At 14, I got a job at a grocery store, full time, and the 1st time the part time staff popped in... I caught sight of someone that kinda startled me, cuz he looked just like Leif Garrett! Somehow we became instant friends, inseparable for years.. but before those years took place.. I saw a crowd gathered in the storage room one day, and as I got closer .. the spitting image of my friend Shawn was in the middle being oogled by the female staff. Turned out to be Shawn's identical twin bro Sam, who had been living up north and just returned. I realize this is sounding like fan fiction at this point, but I swear everywhere the 3 of us went, all mothers just had to point out the Leif similarity. I mean, each of them was spot on... just like you! Crazy...ironically I'M the one who grew up to be a pro recording artist.
I was in the audience when Leif Garrett was doing an interview on a show and got his autograph. He was sitting alone on a tall stool by the exit doors smoking. I walked over and asked for his autograph, which he gave to me. Suddenly, some girls noticed and ran towards us and ripped the autographed paper out of my hands. He escaped the swarm but I lost the autograph😳 Your story was great! Fun times!
So glad you enjoyed my story! Thank you for sharing your own adventure. I’ve been thinking about making a movie that documents peoples experiences like this. I think it would be really fun. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! To be honest I couldn’t see how much I resembled him until I got older. It’s really uncanny! I can understand why the girls were so confused! 😂
…I giggled and cackled the entire time Jon, of this incredible story. Thanks for revealing this journey to us out here! In 1980, I was 12/13 years old so…I remember clearly all the rock mags; Circus, Hit Parader, Grooves, and of course 16. LG was EVERYWHERE in ‘79-‘80. Those were very exaggerated times. No internet, no cellular phone…if you had an answering machine in your house, all the neighbors knew about it! Never mind a VCR! These were luxury items at the time. Let’s not forget Atari Pong either! Thanks Jon!
Thanks for watching and the great comments! I don’t like sounding like an old guy but those were great times. I consider myself blessed to have come of age in such an awesome decade!
Wow you really did look just like Leif!! What a hilarious, incredible story!! What an experience! I think that was so great you guys cooking up that story and putting it into play. Thanks so much for sharing - Love your videos. Can’t wait to see the project you’re working on….could it be Elton related???? ♥️
I loved your story. The happiness in your face while telling it says it all! I met Leif at an Oasis record store in Pittsburgh back in the late 70’s. I remember it was pouring outside and we waited hrs in the rain to meet him. The things we did as teenagers to meet our idols was crazy. I couldn’t imagine doing that today lol ❤️
Fabulous story, Jon. It reminds me of the true story of the group of high school guys that impersonated The Beatles warmup act, The Cyrkle, and got backstage. It happened on the 1966 tour in Washington, DC. These guys pulled a stunt that involved dressing in the latest fashion, hiring a driver to picked them up from the lobby of the hotel that The Beatles were staying at. They started getting mobbed by girls and the police rescued them because they thought that they were part of the tour. The police gave their car a motorcycle escort to the stadium and was driven on to the field. They got out and went in to the dugout and in to the dressing rooms. The Beatles were giving a press conference in another area but all of their gear was just sitting there. After a minutes of geeking out at their stunt, they heard people coming in to the dressing room. It was The Beatles. Ringo asked who they were and the teenagers fessed up. Ringo started laughing and proceeded to call the other Beatles over for them to tell them the story. The Beatles weren't mad at all. They thought it was hysterical and even made them tell the real members of The Cyrkle what they had done. They got to watch the concert from the first base dugout and one guy said he could see his sister at the top of the stadium. This would never happen today. There was an article about it on the 50th anniversary back in 2016. Most of the guys were still alive and their story is a trip.
That’s a cool story indeed. Kind of reminds me of a client I had back in the 90’s. He was the owner of the local Coca Cola bottling plant (license to print $) anyway, his story was featured in a 25th Anniversary special paper about Woodstock. He was a young guy working at the family business and convinced some friends to jump in a Coke delivery truck and drive straight all the way from Indiana to some vague place in upstate NY, with a vague notion of a concert going on. As they got closer to the venue, unlike the people who had to abandon their cars and walk, they kept getting waved through! It dawned on them that because they were driving a Coke truck that the cops and event coordinators thought they were important vendors! So then they started telling people at checkpoints they were vendors for the “artists’ section”. So they got to pull in all the way to the backstage area and see some rockstars! They literally had “rockstar parking”. When he got back into town a few days later, no one would believe him. His father did, he got in big trouble for ditching work and taking a valuable work truck on a wild roadtrip. It was hilarious and I never knew that about him til I read it in the paper.
Amazing and funny indeed... love the photos you shared to...when you really think of the day back than which includes my age bracket..you can really let your mind wonder....big Leif Garrett fan here...great vid.thanks for sharing
@@JonBlackstone At 16 I would have loved to have been there. That is so cool 😎!!! I was 16 in 1979 and I wanted to be just like Cherie Currie. Lol. I had the blond hair, a band, but never got discovered. You lived the dream for a day. Thanks so much for sharing! I really enjoyed that as I was a teen back then too. Teens of today have no idea how big Leif would was. He was the biggest heart throb of that time imo.
