The Game Jew

One of the first posts I did for this website in this category was about The New Adventures of Captain S. The people over at PBC Productions worked on a small, barely existing budget to create a love letter to after school specials and video games (even if it was Sega. Yuck!). Over the course of several episodes they called a season, they created a movie, one full of charm. Yet, life got in the way and halted the series, and it is now cancelled. Years later, I still mourn this loss.

Around the time I started watching the videos of PBC productions, I was introduced to The Game Jew, now more known as Jonathan Mann. Today, he writes a song a day and you can find him at his website Rock Bottom Cookie. He even got national coverage when he wrote a song about Paul Krugman and was featured on This Week on ABC. To me, however, he will always be The Game Jew.

The Game Jew wrote songs and performed happy skits about the Nintendo Wii during its launch. They were memorable tunes that never rang false or cynical. TGJ wasn’t being ironic in his love of Nintendo, and it is always wonderful to see someone be honest about their loves, even if those around him didn’t share the same enthusiasm. I remember him singing a love song to his girlfriend about the Wii, which if you can believe it wasn’t dripping with innuendo. Then, I remember the sadness he felt when that relationship ended. He shaved his head and wrote a song about it. I don’t recall him singing that love song ever again.

He’s done so much. He went to Venice, wrote a Mario opera, and continues today to write a song a day. He might distant himself today from his Game Jew roots, but I’ll always remember him for that, and for the joy his songs brought me.