Mike Phillips remembers Bwana Johnny

I first met Bwana when I was doing a radio show at KISN in Portland.  We had street level studios with all glass windows surrounding us.  One afternoon I noticed a little chubby guy standing outside the window when I was on the air. Whenever I would say something, he would give me a look of disapproval. 

Occasionally, he would write something in his loose notebook.  This was quite intimidating for someone who was new at KISN.  Later we became good friends and worked together at KJR and WWDJ in Hackensack. 

One Sunday afternoon in Hackensack, my wife sent us to the supermarket to pick up some groceries. 

 I told Bwana, "let's do a bit while we're there." Like the Legend, we both liked practical jokes. 

So I grabbed one of the cords from one of those old cassette recording devices with a plug on one end

of the wire and a suction cup on the other. We summoned the produce manager in the market to announce that all of the avocadoes were bad.  Bwana proceeded to put the jack in his ear and the suction cup on the avocado.  I said:  "it is our understanding that  if you put this device to the avocado and can't hear anything, the avocado is definitely bad."  I said, "listen for yourself ... do you hear anything?" 

After putting the jack in his ear, he said no.  And we said something such as "we'll you'd better have

these things checked out ... they may be a health hazard. "Another Hackensack story:  Same supermarket, different date.  I was doing some routine shopping. Bwana bought only one product that day.  Donned with his trademark pith helmet ... but this time with a slight variation:  He had glued Mickey Mouse

ears onto it.  Quite a sight.  We walked up to the cash register, Bwana carrying a large hunk of

Swiss Cheese, uttered in a very loud and dramatic voice: 

"I AM BWANA MOUSE   ...   AND I HAVE COME TO BY CHEESE!"

Fortunately, there were no arrests.

A final thought on Bwana's incredible taste in music.  One day while visiting him in his San Francisco

apartment, he put on a cut I had never heard, Madame George by Van Morrison.  He also loved

Sugar Sugar by the Archies. 

I remember Bwana as a sweet guy, very intelligent, incredibly funny, and certainly someone

who keep the show in our business.

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