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Hi, I'm Hallie LeBont, and this is Mega, coming to you from Twin Hills Community Church, where every single week we're giving our Mega Church a tiny family feel. We love to introduce you to members of our church staff and people from our community, and I always find it to be a treat and a treasure. And per usual, I'm joined by my co-host, he's the youth pastor for our high school ministry called Climax.
Please welcome Gray Haas. Jesus is the way and that is so slay. Hallie, how are you? Bless, bless, bless. I am so excited for today's episode because... Well, just like Jesus will return with a choir of angels, our guest today is returning for another passion play this Easter. It's your friend and mine, a renowned actor.
Mason Janzukas. Wow. It is. What a thrill to be back. What an absolute thrill to see both of you across the table. I'm so excited. Oh, this is so great, Mason. And I mean, we don't want to give. too much away about what you're planning for Easter, but Would you be able to, and what did the kids say? No spoilers. Okay, okay. But could you tell us as much as you possibly can about what you're about to do? Well, I'll be honest with you guys. I am bringing...
A full year's worth of life experience to this year's play. What happened this year? This has been, I'll be honest, a pretty harrowing year for me. I've gone through some really hard times. some pretty gnarly breakups, some losses, you know, a true year of tragedies, sadnesses, and frankly, intimate betrayal. Oh, my. All of which will be part of the show that I've written for this year's Easter play. Oh, you've written it? Writer and actor. You know what? Here's the thing.
We basically, I've run out, I've now, I've interpreted this character so many times, I've run out of story. You know, it's like when they made Game of Thrones. And they they didn't have enough of the Tolkien books to make that to make that series. They ran out of Tolkien. That's right. So they had to just make it up. And so that that really inspired me.
You know, that inspired me to be like, whoa, I can I can. What if like a a thought experiment? What if I wrote the next chapter of Jesus's life? Oh, wow. So when does that, I guess. You know, for Easter, I'm always wondering, you know, it kind of ends with the crucifixion. So when does, when does that end? Here's the thing, Greg. Here's the thing. What if that's not where the story is? Oh, wow. What if the story, in fact...
Dot, dot, dot, kept going. Really? Wow. I mean, think about that for a second. Where does Jesus go? do people even believe it's him where does he end up what does he do does he does he get married does he ever have children does he get a job does he learn to play a musical instrument
Does he do anything that, and the answer to, I don't want to, again, I don't want to spoil it for anything, but the answer to all of these questions is yes. Really? Of course he gets a job. Of course he learns a musical. All of these things are what happens to Jesus in my play. It's it's it's a fact. I'm just right now. I'm just I'm talking about it as I'm calling it the next the next five years.
The next five years. Jesus Christ, the next five years. 33 to 38. 33 to 38. And by the way... pretty big chunk of time that's a very meaningful i don't know where you guys were at at that age but Very important time. Right. I'm not really there yet, but yeah. Oh, wow. Oh, oh, wow. Well, you're going to love your 30s. Oh, your 30, the dirty 30s. Yeah. And that's a little bit of what, you know, like, that's a big question. You know, does Christ date?
Right. Wow. Yeah. I mean, I'm sure if he did, he would be the most upstanding fella a gal could hope to be on the other side of the table from her. But, but, but. Are these bitches going to do Christ wrong? You know oh that would be such like you know because that's the thing is like is that is that is that even Jesus Christ Even Jesus Christ is not immune to the vicissitudes of women who don't listen.
you know who have secrets just like Eve just like eve she was deceptive yes deceptive yes not truthful oh and i and i guess i do want to find out what that was based on and just going back to What instrument did Jesus in your mind pick up? Oh, drums, drum set. Oh, wow. And I saw you out. Yeah, I actually saw them bringing in the really. Big set. It was kind of circular. Very big. It's inspired by Neil Peart from Rush. Oh. An incredible drummer who plays, you know, I feel like.
I don't know where you guys are at, and I know that the church has music, but to me, When I really thought about it as Christ, because now I have like people get into meditation and stuff. So I have like, I don't, I don't stop down and meditate. I stopped. I try and, I try and think like Christ. You know, I try and achieve a set, a state rather of transcending union with the Christ mind.
Wow. You know, so I'm trying to think, I'm trying to live my life more as actually, what would Jesus, they used to have those bracelets. What would Jesus do? Or Jesus Christ? I'm saying that's what I'm doing in real life. Holy smokes. And I thought to myself, what would Jesus play? Right. And the answer very clearly came screaming to me, progressive rock.
Holy smokes. Interesting. That's so cool. I think he'd be drawn to the virtuosic musicianship. I think he'd be drawn to the odd time signatures, to the long track lengths in order to truly... explore the territory, you know, really changing tempos, fast changing.
tempos and and and like I said time signatures being able to because be Christ one of the only people I believe who could play seven opposite 11 times between between hands and feet that's that is that takes you have to be really you have to be holy in order to do that you know wow well I mean, I think Jesus would be.
