Welcome to JasonTConnell.com

A brush with celebrity

August 22, 2005

Friday, sitting only 2 feet away from me, in front of me but sorta facing me, was a man known only as "Jon Jon Da Maniac". How did I know? Because he couldn't keep quiet! He was rambling on with some guys, some guys who he says is his target audience, that being African American males. He did some jokes from his show. They were pretty funny. What was really funny is that this dude said stuff on a train full of a very diverse group of people that I wouldn't even say if I were guaranTEED that there was no one around for 10 MILES. I saw him getting on the train where I get on the train, 11th and Market. I took notice because he had stuffed monkeys with him. Yes, stuffed ones where the arms velcro together, so you can hang them on stuff. After being on the train for a few minutes, all three of them found their way hanging around his neck! He had blonde hair, spiked backwards. He was wearing pants with a Mickey Mouse pattern repeated over them, and a purple tanktop. His assistant had his suit, a beautiful purple double breasted suit. I didn't catch the manufacturer, sorry.

Later, his original audience left, so I was the only one he could talk to. He was telling me about his past agents. One Alicia Keys' brother. And how he'd signed on with Drew Rosenhaus. Yes, Drew Rosenhaus. He mentioned how he backed Terrell Owens. How he performed in the Super Bowl last year, saying "If someone fights through an injury to play in a game" blah blah blah. He then told me of his plans in Philadelphia.

He wants to open two bars. One being "Jon Jon's Purple" and the other "Jon Jon's Pink". Forgive me if I get these wrong, but the purple one will be a sports bar, and the pink one will be a "Gentlemen's Club". I could tell he liked those colors just by the fact that his suit is purple and he had on a purple tanktop. Plus nice black leather sandals. The dude's got style ;) As we were getting off the train, he told me of his extra plans for "Pink". He wants to make it the only non-smoking gentlemen's club in Philadelphia. I had forgotten to mention the fact that Philadelphia is currently trying to get smoking forbidden in all public places. I scoffed at this, saying something like "Aww man!!" To which he said "I can't have smoking in my bars, I have cancer." That would give you a different perspective on life, I guess. I also added that I don't mind not smoking in a bar. I can head outside if I need one. As we headed off the train, he gave me two of his business cards.

His card has recommendations from people like Master P, the Casino Review, and Angelo Cataldi of WIP, where he was voted "#1 Maniac". Aaliyah has a quote on the front of the card. And it has his e-mail address. He told me to email him, and tell him where I met him, and he'd do something for me, like send me an autograph. I thought that was nice.

I have never heard of him until Friday. He apparently was on BET and WIP that week. I don't even think I get BET, and I don't have any opportunity to listen to the radio since I would only listen in my car, and I don't drive that much now. I have yet to convince myself, he could be a BS artist or just hitting it big. I don't want to look stupid like "There's no one called Jon Jon Da Maniac!" but, I met him. He may not be famous, Drew Rosenhaus may not be his agent, he might have never met anyone that he told me he met, and who knows if he's opening bars. You never meet people like that. He's a crazy character and I wish him the best :)

Comments

Your Name
Email or Website (optional)
Your Comment
Remember my info

Browse By Month

April 2009(1)
October 2008(2)
September 2008(1)
August 2008(1)
July 2008(4)
June 2008(6)
May 2008(9)
April 2008(8)
March 2008(11)
February 2008(12)
January 2008(6)
December 2007(6)
November 2007(3)
October 2007(6)
September 2007(5)
August 2007(4)
July 2007(6)
June 2007(1)
May 2007(2)
April 2007(11)
March 2007(5)
February 2007(12)
January 2007(7)
December 2006(12)
November 2006(12)
October 2006(14)
September 2006(6)
August 2006(7)
July 2006(12)
June 2006(20)
May 2006(16)
April 2006(11)
March 2006(19)
February 2006(13)
January 2006(15)
December 2005(14)
November 2005(17)
October 2005(19)
September 2005(20)
August 2005(32)
July 2005(21)
June 2005(37)
May 2005(38)
April 2005(12)