ROLL OUT THE...
Forget the Barrel. Roll out the
cameras!
There's a movie in the works
about the man "Who Would Be
Polka King!" No. Not Bobby
Z. Although a case could be
made on his behalf.
This flick is to be about one
of Bobby's polka buddies who,
for a time, was based right here
in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Jan Lewan is a Grammy
winning polka band leader
who immigrated from his
native Poland to Canada and
then to the United States. He
settled in Hazleton where, in
addition to scheduling his
musical tours he operated a
shop featuring gifts from his
native country.
I interviewed him at that
shop years ago. While there he
presented me with a piece of
Amber with a mosquito inside.
I had high hopes of using the
technique seen in "Jurassic
Park" to make my own
dinosaur. But I never got around
to it.
I might have turned to Jan
for advice. But he ran into legal
problems that took him off the
road for several years. That's
part of his story which is now
is being set to film.
They've picked Jack Black to
play the lead. Jan could probably
do it himself. But, if not, I thought
Bobby Z would be great in the roll.
Bobby, in turn, suggested George
Clooney might play me.
Whoever plays whoever, I'm
hoping they'll do some shooting in
and around Hazleton. That's where
his story evolved.
Even though I spent the first 6
years of my broadcasting career as
a DJ I really didn't play many
polkas. Most stations that did had
someone on staff capable of
pronouncing the titles. I am very
familiar with "The Pennsylvania
Polka" having seen "Groundhog
Day" about 50 times. I hope it's
in the movie. That way Scranton
gets a plug.
In any case Jan's true story is
a good one and well worth hearing.
Or, in this case, seeing.
Hope it's a hit and that all your
NEWS is good!
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