The Shell Game of Corrupted Government Exposed
Book Review : Ted Turner – Call me Ted
Take a fascinating ride with a real out of the box thinker and entrepreneur, who made a fortune, lost a fortune and is still rich.
My reading preferences fall mainly into the biographical and factual historical genre. Early on, in life, I enjoyed the James Bond and Tom Clancy novels but as I have aged, I have gravitated toward trying to find out what motivated people. It makes no difference to me about the politics or belief system, I enjoy finding out what makes people strive to reach a goal, regardless of the goal. Like almost everything else I do, I go for a month or two without reading any books and then dive back in and consume books like a paper shredder.
Fortunately, our clubhouse has a library of used books that people donate after they have read them. For the most part you can be sure there is always a broad selection of subjects properly arranged and ordered by the ladies of the book club. There is no check out required other than wearing your nametag just to get into the clubhouse.
I recently read the autobiography of Ted Turner's 2008 book "Call me Ted". The first interesting thing I noticed is that Turner Works, LLC, published it. Leave it to Ted to monetize the story of his life yet again.
In this 416-page book, Ted goes through his life and escapades in a very forthright and blunt presentation. During his early days trying to establish his small UHF TV station he bought the Atlanta Braves in 1976. It was a strategic move so he would have some control over his programming content. He bragged that he would win a World Series in five years. Well, it did not work out that way but at one point during his ownership after a sixteen game losing streak, he even put on a uniform and took over managerial duties. For one Game only. The league sent him telegram telling him that his first managerial game would be his last. His quote: "I retired with a lifetime record of zero wins and one loss"
Ted's father was a rich, abusive, demanding alcoholic who demanded strict discipline and hard work. Ted spent most of his formative years in Military boarding schools. Like many abused children, he adored his father and applied the lesson of discipline and hard work to everything he did in life. Even though Jane Fonda and Ted remained friends after their divorce she may have summed up his drive with the statement: " The fact is that the things that allow certain people to become super achievers are the exact opposite qualities that allow them to have successful relationships." (page 329)
As usual, I must personalize this article with a couple of memories or experiences about Ted. I have never met Ted on a one on one environment but I have been present several times when he was present and have several friends who know and have been around him. When Ted enters the room, the air shivers with a force reminiscence of an approaching tornado. This man's personality is beyond wild. He is full on all the time. The book is full of third person stories. "Ted Stories" submitted by friends and business associates spiced in between Ted's narrative of his life. He apparently never really grew out of the exuberance that children often have for a new toy.
There was a restaurant just down the street
from Ted's TV Station WTCG Channel 17 UHF on West Peachtree. The name of the place was Lums. It's claim to fame was the Steamed in Beer Hot dogs. I was eating lunch there one day when the door flew open and in walks Ted Turner with a bevy of young gals from WTCG (later WTBS). By this time, everyone in Atlanta knew who Ted Turner was because he was such flamboyant guy. Two things stick in my memory about his visit. One he apparently has never met a stranger and second, women seemed to gravitate toward him. He had just purchased the TV station for $2.5 million dollars with very little cash involved. He offered a stock swap with his Turner Advertising Company, which he valued at $7.5 Million at the time. This left him with only a 47% ownership in the combined companies but it set the tone for all of Ted's future ventures. Borrow, Borrow and grow, grow, grow.
The second story, I heard just a few years ago. One of my relatives had an operation at Piedmont Hospital. Just down the street was Ted's Montana Grill. This restaurant venture was a result of Ted's boredom after being forced out of AOL - Timer Warner. It's hook was a menu item serving Bison Burgers. Ted owns most of Montana and is the largest holder of land in the entire United States. He also raises Bison on free range at several of his ranches with a Bison population of over 40,000 head. Someone suggested that he open a restaurant serving Bison burgers and steaks. Does two birds with the same stone sound familiar?
One of the nurses told me that Ted was recently there for a
medical procedure (sometime around 2004). He complained about the food and wanted to order food from his restaurant, which is less than a thousand feet from the Hospital. The rules forbid this which points up another personality trait of Ted. He does not follow the rules. The staff went to his room to check up on him and he was gone. They looked all over the place and could not find him. Cutting to the chase, he took his IV poll on wheels and walked down to his restaurant wearing two of the surgical smocks to eat a decent meal. When he returned, he brought back a complete take out course for the nurse's station on his floor. The restaurant sent an employee with the rolling tray full of food. Needless to say, the food did not go to waste and the yet another story of Ted and his antics became folklore in Atlanta.
The second story is not in the book but many stories like it are. Ted tells some and many told by others in short 'Ted Notes'.
