The 'Late Night With Johnny P' show Episode Blogs

Johnny P's Life is a Roll of the Dice and a Spin of the Wheel.

5/19/2017

'A little to the left, please"

That's what Johnny Potenza says, but I don't think that's all necessarily true. Potenza may take a lot of chances in life to get ahead, but his success is not all chance. He works hard, he keeps his staff on their toes and makes sure that what has to be done is done. Like now, for example. I'd be planting potato ivy and morning glories if I didn't have a deadline, and Potenza is strict about his deadlines. He's going to have to remind me that I said that.

"What part of "Fly on the wall" don't you get?"

So, getting back to April 12, 2017: cue Elvis theme music, Potenza struts out, bows as always, and begins the show telling us about his recent move; all of his "record store meets Spencer's" memorabilia and collectibles were either in storage, sold, or passed on to someone else. Last month he gave 8-year old Dylan Flynn a tiny Elvis collectible, and this month he had another collectible gift ready for one of his guests. I personally gained possession of a set of Laurel and Hardy statues from the early 70s that had belonged to Mr. Potenza. They now have a nice place amongst our own collectibles here at home, and it's nice that there's a story behind them. I won't be selling them on Ebay or anything.

Above photos courtesy of Johnny Potenza, and some may have been taken by Jo Cavallo

Seriously, Johnny has a whole bunch of stuff I'd love to take off his hands. Click on the photo for a full-page panoramic view.

Time to bitch and moan about the Verrazano Bridge hike, folks! Seriously, TBTA people, $17?? That's $8.50 each way. Very perturbing, and not just to Johnny. At least we residents get a break on the bridges because we have no free access. We have to pay to come home if we leave the rock. That's unfair. A discount is the very least they can do.

See this guy above dancing with Chuckie Baby? Gene? I want his job.

Holy More Stuff, I remember The Gong Show well. It was my favorite show, and I can bet you I've seen every episode. Potenza talks about the passing of Chuck Barris, who not only created that show, but created The Dating Game and the Newlywed Game as well. Want to see a good movie about Barris that he produced? Check out "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind". Interesting bio.

And who can forget the Dean Martin Roasts, or Don Rickles on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson?? Potenza did a little tribute to the late Rickles and showed us a very funny clip from Carson alongside Sinatra. Rickles was one of my favorite comedians, and I probably pissed off a few people trying to joke like him in my lifetime lol.

"Can't you see I'm eating, Johnny?"

Potenza thanks Pauly at Nucci's Restaurant and Jerry at Seguine Bagels for the awesome as always pre-show dinner.

The guests for tonight's show are actor Robert Clohessy of Blue Bloods, Fantasy Artist Ken Kelly, who has created many well-known album covers in oil paint including KISS's Destroyer, Staten Island rock band Nakid Jedeye, and comedian Tim Hayes

Hayes tells us he is happily newly divorced, eating crackers in bed, and putting ketchup on everything with no one to tell him he can't. He speaks about divorce lawyers who drawl as slowly as the Mad Scientist on ether in that Bugs Bunny cartoon, why gay marriage is good because at least in the divorce a guy will always get the house, about going to the Home Depot so he can get advice from a plumber who just plays one at the Home Depot, and that apparently his son knows which exit off the Garden State Parkway is Barnegat.
Tim's website is TimHayesComedy.com; check out his comedy tour schedule.

Tim Hayes: "Every morning, a silverfish gets its wings."

Set up around the perimiter of the studio there are prints of oil paintings on display that were created by amazing fantasy artist Ken Kelly. Oh my God, you have to go to Kelly's website and Potenza met Kelly over 20 years ago at the Chiller and Kiss expos and conventions, etc. and have known each other all that time. I really do encourage you to check out. http://www.kenkellyart.com. His work is fabulous. He brought a print of his KISS "Love Gun" album cover; he was also responsible for "Destroyer". Incredible work.

Kelly tells his story of how he didn't take art too seriously as a youth despite his teacher's guidance because he was fixated on joining the military, and became a Marine (thank you for your service), He came home needing a trade, and artist Frank Frazetta taught him how to draw and paint. He flew to France to paint his first piece, which was a Vampirella cover if I'm not mistaken, but the KISS "Destroyer" cover is what bought him his house. The original rendering of the cover was rejected; they asked Kelly to do it again a little differently, and he was paid twice for his efforts.

When asked to do the cover for "Love Gun" (that title always makes me laugh), he was given 30 days to complete it. He did the rough in 15 days and then 15 days for the final in oil paint; he never imagined that KISS would be as popular.

Me: "Wasn't this an album cover?" Ken: "Uhhh, yeahhhh..." lolol sorry Ken!

Kelly also has a deal with Hasbro to bring Micronauts to a new audience, a project he's not allowed to talk about that involves a few things you use in your daily lives, and a few other album and book covers. I'm telling you, check out his website. http://www.kenkellyfantasyart.com/

Up next, Potenza's buddy and Man's Man, Bob Clohessy, who can currently be seen as Sargent Sid on Blue Bloods, which has been picked up for season eight . Clohessy talked about quitting acting 299 times, working with Tom Selleck. making Donnie Wahlburg laugh talking about Clohessy's giant head (it should have its own zip code), Clohessy also touches on his a new project shooting in Tribeca written and directed by friend Elias Plagianos, and also featuring the always hilarious Jackie Martling called 'Shoot Me Nicely'. The whole interview was fun; Clohessy is a real regular-guy kind of guy.

'YO HO! YO HO!"

The evening's musical guests are local boys Nakid Jedeye, and they rock out with "Don't Know Why". The band sits down with Johnny after the set which also included "Alcohol's For Me" and he speaks with front man Johnny Collins about working on a 'Fuzz in the Lens' production called "AA" with Gilbert Gottfried, Ron Jeremy, and Malcolm McDowell. That's some line-up. I'll need to see that. They also mention Ricky Rispoli, but if he wants to know what they say, he'll have to watch. So will you, so go to JohnnyPTV.com and watch already, will ya?

Mohegan sun Dean Martin roast Steve Miller take the money and run rub him to the left a little can't you see I'm eating Johnny because it would be hilarious every morning a silverfish gets its wingsNot getting naughty which one pays more depends on your agent naked Jedi IMDb page for Johnny Collins