Inside front cover note.‘I became a life insurance salesman in London in May 1969, for the glamour, the fast cars, the groupies... the beautiful women who’d stop at nothing to buy life insurance. It’s a very well-kept secret.’Thus begins Peter Rosengard’s extraordinary account of his life so far, and the endless adventures in which he made, lost and remade a fortune; founded London’s legendary Comedy Store and discovered some of the greats in stand-up comedy; turned an unknown band into a chart-topping sensation; and sold the world’s biggest life insurance policy in history - which is still celebrated by the Guinness Book of Records.But it’s not what he has done that makes this book so funny and inspiring. It’s how. Talking to Strangers is about ‘chutzpah’. But it’s also about doing the right thing.Whether he’s attempting to set up the world’s biggest charity in a single day, helping a baggage-handler terrorist-attack hero to inspire people, or just finding a job for a stranger, Rosengard’s relentless, manic, often infuriating energy is testament to a simple belief that ‘nothing’s impossible’.Back cover quotes."Peter Rosengard is quite, quite mad - but is also brilliant and funny and can sell anything to anyone. As many of us know to our cost."John Lloyd, TV producer (Q.I., Blackadder, Not the Nine o' Clock News)"If Peter Rosengard writes half as well as he talks this is a work of genius. If he writes half as fast as he talks you will have finished reading this before you started it."-Howard Jacobson, Booker Prize Winner"Few careers outside show-business have encompassed such vivacity, such bravado, such adulation, such immodest rewards - in short, such sexiness."Richard Asquith, The Evening Standard: ES Magazine"Peter was a key figure at the birth of what became known as Alternative Comedy. Because of that I am very grateful to him. Hence this quote, highly recommending a book which I have not read. It also means I don't have to buy a policy."-Ben Elton"Peter's book is a marvellous rollercoaster tale of a life well lived. He delivers wisdom, jokes and empathy in equal measure. His experiences range from founding the Comedy Store and managing a chart topping pop group to selling the world's biggest life policy for $100m - from a cold call. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in business - or indeed life."-Luke JohnsonChairman, Risk Capital Partners and FT columnist.
MoneyMarketing, 17 October 2013
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There’s nothing like getting back to your own home after the long Christmas holidays is there? Home to the heartwarming sounds of your neighbourhood, the tinkling sound of breaking glass at 4am that tells you 2001 has got off to a cracking good start for…
I've just got back from my Christmas holiday in Barbados. The flight was OK, but every time I got up to walk up and down the aisle, to avoid the airline's Christmas Special Festive Gift of deep vein thrombosis,(or having a heart attack, after the…
It was my birthday on Monday, so naturally, as soon as I woke up, I checked out all my readers e- Greetings. I had two messages. I clicked on the first one:"BUY VIAGRA NOW!" I clicked on the next one, from Jessica: " Re: The…
This morning I went to see Barny the Churchmouse.. THE MUSICAL. As far as I'm concerned, you can keep Les Miserables, Chicago, and the Phantom, because when Barny the Churchmouse is in town, I am there on the first night. Or in this case First…
A lot of people say that I don't pay total attention to the road when I am driving. But I think it is very bad manners, if I have a passenger in the back seat, not to turn around when I talk to them. I…
Have you noticed how difficult it is to hire a really reliable hitman these days?" It's like trying to find a good nanny or cleaner. I read the other day that in America, over the last ten years professional hits have grown from 500 to…
"On Tuesday morning I told 17 people that I love them. Then I got out of bed, dressed and had breakfast." Now I'd be the first to admit that my personal life hasn't always been as straightforward as I would have wished at times, but…
(NEWS junkie. Peter Rosengard has been watching TV news for 36hours non stop..now he is part of the story!) I have been sitting here in West London watching TV news non stop now for 36 hours. CNN/Sky News BBC news at 10 CH4 news at…
It was a dark and stormy night…actually it wasn't, but I've always wanted to say that. That was the night before I lost my voice. Which was last night. Halloween. I went out trick or treating without my coat.. I KNOW.. it was STOOPID!! But…
A month ago someone kicked the wing mirror off my car and then urinated all over it..the car not the mirror. I instinctively felt this was unlikely to be a new specialised car wash promotion from the Bosnians who wash your windscreens at traffic lights…
My phone rang at 1 a.m. this morning. It was my dot com paper millionaire friend, Lloyd: "Peter can I borrow your book 'How to disappear completely and never be found?'?" "Does this mean your £10 million second round financing has been unsuccessful?" I asked.…
Not everybody at the BAFTAs at the Grosvenor House on Sunday night was Surprised when I told them about BAFTAS new ruling that there has to be a life assurance salesman on at least one jury. In my case for this years Best Comedy Programme.…
I'd been out clubbing. Okay, so I am 52, but I know my rights. I can go clubbing if I want to. The fact is I still go clubbing pretty regularly. Okay I go clubbing once a year...but always on the first Saturday night in…
Cigar man Peter Rosengard just can't get enough big butts Recently I became a father for the first time at the age of 48. Naturally I rushed out immediately to buy a box of cigars. At moments like this, you don't stop to think that…
Choirs, limos, gunshot wounds: in Dallas, life insurance salesmen's conventions can be pretty lively affairs, says Peter Rosengard The taxi I took from Dallas airport had an 8ft-wide pair of cow horns tied to The roof. |The driver was Afro-American and wore a white stetson…
It started out as a great idea - a creative marriage of dirty linen and fine art. Peter Rosengard explains A couple of weeks ago I had my first exhibition as a painter at the Alterations gallery in Holland Park, otherwise known as Perkins the…
A hairy story by Peter Rosengard One day last week, I was just finishing my breakfast when I decided to surprise my parents, who were on holiday in Israel, by flying over to Jerusalem for the weekend. To achieve the maximum element of surprise I…
When Peter Rosengard embarked on a new career as a television chat-show host, he didn’t realise he would end up talking to himself. The other evening my wife told me that my latest plan to escape from a career as an insurance salesman by becoming…
Today's burglar doesn't mind if you are home. Peter Rosengard tells a tale he will be able to dine out on. A couple of weeks ago we were burgled. It happened as we were eating dinner at home in Notting Hill, west London. When I…
When the pilot spoke on the intercom, Peter Rosengard started to panic. I had been on the plane back from my holiday for about five minutes when the pilot came on the intercom. "Hello, everyone! I am your captain for this afternoon’s flight. We will…
Who'd be a life insurance salesman? It's all cold calling to strangers and the cold shoulder from friends. But Peter Rosengard thinks his time has come. I must admit, talking about heart attacks, cancer and death all day long can get a little depressing, but…
Now Peter Rosengard is not paranoid, but he's left handed, he's the same age as Bill Clinton,and he keeps having these narrow escapes. My weekend cottage is in deepest Sussex, just up the road from the sleepy village of Wadhurst, where this month a couple…
For 10 years Peter Rosengard has been starting his day at Claridge's, in the company of total strangers. Mr Bacon didn’t turn up for breakfast this morning. I didn’t take it personally. How could I? He doesn’t even know me. You may think it’s unusual…