Two teenage girls, not yet old enough for a driver's license, spent most weekends together. They came of age when the British Invasion reached the US and were cliche Beatles fans. Pictures were taped to their bedroom walls. They read teen magazines about the lads over tuna and grilled cheese sandwiches at Bauder's Drug Store, and they adopted a British accent.
Friday night was request night on KSO radio, so these two would call and ask to hear their favorite songs by John, Paul, George, and Ringo. They spoke in their British accent, honed from watching 'A Hard Days Night' 14 times.
It was a prank right up there with making random calls asking if a stranger's refrigerator is running, and if so, they better catch it.
The deejay was so excited to be talking to girls from Liverpool.
The two identified themselves as Julie Shaw and Wendy Berry. Their intention wasn't to launch a weeks-long prank, but like lies have a way of doing, they kept growing. The girls giggled uncontrollably after each call to the request line.
The conversations would stretch to fill an entire 3-minute commercial break.
What were they doing in Des Moines? Uh, they were visiting their pen pal in America.
The deejay then asked: Would you come out to the station and do an interview?
Uh, well, uh, ok. We don't have a car.
No worries, the deejay will pick them up. Where?
Uh, the Howard Johnson motel on Ingersoll.
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.
I was Julie Shaw, and my friend, Jaci Arnold, was Wendy Barry.
The film, ‘Paul McCartney 3,2,1’, was released on Hulu, Friday, July 16. I've already watched it twice. Paul. Paul. Paul. Oh my god.
So this story is on my mind as if it was yesterday when all our troubles seemed so far away.
Jacie and I walked the 20 blocks to the motel and met the deejay - whose name mercifully escapes me. Neither of us wanted to sit in the front seat, so we piled in the back. He drove us through downtown and pointed out various city landmarks, including the church where we both sang in the choir the following day.
KSO radio, unbeknownst to us at the time, was 10 miles away and located in unfamiliar territory. Our eyes widened as he drove, and drove, and drove, finally reaching the station. He triumphantly introduced us to his colleagues and ushered us into a recording studio, where we spent over an hour discussing life in Liverpool.
We'd done our research, spending a considerable amount of time in the downtown library learning about schools and life in England, so we were ready.
The interview was scheduled to air the following Friday night. The deejay ran promos all week urging listeners to tune in for 'Beatles Night' and hear an exclusive interview with two girls from Liverpool.
We finally told our parents about the deception.
Jacie and I were together that night, of course, listening, waiting.
Eight o'clock came, but no interview. We waited. And waited. No interview. No explanation.
I dialed the station number. Julie Shaw here. The deejay answered and slowly told us we'd been outed.
Years later, I learned it was my dad who made the call. As a newspaperman and broadcaster himself, he just couldn't let the station air a fraudulent story.
I guess I forgive him.
Decades later, I was in downtown Chicago having an intense conversation with a client. Richard called. I didn't answer. He called two more times, so I excused myself and took the call. He knew where I was and what I was doing, so he must have an emergency. Richard had been in a similar meeting with a client, who happened to have two extra tickets to a sold-out Paul McCartney concert that night. Did we want to go? If so, we needed to be at the Chicago United Center in 45 minutes.
Did I want to go????? Oh my god, oh my god.
I warned our generous hosts that I might become a little carried away and asked them to ignore me.
Thank you, Hulu. Thank you, Rick Rubin. And thank you, Paul, for 'McCartney 3,2, 1.' I really needed this series. Oh, and thanks for releasing all six episodes at once.
I still love you, Paul.
https://www.hulu.com/series/mccartney-3-2-1-e168480d-849e-4f2d-aaf2-a5276723d68d
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First John Denver and now Paul McCartney. Good grief I had a boring youth! But one I enjoyed anyway.
Super 😎 and so fun 🤩 🎉. I want to Hold your Hand ❤️❤️