Ridgewood letter writer reveals his alter ego
DECEMBER 2, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014, 9:19 AM
BY JODI WEINBERGER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
On Thursday nights at The Office, 80-year-old George Shabet stands out among the amateur karaoke singers.
Fully transformed into his entertainer persona – Johnny Horizon – he belts out tunes like “Ring of Fire” and “Folsom Prison Blues,” conjuring the “Man in Black” himself, Johnny Cash, as he puts on a show in an all-black getup with a cowboy hat, wide belt buckle and bolo tie.
While readers of The Ridgewood News might know the longtime resident for his years of writing letters to the editor, for The Office’s Karaoke emcee Gerry Porto, on Thursday nights known as DJ Geryoke, this is the only version he knows of Shabet.
They first met more than a decade ago at a Hawthorne karaoke bar where the announcer/entertainer relationship blossomed; Porto channels his best Ed McMahon to introduce Johnny Horizon and Shabet ensures that all eyes are on Porto’s business.
“I would say it’s the best I’ve heard in karaoke,” Porto said. “Johnny kind of brings a flavor that makes it more genuine. You really get the feeling that he’s passionate about the song. It’s a Johnny Horizon tribute to Johnny Cash.”
https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/letter-writer-reveals-alter-ego-1.1144688
