd go home. But what kind of trouble can I get into tonight? Let's go. And God love them. God love the other announcers and sportscasters and types. They've got families. But no regrets. John Gallagher, no regrets? Absolutely none.

Because it's not too late. You could still have kids. Absolutely. That's the good thing about being a guy. And I have a penchant for dating women about But not too late. Like, you could still have kids. Absolutely. That's the good thing about being a guy. This is... You know? And I have a penchant for dating women about, you know, 20, 15 years younger than me. Exactly. So, is that something you would ever entertain if you met the right woman? Oh, absolutely. Okay.

Absolutely. Sure. Yeah. I mean, oh, fatherhood. I mean, and look at you. And, you know, you're a proud parent and all that. Right. You've met the whole brood. I know. I mean, you come over, like, on a weekday and I'm home alone or whatever. This is true. But you just... proud parent. Right, you've met the whole brood because normally you come over in a weekday

and I'm home alone or whatever, but you met, there were four kids up there. Yeah, I was talking to Humble and Friend. They've got kids, they've got grandkids. I'm like, God love you. It just didn't happen. I took the road less traveled. I was going to say,

it wasn't a conscious choice to preserve your rock and roll, sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle. Right. It was just, that's just how it turned out. It just happened. Again, City TV was rock and roll news. It was disco news. That's why I watched. Yeah. Q107 was Toronto's

best rock. It was not only the lifestyle and the music we played and the, again, working at MuchMusicCityTV, it just, right there at Queen and John. Speaking of dating, because you're single, you date, and you were in, tell me about being in the Toronto Star's Dating Diaries column last year. Yes, yes. Talk to me about this, because you're a famous guy.

You're a famous guy. And you're on dating apps. What's that like? Okay, here's the description uh they look at my picture they're like oh god and you know i i don't i don't want them the young ladies to think oh my god he's he's lowered himself to to this i'm only on a couple and i'm gonna be quite honest bumble and tinder and they're fun. You know, you swipe right, you swipe left. I've had several dates. But here's the description.

It reads as such. It reads thusly. Amy Schumer once said, anyone who's ever been on TV or radio or in movies cannot be on one of these dating sites. You're just not allowed. And since Amy hasn't called or returned my calls, here's Johnny. And it goes on with a couple more descriptions.

And people were like, well, here's the fun thing also about dating John Gallagher. Every date is an adventure, not necessarily a good one. It takes the guesswork out of, you know, they don't want to go out with a serial killer. And these women will actually do their due diligence and look up and see if you've got a record. Or see if you are a pedophile before they even date you. They see John Gallagher's picture. They're like, oh, yeah, that idiot from TV. Have you ever been on a date, though, like a Tinder date where the woman had no idea? Yes.

Fantastic. Because that's great because you're chatting up. Maybe you might accidentally drop like, oh, I was lighting David Bowie's cigarette. Yeah, and lean over and Howard Cosell lights your cigar. Right. That's in the book. Interesting. Yeah, that's the bonus.

And you were okay with the Toronto Star. You were okay with going public with this, because I read in the Star. Right, but I had to use an alias. That's right, but it was obvious, I guess, for the savvy amongst us. Right. I knew who that was right away. Yeah, that turned out with the girl's boyfriend driving his pickup truck, screeching into the party. And I do believe I saw a gun rack on the back of his car. And I had to get the hell out of there.

In fact, I had just jumped into the cab to take me from Bolton back to Toronto. Wow. And I see the city lights and I'm thinking, this can only happen to a guy like me. Another chapter in the book. I should be dead by now. You should be dead by now. But I hope I die. And this is the chapter of the year, the title chapter.

I hope I die as a 99-year-old getting shot in the back of the head by a jealous boyfriend just after sleeping with his wife. Or girlfriend. Excellent. Excellent. Yeah. Excellent. I know the answer to this, but Phil Parkinston There's a T in there. Phil Parkinston wants me to ask you, are you related to Dan Gallagher, who is on MuchMusic?

No. No. He's from Collingwood. Another just hugely immense talent. And we lost that guy way too young. Good friends with Brett, his brother, who works for, I believe, one of the big ticket sales people. Like Live Nation? Live Nation. That's where he works. Yeah, yeah. No relation to Dan. No. No, you just, there's a bunch of you Irish hooligans out there with the name Gallagher.

