How to Produce Happiness

I like how they all wore white shirts and black ties ("You guys look great in black, have I told you that?")

"Well, take us there, Skitch."

There have many things to pass the time during the pandemic.

I tried a watch party tonight.

If you haven't done it, basically, you hit "play" on a particular item at the same time as the general public and you watch it, and various people involved with that project tweet or chat along. I've seen several for Doctor Who that I've been unable to participate in, plus there was one for Empire Records (which, coincidentally, co-starred Ethan Embry).

Tonight, the main cast members of That Thing You Do reunited to watch the movie and comment on YouTube (thanks for the heads-up, AJ Szymanowski). Among those main characters, only Liv Tyler and Tom Hanks were missing. Tyler is apparently overseas and, while she wanted to join, it was a little too late for her and Hanks is just Tom-freaking-Hanks.

Hanks was watching, apparently, and was being represented in a matter of speaking by his son Colin, a terrific actor who had a small role in the film but was a constant presence on set.

At the same time, an auction was launched to raise money for MusicCares.

What came out of it is the love the four band members of The Wonders truly have for each other.  Tom Everett Scott (who played Guy Patterson, aka "Shades"), Steve Zahn (Lenny Haise), Johnathon Schaech (James Mattingly II), and Ethan Embry (TB Player -- no, really, the bass player was known as that),  have stayed close ever since the movie, which came out in 1996.

It's a truly brilliant look at the American music scene in 1964-1965, written and directed by Tom Hanks, who also co-stars as manager Amos White.

The Beatles connections are strong, with Hanks as their gay manager just like Brian Epstein (although his sexuality is downplayed. The extended version makes that much clearer). Plus their original drummer gets injured, meaning they need "Shades" (a la Ringo Starr) to complete the band. The overlay graphic used during the big scene on the The Hollywood Television Showcase is straight out of the one used on John Lennon on the Ed Sullivan Show (Sorry girls, he's married)

The soundtrack is terrific and the homages to the era are spot-on (it's Hanks. No shock there). Plus, he finds ways to work in so many of his friends and family, including his wife Rita Wilson as a cocktail lounge waitress, and old Bosom Buddies pal Peter Scolari as the guest host of The Hollywood Television Showcase.

Plus there are other references. Lenny Haise? As in Fred Haise, from Apollo 13? Yup. Fred was played by Bill Paxton. (Not) coincidentally, the Bill Cobbs' jazz player is named Del Paxton. And, so on.

You. Are. My. Biggest. Fan.

But, I'm getting way off-topic here. The watch-along was a joy. Learning little tidbits from the four actors, along with Colin Hanks, Giovanni Ribisi and Kevin Pollak was wonderful. They told where things were shot, how they were shot, and other behind-the-scenes nuggets.

Plus they laughed. A lot.

And, so did I. Out loud.

Try not to smile when the band hears themselves on the radio for the first time. I find this scene to be so joyous.  I'd like to think we've all had that "holy s*it, that's me" moment. That's what I'm reminded of.


I ran the movie in concert with the chat on YouTube but, in truth, I barely watched the movie. I listened more intently to the chat and, for my money, it brought me some bliss in this middle of this madness.

Movies are supposed to be an escape anyway.

I escaped for a bit tonight.