Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

A City Under Television Skies

I remember reading a book about Led Zeppelin as a teenager. There was an interesting meeting between the band and Elvis Presley. He asked for their autographs for his daughter. She was a fan.

Drummer John Bonham complimented his diamond encrusted watch, and the king promptly took it off and gave it to him. Bonham took of his Mickey Mouse watch and handed that to Elvis.

The other interesting story regarding this meeting was how in awe Zeppelin was over the remote control Elvis had for the TV set. They had never seen one before. And sure, it was huge; but the idea of not having to get up and change the channel, when you’re snacking on a peanut butter and nana sandwich…

Of course, the TV story everyone knows about Elvis, is him shooting up the screen. If you watched Kurt Russell play Elvis, you were probably under the impression that he always shot TVs out. I think I read in an interview, that he only shot one -- when Englebert Humperdink was on the screen (how cool would that be for Hump, knowing you’re the guy that caused Elvis to lose it and shoot at ya?)

Jerry Lee Lewis wanted to shoot Elvis, and once appeared at the Graceland gates. I don’t know enough about those details, though.

And back to TVs being shot.

Since yesterday was football, and I’m getting ready to watch the 49ers tonight, I thought about the guy in Louisiana a few weeks ago, who bet against the New Orleans Saints. Not sure what he was thinking, betting on the lousy Redskins.

He told people they could shoot his 60-inch high-definition, flat-screen in a sort of backyard firing squad deal.

About a dozen gun-toting football fans showed up at his home, just north of New Orleans, and they shot up his TV.

I’m guessing they didn’t get permits or anything. But, his YouTube hits for this video was at 150,000 over the first week.

Now, much like Elvis, when I first saw that guy sing Chocolate Rain on YouTube, I wanted to shoot my TV set. But I’ve never been tempted during a football game (well, a few times I would’ve pointed the Glock at Marty on the screen, had I actually owned one).

I’ve made some crazy football bets (although the Saints covering the line against the Eagles this year, won me $25)…but these stories were so insane.

It makes it even stranger that no arrests were made when this TV set was shot up in a backyard, yet when two film crews in Detroit were filming, with fake guns, they were cited for not having the proper permits. This happened twice in a week in the Motor City. And, it would be understandable if you’re out on the streets; but one filming took place at a private home.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

National City – thorn in the side of Port Commission

City council votes 3-2 to hesitate on state assembly bill
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Save Ferris brings a clapping crowd to the Belly Up

Maybe the band was a bigger deal than I had remembered

I remember reading a book about Led Zeppelin as a teenager. There was an interesting meeting between the band and Elvis Presley. He asked for their autographs for his daughter. She was a fan.

Drummer John Bonham complimented his diamond encrusted watch, and the king promptly took it off and gave it to him. Bonham took of his Mickey Mouse watch and handed that to Elvis.

The other interesting story regarding this meeting was how in awe Zeppelin was over the remote control Elvis had for the TV set. They had never seen one before. And sure, it was huge; but the idea of not having to get up and change the channel, when you’re snacking on a peanut butter and nana sandwich…

Of course, the TV story everyone knows about Elvis, is him shooting up the screen. If you watched Kurt Russell play Elvis, you were probably under the impression that he always shot TVs out. I think I read in an interview, that he only shot one -- when Englebert Humperdink was on the screen (how cool would that be for Hump, knowing you’re the guy that caused Elvis to lose it and shoot at ya?)

Jerry Lee Lewis wanted to shoot Elvis, and once appeared at the Graceland gates. I don’t know enough about those details, though.

And back to TVs being shot.

Since yesterday was football, and I’m getting ready to watch the 49ers tonight, I thought about the guy in Louisiana a few weeks ago, who bet against the New Orleans Saints. Not sure what he was thinking, betting on the lousy Redskins.

He told people they could shoot his 60-inch high-definition, flat-screen in a sort of backyard firing squad deal.

About a dozen gun-toting football fans showed up at his home, just north of New Orleans, and they shot up his TV.

I’m guessing they didn’t get permits or anything. But, his YouTube hits for this video was at 150,000 over the first week.

Now, much like Elvis, when I first saw that guy sing Chocolate Rain on YouTube, I wanted to shoot my TV set. But I’ve never been tempted during a football game (well, a few times I would’ve pointed the Glock at Marty on the screen, had I actually owned one).

I’ve made some crazy football bets (although the Saints covering the line against the Eagles this year, won me $25)…but these stories were so insane.

It makes it even stranger that no arrests were made when this TV set was shot up in a backyard, yet when two film crews in Detroit were filming, with fake guns, they were cited for not having the proper permits. This happened twice in a week in the Motor City. And, it would be understandable if you’re out on the streets; but one filming took place at a private home.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.