Wow Jon, that is one crazy story! It's so amazing, you could probably write a book about it, along with your other band-life stories, drugs, depression, etc. You've lived an interesting life...Leif. 😃
This is the BEST STORY EVER. You looked just like him, especially when you were sitting on the couch with the guitar. Oddly enough, I was also a Leif Garrett lookalike in 1979...not quite like you were, but somewhat (Leif’s cousin!). I’m a year younger than him, so I guess I’m a year older than you? I was also chubby and unnoticed in my years before puberty hit. And I had a similar experience to you, in that, when I slimmed down and became “worthy”, I still felt like “I’m not worthy.” And I still mostly went unnoticed. Hell, not much has changed, 40 years later. Chubby and unnoticed has staying power! I can say one thing, though...we both look better than Leif Garret today. I was a little confused when I started watching this video, because you look like a guy in his 40’s. But anyway, that stuff doesn’t really matter...the important thing is that you seem like a real swell dude...a real fine chap...and a GREAT storyteller. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this story more than anything I have ever seen on the internet (since 1995!). I can’t wait for my friends to see your story. Especially my musician friends. Thanks, Jon!
Wow Cliff, what a nice message! You cheered me up on a day I really needed it. I totally relate to what you said. If a kid doesn’t have a lot of encouragement and affirmation from parents it’s most likely to turn out insecure. It sounds like you and I both had similar stories. I hope you’ll watch this video as I go into more detail about my childhood and how I was effected by growing up with alcoholic parents. Let me know what you think. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v7eePDFJGxE.htmlsi=0zSuFgTdIfSOHVKr
@@JonBlackstone Glad I was able to cheer you up, Jon. That’s weird, because I was feeling a little bummed because I thought you didn’t reply to my comment, because I never received a notification. So YOU really cheered ME up on a day I really needed it. I’m glad I revisited your video today and saw your reply....instead of just checking my notifications. Don’t worry, I’m not a psycho - I didn’t check my notifications every day since my post (just 8 out of 9!). So yeah, encouragement and affirmation are key. Our parents forgot to read the memo! I’m looking forward to your video about your childhood/alcoholic parents. I guess I was fortunate to be a child of teetotalers.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes I can’t believe it actually happened. My kids make me tell them the story over and over again. 😆 thanks for watching!
This is an awesome story! I can see why the girls flipped out! The girl with the photo story too! My dad has a similar story from 20 years earlier - and he got PAID to “be” a teen idol at a concert. He worked as a stagehand at an amphitheater in Cleveland in the late 50s for a high school summer job. The act that night was Johnny Mathis - dad’s favorite singer. The girls went nuts. Because dad was Johnny’s size, after the show the security team grabbed Dad and threw Johnny’s jacket over his head and escorted/rushed him to the limo outside through a phalanx of wild fans. The girls blocked the car and were rocking the car back and forth. The screams were deafening. Scared him pretty good! Meanwhile, Johnny had snuck out some other door and was taken to the hotel in an ‘unmarked car’. 😅
Thanks for watching! What a great story! I’m sure your dad told you what a strange experience it is to be in that position. I can honestly say it made me realize how awful it would to be famous; especially with young fans! I used to dream about being successful but I always remembered that day and it made me second guess my desires. A great teaching lesson for me. Thanks for sharing your story. 😎 Cheers!
What a wonderful story. I was one of those girls all gaga for Leif back in the day. You are bringing some good eldership there Jon. Wisdom much needed in our world today. Thank you.
On the back of kiss alive album, there are two girls holding a poster. The one with a fuzzy blonde hair looks identical so the way I looked at that age I was like 15 I went around telling everybody I was her everybody believed they went around telling everybody they knew the girl that was on the back of that album. I never did tell the truth that is kept on believing. they say I can’t believe it as it as it is you just got under my breath. Good times.
Loved this story....Hilarious! You really did look like him. My 16 year old story was "my week in 1975 with Slick Watts". Being from the Seattle area I'm certain you know the former Seattle Supersonic who probably could have run for governor and won, he was that popular at the time. My mother and I regret to this day not taking "Super 8" or even a photo. Love the pictures and video's Jon! If I'm ever in the Bellevue area?
Thanks for watching Brad! Of course I remember Slick! He was the biggest celebrity in Seattle second only to JP Patches! I’d love to hear your story. If you’re ever in town let me know!
Thanks for watching! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story as much I enjoyed telling it! To be honest sometimes I still can’t believe how much I looked like him. It’s pretty uncanny. I’m also surprised Leif’s manager didn’t consider using me in some kind of role; such as a decoy or double. I wonder if he thought about it later? 😎
I loved Leif until he started the music. Him Scott Jacoby Robbie Benson. But Leif and Vincent Van Patten Alec Rocco on show Three For The Road was magic. Dawn Lyn was Dodie on My Three Sons is his sister.
I know! It’s funny I really couldn’t see it as clearly, as I see it now. I could’ve used it to grade advantage if I had realized it at the time. 😊 thanks for watching!
