Bon Jovi: IN case you do the New York Times Sunday Crossword...

For Sunday April 3rd, 2011

21 Across:  "Livin' on a Prayer" band :

BONJOVI is the answer.

(Dear President Clinton, You're welcome.)

Play on.

Bon Jovi: Much a Twitter about a kiss

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
No, but I'll kiss Richie Sambora with it....

Happy Saturday

(Go Yankees!)

Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi-Cation Part 2 SHAROOOOON

Day 2.

View from our hotel balcony

St Patrick's Day in one of the most *cough cough cough sarcasm alert cough cough cough* Irish cities outside of Dublin herself. San Antonio, Texas. Where the O'toole's, the Murphy's and the Kelly's happily co-mingle with the Rodriguez's, the Jimenez's and the Rodriguez's.

An Irish Pub in San Antonio on
St Patty's day

We headed across the street to the Irish coffee shop, O'Starbucks.

After procuring beverages of the caffeinated kind, we headed down the stairs to along the Riverwalk towards our final destination.

The Alamo.

The sight of one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in Texas History.

The Alamo.

Where people say names like Sam Houston and Davey Crockett, with as much reverence as every other non Texan, American says George Washington or Abe Lincoln.

Ok, when they mentioned Davey Crockett I started singing the theme from the old Disney show. Under my breath, so not to offend the Texans that had come out.

Then I started singing the really offensive song, Crazy Train, by Ozzy Osbourne.

If you don't know, in 1983 Ozzy was still very drunk all the time. He performed a show on his tour in San Antonio and after the show he went to a bar. After several drinks he decided it was time to head back to his hotel. He stumbled along and realized he had to pee. So he was standing by this old building and he figured, what the hell, this is as good as any other sodding building. So he relieved himself…..ON THE ALAMO. Ozzy was arrested and banned from the city of San Antonio until the early part of this century.

However, since it was St Patrick's Day they honored the Irish at the Alamo. It was like Memorial Day for the Irish American Community.

There were bag pipers; they played Amazing Grace and God Blessed Texas by Little Texas. Ok, so they didn't play the second one.

We wandered around the Alamo, I realized I had to pee. Do I Ozzy it up and cop a squat and pee on this "Fortress Shrine, Cradle of Texas Liberty"? While the thought appealed to me, the fact that there were children around made me rethink my decision, not only would I get charged with public urination but probably exposing myself to a minor which is one of those things that you end up on a sex offenders list.

Ugh, not worth it.

Oh and I would miss the Bon Jovi concert.

Common Sense you win another round.

So I instead walked to the Riverwalk Mall with Lauri & Stacey and used the facilities there.

Oh I met one of 2 future husbands on this trip. At Ripley's Believe it or Not, they have the world's tallest man. He makes me feel like a midget. (Insert a joke about public urinals and Richie Sambora here).

After the mall we headed back to our hotel with a stop at a quaint café on the river for lunch, some shrimp ceviche & nachos with guacamole. There were, count them, TWO mariachi bands in our café performing for tips. Neither knew any Bon Jovi. Yes I was going to get Mariachi Bon Jovi. Or die trying.

Back to the hotel we go for a little rest and then to get ready for the show.

We left the hotel around 5:45 ish (the gate out of the parking garage of the hotel didn't want to let us out). Getting through down town San Antonio at 5 PM is like a bunch of 50 something's in a Vera Bradley store where everything is on sale. No one moves.

Luckily time, patience and gun control were on our side. We made it to the Fan Club tent with minutes to spare. We got our tickets and we could head into the arena. Just like everywhere else there were Bon Jovi loves San Antonio. Bon Jovi loves San Antonio so much they haven't been there in 20 years.

My seats were on Dave's side. I've never really sat on his side before. Maybe in 2001 in Giants Stadium, but that would be it.

Saw Ryan Star, he was good. More on him later. Finally Bon Jovi hits the stage. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic. The band was loud. The set was short. When they played wanted and then Prayer started I looked at my phone it was like 10:20. About a 2 hour show. All I could think was Vegas better be better than this. However, I heard Thorn in my Side, which I hadn't heard live before.

After the show we wanted post show food and the closest fast food place was Jack in the Box. Or as I shall call it, Crack in the Box, because there were so many crack dealers and crack whores around that place…

It started when I pulled the car up. Yes I was driving Stacey's big white SUV. And some woman, was it a woman? She comes up to Stacey and tells gets in her face as she's about to get out of the car and tells her to give her the money. This woman is angry (not Stacey, Stacey is calm) the woman is screaming how she was told the white truck would have her money. All I want to do is get back in the car and haul ass away from here.

Oh, did I mention San Antonio has super aggressive panhandlers? Well now, you know. It wasn't just this woman, but every random homeless person.

Finally angry crack whore walked away, we went into Jack in the Box. Waited for a while because you know the midnight shift at a fast food place is always the A team (not the A Team like Mr T but the A team like the sarcastic A Team). Finally every time we ordered something they didn't have it. I didn't want a hamburger at midnight, but it's what I got because that's what they had.

We left headed back to the hotel, yes I found it again.

