July 5, 2009

Jon Bon Jovi's Opening Act

Tells 60 Minutes "I Haven't Had A Bad Year Since The Doctor Slapped Me On The Ass"

  • Jon Bon Jovi

    Jon Bon Jovi  (CBS)

  • Photo Essay Celebrity Circuit

    Natalie Portman, Stanley Tucci are honored at Gotham Awards

(CBS)  "Does the football team make enough money for you to be doing it all in their name?" Kroft asked.

"No, not at all," Bon Jovi said.

Bon Jovi said it doesn't make any money at all. "But we're not losing a lot of money either," he pointed out. "I didn't do it to make money. In fact, on paper, owning a sports team doesn't make any sense to anybody. It makes no sense. It's not economically viable."

So Bon Jovi made the team the umbrella of his philanthropic endeavors, like refurbishing 15 townhouses on what had been one of the worst streets in Philadelphia.

The homes were refurbished by the team. "The idea was that I was gonna take all the monies that we made and give it back and utilize it in ways that would affect the community," Bon Jovi explained. "So initially I was playing Robin Hood. And if you needed a playground at a foster home, we built it. If you needed beds for a covenant house, we gave 'em to you."

It helped make the Soul one of the most successful franchises in the league. And just a few hours after they won their home opener before 15,000 people at the Wachovia Center, the arena was being transformed for another Bon Jovi event. This time it was his night job: another sold out concert that was taking place on his 46th birthday.

A few days later the traveling circus with 92 employees and 27 truckloads of gear had moved west to Pittsburgh. And as with everything else in his life, Jon Bon Jovi is the ringmaster.

Asked what his payroll is, Bon Jovi told Kroft, "Outdoors it's a couple million a week. Indoors it's half of that. It's high. I mean, I get sick, man. There ain't no insurance for that, you know."

"Jon is the leader of this organization. It's defined. That's an advantage," Bon Jovi's lead guitarist Richie Sambora said.

"1985, Rolling Stone Magazine reported that Jon was the only person who was actually on the record contract. And the rest of you were all employees of his," Kroft said.

"That's true," Sambora said.

And Sambora said that it is still true today. "It's the most unique position and the most unique thing in the record business, I think, to date. It shows you even more the solidarity of what this union is about."

Continued



Produced by John Hamlin
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Add a Comment See all 64 Comments
by LinMMonte July 5, 2009 11:47 PM EDT
I recently saw the video "Stand By Me". AWSOME! Jon & Richie you are ANGELS with huge hearts. Brothers that stay united for every cause. I love you & looking forward to your next tour in Texas.
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by coolride3 June 10, 2008 5:29 PM EDT
can you tell me brand of the little gingseng bottles
jon takes during the show. it was on your program
when the camera followed him back stage.
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by jbjgrrl82 May 22, 2008 12:15 AM EDT
*** do you people even waste your time COMPLAINING about the BEST BAND in the world!!!! Give it a rest HATERS. JBJ is an amazing person and this video proves it. I love to see stories on them becuz they are such down to earth people!! Bon Jovi has been around for 26 years and they''re not slowing down ANYTIME SOON SO KEEP ON HATING!! Thanks 60 minutes and I love you Jon.
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by keithle1 May 21, 2008 11:45 PM EDT
I can handle The Boss in small doses. Love "Livin'' On A Prayer." Great song. "Tommy used to work on the docks.." You have to take it for what it is. He''s not trying to be Bob Dylan.
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by jerzeme May 21, 2008 12:30 PM EDT
There''s no need to call names, after all Jon Bon Jovi fans are as classy as he is, he is an amazing artist who has done more, given more and is loved more and respected more than all his naysayers. Let them have there opinions after all it''s a free country. We who love him, respect him and will continue to support him in all his next acts know the truth.
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by truthyness May 20, 2008 10:58 AM EDT
CBS/AP) Barack Obama was poised to reach a major milestone Tuesday in the Kentucky and Oregon primaries - a majority of the pledged delegates offered in the Democratic presidential contest". YOU MEAN THIS IS "MAYBE", "ONLY THE FIRST TIME" HE HAS HAD a majority of the pledged delegates offered in the Democratic presidential contest???

ONLY THE FIRST TIME????

MAYBE????????!

In other words, *HILLARY IS WINNING* !!!!!

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by maloosecat May 20, 2008 4:31 AM EDT
HERE''S A WEB-SITE FOR YOU STEVE...
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/care.html
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by maloosecat May 20, 2008 4:08 AM EDT
Corporatized repetitive music packaged and made possibe by the 1980''s MTV/cable phenomenon, without which this guy,Bon Jovi, would have been a one-hit wonder. Thanks to our regular consumption of this short-lived stuff we''ve created millionaire entertainers turned business-people who can afford to buy football teams. People! haven''t you heard of the word boycott? We''re supposed to be the ones in control!
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by republic1776 May 20, 2008 12:37 AM EDT
I an take Bon Jovi over a moaning socialist Bruce Springstein anyday.
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by tmnp7 May 19, 2008 4:57 PM EDT
Making tickets affordable so that families can attend sporting events together! Believing that a sports franchise should get involved in solving the problems of the community in which they play! I thoroughly enjoyed this feature, and I applaud Mr. Bon Jovi for his efforts to build housing for lower income families and help organizations like Covenant House.
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