I’m Jon, and I’m a pop culture junkie.
I love me some entertainment and exist on a steady diet of the stuff, devouring as much as I can stomach. To my wife’s chagrin, our house overflows with a mountainous library of DVDs and CDs, shelves of toys and collectibles, and stacks of movie posters and comic books tucked underneath the beds and in the wings of the attic.
Yet, somehow I’ve taken my pop culture obsession to another level. I’m not simply content with being a possible subject on the next episode of “Hoarders.” I tend to couple my passion with a dose of do-it-yourself action.
As a fan of ’80s hard rock, I can often be found slipping on a cascading blonde wig and skin-tight spandex, and fronting a hair metal tribute band. I loved the theatrical smack down of professional rasslin’ when I was a kid, and in my 20s I made my way into the wild and wacky world of wrestling. Although I don’t have a bulging physique, I was trained to be a loud-mouthed, bad guy manager. Countless body slams followed, and I was often on the receiving end.
Being an entertainment journalist has given me the opportunity to meet and interview some of my all-time favorites, including a card-carrying Beatle. I’ve also had the chance to work with some of my pop culture heroes. For instance, in ’07 I was tapped to be the official publicity writer for Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers, Van Halen.
But this summer I’ve hit the pop culture lottery. I’m working for Elvis.
In my humble opinion, you don’t get more iconic than Elvis Presley. He’s the pinnacle, the mountaintop, the most recognizable entertainer of the past century. And he didn’t just achieve that with a killer set of pipes, a swivel of the hips and a handsome mug. Elvis was the true definition of a triple threat. He could sing, he could dance, he could act. The King changed the face of music and entertainment in general, and it hasn’t been the same since.
So needless to say I was floored when Elvis Presley Enterprises asked me to be the official blogger for the 35th anniversary of Elvis Week, the annual celebration of the life and legacy of Elvis Presley, which takes place August 10-18 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis lovers from around the world will be converging upon the King’s hometown for a seemingly endless amount of events. From the Elvis tribute artist competitions to Graceland’s candlelight vigil to the 35th anniversary concert at the FedEx Forum, I’ll be there covering the events from a fan’s perspective. So make sure and visit www.elvisweek.com for my daily blogs beginning August 10.
You can also continue to visit www.jonwaterhouse.com for my various pop culture musings, including links to my articles and radio show episodes, updates on my current book project and a whole lot more.
Thankyaverymuch,
Jon
