Buddy is Worldwide

I listened this morning from 6:00, when my alarm went off, until 8:20 or so when I got to work, and no mention of my email or Buddy Lush in general. I was pretty sure my instinct that, no matter how fun the show is, Johnny isn't allowed to plug anything for free (or for a box of business cards) was right on.

See, when I refer to Johnny as the greatest shill in Kansas City, I don't mean it as a bad thing. Back in my Nadler Publishing days, I wrote rave 'reviews' of restaurants that were absolutely bought and paid for by the restaurant in question. I shilled for a fargon board game, for crying out loud. I jumped out of an airplane because it sold the back cover of the Singles paper to a skydiving school and then wrote up the experience (high point of that career).

My shilling skills are small beer compared to Johnny. Anyone could go on and play yes-man, suck up to every single guest or caller, pretend to be an enthusiast of everything that comes up. And anyone could just let their own personal tastes and prejudices drive what they say even if it costs them their job when they piss off a major advertiser. Knowing when you have to play it the one way no matter how distasteful, and when you can go the other way and speedbag a guest's testicles when they deserve it is a whole different deal.

Plus, being able to sell it that, no matter which way you're playing it, you're sincere.

Me, I don't have the self control to pull that off, not long term. I can barely navigate the office politics of a ten person company, let alone the minefield Johnny works in every day.

I got to work, turned off the car, and went on about my day. I don't really have a way to listen once I'm at work, I listen at home and en route and that's it. Apparently, about ten or fifteen minutes after I tuned out, Johnny granted my wish.

I can't find a podcast of the show to hear for myself, but the Xpedex driver told a coworker he'd heard that Almar Printing was the exclusive printer for Buddy Lush Worldwide. A former bandmate (miss you, be glad to take that back up) sent me a text congratulating me for being such a whore. And an old friend posted to Facebook that I was the subject of the Johnny Dare Morning Show.

I'm dying to hear what he said. It's killing me. I saw where the Buddy Lush business cards were the profile pic for a couple of the show's Facebook pages, but I can't find a podcast anywhere.

Anyway, good to know that not only is Johnny Dare the best shill in Kansas City, he's also a class act. Contrast that, with, for instance, Gene Simmons who has enough money to live a hundred shameful lifetimes and still sells his autograph.