Halifax Radio Legend Jer Bear Turned 86 on the Weekend

On the weekend Halifax radio legend Jerry Lawrence turned 86, one of the funniest and nicest guys I’ve been lucky to work with.

Jerry is the master of the prank phone calls with “Hello Metro!”

Here’s a few Jer Bear stories:

When I was leaving 96/CHNS to go to 92/CJCH in January 1989, I said to Jerry “I always looked up to you Jerry” and his reply from the wheelchair was “I always looked up to you too, Ian…”

In 1988, we competed in a Metro Media Car Rally sponsored by Ford. Jerry and I represented CHNS, and The Bear drove with his hand gears that controlled the brake and gas, I was the navigator, not a good one, as we got lost somewhere out in Harrietsfield in the middle of nowhere! I think we finished dead last at The Paper Chase downtown at the finish line.

His favorite snack on-air was Graham Sandwich chocolate bars, so we often went to the station vending machine to keep The Bear fueled with an instant coffee.

In 1991 we were in a Media Race at Scotia Speedworld, Morning News Anchor Doug Reynolds and I represented CJCH, Jerry gave Doug a loan of his race car.

I drove in another loaned race car, we all signed waivers… about halfway through the race Doug spun out on the turn, I was blinded by the evening sun and couldn’t see and BAM! we collided head on, I almost missed Dougie, but clipped both cars front sides.

The race was stopped and that my friends was the last of the Media Night Races at Scotia Speedworld. The track PA Announcer said “that it could be a bit awkward Monday morning in the CJCH Radio hallways…” Roxanne was recording it on a video camcorder