Jonathan Herron

Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters

Award-winning reporter and Pulitzer grantee Bob Smietana has a new book coming out that all church leaders need to get their hands on.  Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters is the rare book that I simply could not put down.  

Using his deft writing skills combined with the most recent statistical findings and anecdotes makes for a compelling book that will help church leaders make better decisions and experience fewer regrets.

Divided into three sections, Reorganized Religion opens by reorienting our post-pandemic church reality with Part One: Where We Stand.  These opening chapters are chock full of startling statistics:

• According to Pew Research in late 2021, 3 out of every 10 Americans (29 percent) is a so-called None, someone who claims no religious identity, up from only 16 percent in 2017. (p. XV)
  
  
• The percentage of Christians in America has dropped from 78 percent to 63 percent. (p. XV)
  
  
• Less than half of Americans say they belong to a church, down from 70 percent of Americans in the 1990's, according to the Gallup polling organization. (p. 6)
  
  
• Less than one-third of Americans, when asked, say they have gone to a worship service within the past week. (p. 6)
  
  
• Where congregations still persist despite enormous challenges and an uncertain future is where they offer two key benefits: a sense of community and a sense of mission to rally around. (p. 9)
  
  
• We are living in the early days of what Pew Research has labeled "the Next America" - a new nation that differs substantially from its past in profound ways.

Part Two: Why People Are Leaving shares rich, in-depth stories of real Americans who have survived the tumultuous years of the pandemic only to emerge into a post-Christian America where churches and pastors are viewed through a lens of distrust.

Author Smietana writes, "Many church leaders find themselves in a position of authority, with the ability to make decisions that can change the course of institutions, at exactly the time when titles no longer matter -- and where relationships and influence mean more than authority" (p. 91).  

In my own experience, I can echo this observation and verily testify to the power of influence over title.  After years of evangelical scandals (i.e. Willow Creek, Mars Hill), the 'trust revolution' has touched us all (p.94).  Smietana dives deeper into the troubled waters and the inherent fragility of church leadership models by saying, "A fallen small-church pastor is a problem.  A fallen megachurch pastor is a disaster" (p. 101).

Part Three bravely asks the question, Where Do We Go From Here?  This is where I found the book weaker in prescriptive advice.  While I appreciated the stories of churches merging together and tackling social ills without including political power, I was disappointed that evangelism and church planting were not addressed as part of the American Church's solution for the future.  

One area I did agree with is Smietana's assertion that the future belongs to multiethnic churches, defining as a multiracial congregation as one that includes 20% or more of participants not being part of the dominant racial group in that religious community (p. 197).  America's racial demographics are continuing to thrust us all into the future and the American Church has a lot of ground to make up for (or else fall by the wayside as irrelevant).

In summary, I highly recommend this book.  Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters will challenge your understandings of today's religious landscape while informing you on pathways forward in the age of the Nones.

Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees

 

This past April, I won a pair of concert tickets to see Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees. 

I promptly asked my Mom to be my date for the evening in Akron, Ohio.

Life got in the way and I never got around to sharing this concert review.

So with my apologies, here is what transpired.

I have attended TEN concerts with either the full Monkees playing or solo concerts from the likes of Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz.  

I even was at one of Michael Nesmith's final appearances in Detroit last November, just a few short weeks before his passing in December.

From the moment Micky Dolenz took the stage and deftly crooned the lyrics about that last train heading toward Clarksville, the entire audience was smitten.  

Micky has never sounded better live and he was even singing the songs in their original pitch -- remarkable for a man touring in his 70's!

 

 

 

Micky's personal stories from The Monkees run in the late 1960's were engaging and entertaining as he took the audience through the greatest hits catalogue and then some.

What I found remarkable were the never-before-seen photos and film from Dolenz's private archive of that time in his life.  

I did my best to capture them in total in the bootleg concert videos below.

 

 

Being the last Monkee standing, Micky did a wonderful job of spotlighting each of his fallen comrades through special film shorts.  

Though the four Monkees were originally actors hired for a t.v. show, you could tell that their lives had been magically been woven together over a half century of enduring entertainment by the way Dolenz honored Nesmith, Tork, and Jones.