Head up into the parking garage made for the Model T not for the Tahoe. I end up letting Lauri make the U turn because there's no parking let above floor #2. Awesome.

Back in the room, last minute packing stuff. I'm the first one to sleep around 1:30.

Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi-Cation Part 1 Better late than never…

Well I figured I have been home over a week maybe I should put my thoughts about Bon Jovi-Cation Part 1 to paper now. It's full of minute details, so be prepared.


My trip started on Wednesday March 16. An early morning Southwest flight put me in Nashville, TN for a brief time. I spent my time wandering the halls looking for a Mountain Dew, since Lauri would also be arriving in Nashville before we headed onto San Antonio. 


Finally, after seeing every concession stand had Coke products and none of the places in the food court had Pepsi the O'Charley's restaurant has them. I procured a bottle and headed back to the gate where Lauri would arrive. She did and shortly thereafter, we were on our flight to San Antonio.


We met Stacey in baggage and headed out to her car. We made a side trip to Tar-Jay and then to the yummy Alamo Café for some real Tex-Mex.


We headed to our hotel, right on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, checked in got settled in and then went down stairs for our complementary drinks and food.


We watched as random mariachi bands roamed the streets, like stray dogs in other US cities, San Antonio has Mariachi's.


A few chicken fingers and margaritas later we headed out into San Antonio. Our first stop the hopping Hard Rock Café where it seemed everyone and their extended families was eating. We just wanted the gift shop so Lauri could get a t-shirt. While there, we discovered the Philadelphia Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation shirts were on clearance. Now I have promised myself this leg of the tour I am not buying t-shirts I will wait til the leg is over and buy them from the online web store. So I felt ok paying $19.99 for a nice Bon Jovi shirt that was marked down.

Stray Mariachi Bands roam the streets of San Antonio

We didn't think we would be out to long after all tomorrow was a show day, and Lauri and I were up early. So we wandered around a bit when I heard the unmistakable sound of a large group of people singing Billy Joel badly, with a live Piano.


Live Piano?


Blly Joel?


Is there a Howl at the Moon around here?


There is!


Howl at the Moon is a dueling piano bar where you are encouraged to sing along, request songs, the more ridiculous and obscure the better.


They also have buckets where they pour a bunch of alcohol, some cherries with pit and straws and serve it to your table. It is the communal drink. For $30 for 3 people it's a good deal considering most martini's are $14.

Where has all the booze gone?

We found a table parked ourselves and were soon enjoying a bucket of Bahama Mama and the talented performers at HATM started singing and encouraging the crowd to be involved.

And there was crowd involvement. There was a woman, her name was Sherry and she was wearing a Bad Company t-shirt. She was celebrating her 50th birthday by getting as drunk as you could while still having a good time and not vomiting on the patrons of the bar you were getting drunk at. Sherry gave every person sitting up front a lap dance whether they wanted it or not. Thank Goodness we were not sitting up front.

Sherry also got a marriage proposal and propositioned. I would say she had a great birthday.

In between Sherry's entertaining antics there was also lots of music. I think they played Billy Joel's entire greatest hits volumes 1 & 2 (but not my favorite Ballad of Billy the Kid). The worst song of the 1980's was played. And Wanted Dead or Alive was played. No, wanted dead or alive was not the worst song of the 1980's. I would have killed people with my bare hands. No the worst song of the 80's was Rock this Town by the Stray Cats. I thought Michael Jackson should have gotten it, but someone else had more money.

I don't know what Stacey put in that Cherry
but Lauri's face tells me if I do, I won't like it

Speaking of Wanted, I prepped myself for the next night by singing it at the top of my lungs.

They also played Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. Oh and Stacey had them play the crowd pleasing Joan Jett classic "I Love Rock and Roll".


We headed back out into the night. The doorman offered us a taxi as we were slightly intoxicated, but it was in the 60's so we walked a short walk back to our hotel. I was the only one who had any idea where the hotel might be. It was like the drunk leading the other drunks. 


We quickly found the hotel, headed up to our room, and I was asleep shortly there after.


And this ends part 1.

Outside the Hard Rock Cafe, San Antonio, TX

STARBUCKS

Bon Jovi: Sometimes you just post things for no reason

This would be one of these times.

Thanks Jon.

Bon Jovi: Jon will sing in the movie 'New Years Eve'

Playing a rock star you would hope they would showcase his everyday talent.  And they will.

‘Terrific’ Lea Michele Will Rock Out with Jon Bon Jovi in New Year’s Eve Movie

Marshall reveals Michele will sing a duet with Jon Bon Jovi in the film.

Although it's not a musical, Lea Michele will sing in the upcoming New Year's Eve, her first big-screen movie. Director Garry Marshall told Broadway.com that the Glee star and Broadway favorite will perform at least two songs in the still-filming feature, including a big duet with co-star Jon Bon Jovi. "It's quite a number," he said.

Marshall had high praise for Michele's work on the film. “Lea is just terrific,” he said. “You know, she’s from the Bronx and so am I!” In the ensemble film, Michele plays Elise, a back-up singer for Jensen, a rock star played by actual rocker Bon Jovi.