That was amazing. You do look a lot like him. He was one of my teen idols growing up. You do have an uncanny resemblance to him. I can't believe you almost actually got away with it. However, if girls knew enough about Leif Garrett that he has a sister named Dawn Lynn. (Not a brother) .To me that would have been a definite red flag for me. But good for you for at least getting the opportunity to try and meet him. I probably would have died if I had.
It’s funny, you mention that because some of the girls were aware that Leif Garrett didn’t have a brother. Fortunately, for me, most of the fans didn’t know that! Thanks for watching
So glad you enjoyed the video! It’s funny I’ve had several women comment that Leif Garrett was their first crush. I never really understood how much I looked like him at the time. But that’s probably a good thing. Being a teenager, I may not have made the best decisions. 😎 thank you for your comments!
Thanks for watching! I know I actually am shocked looking back. At the time I really couldn’t see that I resembled him so much. Now, when I look at photos of him, it shocks me!
Thanks for watching! When the Frampton comes alive album came out I thought he looks so cool on that album cover. I confess at the time I was kind of trying to look like him. So it doesn’t surprise me you saw some similarities. Thanks for watching!
Wow. That would be like being Clark Kent and having a picture taken of him, having people say he, looks like Superman, finding out it's not Superman and being totally disgusted, when they find out that it's not really Superman. That explanation was better when I first thought about it in my head.
@@JonBlackstone yeah. After I wrote that in the comments, I felt really awkward. The story of my life really. I can sum up my life as a series embarrassing silences and awkward pauses. 🥴
I played in a band in the early Very early 80s that had a roadie who looked almost exactly like Garrett. One day the band was playing in Montreal and staying in a hotel. There was a limo in front of the hotel and the driver was leaning on it smoking a cigarette. A conversation was struck up and the driver eventually offered to give the guys a ride down the road to the big shopping mall. When they got out in front of the mall girls.began screaming and ran up to the roadie and wanted his autograph. He obliged them :-)
@@JonBlackstonethat was my first thought. You could have been his stuntman. Looking like him, I would bet the girls were crazy about you. I had Leif posters everywhere in my bedroom.
Thanks for watching! To be honest, I never really saw how much I look like Leif Garrett until I got older. Now, when I look at photos of myself at the age of 16 I can’t believe how much I looked like him. As you said, it’s almost uncanny!
@@JonBlackstone You must have been a complete young Gentleman. You could have totally taken advantage of this with the young ladies. I had the biggest crush on Leif...You were adorable, still are, but in a more distinguished way.
@@dernerdo Hello Ann, you made my day. Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed my story. I confess it becomes more incredible to me with the passing of time. The main thing is it shocks me how much I resembled him. At the time people would tell me; but I couldn’t really see it. Now I sure do! As I’ve been thinking more about this it surprises me his manager didn’t take some interest in me. I could have been a perfect decoy when they were trying to sneak him in and out of crowds. Oh well… Thanks for your kind words. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas season and a blessed new year to come!
@@JonBlackstone ..You're very welcome. Thank you for the great videos! When I was going through my Leif Garrett is a total babe, stage...My sister was dating a guy who skateboarded with a Leif Garrett double. He worked on the movie Skateboard, the movie Leif was in. His name, I can't recall but when he came over to our house...We had a swimming pool, it was the hangout for all the kids..I would invite all my Leif Garrett worshippers over. He was sweet about it but I think we qot on his nerves at times. Looking back, you resembled Leif far more than my Sisters friend.
@@dernerdoIt’s so crazy how many people I’ve heard from who had encounters with people from his orbit. With teen hearthrob types I always think how tough it is to receive so much attention then have it disappear so completely. I know Leif has had a really rough road. I don’t know if you’re interested but I made a video about my own experiences. You might find it interesting. THE TRUTH - How I Survived a Lifetime of Depression and Addiction ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v7eePDFJGxE.html
@@JonBlackstone I was 15 and my sister worked for Lorimer at the MGM now Sony lot, so like the nerd that I was I would sound stage hop. If I share the story it might be gossiping unfairly. Let's just say I startled him as he was engaging in activity that was the norm for those times. I got startled too so I bailed.
Hi Mariella, I always make sure and respond to the first person to comment on a new video. Thanks for watching! I hope it was fun to revisit those times. As you can probably tell it was really fun for me. 😎
I totally agree! I thought he missed out on a good opportunity for a body double. I could’ve easily been a decoy when they were in a tight situation with girls clamoring to get a hold of him. They used to do that with a lot of boy bands. I would’ve been the best decoy ever!
Don't you know that the true Leif Garrett hired a sosi to replace himself himself to do something different like becoming Jon Bon Jovi ... That's why if you check out with a sofware of voice recognition that will be great . But Don't ask Jon cause he did the same later to live free his retirement across the world ... Have a good day ... from Mike Lookinland
Too funny. I was backstage at a Poison concert when a very drunk C C Deville staggered up to me and thought I was Nikki Sixx. Back then with my long rocker hair I might have slightly resembled him. I said no. ZERGOG. he repeated my name and his assistant wisked him away.
Thank you for watching him for sharing that hilarious story! I laughed out loud, and people looked at me in the doctors office like I was crazy. Hope to hear from you again!
