CHAPTER 140

Gregg: Three weeks before the tour we got a call. I got a call from Russell’s brother that the promoter in Jordan said that I couldn’t go on because I’m Jewish and he was concerned, because he has to work there, and there’s going to be a lot of Palestinians in the audience and it could be a controversial thing, so I can’t go on, but I’m welcome to go to Jordan you know.

Author: That’s really shocking, that because you’re Jewish, no matter where in the world for me, you shouldn’t be stopped from going on a stage.

Gregg: If they can let me go on in Saudi Arabia, why can’t they let me go on in Jordan? But as it turned out, I did go on in Jordan. The day of the show, during the sound check, Russell’s brother had them shine my name on the back of the stage, and the promoter said, ‘He’s not going on,’ and then Russell’s brother, Clayton, said, ‘Yeah, he is going on.’ Clayton put his foot down and said, ‘He’s going on.’ So I went on and I killed. They loved me. And then Russell came on and he said, ‘How about a hand for Gregg Rogell?’ And he kind of whispered, ‘He’s a Jew.’ And again, they all laughed. There was a big laugh. But nobody cared. It was not an issue at all.