Now, Pucks and Beer, that's his handle on Twitter, said, Perry used to be in studio with John on NSS, but the past few weeks he's been gone. What happened there? So he wants to know, so maybe touch very briefly on what you're doing with Frank D'Angelo. Frank D'Angelo, Bill

Waters, and Phil Esposito. We do a show every Tuesday and Thursday. You can get it at nss.com. Perry's busy, busy writing. And that's Perry Lefkoe. Perry Lefkoe, great. He's hugely, immensely helpful with the book, by the way, and a

great guy. He's just doing a lot more writing, so he's dabbling in that, so he doesn't have time to do the show anymore, but it's a fun show. I mean, if I were to tell you that after watching the Team Canada-Russia series in 72, and the guy with the heart of a lion leading that team to victory, Phyllis Mazzito, that I'd be

talking to this guy, and he wrote a foreword for the book, he's terrific, that I'd be talking to him twice a week. And he lights up the room whenever I see him. Funniest guy there. I'm going to make an observation here. It's a little personal, but it's...

I asked you to... This is not too... Nothing you'll be slugging me for. None of these gotcha questions. No gotcha here. I'm just kidding. Go ahead. Okay, so we talked about the book,

and we hear the stories, and I would say, much like Mike Richards actually came on the show, and he described himself as a good-time Charlie. That's how he described himself. And John Gallagher has a good-time Charlie. That's how he described himself. And John Gallagher has a good-time Charlie vibe, like go big or go home. This is John Gallagher.

I'm talking about you, the third person, like you're not here now because we're doing psychoanalysis here. I want to talk about chapter 32 in your book. Now, I mentioned off the top that this book, it's name-dropping and crazy wild stories, and there's 31 chapters of this, and it's like a rollercoaster ride, and I'm literally sweating as I'm reading this, and my

heart's beating fast, and then I get to chapter 32, and there's a line, I'm going to read it, you wrote in your chapter 32, Francis James Gallagher, 1927 to 1974, at least the beatings stopped. Chapter 32 is a lot in there about your father. Now, is your go-big-or-go-home good-time Charlie personality larger than life, if you will, how much of that

is a response to your upbringing by your father, Francis James Gallagher? Do you think there's any correlation there? Can you tell me a little bit about your upbringing? Yeah, you know, it should have been a really happy childhood, Mike. You know, we went to private schools. We were the first family on the block to get a colored TV,

a two-car garage. Dad came back from the war. I'm sure he was suffering from PDST. This is a Vietnam, what war is this? Oh, there's World War II. He lied about his age. Excuse me, he lied about his age. And Nazis couldn't handle dad. He was an interesting guy, you know, a top salesman. Oh my God, we were about to move to San Francisco when he got sick and of course died at the age of 47. But now we get swatted around. I mean, I took

the brunt of it because apparently I was just too much like him, according to my mother. So I tried to commit suicide. Well, you talked about Bowie earlier, okay? Let's play a little Bowie and then I gotta talk to you about this. And I have

my own issues similar to yours, but I'm not ready to write my book yet. You've written the book. It's going to press. We're listening to, right now, we're listening to David Bowie, Rock and Roll Suicide. Which is the name of the chapter. Not such a rock and roll suicide. Because you talk about, like, I mean, the reason you're drawn to Bowie and you talked about your love for Bowie.

And I mean, he's talking to you when he's singing about rock and roll suicide. You seriously considered taking your life at this point? I did. And I saw David Bowie in row D at the Montreal Forum in 1974 pointing right at me singing the song. Not long after I took my mother's biggest butcher. You know, it's funny because my publishing company says, no, no, no, don't accentuate on the negative. You know, this is a fun book.

You know, it's boisterous. For 31 chapters, it's a fun book. And then I just wanted out of the family. It was just, you know, it was like the scene. It was the scene from Stand By Me. You know, Gordy, his family hates him, right? was just, you know, it was like the scene, it was the scene from Stand By Me. You know, Morty, his family hates him, right, his parents.

