MouseStation 251 – Paul Collins of the JAMMitors
(Download show – Main podcast page – Subscribe – Podcast radio player)
Show run time 0:37:32
You can subscribe to MouseStation from the links at the bottom of this page, or via your favorite podcast aggregator. If you’d rather pop up our podcast radio player into a separate window so that you can continue browsing MousePlanet in this window, click here. (NOTE: Our podcast radio requires Adobe Flash Player. You can dowload the player here.)
Let us hear from you!
Send in your suggestions, comments or tips via our email feedback form or via voicemail on our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278).
We’ve put together a new listener survey to help us learn more about you and what you like most about this podcast. This one is much more targeted than the old Podtrac survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and let us know what you think.
If you want to contribute a story for our Monday Magical Moment segment (and possible inclusion in the Cast Place column here on MousePlanet), you can either use our email Magical Moment story form or the toll-free feedback line. (We love it when you use the voice mail system, because then we can play your call on the show!)
Thanks to our sponsor
Today’s show is sponsored by Advantage Vacation Homes, a great vacation home rental company that gives you a place to stay with lots more space than a regular hotel room for a lot less money.
Remember, if you’re planning a trip with a large number of people, a multiple-bedroom vacation home can be a lot cheaper than multiple hotel rooms.
For more information on what a vacation home is and what to expect when renting one, check out our interview of Fred Zorayq from Advantage Vacation Homes in Episode 219!
Featured topic: Paul Collins of the JAMMitors
In this week’s feature, Mark interviewed Paul Collins of the JAMMitors. Paul is an original member of the group, playing with them continuously since their formation in 1996 except for a couple of stints helping to launch similar groups in Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, including training the first all-Asian JAMMitor group.
Paul Collins is the lead JAMMitor for the main (five-day) cast. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
The JAMMitors perform in the Innoventions breezeways, usually in pairs of 6-7 minute shows starting 10 minutes apart, featuring music and comedy. The performers generally have drum & bugle corps experience, and the show features silly humor and guest interaction. They created a new show for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival this year after adding a show for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival about 3-4 years ago.
The JAMMitors introduced a new show this year for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
In the new show, the “Epcot JAMMin’ Chefs” play a wide … er … range of kitchen equipment. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
They’ve added a few different shows over the years, most recently “the gong show,” which was added when they were performing for a while in front of Mission: Space.
The JAMMitors have their origin with the Trashcan Trio at Disneyland Park, when Walt Disney World wanted to form their own group. Danny Raymond, Jr. was playing with the Hollywood Hit Men at the (then) Disney-MGM Studios, Paul was playing with the Caledonia Bagpipe Trio at Epcot’s Canada pavilion, and Anthony Parrulli (now with Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando) was added and the JAMMitors were born.
A show for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival was introduced a few years ago (this photo is from 2004). Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
Paul first got involved with Disney through the Disney All-American College Marching Band in the summer of 1979, then worked at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA for two seasons before returning to Walt Disney World and becoming a member of the Future Corps (from 1982-1990), then joining the Caledonia Bagpipe Trio for five years or so.
“The Gong Show” is relatively new, as well. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
There are now two JAMMitors groups, the main group (led by Paul) that performs five days a week and a two-day group (led by original JAMMitor Danny Raymond, Jr.), with several subs, for a total of about 15 drummers. Drummers are actually cast to perform left-side, right-side and center (lead) positions.
Paul cooks up a new rhythm with the Epcot JAMMin’ Chefs. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
Special thanks to Vicki Richardson and Benjamin Thompson for setting up this interview.
What do you think? Let us know by sending us an email or calling our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278)!
Listener Feedback
Deb from Michigan wrote in to thank us for our tribute show for the Adventurers Club. Mike noted that it may have been one of the better shows we’ve done since we started. Mark added that it was a lot of fun to record, and that the memory was still fresh in his memory when we recorded it.
Preston Hill from Huntsville, AL also wrote in to thank us for the Adventurers Club show, but expressed some disillusionment with the demise of more wonderful live entertainment at Walt Disney World. He was a huge Adventurers Club fan, often traveling 500 miles to Walt Disney World just in order to go to the Club.
He also asked whether Otis T. Wren’s victory in the Balderdash Cup on the Club’s last night was due to intervention by the actors or generated by the fans and how the genie illusion worked. Mark noted that the applause was generated by the audience and that there didn’t appear to be any difference in the storytelling by the actors that night. As to how the Beezle trick worked, Mark and Mike agreed that it was done by Disney Magic. (If you’re not satisfied with that answer, you might want to check out Wade Sampson’s column this week.)
Tracey from the Disney, Indiana podcast called in a voicemail to respond to several things.
She really enjoyed the show with Mark and The Kid discussing their trip because it sounded like we had so much fun doing it.
Tracey also noted that she enjoyed the Segway tour around Epcot when it was first offered and she hopes to take the off-road Segway tour at Fort Wilderness this December.
She enjoyed the Shawn Coomer interview. It was great to hear about the park, even if it’s unlikely that she’ll ever get there.
Finally, Tracey noted that the Magic Carpets of Aladdin are a great place to watch the fireworks from.
After Tracey noted that she and Scott were looking forward to seeing us at the Hustle-tini meet, Mike asked Mark whether it was mandatory that he attend the Hustle-tini meet. Mark then threatened Mike’s life.
Mark noted that he, his wife and The Kid listened to the show again on their long drive to Maryland last weekend and his wife noted that Steven did a wonderful job in cleaning up all of the arguing, coaching and other side chatter to make the show sound seamlessly clean.
CHOC Walk/Team MousePlanet
For more information on supporting Team MousePlanet at this year’s CHOC Walk, go to the Team MousePlanet page or get information on the MousePad discussion forums.
We’re now on Facebook! Join the MousePlanet and MouseStation groups. If you join the club and use Pieces of Flair, you can get your MousePlanet and MouseStation flair from Mark (though you have to friend him first).
MouseFest
Registration is now open for MouseFest! You can sign up now, and check out the many meets being hosted by MousePlanet as you plan your trip.
Wrapping up
We’ve put together a new listener survey to help us learn more about you and what you like most about this podcast. This one is much more targeted than the old Podtrac survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and let us know what you think.
Don’t forget to go to the iTunes podcast directory and give us a good rating for the combined feed!
You can get your MousePlanet (or MouseStation) swag from the MousePlanet CafePress store and the MouseStation CafePress store.
Also remember to go out to our main podcast page and stick a pin into our Frappr map.
Thanks to our audio engineer and sound editor Steven Ng.
Thank you for listening!