Michele made out with co-star Ashton Kutcher during a Times Square shoot for the film earlier this month. “They’re really terrific together,” Marshall promised. “Lea’s not six foot three but Ashton is...But she has some nice high heels!”

New Year's Eve, which also stars Robert De Niro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Zac Efron, Hilary Swank, Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry and more will be released in movie theaters on December 9, 2011.

I personally don't watch Glee! So I don't care about Lea Michele, but if she has more musical numbers than Jon because she's on Glee! or if they exploit the Beaver just because he's the Beaver over Jon, I may boycott the movie.

Bon Jovi: The Fireman in the Superman Tonight video....

Ugh.

This is just a terrible story.

A law firm in New York uses a picture of a fireman to help get claimants for a 9/11 victims lawsuit.  The fireman they use wasn't even involved with the NYFD on 9/11.

He also happens to be the fireman in the Superman Tonight video.

***WARNING picture with Richie having a bad hair day ahead WARNING***

'I WASN'T there': Firefighter's anger after 9/11 law firm uses his image for fake advert

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

 

Staring into the camera under the slogan 'I was there', the soot-covered firefighter is supposed to be the traumatised client of a controversial law firm specialising in litigation for 9/11 workers.

Except Robert Keiley wasn't at Ground Zero - and he didn't even join the New York Fire Department until 2004.

The firefighter and part-time actor is furious after compensation lawyers Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern used his image to promote their services in the advert.

Fake: The advert for a controversial 9/11 law firm uses an image of Robert
Keiley, who didn't join the fire service until 2004

The Brooklyn firefighter described the fake advert as an 'insult' to the families who lost loved ones in the World Trade Center.

He told the New York Post: 'It makes me look like I'm cashing in on 9/11, saying I was there even though I was never there, and that I'm sick and possibly suing, trying to get a chunk of money.'

In fact Mr Keiley, 34, posed for the image last year as part of a promotional photoshoot, clutching a firefighter's helmet - not the picture of the wrecked World Trade Center the advertising agency pasted into his hands.

The $350 photograph reappeared - after its Photoshop treatment - on a flyer for Worby Groner at the World Police Fire Games Event Gala, a fundraiser for the annual sports event.

Anger: Part-time actor Robert Keiley said the 9/11 compensation
advert is an 'insult' to the families who lost loved ones
at the World Trade Center

The slogan reads 'I was there -and now Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern is there for me'.

In small letters at the bottom the advert says: 'This is an actor portrayal of a potential Zadroga claimant', referring to the ill 9/11 workers who could receive compensation under the James Zadroga act.

The firm, which filed most of the 10,000 suits for Ground Zero workers who are suing the city over health issues, has appeared in federal court amid accusations they overcharged their clients.

Last August a judge ordered the company to justify some of the $6.1million they charged in expenses - which included interest payments on a loan they took out to help finance the litigation.

It had to reduce its fees from an initial deal which would have seen it take home 25 per cent of the multi-million dollar settlement.

Aspiring actor: Robert Keiley appeared in a music video with Bon Jovi.
He is pictured here with the band's guitarist Richie Sambora, left.

r Keiley said one of the most painful things about the advert was explaining himself to his best friend, whose brother died at the World Trade Center.

He told the Post: 'I had friends who died on 9/11. How can I look their families in the eye if they see this picture, thinking I'm trying to make money on their [loved ones'] deaths? They'd probably think I'm a scumbag.'

On his acting website, Mr Keiley describes himself as a 'born and raised NYC native', who has previously worked for the NYPD and as a U.S. marine.

He joined the fire service in 2004 and works from a station in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Mr Keiley works part-time as an actor and has starred in several commercials and a Bon Jovi music video. He won an award last year as the top earner for his agency, NY Castings.

The firefighter said he is now considering suing. His lawyer, Keith Sullivan, told the New York Post: 'It creates the image that he's claiming to have been at a tragic event when he was not.'

'More offensive is [the claim] that he's trying to collect money from this fund, which he absolutely has no intention of doing.'

A representative for the advertising agency which designed the flyer, Barker/DZP, told the Post it had the right to use the image because Mr Keiley had signed a release.

Here's the Superman Tonight video, go to 3:00, you'll see a full on shot.

Bon Jovi: A video about the Soul Kitchen

Here's a little video blurb about the Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, NJ.

I see in the video Dorothea & Stephanie. And the music is Learn to Love, not a favorite off The Circle, all the Halle Halle's. It's like Jon didn't want to say Hallelujah and get in a copyright fight with Leonard Cohen so he started the mating call of Halle Berry or something.

All jokes aside the Soul Kitchen seems like a great idea and I'm sure does a lot of great work for the people of Monmouth County.


Soul Kitchen from Soul Kitchen on Vimeo.

Bon Jovi: New Bon Jovi TV channel on Livestream.com

Thanks @Dobronyi for sharing this on Facebook.  In case you don't get enough Bon Jovi on youtube here's a new place to go, I guess this is where movie night will be taking place starting 3/29 with Rock in Rio from Madrid.  Right now it's back to back videos.  And ads.  But get you Bon Jovi fix during the break here.

Watch live streaming video from bonjovichannel at livestream.com