You know, and Riverfeet is just like, Morty, they just don't know you. No, they hate me. They hate me. No, they just don't know you. I guess it's something that a lot of people, if you've had that situation,

then you know exactly what I'm talking about. You know, you just, but I'm lying there with a big knife and I'm thinking, I'm thinking about the ensuing blood-curdling screams

and the mess. And I also thought about what my family would think of, you know, at my funeral. And the whispers behind my brothers and sisters, you know, that's the girl whose brother committed suicide. I just, you know, and I just cried myself to sleep and got up and led my life. Because beatings are, beatings, like, you can led my life because beatings are beatings like you can get

through the beatings will hurt and then they'll you'll feel you'll you'll you'll recover you'll heal yeah what gets me in this what breaks my heart from chapter 32 is what i would call uh mental warfare that your father wages on you at such a young impressionable age and this is where we got really cathartic and i got and I really got engaged with your words here as you described this. Like your dad, the mental abuse and the things he would do, too. Story after story of things he would do to you

which are just cruel and unusual punishment for a young person, let alone your own son. Yeah, and then you read about it happening to so many other people. I was reading about Kevin Spacey, let alone your own son. Yeah. And then you read about it happening to so many other people. I was reading about Kevin Spacey, how abusive his father was. Look at what the Wilson brothers went through, you know, the Beach Boys. It's just, it's really, really. Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson. How about Bing Crosby's kid? He would beat him with orange, with bags of oranges so they wouldn't bruise. It would just go on and on. But that was a strange cat. I'm sure he would have been proud of me today. My brother took me aside one time and said, you know, you got your own show called Gallagher.

You know how proud Dad would have been? But he died when I was a preteen at 47. But when you do things, like when you're, I don't know, when Paul Servino and Paris Hilton are in the room with you and these moments in your life that are like larger than life, unreal moments for the average Joe. When they happen, are you always subconsciously or even consciously aware that, look at me now, Dad, is there any of that going on here? No, I really wish he'd still be alive because, you know, as I would grow, uh you know and become a successful sportscaster now author uh i'm sure he would have been along for the ride he would it would be absolutely wonderful for him to be alive right now but uh i know it's not like it's not now look at me you know what

look at all the you know the shite that i went through as a child and now i'll show you it's never no it's never been that way it's never been that way. It's never been that way. But, you know, view went through it. I know, I mean. Well, so my response was to be the best fucking father on the planet. Like, this was my response. And, like, I don't want to cry on my side. I don't mind my kids upstairs. But, like, even with James, who's, like, just a handsome, healthy,

well-adjusted, strapping, almost 16-year-old boy up there. Great kid. To the one-year-old, who's just happy-go-lucky, of course. But all four of them, I really am so obsessed with giving them a well-adjusted, healthy childhood and being the most amazing dad in there for them. I still, like every house league hockey game, I notice nobody's coming out to these games anymore because he's in the level where it's 15 to 18-year-olds playing.

And the parents aren't coming out. I won't miss a fucking minute of this game. I'm behind that lonely end of the rink. So my response was, and I didn't mean to have four kids. I had two kids. I wanted two kids. And then I had another two kids, and I have four kids. That's how life works.

But I am trying to be the best damn dad I can be because of my upbringing. And my question for you is, is it possible that you maybe went the other way and felt like, I don't want to be to my children what my dad was to me? Was there any sense where you felt like you went the other direction on the whole fatherhood question?

Oh, interesting. Basically, your dad waged psychological warfare on you when you were very young and impressionable. Unlike the beatings, which will heal, that shit doesn't leave you. It really will affect you for the rest of your life. I always wonder, did this lead to you

not becoming a father? No. I almost got married several times. I mean, the great thing about this is all my best friends are all my ex-girlfriends, which is very, very strange. We never actually talked about having kids. I'm sure that would have eventually happened with the woman I was with for nine years.

Of course. Was so broken up, she moved to Australia. That's how far she wanted to get away from me. Where's the furthest point from Gallagher? She went to a globe and she said, okay, there. No, there was talk about marriage and

kids, but it just didn't come to fruition. And I have no qualms. And again, you said earlier, Johnny, you're a young man. Don't die on me. You're mid-50s. It's not over yet. That's it. I mean, I know a lot of 50-year-old guys who meet, of course, you meet a younger woman and you have

children. I mean, you know, Tony Randall had a kid at 73. Charlie Chaplin had one when he was late 80s. He kept dropping the poor kid, but he still had him. And I'm sorry if this gets a little, I don't mean to be armchair psychologist here or psychiatrist, but I feel like after reading that book, the 31 chapters, balls to the wall.

