Thanks, PG!: Memoirs of a Tabloid Reporter
Thanks, PG!: Memoirs of a Tabloid Reporter recounts the life and adventures of reporter Billy Don Johnson during his 20 years (1975-1995) working for the fictional tabloid The National Insider.
After his dreams of becoming a crusading journalist with daily newspapers are dashed, Billy throws himself into the wild world of diets, household tips, ghosts, UFOs, weird history, and celebrity scandal, all of which is designed to please Padrone Gallione (PG), the wonderful madman who was editor of the magazine.
Like the tabloid industry itself, this book is a combination of fact and fiction. Within, you will find untold stories from the lives of many famous people, get an inside look at how tabloid stories are created and examine the origins of celebrity scandal in American journalism.
Ultimately, this book is a tribute to the genius of Generoso Pope Jr., founder and publisher of the National Enquirer.
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"Thanks, John Isaac Jones! I loved this book! Beautifully written, edited, and oh, so entertaining! Thank you for the 'insider' look of what really goes on behind the scenes of tabloid journalism, and yes, readers, it IS journalism." - Amazon reviewer
"Thanks, PG!: Memoirs of a tabloid reporter is a good solid read. Well written, it takes one into the fascinating inner sanctum of the man who created modern tabloid journalism, Generoso Pope Jr (although he isn't named directly). Pope took a failing Hearst paper and turned it into National Enquirer, which at one time had a circulation approaching 8-million a week. The writer, having worked in this field for many years, knows what he's talking about. The book, like the tabloid industry itself, is a mixture of fact and fiction. The writer apparently went this way in order to avoid legal difficulties and to give himself more latitude to express his own laudatory views. It's an informative read for those who want to know how those sensational stories are put together; and this writer made a name for himself doing just that. I would definitely recommend it. John I Jones has produced a revealing memoir based on many years of his own jouranlistic experiences in the U.S. and abroad working for the tabloids. What is interesting is that while Pope was reviled as being a cheap sensationalist, John I Jones make the very good point that Pope changed the face of American journalism, spawning the huge gossip industry that has spread to both the establishment press, TV and the internet. Not many people give Pope credit, but this writer does. And I think he's right in his applause for an innovative publisher." Tony Brenna--retired National Enquirer Reporter
"As someone who worked in the tabloid business for more than 30 years, I can attest to the fact that Mr. Jones's book is totally accurate - and frequently hilarious. Set around his adventures in the fictionalized National Insider - no prizes for guessing what magazine that really is - he spills the beans on some fascinating stories. Do the tabs make them up? No. But how they get the stories is fascinating.". - Phil Bunton, retired National Enquirer editor