One last personal story: I was eating lunch recently with my friend, Bill and mentioned that I was reading Ted's book. He told me a story about Ted. At one point in his career, Bill was a manager in a cleaning company that had the contract to clean the TV station. All this is done after hours. Bill was inspecting the offices about 3:00 AM and opened the door to Ted's office to inspect it. He did not think anyone was there and was just walking around looking at the results. He heard a noise and turned to see Ted lying on the sofa reading something. He was startled and offered an apology. Ted sat up and said "Who are you?" Bill told him and Ted spent the next hour asking him all about the cleaning business and how it operated and how many were on the crew,etc. Bill told me that he felt uneasy but Ted made him feel at ease by his show of interest in the mechanics of the janitorial business. After the exchange, Bill was ready to excuse himself and apologized for interrupting. Ted told him not to worry about it, he slept in his office most of the time on the sofa and with a wink said next time just knock on the door because he was not always alone. Bill told me this story just last week.
Ted has been in debt so deep that he was technically insolvent, yet for him it was never the money but the quest. He is no doubt a driven man and is responsible for the ideas that started CNN, The Goodwill Games, Winning the America's Cup as Captain Outrageous. His talent is in seeing possibilities and assembling people to help him accomplish his goals. The other talent is the lack of fear of being in debt. I have heard a quote by him that may not be accurate but it sums up his attitude. "When you owe as much money as I do, you don't have to worry about it. There are a whole lot of people worrying about that besides you."
Somewhere along the way, he found time to marry and divorce Jane Fonda and she may remain the love of his life. She is partially responsible for his slow conversion from conservative politics to liberal politics. Regardless if you agree with him or not on politics, he puts his money where his heart is. The book helps to explain this man's personality and bravado. Here are some excerpts.
"Early to Bed, Early to Rise, work like hell, Advertise"
After buying the Braves, he endured a multiyear losing streak. Once Rankin Smith, the owner of the Atlanta Falcon football team called him. "Ted." He said, "I have to ask you. What does it feel like to lose a hundred games in one season?" "Well, I don't look at it that way Rankin, "He responded. " The way I see it we won sixty-two games and that's more than the Falcons have won in the last ten years!" Sounds like someone who is running for president doesn't it.?(pg. 286) The Atlanta Braves eventually won the World Series in 1995.
After being forced out of AOL Time Warner the stock began to sink from $50 per share to around $13 per share. The merger was doomed from the start and Ted probably knew it but he was frozen out of the decision making process. As a director, he was limited in his ability to sell his stock and further felt that to do so would cause a further drop. So he played the good soldier knowing that it was a losing battle. Here is his summary of the situation:
"Meanwhile, over the past two and half years my net worth had gone from nearly $10 billion down to about $2 billion. To put this in perspective, I lost nearly $8 billion in roughly thirty months. This means, on average, my net worth dropped by about $67 million per week, or nearly $10 million per day, every day for two and a half years. Losing that much money so quickly might have been a record, but it obviously wasn't the kind I was hoping to set". (pg. 390)
When someone asked him how it felt to lose that much money, he replied. "Don't worry about me, I guess I will have to learn how to live on $2 billion dollars".
Naturally, a larger than life figure as Ted has a good size ego, but I was gratified to learn that he truly values people regardless of their status. He contemplates his epitaph and his choices have changed over the years. Here are a few of his candidates for his headstone.
At one point, when I felt like I couldn't get out of the way of the press, "You Can't Interview Me Here" was a leading candidate. In the middle of my career I considered, "Here lies Ted Turner, He never Owned a Broadcast Network." These days, I am leaning toward " I have nothing more to Say." (pg. 413)
Ted is 78 years old now but he is still active in his many charities and philanthropy. The book was published in 2008, when he was 70. Here is a three minute clip on what he says is his biggest regret. (2013)
Ted Turner's biggest regret
And one about losing money and Jane Fonda
Ted LInk to above video
Now if you made it this far and are not sick of hearing about Ted, here is a review in Atlanta Magazine that tells you more about the man without reading the book. Atlanta Magazine – Ted Turner 2011
Here are two final pictures of one of Atlanta's best-known Characters.
Ted Turner Collage
WTCG-WTBS-CNN Buildings
Go Back
My reading preferences fall mainly into the biographical and factual historical genre. Early on, in life, I enjoyed the James Bond and Tom Clancy novels but as I have aged, I have gravitated toward trying to find out what motivated people. It makes no difference to me about the politics or belief system, I enjoy finding out what makes people strive to reach a goal, regardless of the goal. Like almost everything else I do, I go for a month or two without reading any books and then dive back in and consume books like a paper shredder.