Thank you. dad who died in 74. And just, I just wonder, like, is that, it's the first 31 chapters, all a result of your knee-jerk reaction to the shit in chapter 32. Like, this is all pieces of a puzzle. And I'm reading this and I feel that I'm in John's head.

You know, you think it's tough for you to be in your head. I had to live in your head for the last few days, okay? And then it's like all the pieces matter and you got your whiteboard out and it's all connection. And I'm like, I need to talk to this man about chapter 32. So I'm sorry about chapter 32. Not at all. That sucks.

I mean, you know, warts and all. I know it's a hairy and smarmy expression. I do know that several of my family members will not be talking to me for several months after reading this book. You're a third of six, right? You're a third of six children? That's right.

I'm the quintessential middle child. I know it's mathematically impossible for six kids to have a middle child, but I was the middle child. I was the Jan Brady of the Gallagher bunch. I think if they read chapter 32, it might actually, because seeing it from your perspective,

and people should read it to see the specific examples, but things he would do, which, you know, it's basically him trying to, you know, fuck with your head. Yeah. And, you know,

not only, like I say, not only, I don't know, let's say you're seven years old or something, but you're his son. And I can tell you, there's nothing more important

to a person in their development and when they become a man than the male role model in their life, their father. And he's fucking with your head at seven. And I mean, I'm reading the book and I just want to like talk to that guy. I want to, I want to,

I want to have a chat with Francis James Gallagher. Yeah. You know what? It's funny. I, I had Frank Mahavlach on and and he was on my show with his son, Michael. And Punch M. Block would do the same thing with these psychological, you know, these mind games he played with Frank. He'd call him the wrong name, Mahalovic, just to piss him off.

And I asked Mike Mahalovic, what would you do if Punch M. Block was sitting on the seat right here? He said, I'd knock him right in the chops, right off his chair. What would I do? What would you do if you met my father today? What would I do? See, I'm not punching Francis James Gallagher, but I'm having a heart-to-heart,

one-on-one with him, like one father to another. Interesting. And I need him to understand, I need him to understand the power he wields and the importance of the role he has in Johnson's life. Like, and I need to, and it's one thing to be neglectful. And yes, you're bringing shit home from the war.

And of course we all, PTSD, whatever. You're bringing shit home from the war. And I know for my own father, there was stuff he had that caused, affected him. But at some point you're accountable for your actions. And you have six kids. And one of them, he might be the middle kid. And he might remind you of yourself. And you might hate yourself. But that doesn't give you the fucking right to torture this kid who is looking at David Bowie and rock and roll suicide.

And how close do you come to ending it way before you hook up with Brother Jake and come to the big smoke here, the mighty Q. And the answer is, yeah, a long time ago, like eight or nine years old. And that would have been such a shame, because I've lived just a wonderful life, laughs all the time, I love all my friends. I mean, that would have been... And it ain't over, man.

Atta boy. There's another book somewhere. I want to read this next book, and I got to read the issue, the version of this book before the lawyers took some names out or some stories out. But fucking tell everyone the name of this book again.

It is Big League Babylon. Foster Hewitt Award winner, John Gallagher, Big League Babylon. Don't forget that other line. Yeah, read the other line. The misadventures of a rabble-rousing sportscaster John Gallagher, Big League Babylon. Don't forget that other line. Yeah, read the other line. The misadventures of a rabble-rousing sportscaster and why he should be dead by now. That's right.

Available at Walmart, finer bookstores, or at dundurn.com. And a perfect Christmas gift. Oh, boy. Tis the season. Hey, man, thanks for doing this. Thank you, Mike. And you love music. If you ever want to come back and kick out the jams with me,

we could do that one day. I was a lead singer in a group called Typhoon when I was... We gotta do it! 1970... And that brings us to the end of our 283rd show. You can follow me on Twitter.

I'm at TorontoMike. John is at John FK Gallagher. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Propertyinthe6. John is at John FK Gallagher. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Propertyinthe6.com is at Brian Gerstein. And PayTM is at PayTM Canada. See you all

next week. Yeah, the wind is cold But the snow, snow Warms me today And your smile is fine And it's just like mine