Mr. Jones with Stephen C. James

Explicit content warning

09/05/23 • 23 min

Trivia. Plaques. San Francisco. A titan of random facts and esoteric knowledge, Myster Jones explores a life of knowing stuff juxtaposed with the truth of knowing oneself. Douglas and Myster Jones talk about the wonders of sleeping outdoors, the awkwardness of dating apps and whether throwing people out of buildings is good children’s television in the Anthem of Myster Jones. Enjoy.

OUR GUEST: Stephen C. James

Stephen C. James is an improvisor, podcaster, actor, and teacher who has run a middle school theater program for two decades. He can be found performing onstage in any part of Los Angeles that he feels is worth driving to and can be heard on Wednesdays weekly on the Super Legit Podcast. Stephen is not very active on social media, but if he pops up in your local buy-nothing group a mention of this podcast will certainly guarantee you get whatever he’s trying to offload that day.

THE SONG: Mr. Jones by The Counting Crows

Mr. Jones is the debut single from the American band Counting Crows. The song was written by Adam Duritz and Counting Crows and was their first radio hit. It reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped the band gain a wide fanbase as well as a Grammy nomination. The song was inspired by Adam Duritz’s experiences while living in San Francisco. The lyrics reflect his feeling of alienation and a desire for fame and recognition (and girls) as a struggling musician. “Mr. Jones” refers to a real person, Marty Jones, who was a friend of Adam Duritz and a fellow musician. In live performances, Adam Duritz often changes the lyrics of the song, adding improvised verses or referencing current events. This has become a trademark of the band’s live shows. Link to OfficialVideo, Mr. Jones Lyrics

THE SHOW:

Our show is completely improvised and produced by Douglas Sarine, Marypat Farrell and Sarah Atwood Sarine.

Our theme song was produced by the wonderful Ben Wise. benwise.bandcamp.com

Additional music provided by Icarus

Please rate and review the show on iTunes. It helps the show grow and be discovered.

You can contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy our eclectic AOL Playlist on Spotify.

Special thanks to Spark! Digital Media Lab at the Burbank Public Library

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OUR GUEST: Stephen C. James

THE SONG: Mr. Jones by The Counting Crows

THE SHOW:

Our show is completely improvised and produced by Douglas Sarine, Marypat Farrell and Sarah Atwood Sarine.

Our theme song was produced by the wonderful Ben Wise. benwise.bandcamp.com

Additional music provided by Icarus

Please rate and review the show on iTunes. It helps the show grow and be discovered.

You can contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy our eclectic AOL Playlist on Spotify.

Special thanks to Spark! Digital Media Lab at the Burbank Public Library

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Every Breath You Take with Brett Pearsons

Watched. Grey Mush. Poetry. Recent coma waker-upper Gordon explores revelation and reminiscences stemming from his long-term captivity and subsequent coma. He offers Douglas a truly unique perspective on what it means to be seen and the joy of a good bucket in the Anthem of Gordon. [TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses kidnapping]

OUR GUEST: Brett Pearsons

Brett Pearsons is an actor, musician and writer based in Los Angeles. Brett has appeared on The Mentalist, This Is Us and the upcoming The Sterling Affairs. Along with performing in bands Tiny Goliath and The Four Postmen, Brett is currently in production on a narrative horror radio play that he wrote and is producing. Follow Brett on Instagram at @brettpearsons for news on upcoming projects and band pages @tinygoliathmusic and @thefourpostmen

THE SONG: Every Breath You Take

Written by Sting, the Every Breath You Take single was the biggest US and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the singles chart for eight weeks. It won the Grammy in 1983 for Best Song of the Year. In May 2019, it was recognized by BMI as being the most-played song in radio history. To escape the public eye in the wake of his controversial split from Frances Tomelty and the beginning of his relationship with Trudie Styler, Sting retreated to the Caribbean. He started writing Every Breath You Take at Ian Fleming’s writing desk on the Goldeneye estate in Oracabessa, Jamaica. Sting performed Every Breath You Take on a 2001 episode of Ally McBeal. In the show, he was sued by a couple who broke up after one of his sexually suggestive concerts. In the 2021 "The Sting" episode of Only Murders In The Building, Sting plays a nefarious version of himself that Selena Gomez' character suspects is a murderer. "'Every Breath You Take' is no love song," she puts forth as evidence. "It's about a jealous stalker and surveillance, and it actually seems like it was written by a killer." Link to OfficialVideo, Link to Lyrics

THE SHOW:

Our show is completely improvised and produced by Douglas Sarine, Marypat Farrell and Sarah Atwood Sarine.

Our theme song was produced by the wonderful Ben Wise. benwise.bandcamp.com

Additional music provided by Icarus

Please rate and review the show on iTunes. It helps the show grow and be discovered.

You can contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy our eclectic AOL Playlist on Spotify.

Special thanks to Spark! Digital Media Lab at the Burbank Public Library

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

867-5309/Jenny with Molly Erdman

Partying. Good Times. Coal Mines. Ambitious and successful party planner Jenny gives us a peak behind the colorful curtain of her fantastical and strategically managed party place. She talks with Douglas about her interesting themed rooms, her complex relationship with her daughter and son-in-law and what a party for Ms. Jenny would look like. It’s the Anthem of Jenny. Enjoy!

OUR GUEST: Molly Erdman

Molly Erdman is an improviser based in Los Angeles, currently pursuing her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She began her improv career in Chicago and was a member of the Mainstage cast of The Second City from 2007 to 2009. In addition to pursuing her degree and providing school counseling to 6th-12th graders, Molly continues to perform and is a core instructor with Business Improv, traveling across the country bringing improv concepts to the corporate world. You can find her on Instagram @mollyerdmantherapy

THE SONG: 867-5309/Jenny

867-5309/Jenny is a 1981 song written by Alex Call and Jim Keller (Co-founder and lead guitarist of Tommy Tutone) and performed by Tommy Tutone. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1982. Despite Tommy Tutone’s lead singer, Tommy Heath and guitarist Jim Keller both saying at various times that Jenny was a real girl that they knew, co-writer Alex Call explained that the real origins of the song were all in his imagination...”I was just trying to write a 4 chord Rock song and it just kind of came out,” he told reporters, "There was no Jenny. The number? It came to me out of the ether." The song led to a fad of people dialing 867-5309 and made life very difficult for people who had that number. Many of them had to change it because they were flooded with prank calls, usually, kids asking for "Jenny." Link to Official Video 867-5309/Jenny Lyrics

THE SHOW:

Our show is completely improvised and produced by Douglas Sarine, Marypat Farrell and Sarah Atwood Sarine.

Our theme song was produced by the wonderful Ben Wise. benwise.bandcamp.com

Additional music provided by Icarus

Please rate and review the show on iTunes. It helps the show grow and be discovered.

You can contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy our eclectic AOL Playlist on Spotify.

Special thanks to Spark! Digital Media Lab at the Burbank Public Library

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.