Jon Bon Jovi Performed In The Soviet Union To Save His Manager | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

you know you've made it because you can. sometimes probably everybody no matter. what they've achieved can still question. did I you know did I really get there. you have a rest area named after you on. the Garden State Parkway now that to. me that's fantastic I'm with you we. arrested the suspect at the John Bon Joy. rest. area I stand on the side of the road I. welcome people in to go in I direct them. to the men's room the L room you know.

you should be there to give people. shoulder I towels when they're washing. their hands you you didn't wash your. hands come back here yeah I also didn't. realize that you guys played uh in the. in in I think it was ' 89 you played in. the Soviet Union we did which is. absolutely unbelievable to me before the. Wall came down you guys were there we. were uh and IIT the torch at at Lenin. Stadium yeah I would imagine I mean this. is at a time when when rock bands were.

not allowed to go into the Soviet Union. and I would bet that would be a very. appreciative audience they were um now. you got to remember the Soviet Union if. you even thought of having an album As. We Knew It you would be imprisoned there. was kids that had lists on a piece of. paper that were very small because if. the KGB came up at that time they would. crumple and need it right you know so. there was more sec Security on the.

catering backstage than there was on any. band's dressing room because they were. like if they see the Hard Rock caf's. cheeseburgers and french fries there. will be a riot yeah and and. Meanwhile we're playing at this you know. Festival um with these other bands and. nobody gave a about that you know. because the security was truly you know. crying when they saw the kinds of food.

so we went to the Soviet Union yeah and. it was a part of a a deal that my first. manager who was arrested for smuggling a. lot of drugs into whatever we've all. done it so to keep him out of jail I had. to go to the Soviet Union but um it was. a that's another story wait a minute. yeah you can't just toss that off so he. was in a lot of trouble and if you went. to the Soviet Union he would not be.

crazy I don't know how he did this but. my first manager um got into some. trouble with the law honest to God for. he was accused of smuggling I don't know. some incredible amount of tons of. marijuana into America if you're going. to do something go all out like I'm. talking like hundreds of like a lot of. dope and somehow his plea bargain was to. take you know the young cute kid and. throw him to the Wolves and the judge. and then he says and I've got an idea. we'll go go to the Soviet Union and.

promote you know peace and Harmony and. blah blah blah and please your honor. don't put me in prison and so I had to. go in the snow to the Soviet. Union and say we're coming and he put a. package together with some of his acts. and some of his friends and and we went. and played it was crazy story he never. went to prison right it's a good happy. ending yeah.

he went on to move a lot more drugs. right crazy story but true story so it's. been 40 years 15 Studio albums is that. right at least yeah uh something like. that and like I say the thing that I. related to the most is because. I'm right there with you somewh vintage. is I'm always trying to find something. I'm passionate about and if I can find. that and I can find something something.

that interests me that's good enough you. know what I mean like that and that's. you have to really work at it you have. to keep trying uh and it's it was that I. I took a lot of inspiration from your. from your documentary because I thought. this is a this is a guy who has put in. the work over and over and over again. thanks and yet it's good I don't mind it. yeah it I could have been very I don't. know about you but I could have been. very comfortable and I mean this working.

at the auto body shop or my father was a. hairdresser my mother had a little. retail shop I was very very comfortable. confident who you know who I was and. what my life could be but I loved this. thing which was you know singing in a. rock band and and it I'm the only one in. my family that ever did it wasn't like. we had a musical household but that was. my love it wasn't I was drawn to it for. celebrity it just I just needed it in no. more so otherwise I really could have. been happy it's.

it it's not driven by anything other. than the sheer love when I meet young. people and especially in this age of uh. the cell phones and the the Instagram. and influencers I meet people and they. tell me they're interested in doing. something so what is it when they tell. me that their interest is just is being. famous when that's the first thing they. mention I think I don't know what that. is because that's a clear broth there's. no nutrients in that that's people in a. restaurant looking up seeing you and. then looking back down at their food um.

for a second you have to love the thing. that you're doing and that has to drive. it I'm sure they love that thing that. they're doing but what exactly is it you. know I I I'd like to to think that what. we're trying to do is leave something. behind you know all the people that you. made smile over the years is leaving. something behind you impacted all those. people for Generations now you know. Conan you made people laugh you and. that's a gift that you gave back looking.

hot in the Instagram picture is pretty. shallow you used to be I'd like to have. both I would love to have both I'd like. to look so hot in an Instagram photo it. just doesn't look it's just this Irish. face is collapsing in on. itself but I but but I know what you. mean is uh you leave um uh I've had your. very this very generous guy plays a lot. of benefits I think I've been at maybe. 10 different benefits over the years. where you've shown up and played and.

when you're playing uh your music just. watching people jump up on their feet. and sing along and one of the coolest. things I ever saw is I was standing near. your wife Dorothy and um I think um she. start you started to play one of your. you know many hits and she jumped up and. started singing along and I thought my. wife doesn't do. that.

my life's like whatever you think he's. funny all right but I just but I love. that you know you you guys have been. together forever that she's she seems. like your biggest fan which I thought. was very cool well she's my most honest. fan you know she'll tell you when it. sucks um you know it absolutely tells me. when it's not good so that's the best. thing is look we've been together since. high school for God's sake you know yeah. that's amazing it's it's it's a good. thing um but she's she's no. she's she doesn't do the insta either so.

she don't care about that yeah you know. it's it's better to to leave that all. out there and on the stage it's it's not. what we bring home now I have to bring. this up because I'm a very enthusiastic. Wine Drinker I know that you have uh you. you started uh a wine business and you. you've come out with this Rosé and I'm. bringing this up because apparently this. thing is huge this Ros is huge it's. called Hampton Water water is really big.

um it's it's really my son's company I. get to be Santa Claus I come in for the. photo. op you know and the tastings everyone. wants to sit on my lap and take a. picture and and then HR comes in and by. the way thanks for letting me do that. exactly I hope you enjoyed much as. I you weren't supposed to grind on my. lap when you sat down with the picture. it's when I started bouncing that you. got. upset I'm on.

um uh yeah I uh it's funny because um. this is a true story like you know. different uh sometimes different singers. or actors are associated with like a. really cool liquor right and I remember. a couple of years ago my manager was. like you got to get in on this and I. said no one's going to buy a tequila or. a whiskey because it's associated with. Conan O'Brien and he was like we got to. think of something we don't really have.

to think of something I'm fine he's like. you're not thinking straight Clooney and. he starts yelling about all the people. who made all this money probably shouted. your name too I'm telling you you know. John's killing it you got to do. something and I I got and then he called. me up later and he was like hair. Pomade now wait a minute and I was like. wait a so you're the businessman here if. you want to go in yeah cuz you've got IC. have a history you have Iconic Hair in. the yeah I have you know hair that's. it's a punchline but it's gotten me. through um and so I think you know let.

me know there's an opportunity there's I. think people would get the Conan Pomade. I agree I agree I like the idea yeah. yeah you can see the wheels turning. right now I'm there you're going to call. me later tonight aren't you yep and tell. me it's a really stupid. idea um all right well I want to make. sure I get the word out here uh uh check. out Bon jov's new single legendary as. well as the four-part donkey series. thank you good night the bonji story.

which I recommend because it's a it's. really a terrific document uh and also. just kind of to me a howto. of well yes you get the luck you get I. mean you clearly were born with all. these gifts but then you made sure you. made absolutely sure that uh that. success had every opportunity to happen. just through working your ass off thanks. brother I appreciate it and thank you.

for all the years of friendship it it's. been great to see you and your audience. today but I don't know who these people. are.