Hi, everyone!
January 23, 2021 would’ve been Dean J. Griffiths’ 50th birthday.
This week, we’re featuring another Jammin’ with Jamie interview, with…
… Dean J. Griffiths!
Ever since we met while co-starring in Young Frankenstein in 2017 (officially met, anyway: I’d heard about him from a mutual friend who encouraged me to talk to him and he’d seen me at work and wanted to talk to me, but thought it would be weird), Dean had an open invitation from me to be a recurring Jammin’ with Jamie guest. Unfortunately, his sudden cancer diagnosis meant that his health and schedule never allowed that to be.
But as he used to tease me for, I never give up. When I invited Dean to be a prerecorded guest on our 200th show, he was honored and flattered, and he made a special effort. We recorded the interview on a cold and rainy night on October 30, 2019. What he originally intended to be a quick shout-out and congratulations became an hour-long interview. I spent many long hours editing clips of it to feature in the 200th show on November 2.
On September 12, 2020, he passed away from colorectal cancer. If I started to get into how close of friends we were, how well we worked together on anything from creative work, to performing of any genre, to moving, and just how much our friendship meant to each of us, this post would never end.
When I realized Dean’s birthday was on a Saturday this year, I knew I had to do something special on Jammin’ with Jamie for him. I dug up his interview and brutally edited my own pauses and extra words to feature all of his wit, intelligence, wisdom, puns, and goofiness. Whether he knew it or not, he left me something very special. Listening to this interview again as I edited it reminded me what it was like to relax, have fun, and be completely myself with Dean, and how he relaxed, had fun, and showed his own true self during that hour with me.
I also recorded a custom intro and outro for this show.
Tune in and help me wish Dean a happy birthday.
I always enjoy interviewing people, so if you know of anyone you think would be a good fit for a Jammin’ with Jamie interview, let me know here or on Twitter!
I hope you consider jammin’ with us, whether “on demand,” on 89.3 WNUR FM, or both! If you like what you hear, let me know: I record every show and will happily send it to you! For more information about Jammin’ with Jamie, go here!
Thank you for reading, listening, and “jammin’,”
Jamie Lee