 

Micky's band was equally fantastic, the highlights being Richard Dort killing it on drums, Wayne Avers on lead guitar and musical guitar, plus Dolenz's precious sister Coco on back-up vocals.

 

 

Micky Dolenz continues to crank out new solo projects while also holding the torch for The Monkees.  


And we'll all continue cheering so long as Dolenz keeps monkeeing around.

 

Last Train is the Best Train

I have attended NINE concerts with either the full Monkees playing or solo concerts from the likes of Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz.

None of them (I repeat, none of them) packed the emotional whallop on display from Michael Nesmith during The Monkees’ Farewell Tour stop in Detroit this past week.

It is unfortunate that there has been so much online chatter and rumors regarding Nesmith’s recent health scares. Yes, it is true that Nez was sans guitar on this tour stop. Yet what he lacked in guitar strumming he more than made up for with his quirky impersonations, slap-stick comments, and authentic displays of heartfelt gratitude toward fans during this farewell to fans of the Pre-Fab Four.

 

Full Confession: I’ve always been a fan of Micky Dolenz. His hijincks on reruns of the 1960’s hit tv show enthralled my imagination as a child of the 80’s.

From the moment I first saw Micky singing I’m A Believer during Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary Special, I was hooked on the comedy genius as well as the hit songs.

What struck me during this final appearance of The Mike & Micky Show was how Micky and Mike traded roles within the band.

Whereas Mike was the straight man for so many years to Micky’s wild and crazy antics, the proverbial tables were turned in this final outing: it was Nesmith who kept the audience in stitches with energy and delight (as you can see in the above and below bootleg videos I filmed during the concert!).

Fedora-clad showman Micky instead was the defacto maestro who kept every song on pitch and moving along deftly.

The song selections were rich and deep with a fine back-up band keeping the beat. My only regret in this final outing was the lack of any stage design. I would have loved to have seen the giant video-screen from the 2012 tour days or even the giant neon Monkees guitar from 1996 (pictured below). I’m sure the choice for stage simplicity was a function of cutting costs during touring.

Will we see any future incarnation of The Monkees? Only time will tell.

As Dolenz has often shared in interviews, “We’ve always joked that we would sing Hey, Hey We’re The Monkees until there was only one of us left. In that case, they would sing, Hey, Hey It’s A Monkee!”

me in my life. 

I'm walking through a season of refining my character and redefining my dreams for the future. 

Bob has been gracious to step in as a personal coach during this season and he is challenging my socks off in grace-filled ways.

Bob unpacks the Dream Big Framework in 7 parts:

• Set Absurd Expectations

• Explore Opportunities

• Clear the Path

• Take Action

• Expect Setbacks

• Sustain Belief

• Land the Plane

Everyone walks away from Dream Big ready to take on the world in positive ways. 

For me, there were three big ideas that Bob challenged me with that I thought I'd share here...

 

1) WHAT DO I WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR?

When I spend time with Bob on the phone for coaching calls, he keeps asking me the same powerful question: "Who is in my chair?"

What he's asking is, what do I want to be known for? 

My titles range from 'Daddy' to 'Comedian' to 'Pastor' to 'Author.'  That's a lot of titles to carry!  But a title is not who I am; they are roles I have the privilege of stepping into.

What I'm wrestling through now is how do I take the richness of my past experiences/wisdom and make them more accessible to help more people going forward?  

Jesus was always going around changing people's names and their destiny's for the better.  He's making some changes in my life right now as well.  I'm working on making a quarter-twist that will bring greater clarity to my life's mission of helping others.  Nailing down what that exactly looks like is the challenge.

I would rather fail as myself rather than succeed pretending to be someone I’m not.

“I would rather fail as myself rather than succeed pretending to be someone I’m not.

2) UNLEARN THE RULES I'VE TOLD MYSELF

Bob pulled out a 16 inch softball invented during the Depression called a 'Clincher Ball.' 

The big idea was that the ball was soft enough that you wouldn't need to buy an expensive mitt to catch it and it was large enough that nobody could possibly hit a homerun.  

One of the rules I've unconsciously made in my life is that I always have to hit homeruns.  If it's not going to ship perfectly, I won't ship it at all.

