SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — An 86-year-old Illinois man, the alleged winner of the “Get My Grandpa Laid” Howard Stern Show contest, died after choking on a piece of meat in Harveys Lake Tahoe on Thursday night.
Johnny Orris was pronounced dead about 8:30 p.m. at Barton Memorial Hospital after choking during dinner at the Sage Room Steakhouse, according to Lt. Pete Van Arnum of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
Orris reportedly was having dinner with his grandson, Ed, before driving back to the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Mound House — the business working with the Howard Stern Show for the contest — to claim his prize, brothel owner Dennis Hof said. The prize was sex with prostitutes working there.
“He talked about how it was the greatest day of his life,” Hof said, “and how he never thought he’d be having sex again.”
“He said, ‘Before I do this, I want to have a big steak’,” Hof added.
Orris’ grandson attempted the Heimlich maneuver several times without success when his grandfather started choking, Van Arnum said. Emergency personnel were called, but attempts to resuscitate Orris were unsuccessful.
Harveys declined to comment.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office is waiting to conduct an autopsy before stating the official cause of death, Van Arnum said.
Hof said he was “shocked” to hear of Orris’ death when Ed returned to the Bunny Ranch that night. He gave Ed his grandfather’s free pass.