Critics Made Fun, But Tesh Is Laughing Now

Poor John Tesh. He might as well tattoo a bull’s-eye on his forehead.

They laughed when he left “Entertainment Tonight” for his dream of a music career. They laughed at his music, calling it “Yanni lite.” They laughed at his “overly dramatic” coverage of women’s gymnastics at the Atlanta Olympics last year. And Tesh? He’s laughing back.

“The criticism doesn’t bother me,” says Big John, promoting his latest PBS blockbuster, “The Avalon Concert.” “As long as people are embracing the music and coming to concerts, it’s just more attention.”

“Avalon,” Tesh’s 10th album and his first solo studio project in four years, hit store earlier this month.

The PBS concert took place in Avalon’s historic Casino Ballroom - Benny Goodman and Kay Kyser played there - on Santa Catalina island, 26 miles off the Southern California coast.

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