Bob told me I need to give myself a Clincher Ball: It's not always about hitting homeruns! 

Somewhere along the way, I invented this Homerun Rule in my head because something unfair happened to me.  Bob told me not to go for FAIR... Go for BEING PRESENT!

Unlearning the rules I've told myself requires just a little bit of time and a little bit of courage.

3) BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SUCK AT SOMETHING NEW

Playing it safe is too risky.  

Somehow along the way, I've slipped into playing it safe.

Bob is challenging me to set absurd expectations in my life again: "Don't let applause or affirmation dictate your choices. Applause is for the circus!"

He boiled it down to three key ideas that are kicking my butt:

• Figure out WHO you want to be.

• Have it inform WHAT you do.

• Do LOTS of THAT!

So there you have it: I'm choosing to Dream Big again, to burn the ships and explore new territories.

I've only got one life to live and so much to offer.

What's holding you back in life? 

What dreams would you pursue full throttle if you knew everyone was cheering you on?

 

 

 

If I were a 1960's pop music icon vocalist with #1 Singles and #1 Albums firmly under my belt, I would probably just coast through my glory years and not lift a finger.

Not Micky Dolenz.

The Voice of The Monkees continues to wow fans worldwide with recent tours through the U.S., Australia, and this past weekend right here in the Rust Belt.

 

 

A CLASS ACT

Micky doesn't have to tour.

He chooses to, honoring generations of fans and creating more musical memories along the way.

 

 

What is most striking to me is that Micky's voice hasn't changed -- He can still hit all the high notes live, entertain us fans with amazing-but-true stories of wacky-antics from over the years, plus share his heart with his fans through a deep catalogue of music.

I've seen Micky do entire solo concerts without an Intermission... You can't even find that kind of dedication and energy in a Monster Energy Drink!

Furthermore, Micky will often stick around after a hot outdoor concert to greet fans and take photos! 

It's those personal, extra touches that create a loyalty with Monkees fans.

 

 

 

I LOOKED UP TO MICKY GROWING UP

Being a child of the 80's, I wasn't introduced to The Monkees until they appeared in 1986 on Disney World's 15th Anniversary tv special (I had tuned in to watch Emmanuel Lewis tap-dancing in front of Cinderella's Castle). 

The bits with Micky, Davy, and Peter grabbed my imagination. 

I taped it on our VCR and wore out that poor VHS tape watching it over and over again. 

At recess during school, all my buddies would pretend to be The Monkees (I was always Micky). 

The Monkees popped back onto my radar in 1987 via Nickelodeon's must-see, not-quite-MTV-but-safe-for-elementary-eyes, Nick Rocks (right after Danger Mouse and before You Can't Do That on Television). 

I was hooked, Heart and Soul.

In 1996, I took Amber on a romantic date to see The Monkees on tour.

It was a blast.  Well, for me it was a blast.  I think Amber was just tolerating my harmless little musical obsession.

In 1999, I took my Mom on a date to see Davy Jones do a solo gig on the riverboats in Davenport, Iowa (above).   Again, blast was had by all.

 

We followed that up with a 2001 Monkees concert in Cleveland, Ohio and a 2006 summer festival solo concert from Micky Dolenz in Akron, Ohio:

 

REMAINING INFLUENCES

I've probably seen Micky, Peter and Mike live more in recent years as they increased their touring capacity starting in 2012.

The live concerts never get old because Micky is always surprising us with new anecdotes, fresh deep cuts, and the occasional cover song (like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio).

Micky influenced me in 3 key ways:

1. With the exception of Martin & Lewis in 1950, The Monkees were the first to create television music and comedy through improvisation. 
   
   Yes, they had a script, but 1960's NBC was sharp and edgy enough to air the improvised bits created on the fly by the boys. 
   
   The Monkees were trained in improv-comedy by Second City vets, which led me to study there also during my college years.
   
   Micky Dolenz in particular could channel just the right zany vibe to keep scenes moving forward and eyeballs glued to the tv set.  I don't think Dolenz gets enough credit for his acting and behind-the-camera chops as he does for his vocals.
   
