Held up without a gun: in defense of Bon Jovi.

Hell hath no fury like a former member of the Bon Jovi inner sanctum who apparently has a simmering resentment and is short on cash.

In other words, Jon Bon Jovi got held up without a gun this week.

That’s right JoviNation, we’re talking about former Bon Jovi tour manager Rich Bozzett, who unloaded his version of scandalous JoviTales of mirth and mayhem from the years 1983-1989 in his ‘All The Dirt That’s Unfit To Print’ tell-all, “Sex, Drugs, and Bon Jovi”.

Possibly the only thing worse than betrayal by a 'friend' is the open and very public betrayal by a former member of rock’s Cosa Nostra that not only besmirches and savages the reputation of Jon Bon Jovi and everyone in the band, but drags in the rocker’s family, making them victims of collateral damage and unnecessarily foists upon them unsavory attention while arousing jealousy, anger and suspicion. With 'friends' like Rich Bozzett, who needs enemies?

Is Jon Bon Jovi or any member of the band a Saint?

Absolutely not, and it is precisely the human element of monumental talent driven by incredible musicianship and ego while still being one of us---imperfect, flawed, and as Bon Jovi likes to say in the lead-in to the song ‘Broken’ on the group’s ‘Lost Highway’ DVD, “just a little bit nuts”---that endears them to so many millions of fans around the world, and for so long.

The most passionate of fans in JoviNation will tell you that there is no water under Jon or anyone else's feet in the band, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

One of the rules of the way this columnist rolls is that you won’t see me take advantage of Bon Jovi or any member of his organization by writing about wives, children, or their flaws as perceived by myself or fans. Wives and children are accessories after-the-fact, and should be off limits.

In a world with a 24-hour news cycle, where every photograph and every sound bite has price potential and can deliver 15-seconds of fame for someone like Rich Bozzett, it’s simply not cool.

Public figures like Bon Jovi make a deal with the Devil when they pursue a career that puts them in the public eye; but that choice doesn’t give anyone else the right to cause great harm by cashing in on those famous coattails.
If you doubt the insinuation about Bozzett, consider then that according to London’s Daily Mail online that in the same breath that he says Bon Jovi asked him to destroy the photos of Jon cavorting with four topless women shortly before ‘Slippery When Wet’ was released, that Bozzett then says wistfully, “He treated me very well”, he said, “ I felt he was a nice person. Very genuine”.

Goodness, how on earth does Bozzett treat folks that just plain knocked him down, kicked him around and just plain disrespected him?

One supposes in that circumstance it might have been Bozzett himself leaking 90,000 pages of documents to WikiLeaks detailing Life On The Road With Bon Jovi if he could have gotten his grubby hands on that much dirt.

It’s undeniably clear, as the article in the Daily Mail confirms, that Bozzett has an ax to grind because he feels he was unceremoniously dumped as tour manager; and that he was jipped out of compensation he felt he was due.

There isn’t a rock star on the face of the planet who hasn’t engaged in some public and private huggy-body-kissy-facey.

As a matter of fact, in an interview with Yes Network’s Michael Kay on CenterStage, Bon Jovi reminisces that one of the things that drew him to rock music was to “meet chicks”. The band even pokes fun of the groupie parade in their music video “Sleep When I’m Dead”, where Richie Sambora is shown sticking his head outside a hotel room door and grabbing another groupie waiting in line outside and pulling them into the suite with him endlessly.

Not surprisingly, the Daily Mail goes on to reveal that Rich Bozzett has traded in his tour manager creds for renovating houses, telling tall tales and waxing sentimental from the days when he felt like Bon Jovi’s 6th Man.

Unfortunately for Bozzett, Bon Jovi moved on and grew up, toiling year-in-and-year-out for thirty years to grow and maintain an audience while leaving behind wild whims and ways of rock star youth.

Indeed, if a photo were to surface now showing Bon Jovi in the sack with some topless models while he professed to be a loving husband, father, and philanthropist, it would be the height of shallow stupidity.

But that is not the issue here.

Jon Bon Jovi and every member of that band have invested blood and guts in this tireless musical juggernaut known as Bon Jovi and it’s a damn shame that someone like Bozzett felt the need to pump up his meaningless little life by tearing down someone else’s accomplishments.

In one giant putrid flash of literary flatulence, Bon Jovi the Man, Musician, Husband, Father, Friend, Brand, Business Man and Philanthropist was enveloped in the putrid stink of just some guy trying to cash in.

Rich Bozzett claims the book is not at all motivated by malice.

No? Can’t you just imagine THIS give-me-some-money-or-I'll-publish-a-book-with-those-photos-in-it phone conversation between Jon Bon Jovi and Bozzett?

Bozzett: Jonny, it’s the OTHER Rich. The one with the naked pics you’ze been telling me to crap-can for 20 years.

JBJ: What can I do for ya, Other Rich?

Bozzett: Have you thought about my offer?

JBJ: the one where you asked me for money and threatened to write a tell-all if I didn’t stroke you a check?

Bozzett: Yah, uh huh. Dat one.

JBJ: Go pound rock salt, Other Rich. I’m not paying you one red cent. Furthermore, at the end of the day, when I put my head down on my pillow at night I sleep just fine thank you very much.

Bozzett: Fine Jonny. It’s gonna be the pics with a BOOK!

JBJ: Good luck livin’ with your Bad Self, Rich.


July 28
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