I want to rise in support of the late Philadelphia and New Jersey DJ Jerry Blavat.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney made a decision to order all City of Philadelphia flags to be flown at half staff, through Saturday, January 28, 2023.

Social media has been both kind and cruel about this decision.

The media has also been a mixed bag of reporting, with some creating a flag flap.

Let’s make it perfectly clear. Jerry Blavat is a Philadelphia and New Jersey legend. He served in the music, television and broadcasting industries for more than six decades.

Blavat’s body of work has resulted in one of the most relevant and impressive résumés in his vocation’s history.

Mayor Kenney’s decision is defendable and I do so now!

Some of the unjust negativity about Blavat started when a daily Atlantic City newspaper wrote the headline saying that “Geator” is “off the air.”

We immediately criticized this terrible headline both on-air and in writing.

Next was the Philadelphia Magazine questioning whether flags in Philadelphia should fly at half staff?

We followed-up with similar criticism over this negative print article.

I first met Jerry Blavat in 1981 at The original Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

At this time, Blavat had already been a relevant personality for more than two decades.

Here is a photo of me and Jerry from January 20, 2007 at Jerry Blavat’s Memories in Margate club. The occasion was the 60th Birthday party for Paul D’Amato.

Harry Hurley & Jerry Blavat - Don P. Hurley photo.
Harry Hurley & Jerry Blavat - Don P. Hurley photo.
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The photo was taken by my identical twin brother Don Hurley.

It represents the only photo of the two of us ever taken.

By direct comparison, I note that former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered all New Jersey flags to be at half staff at the time of the passing of Whitney Houston in 2012.

Christie received a great deal of both support and criticism for his decision.

Just as I do with Mayor Kenny’s decision regarding Jerry Blavat … I also agree with Governor Christie’s decision regarding Whitney Houston.

Based upon the relevant life and times of Jerry Blavat, I believe that Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney made the right decision.

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