   
2. The theme of the tv series was that they were Perpetual Underdogs. 
   
   They never got their big break on the tv show, just shlepping from one gig to another (along with the occasional haunted mansion). 
   
   Perseverance while keeping your sense of humor were the keys to the on-screen band.  And guess what - it's true for real-world creatives also.
   
   
3. The Monkees always had second chances.  
   
   Their 1987 reunion was the highest-grossing concert tour in the world, their 1996 reunion album received great reviews, and their 2011 reunion tour featured rave reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine. 
   
   Even though they were always getting written-off by critics, The Monkees would manage to reinvent themselves over the years and keep the magic rolling.
   
   In recent years, critics have finally come around to what fans already knew: these guys can sing, play, write, and perform.
   
   

I am thrilled that Micky Dolenz continues to tour while also engaging with his fans on social media.  My own children are now growing up listening to Dolenz's hit songs and clapping along at live concerts.  In the years ahead, I am confident Micky Dolenz will discover another new wave of Believers!

#WeAreTeamHerron LOVED our Advanced Screening last week of Disney’s #TheLionKing!

Thanks to our friends at Leading & Loving It, we were able to see The Lion King 10 days before it's release... and it is a VISUAL STUNNER.

I had goosebumps twice: once during the first 5 minutes’ unbelievable shot-by-shot recreation of the 1994 animated hit, and again during the movie’s climactic final moments.

The writing was brilliant and director Jon Favreau skillfully slowed down the scenes you remember from the Summer of ‘94 to allow the audience more time to engage with the characters.

Also, John Oliver is an INSPIRED choice of voice’s for Zazu (I was laughing out loud).

Down-sides?

1) Scar’s ‘Be Prepared’ becomes a spoken-word mess instead of a call-to-arms for the villains.

2) The voices of Timon and Pumbaa were COMPLETELY MISCAST.  Seth Rogan was excruciatingly off-pitch in all his songs, which disengaged the audience each time (as a parent, I also was taken out of the movie worried that Rogan’s casting would lead to an F-Bomb in front of my children).

Timon’s voice was equally unable to reach the heights of the ‘94 original; a better choice would have been John Mulaney.

Good News, though...

James Earl Jones was EPIC as Mufasa (Beyonce voiced Nala nicely, but her duet of ‘Can You Feel...’ was raspy and her new pop song about a spirit — whose spirit I am still unclear about — came off as clunky and Disney’s attempt at a cash-grab.

Bottom Line

All in all, The Lion King is a must-see for the moving visuals alone (plus expanded fun with ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’).

Thank you Disney for undertaking this gargantuan task and delivering the family-cinematic-sing-along of the summer!

 

Being a child of the 80's, I wasn't introduced to The Monkees until they appeared in 1986 on Disney World's 15th Anniversary tv special (I had tuned in to watch Emmanuel Lewis tap-dancing in front of Cinderella's Castle). 

 

 

The bits with Micky, Davy, and Peter grabbed my imagination.  I taped it on our VCR and wore out that poor VHS tape watching it over and over again.  At recess during school, all my buddies would pretend to be The Monkees (I was always Micky). 

 

The Monkees popped back onto my radar in 1987 via Nickelodeon's must-see, not-quite-MTV-but-safe-for-elementary-eyes, Nick Rocks (right after Danger Mouse and before You Can't Do That on Television).  I was hooked, Heart and Soul.

 

In 1996, I took Amber on a romantic date to see The Monkees on tour (click my above left pic to see Davy Jones' mad tambourine skills).  It was a blast.  Well, for me it was a blast.  I think Amber was just tolerating my harmless little musical obsession.

 

In 1999, I took my Mom on a date to see Davy Jones do a solo gig on the riverboats in Davenport, Iowa (click my pic on the right).   Again, blast was had by all.

 

We followed that up with a 2001 Monkees concert in Cleveland, Ohio and a 2006 summer festival solo concert from Micky Dolenz in Akron, Ohio:

So, to say I'm a Monkees fan is an understatement. 

In a sense, they changed my life. 

Sorta.

