Big League Babble On: The Misadventures of a Rabble-Rousing Sportscaster and Why He Should Be Dead By Now

by John Gallagher

Veteran radio and television personality John Gallagher's salacious, voracious, and dangerously delicious memoirs of a life lived on the edge in the midst of some of the world's biggest celebrities.

There's an old saying about life, "It's not who you know, it's who you ... well, you know ..." I'm here to tell you, in this "business of show" that I'm in, it's definitely who you know. And that is how I got to this place in my life. After decades and decades of wine, women, rockstars, Hollywood's finest and oh, yeah ... sports ... it's all come down to who you know.

So this is the story of the people I've had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of knowing.

I've had close to forty years of hosting some of the top-rated radio and TV shows in Canada, chasing skirt and bedding some of the most beautiful women in North America, and along the way doing enough cocaine to kill a small horse, drinking, cavorting, and gallivanting with the some of the coolest, biggest, and baddest broadcasters and celebs in the business. With this book, you'll get a credited backstage pass.

Genres: Sports

280 pages, Paperback

Published December 12, 2017

About the author

Born in London, John Gallagher grew up in Ireland, and is currently resident in Japan as a writer and translator. He holds a BA in History and English Literature from the National University of Ireland, and an MA in Translation Studies from Dublin City University.

Reviews

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to his bio, John Gallagher is an award-winning, thirty-year on-air veteran of Canadian television and radio. He worked for fifteen years at Citytv and is the former host of the country’s #1 talk show, Gallagher, on TSN. A self-described news and pop culture junkie, foodie, music collector, world traveller and closet wine expert, John has partied with just about every celebrity of note for the past three decades - and has the pictures to prove it.

John was raised in Montreal. After accepting a job in broadcasting in Halifax when he was quite young, he moved to Toronto from Nova Scotia about the same time I did in the 1980s (he's about my age). I know of him from being on the morning crew on classic rock station Q107 and on Citytv.

I enjoy reading bios/autobios and I thought his would be interesting, especially since he has spent most of his career here in Toronto. John is not shy about telling his story ... of his excesses in booze, drugs and women, his meetings with actors, sports stars and other broadcasters, the adventures his career has allowed him to experience, and more. He names names and is honest in his opinions about them. Throughout the book, there are pictures of some of the people he talks about in the book.

I liked the writing style and found it to be conversational. The stories he shared were interesting and at times shocking, but in a fun way. I will admit, though, that I didn't find John all that likable. Though I liked the book and the writing style, I found him to be too arrogant, cocky and boastful (not unlike his on-air persona). It would appear that no woman can resist him and all are anxious to hop in bed with him minutes after meeting him. It doesn't seem like he has much for respect for women, other than his mother. Needless to say, the language and stories are for a mature reader. The last chapter in which he talks about his father and his family life growing up to me seemed to be perhaps the "real" John rather than the "on" John.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/11...

[Dan Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book since Gallagher had crossed paths with well know celebs and he is very honest. Have only read first few chapters but hard to put down. Chapters are tight and short and perfect to pick up and put down without losing the flow.
Thank you for sharing John!