Fortunately, our clubhouse has a library of used books that people donate after they have read them. For the most part you can be sure there is always a broad selection of subjects properly arranged and ordered by the ladies of the book club. There is no check out required other than wearing your nametag just to get into the clubhouse.
I recently read the autobiography of Ted Turner's 2008 book "Call me Ted". The first interesting thing I noticed is that Turner Works, LLC, published it. Leave it to Ted to monetize the story of his life yet again.
In this 416-page book, Ted goes through his life and escapades in a very forthright and blunt presentation. During his early days trying to establish his small UHF TV station he bought the Atlanta Braves in 1976. It was a strategic move so he would have some control over his programming content. He bragged that he would win a World Series in five years. Well, it did not work out that way but at one point during his ownership after a sixteen game losing streak, he even put on a uniform and took over managerial duties. For one Game only. The league sent him telegram telling him that his first managerial game would be his last. His quote: "I retired with a lifetime record of zero wins and one loss"
Ted's father was a rich, abusive, demanding alcoholic who demanded strict discipline and hard work. Ted spent most of his formative years in Military boarding schools. Like many abused children, he adored his father and applied the lesson of discipline and hard work to everything he did in life. Even though Jane Fonda and Ted remained friends after their divorce she may have summed up his drive with the statement: " The fact is that the things that allow certain people to become super achievers are the exact opposite qualities that allow them to have successful relationships." (page 329)
As usual, I must personalize this article with a couple of memories or experiences about Ted. I have never met Ted on a one on one environment but I have been present several times when he was present and have several friends who know and have been around him. When Ted enters the room, the air shivers with a force reminiscence of an approaching tornado. This man's personality is beyond wild. He is full on all the time. The book is full of third person stories. "Ted Stories" submitted by friends and business associates spiced in between Ted's narrative of his life. He apparently never really grew out of the exuberance that children often have for a new toy.
There was a restaurant just down the street
from Ted's TV Station WTCG Channel 17 UHF on West Peachtree. The name of the place was Lums. It's claim to fame was the Steamed in Beer Hot dogs. I was eating lunch there one day when the door flew open and in walks Ted Turner with a bevy of young gals from WTCG (later WTBS). By this time, everyone in Atlanta knew who Ted Turner was because he was such flamboyant guy. Two things stick in my memory about his visit. One he apparently has never met a stranger and second, women seemed to gravitate toward him. He had just purchased the TV station for $2.5 million dollars with very little cash involved. He offered a stock swap with his Turner Advertising Company, which he valued at $7.5 Million at the time. This left him with only a 47% ownership in the combined companies but it set the tone for all of Ted's future ventures. Borrow, Borrow and grow, grow, grow.
The second story, I heard just a few years ago. One of my relatives had an operation at Piedmont Hospital. Just down the street was Ted's Montana Grill. This restaurant venture was a result of Ted's boredom after being forced out of AOL - Timer Warner. It's hook was a menu item serving Bison Burgers. Ted owns most of Montana and is the largest holder of land in the entire United States. He also raises Bison on free range at several of his ranches with a Bison population of over 40,000 head. Someone suggested that he open a restaurant serving Bison burgers and steaks. Does two birds with the same stone sound familiar?
One of the nurses told me that Ted was recently there for a
medical procedure (sometime around 2004). He complained about the food and wanted to order food from his restaurant, which is less than a thousand feet from the Hospital. The rules forbid this which points up another personality trait of Ted. He does not follow the rules. The staff went to his room to check up on him and he was gone. They looked all over the place and could not find him. Cutting to the chase, he took his IV poll on wheels and walked down to his restaurant wearing two of the surgical smocks to eat a decent meal. When he returned, he brought back a complete take out course for the nurse's station on his floor. The restaurant sent an employee with the rolling tray full of food. Needless to say, the food did not go to waste and the yet another story of Ted and his antics became folklore in Atlanta.
The second story is not in the book but many stories like it are. Ted tells some and many told by others in short 'Ted Notes'.
One last personal story: I was eating lunch recently with my friend, Bill and mentioned that I was reading Ted's book. He told me a story about Ted. At one point in his career, Bill was a manager in a cleaning company that had the contract to clean the TV station. All this is done after hours. Bill was inspecting the offices about 3:00 AM and opened the door to Ted's office to inspect it. He did not think anyone was there and was just walking around looking at the results. He heard a noise and turned to see Ted lying on the sofa reading something. He was startled and offered an apology. Ted sat up and said "Who are you?" Bill told him and Ted spent the next hour asking him all about the cleaning business and how it operated and how many were on the crew,etc. Bill told me that he felt uneasy but Ted made him feel at ease by his show of interest in the mechanics of the janitorial business. After the exchange, Bill was ready to excuse himself and apologized for interrupting. Ted told him not to worry about it, he slept in his office most of the time on the sofa and with a wink said next time just knock on the door because he was not always alone. Bill told me this story just last week.
