This is freaking me out, alright. There was an article posted here awhile ago. I think I'm going to post it here again, as I believe that it is pertinent to this thread:
This story was initially posted at the 60IF/TKIN Paul is Dead forum:
60if.proboards21.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=faul&thread=1068755256&page=1Hi, everyone!
I'm somewhat new to these forums, but I thought I'd finally chime in with a few things that I have heard from trusted colleagues and seen/experienced first-hand.
First of all, I am a retired news reporter/anchor/producer and worked my entire career for the NBC affiliate here in New Orleans, LA. From 1971-1976, I was a 24 year-old "special segments" writer/producer for the late news (10pm cst). In the fall of 1974/spring of 1975, Paul McCartney began appearing in town fairly often, being seen by many frequenting French Quarter restaurants and popping in and out of jazz clubs. Come to find out, he was laying the groundwork details for the recording of his album "Venus and Mars," alot of which was recorded here from what I recall.
Well, it didn't take long for the "newshounds" to sniff out his accomodations - he was staying at the Richelieu Hotel on Chartres Ave. Needless to say, many hours were spent by myself and other young journalists of every media stripe hanging around the hotel and the studio, trying to get a few words from Paul. You'd be surprised just how accomodating he was.....at times. I'd say about 1/3 of the time, he'd give us a curt little nod, a quick wave, or a funny face as he rushed by us down the sidewalk or into a waiting car. Another 1/3 of the time, he'd sort of stick around for a few minutes and simply banter with us, just joking around and what-not. But, the other 1/3 of the time, he'd hang around, often by himself, for a half-hour to an hour or so. A couple of times, an editor-friend of mine actually went for drinks with him at a bar called Napoleon's.
He was exceedingly witty, bright, and talkative. I remember there being something slightly condescending about him, not in a haughty way, more that he had simply become accustomed to "always being right." Totally friendly, though, was he on these occasions.
OK, now for the weird stuff (and there's ALOT of it---moreso than I can get into now). The friend mentioned above was with a now-defunct New Orleans newspaper (The States-Item) in 1964 as a "beat reporter." He tended to do write-ups on local club/restaurant openings, high school sports, fads, etc.
He was also fortunate enough to have met all four Beatles when they came to New Orleans for a 1964 concert at City Park, and to have been present at a "press conference"-style interview (along with about 75-100 other reporters) and a smaller radio interview session (about 10-12 media people in attendance). During the radio interview, he was about 6 feet away from each Beatle, at various points standing even closer, shaking their hands, and getting a friendly clap on the back from Ringo.
Fast forward to 1968: New York - same friend finds himself covering several appearances by Paul McCartney for a now-defunct local music magazine. He attends a press interview at The Americana, but doesn't get to ask any questions. Plus, he's confused. Although he is less than twenty feet away from Paul, something about his appearance makes my friend wonder if his eyes are beginning to fail.
Two or three days later, he and a reporter from the NY Times meet Paul in the lobby of the Americana. He stops to talk for a few minutes, seeming to recognize the NY Times reporter, who introduces him to my friend. My friend has said (paraphrase):
"MrKite, I tell you there is no single doubt in my mind that the man I met in 1964 and the one I met in 1968 were two different people. When he first came out for the press conference in New York, I and a few others actually laughed aloud, one reporter asking, 'What's the joke?' He was so obviously not Paul McCartney. I actually thought at first, 'Damn, that guy looks a lot like McCartney!' and was surprised he had someone in his entourage that resembled him so closely. Once I realized that this guy was supposed to be Paul, I just figured 'Okaaa-aay, whatever!' and dutifully recorded the interview. In the lobby of the hotel, up close, I was surer than sh*t it was a different person! No look of recognition coming from him either, even when I mentioned the radio interview and certain things said back in 1964."
Now, it gets weirder: fast forward again to 1974/1975 - this same friend, who had drinks with Paul, claimed that, yet again, he was sitting with a man who was different from both the 1964-Paul AND the 1968-Paul. He sat within arms reach of Paul for at least an hour, and he swore that his bone structure, hair texture, mannerisms, and overall look was but a good approximation of the "other Pauls" he had met.
I myself can personally attest that the Paul here in New Orleans in the mid '70s (who was recording an album) that I personally spoke to on a number of occasions (probably 20-30 times over a few months for a total of about 5-10 hours) was a different man than the one who gave "official" interviews here in New Orleans during the same span of time.
No doubt about it - case closed.
I and a few colleagues thought maybe he looked different because he was made-up. Not so. Again, no look of recognition when I queried him. Physically, "official" Paul was a broader, taller specimen with a more sing-song quality to his voice. What's more, his hair was a different length! Yep, "official" Paul's hair was a good two inches longer than "studio" Paul's.
Plus, my friend who sat for drinks with Paul agreed with me. Especially since "official" Paul had responded to an aside comment from him after the interview about their conversation at the Napoleon House with, "I don't know what you're talking about, bub." It was so obvious there were two Paul's running around that it became an in-joke among those of us who hung around the hotel and studio.
I know this was massively long, but I thought it would have a bearing on things. There is alot more to this stuff, as my friend actually drove himself into bankruptcy investigating certain aspects of the anomalies we'd experienced. We all remembered the Paul-is-Dead rumors. What we saw and heard made us consider that there could have been some validity to the alleged rumors.
My friend ended up penniless, divorced, and marginally insane (in my opinion). He had become obsessed with McCartney and, according to him, discovered plenty of info, even claiming to have solved the riddle, to his satisfaction at least. I had less and less contact with him throughout the late '80s and mid-'90s, as he began to spend more and more time abroad, mainly in England and Scotland. He has told me some things that have strained credibilty; however, he was always intelligent, fair-minded, and tenacious in his research.
I have no reasons not to believe him other than my own predisposition not to want to.
I will write more later - my wife is waking up, and I'd rather her not now I'm writing about [my friend].
I hope that Jo & the others don't mind me posting that again. 
Made YOU look
;D