You see, they influenced me in 3 key ways:

1. With the exception of Martin & Lewis in 1950, The Monkees were the first to create television music and comedy through improvisation.  Yes, they had a script, but 1960's NBC was sharp and edgy enough to air the improvised bits created on the fly by the boys.  The Monkees were trained in improv-comedy by Second City vets, which led me to study there also during my college years.
   
   
2. The theme of the tv series was that they were Perpetual Underdogs.  They never got their big break on the tv show, just shlepping from one gig to another (along with the occasional haunted mansion).  Perseverance while keeping your sense of humor were the keys to the on-screen band.  And guess what - it's true for real-world creatives also.
   
   
3. The Monkees always had second chances.  Their 1987 reunion was the highest-grossing concert tour in the world, their 1996 reunion album received great reviews, and their 2011 reunion tour featured rave reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine.  Even though they were always getting written-off by critics, The Monkees would manage to reinvent themselves over the years and keep the magic rolling.
   
   

Davy Jones' passing is a bummer, but also an opportunity to reflect back.  It's a reminder of childhood innocence, bubblegum pop, and how little influences add up in one's life.

So cheer up, Sleepy Jean.  The Monkees sure did leave a mark on many a Daydream Believer.

3 BIG IDEAS I LEARNED FROM BOB GOFF AT DREAM BIG

me in my life. 

I'm walking through a season of refining my character and redefining my dreams for the future. 

Bob has been gracious to step in as a personal coach during this season and he is challenging my socks off in grace-filled ways.

Bob unpacks the Dream Big Framework in 7 parts:

• Set Absurd Expectations

• Explore Opportunities

• Clear the Path

• Take Action

• Expect Setbacks

• Sustain Belief

• Land the Plane

Everyone walks away from Dream Big ready to take on the world in positive ways. 

For me, there were three big ideas that Bob challenged me with that I thought I'd share here...

 

1) WHAT DO I WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR?

When I spend time with Bob on the phone for coaching calls, he keeps asking me the same powerful question: "Who is in my chair?"

What he's asking is, what do I want to be known for? 

My titles range from 'Daddy' to 'Comedian' to 'Pastor' to 'Author.'  That's a lot of titles to carry!  But a title is not who I am; they are roles I have the privilege of stepping into.

What I'm wrestling through now is how do I take the richness of my past experiences/wisdom and make them more accessible to help more people going forward?  

Jesus was always going around changing people's names and their destiny's for the better.  He's making some changes in my life right now as well.  I'm working on making a quarter-twist that will bring greater clarity to my life's mission of helping others.  Nailing down what that exactly looks like is the challenge.

I would rather fail as myself rather than succeed pretending to be someone I’m not.

“I would rather fail as myself rather than succeed pretending to be someone I’m not.

2) UNLEARN THE RULES I'VE TOLD MYSELF

Bob pulled out a 16 inch softball invented during the Depression called a 'Clincher Ball.' 

The big idea was that the ball was soft enough that you wouldn't need to buy an expensive mitt to catch it and it was large enough that nobody could possibly hit a homerun.  

One of the rules I've unconsciously made in my life is that I always have to hit homeruns.  If it's not going to ship perfectly, I won't ship it at all.

Bob told me I need to give myself a Clincher Ball: It's not always about hitting homeruns! 

Somewhere along the way, I invented this Homerun Rule in my head because something unfair happened to me.  Bob told me not to go for FAIR... Go for BEING PRESENT!

Unlearning the rules I've told myself requires just a little bit of time and a little bit of courage.

3) BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SUCK AT SOMETHING NEW

Playing it safe is too risky.  

Somehow along the way, I've slipped into playing it safe.

Bob is challenging me to set absurd expectations in my life again: "Don't let applause or affirmation dictate your choices. Applause is for the circus!"

He boiled it down to three key ideas that are kicking my butt:

• Figure out WHO you want to be.

• Have it inform WHAT you do.

• Do LOTS of THAT!

So there you have it: I'm choosing to Dream Big again, to burn the ships and explore new territories.

I've only got one life to live and so much to offer.

What's holding you back in life? 

What dreams would you pursue full throttle if you knew everyone was cheering you on?

 

 

 

If I were a 1960's pop music icon vocalist with #1 Singles and #1 Albums firmly under my belt, I would probably just coast through my glory years and not lift a finger.

