The powder blue Rolls Royce Drop head Coupe blasted it's horn yesterday as the Shuttle waited for a ferry at the Rose Bay marina. The driver gave a cheery wave.
It was retired radio legend John Laws heading for Catalina Restaurant. Accompanying him was his long time manager John Fordham.
On Melbourne Cup Day at Otto's Ristorante on the Cowper Street Wharf where Laws usually lunches-it's just a short drive in the golf cart he keeps at the end of the pier where he lives in one of the two sumptuous penthouses, next door to Russell Crowe- I asked him if he was planning to return to radio.
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| Laws with Kerrie Packer |
"No-one has offered me a job !" he replied.
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| Fordham & Laws |
And he'll be taking his gold mic with him. Laws loves gold. Everything he has is gold-his spectacles, sunglasses, rings, cuff links, the dials and buttons on the Roller-even the spurs on his riding boots.
John will back in the morning slot that was his domain up against 2GB's Ray Hadley who dominates the time slot. And he will syndicated to 90 stations nationwide on the network owned by Bill Caralis.
Laws never made any secret of his contempt for former stablemate Alan Jones who he called "the parrot". Jones eventually bought 2GB with partner John Singleton and Laws is bound to take exceptional delight in attacking the 2GB ratings. Will all those truckers and working mums and dads return to Laws ?. Time will tell.
In the meantime the one-time highest paid radio star in the world will be taking his 'princess' Caroline off in early December to spend Christmas in his usual haunt-a leisurely Mediterranean cruise followed by 2 weeks at the Gritti Palace in Venice.
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One man who will welcome John Law's return to the airwaves is budding Upper House MP Frank Monte who was a regular on his radio show when Laws would interview Monte while the gumshoe was in New York.
Today Monte's election website went up : http://www.electfrankmonte.com/ with the logo - Reliable Mature Honest Independent. I fight 4 your rights & protection.
With some of his policies that are very anti-Lord Mayor Clover Moore he should find himself welcome on Alan Jones show as well given Jones intense dislike for Sydney's dog collar wearing mayor and state MP.
The Shuttle gave up reading Monte's extensive list of media mentions-it's quite amazing. No wonder he is referred to as "the world's most famous private eye".
There is also a package of bumper stickers to buy. It looks the PI has learnt a few tricks during his time in the USA and picked up some electioneering tips there. With the current ruling state Labor Party on the nose with voters and the Opposition Liberal/Coalition Party not exactly exciting the electorate, a hand full of independents like Monte may well hold a balance of power after the March 2011 ballot, just as they do at a Federal level.
