On the 12/27/23 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:
Dr. Andy is joined by one of the most featured guests of the podcast, his brother Oliver Jones. The two talk movies, the best theaters for cinematic experiences, and underappreciated films. Oliver Jones mentions some of his top films of 2023 before they segue into the topics of teaching, academics, and basketball. This episode also features the late D.R. Wagner from a previous episode of the podcast. Wagner shared his affinity for late night writing and interacting with the realm of fantasy. He loved to abandon logic and the expected, as well as to explore the many different voices used when writing poetry. He then shared a love poem from his new book Vigils. Dr. Andy reads a poem of his titled, “The Entangled Angel.”
Oliver Jones has spent the past 20 plus years writing about culture, social justice and breaking news for top magazines and websites. As a staff writer for People magazine for a decade, he wrote about some of the defining social issues of our time, including gays and lesbians in the highest ranks of the military, LGBTQ life in the American heartland, and the crisis of African-American violence in L.A. Originally trained as a culture journalist (he’s covered over a dozen Oscar shows), he is equally adept in the world of social justice, covering topics like the failed drug war, the fight for fifteen, and America's education crisis for the Daily Beast, Yahoo!, and others. He is also a film and music critic and writes extensively about art institutions, including the Getty and The Museum of Jurassic Technology. In addition to his work as a writer, he is a journalism professor at Emerson College, where he teaches social justice and entertainment journalism.
Known for his impactful contributions to literature and art, D.R. Wagner’s passing marks the end of a prolific journey. His life’s story unfolded through his work, touching countless hearts and inspiring many emerging writers and artists. Despite a long illness, Wagner’s influence remained undiminished, as did his passion for his craft. Wagner’s passing is a profound loss for Sacramento and the broader literary community. His unique voice and compelling narratives will be greatly missed, but his legacy will continue to live on through his remarkable body of work.
The Poetry Night Reading Series will return in the new year, beginning on January 4th at 7pm.
Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, visit his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andyojones.