Not Micky Dolenz.

The Voice of The Monkees continues to wow fans worldwide with recent tours through the U.S., Australia, and this past weekend right here in the Rust Belt.

 

 

A CLASS ACT

Micky doesn't have to tour.

He chooses to, honoring generations of fans and creating more musical memories along the way.

 

 

What is most striking to me is that Micky's voice hasn't changed -- He can still hit all the high notes live, entertain us fans with amazing-but-true stories of wacky-antics from over the years, plus share his heart with his fans through a deep catalogue of music.

I've seen Micky do entire solo concerts without an Intermission... You can't even find that kind of dedication and energy in a Monster Energy Drink!

Furthermore, Micky will often stick around after a hot outdoor concert to greet fans and take photos! 

It's those personal, extra touches that create a loyalty with Monkees fans.

 

 

 

I LOOKED UP TO MICKY GROWING UP

Being a child of the 80's, I wasn't introduced to The Monkees until they appeared in 1986 on Disney World's 15th Anniversary tv special (I had tuned in to watch Emmanuel Lewis tap-dancing in front of Cinderella's Castle). 

The bits with Micky, Davy, and Peter grabbed my imagination. 

I taped it on our VCR and wore out that poor VHS tape watching it over and over again. 

At recess during school, all my buddies would pretend to be The Monkees (I was always Micky). 

The Monkees popped back onto my radar in 1987 via Nickelodeon's must-see, not-quite-MTV-but-safe-for-elementary-eyes, Nick Rocks (right after Danger Mouse and before You Can't Do That on Television). 

I was hooked, Heart and Soul.

In 1996, I took Amber on a romantic date to see The Monkees on tour.

It was a blast.  Well, for me it was a blast.  I think Amber was just tolerating my harmless little musical obsession.

In 1999, I took my Mom on a date to see Davy Jones do a solo gig on the riverboats in Davenport, Iowa (above).   Again, blast was had by all.

 

We followed that up with a 2001 Monkees concert in Cleveland, Ohio and a 2006 summer festival solo concert from Micky Dolenz in Akron, Ohio:

 

REMAINING INFLUENCES

I've probably seen Micky, Peter and Mike live more in recent years as they increased their touring capacity starting in 2012.

The live concerts never get old because Micky is always surprising us with new anecdotes, fresh deep cuts, and the occasional cover song (like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio).

Micky influenced me in 3 key ways:

1. With the exception of Martin & Lewis in 1950, The Monkees were the first to create television music and comedy through improvisation. 
   
   Yes, they had a script, but 1960's NBC was sharp and edgy enough to air the improvised bits created on the fly by the boys. 
   
   The Monkees were trained in improv-comedy by Second City vets, which led me to study there also during my college years.
   
   Micky Dolenz in particular could channel just the right zany vibe to keep scenes moving forward and eyeballs glued to the tv set.  I don't think Dolenz gets enough credit for his acting and behind-the-camera chops as he does for his vocals.
   
   
2. The theme of the tv series was that they were Perpetual Underdogs. 
   
   They never got their big break on the tv show, just shlepping from one gig to another (along with the occasional haunted mansion). 
   
   Perseverance while keeping your sense of humor were the keys to the on-screen band.  And guess what - it's true for real-world creatives also.
   
   
3. The Monkees always had second chances.  
   
   Their 1987 reunion was the highest-grossing concert tour in the world, their 1996 reunion album received great reviews, and their 2011 reunion tour featured rave reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine. 
   
   Even though they were always getting written-off by critics, The Monkees would manage to reinvent themselves over the years and keep the magic rolling.
   
   In recent years, critics have finally come around to what fans already knew: these guys can sing, play, write, and perform.
   
   

I am thrilled that Micky Dolenz continues to tour while also engaging with his fans on social media.  My own children are now growing up listening to Dolenz's hit songs and clapping along at live concerts.  In the years ahead, I am confident Micky Dolenz will discover another new wave of Believers!

Review: Disney's The Lion King (2019)

#WeAreTeamHerron LOVED our Advanced Screening last week of Disney’s #TheLionKing!