Ted has been in debt so deep that he was technically insolvent, yet for him it was never the money but the quest. He is no doubt a driven man and is responsible for the ideas that started CNN, The Goodwill Games, Winning the America's Cup as Captain Outrageous. His talent is in seeing possibilities and assembling people to help him accomplish his goals. The other talent is the lack of fear of being in debt. I have heard a quote by him that may not be accurate but it sums up his attitude. "When you owe as much money as I do, you don't have to worry about it. There are a whole lot of people worrying about that besides you."
Somewhere along the way, he found time to marry and divorce Jane Fonda and she may remain the love of his life. She is partially responsible for his slow conversion from conservative politics to liberal politics. Regardless if you agree with him or not on politics, he puts his money where his heart is. The book helps to explain this man's personality and bravado. Here are some excerpts.
"Early to Bed, Early to Rise, work like hell, Advertise"
After buying the Braves, he endured a multiyear losing streak. Once Rankin Smith, the owner of the Atlanta Falcon football team called him. "Ted." He said, "I have to ask you. What does it feel like to lose a hundred games in one season?" "Well, I don't look at it that way Rankin, "He responded. " The way I see it we won sixty-two games and that's more than the Falcons have won in the last ten years!" Sounds like someone who is running for president doesn't it.?(pg. 286) The Atlanta Braves eventually won the World Series in 1995.
After being forced out of AOL Time Warner the stock began to sink from $50 per share to around $13 per share. The merger was doomed from the start and Ted probably knew it but he was frozen out of the decision making process. As a director, he was limited in his ability to sell his stock and further felt that to do so would cause a further drop. So he played the good soldier knowing that it was a losing battle. Here is his summary of the situation:
"Meanwhile, over the past two and half years my net worth had gone from nearly $10 billion down to about $2 billion. To put this in perspective, I lost nearly $8 billion in roughly thirty months. This means, on average, my net worth dropped by about $67 million per week, or nearly $10 million per day, every day for two and a half years. Losing that much money so quickly might have been a record, but it obviously wasn't the kind I was hoping to set". (pg. 390)
When someone asked him how it felt to lose that much money, he replied. "Don't worry about me, I guess I will have to learn how to live on $2 billion dollars".
Naturally, a larger than life figure as Ted has a good size ego, but I was gratified to learn that he truly values people regardless of their status. He contemplates his epitaph and his choices have changed over the years. Here are a few of his candidates for his headstone.
At one point, when I felt like I couldn't get out of the way of the press, "You Can't Interview Me Here" was a leading candidate. In the middle of my career I considered, "Here lies Ted Turner, He never Owned a Broadcast Network." These days, I am leaning toward " I have nothing more to Say." (pg. 413)
Ted is 78 years old now but he is still active in his many charities and philanthropy. The book was published in 2008, when he was 70. Here is a three minute clip on what he says is his biggest regret. (2013)
And one about losing money and Jane Fonda
Now if you made it this far and are not sick of hearing about Ted, here is a review in Atlanta Magazine that tells you more about the man without reading the book. Atlanta Magazine – Ted Turner 2011
Here are two final pictures of one of Atlanta's best-known Characters.
Captain Outrageous
WTCG-WTBS-CNN Buildings
Comments
|
"Umm!" Good post B.T., with interesting Ted tales.
|
| My yearly Medical exam – A new Medicare benefit | Book Review, Literature, The Arts | NCGOP Statement On Symphony Performance Cancellation |
Home
Contact
About
Service Rates
Privacy Policy
Follow on Facebook
Subscribe to Newsletters
Rss Feed
Keywords
Eastern NC Now & ENC NOW © Copyright 1998-2024 All Rights Reserved.
With Ted, I admire his perseverance as well as his fearlessness in following a goal. He is a man of honor and integrity in his business dealings if not his personal life. Some of the stories by others in the book make the point that Ted is very upfront in what he is trying to do and while it is often not a good negotiating tactic his enthusiasm 'wins the day' (6 clichés). 'In the end', (7th)he is a unique blend of a Capitalist who created tens of thousands of job and a left wing idealist who has no conception of failure.
The downside of course are three divorces, being fired from the company he founded and loved, and living out his remaining years trying to save the world. That is a tall task. He is truly a man of great achievements and big dreams but I will leave it to the reader to decide if it was all worth it. His life is a metaphor for a lot of things in life and I admit I may be stretching the point a bit.