National Treasure #137: Terry O’Reilly

The week started with a communist and ends with a running-dog capitalist. A former advertising copywriter and ad agency honcho, Terry O’Reilly is now a broadcaster who produces and narrates wonderful radio programs on advertising:

And what he does is all I know about Terry O’Reilly – well, except that he was born in Sudbury and has a quirky sense of humour and a lot of persistence.

Over the years, a number of very interesting people have recorded phone messages that air during the last few seconds of every episode. They include:

  • Randy Bachman (Rock legend)
  • Daniel Nestor (Tennis star)
  • Kathy Greenwood (Whose Line Is It Anyway)
  • Robin Duke (SCTV + Saturday Night Live)
  • Jim Neff (Cadillac Michigan football coach)
  • Seymour Butts (Porn star)
  • Thom Sharp (actor in film Bodyheat, spokesman for Goodyear Tires)
  • Jayne Eastwood (actress)
  • Terry’s parents Betty & Mel, Terry’s wife Debbie, Terry’s daughters
  • Sergio Di Zio (actor, Flashpoint)
  • Ted Blades (afternoon host of CBC St. John’s Newfoundland)
  • Dave Creighton (Creative Director for Honda Canada)
  • Chris Straw (CBC Senior Director, Network Talk)
  • Manager of the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam (Proudly the worst hotel in the world)
  • Carolyn Hopkins (the voice heard in over 200 airports)
  • Ian Thomas (Canadian rockstar)

O’Reilly has tried repeatedly to get Boston Bruins hockey great Terry O’Reilly to leave a phone message, but O’Reilly has never responded. Terry won’t give up. – Wikipedia

You could read his book, reviewed here.

But if you haven’t heard him, you should . . .

Slogans

Repetition

 

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6 Responses to National Treasure #137: Terry O’Reilly

  1. Tom Watson says:

    Isabel
    I love Terry O’Reilly’s “Under the Influence!”
    Tom

  2. Jim Taylor says:

    As a former advertising guy myself, I enjoy Terry O’R because he manages, simultaneously, to mock advertising campaigns while recognizing the genius that went into them. He’s a voice of sanity in an otherwise too-often self-centred marketing world.
    Jim T

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Jim – Yeah. Hard not to think it’s often a misdirected genius, but for sure it’s often clever.

  3. Alison says:

    One of my favourites!! I listen to the podcasts while I drive to Edmonton, and I always think they are so good I want to share them with someone – but alas, I’m on my own. Looking forward to reading his new book.

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Alison – Funny the shared interests and likes that people can have and not know about.

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