Thanks to our friends at Leading & Loving It, we were able to see The Lion King 10 days before it's release... and it is a VISUAL STUNNER.

I had goosebumps twice: once during the first 5 minutes’ unbelievable shot-by-shot recreation of the 1994 animated hit, and again during the movie’s climactic final moments.

The writing was brilliant and director Jon Favreau skillfully slowed down the scenes you remember from the Summer of ‘94 to allow the audience more time to engage with the characters.

Also, John Oliver is an INSPIRED choice of voice’s for Zazu (I was laughing out loud).

Down-sides?

1) Scar’s ‘Be Prepared’ becomes a spoken-word mess instead of a call-to-arms for the villains.

2) The voices of Timon and Pumbaa were COMPLETELY MISCAST.  Seth Rogan was excruciatingly off-pitch in all his songs, which disengaged the audience each time (as a parent, I also was taken out of the movie worried that Rogan’s casting would lead to an F-Bomb in front of my children).

Timon’s voice was equally unable to reach the heights of the ‘94 original; a better choice would have been John Mulaney.

Good News, though...

James Earl Jones was EPIC as Mufasa (Beyonce voiced Nala nicely, but her duet of ‘Can You Feel...’ was raspy and her new pop song about a spirit — whose spirit I am still unclear about — came off as clunky and Disney’s attempt at a cash-grab.

Bottom Line

All in all, The Lion King is a must-see for the moving visuals alone (plus expanded fun with ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’).

Thank you Disney for undertaking this gargantuan task and delivering the family-cinematic-sing-along of the summer!

 

Being a child of the 80's, I wasn't introduced to The Monkees until they appeared in 1986 on Disney World's 15th Anniversary tv special (I had tuned in to watch Emmanuel Lewis tap-dancing in front of Cinderella's Castle). 

 

 

The bits with Micky, Davy, and Peter grabbed my imagination.  I taped it on our VCR and wore out that poor VHS tape watching it over and over again.  At recess during school, all my buddies would pretend to be The Monkees (I was always Micky). 

 

The Monkees popped back onto my radar in 1987 via Nickelodeon's must-see, not-quite-MTV-but-safe-for-elementary-eyes, Nick Rocks (right after Danger Mouse and before You Can't Do That on Television).  I was hooked, Heart and Soul.

 

In 1996, I took Amber on a romantic date to see The Monkees on tour (click my above left pic to see Davy Jones' mad tambourine skills).  It was a blast.  Well, for me it was a blast.  I think Amber was just tolerating my harmless little musical obsession.

 

In 1999, I took my Mom on a date to see Davy Jones do a solo gig on the riverboats in Davenport, Iowa (click my pic on the right).   Again, blast was had by all.

 

We followed that up with a 2001 Monkees concert in Cleveland, Ohio and a 2006 summer festival solo concert from Micky Dolenz in Akron, Ohio:

So, to say I'm a Monkees fan is an understatement. 

In a sense, they changed my life. 

Sorta.

You see, they influenced me in 3 key ways:

1. With the exception of Martin & Lewis in 1950, The Monkees were the first to create television music and comedy through improvisation.  Yes, they had a script, but 1960's NBC was sharp and edgy enough to air the improvised bits created on the fly by the boys.  The Monkees were trained in improv-comedy by Second City vets, which led me to study there also during my college years.
   
   
2. The theme of the tv series was that they were Perpetual Underdogs.  They never got their big break on the tv show, just shlepping from one gig to another (along with the occasional haunted mansion).  Perseverance while keeping your sense of humor were the keys to the on-screen band.  And guess what - it's true for real-world creatives also.
   
   
3. The Monkees always had second chances.  Their 1987 reunion was the highest-grossing concert tour in the world, their 1996 reunion album received great reviews, and their 2011 reunion tour featured rave reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine.  Even though they were always getting written-off by critics, The Monkees would manage to reinvent themselves over the years and keep the magic rolling.
   
   

Davy Jones' passing is a bummer, but also an opportunity to reflect back.  It's a reminder of childhood innocence, bubblegum pop, and how little influences add up in one's life.

So cheer up, Sleepy Jean.  The Monkees sure did leave a mark on many a Daydream Believer.