Because we know Jesus is so cool and relevant. I thought you were going to say something like one of those Rams horns, because that's what the rabbis blow in and stuff. A shofar? Well, absolutely. I will say my band has a shofar player. Is that right? Yeah. But Jesus is the drummer, obviously, because I'm playing the drums. Oh, so there is a band in the show. There will be a band. It's a one-man show. Let me be clear. It's a one-man show.
but with full band accompaniment. I always wonder about that when people say, I have a one-man show, and then there's like 11 people in it. You know, is that still considered a one man show? It just has it has to do with who says the most. I think I think it's really about, you know, all of the all the rest of the band members in my show understand that they are there to elevate.
Awesome. You know that they are there because they are there to facilitate. Now, if you saw our band out at a venue, if you saw us playing at the porthole like we do every Friday night. We play, you know, three hours of originals and then 90 minutes of band-based karaoke. And if you've got a song you want to sing, come on out to the porthole. Jesus Christ and the Disciples, we play every Friday night. We go until they close this place down, which they usually do, you know. But...
very challenging, progressive music. We are playing, we feature a flute soloist. We have a string section. Orchestral components come into play. This is a very detailed, very thoughtful, very aggressive. I think that, and of course, no spoilers. But I do think that it's interesting that how do you where do you pick up? Is it, you know, you're at 33 and then Jesus, what's the decision that he made?
or that god makes i guess that he's like you know what i'll give you another five years what what was it what's that inflection okay so for me what i imagine you know you know it's the story of I can't remember. It's in the Bible. Benjamin or somebody finds the tablet.
Oh, yeah. They have the rules on them. You know what I mean? They've got the rules and the tablets. Yeah. So that to me, I felt like, oh, that's interesting, you know, because that means, you know, God's leaving little notes around. You know, maybe they're on stone or something like that. And so for me, the way I imagine it.
You know, he was dead. He died on the cross. He knows what that's like. He went through that. But then, boom, he wakes up. What is it? Seven days later, he wakes up and he's like. Out of there. He's like, I rolled the rock aside and now I'm free, baby. Right. Yeah. Okay. And he's walking along and he's thinking to himself.
How many people betrayed him? How many people wronged him? He's thinking of all the names of the people who deny him, right? Isn't there one of his best friends denies him, right? Paul or Mary? I'm not sure. Okay. Right. So what happens is what if what if Christ just walking through the, you know, the mountains of Jerusalem finds like right there on the street. A copy of the Yes album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. Well, yeah. I mean, God is outside of time.
I thought about it because I was like, wow. Or a record player. Or Victrola even. I bet he's never even heard music on a wax cylinder. That's my guess. Yes.
yet when was the wheel invented did jesus have wheels because a vinyl record is pretty much like it's a wheel you know if you can figure out a circle you can get into town quick that's a funny idea because i always kind of imagined jesus would have been able to skateboard but if there were no wheels then i just don't really understand what he would have but that's the thing like and and and and gray that's exactly the kind of thing that inspired me not just
Not just could Jesus skateboard or would Jesus play? Would Jesus play drums? Does Jesus use apps to date? You know, like what does G what does G like? What fit? and quite a lot of our life Our modern life is, I think, is exactly how Jesus would live, you know? Awesome. Amazing. So, and I do want to go back and, of course, no spoilers. Of course. But I did want to ask.
Is that did you find a copy of a Yes album? And is that one of the things that you drew from your real life? Yes, I found a trash bag in the woods when I was young. It had. It had a comprehensive collection of progressive rock records. I'm talking most of the early Yes albums, Fragile Tales of Topographic Oceans, all the way through the Adrian Ballou years. uh, discipline, uh, red, uh, uh, uh, beat.
These are incredible albums, the King Crimson catalog. I think from Gentle Giant all the way through to Rush. Never mind Klaatu. I think that these were bands and albums that were really instrumental to me. And as well, in that same trash bag, was a staggering amount of pornography.
pornography magazines why do people put that in the woods I know and why in a bag with a bunch of I mean I guess now that you say those bands I can imagine why I was with those bands you know it is it's a it's the best thing I've ever found in my life It really, I feel like it really made me the person I am today. Yeah. You know, because it's like, here's what it is. It is a full musical education on the best music ever made. and a true appreciation for mature over 50 women.
Awesome. Which is what all of the magazines were. Okay. Okay. Wow. Oh, wow. That's interesting. It was over 50 mature mamas, very legal, and a bunch of others. It's covered in the blood. Mason, forgive me if this is too personal a question, but you're adept at percussion. I always notice they put that plexi sneeze guard around your drum kit. And that makes me think, are you going to be smashing watermelon or at the audience? Why do you put that up? Oh, wow. OK, so that is really just for sound.
It's really just for sound. You know, we want to get, you know, because a lot of times we have Depending on who we are able to get for the gig, we've got between 12 and 32 musicians on stage, you know, and the drums are so powerful and overwhelming. You have to contain them in that a little bit of soundproof. You know, so that what I'm hearing is me and that I can also hear everybody else in the middle. You know, because we've got a woodwind section, we've got tubas.
You know, we've got for a section of it, I've got a marching band that's going to be appearing on stage, which is very exciting. Yeah, very celebratory for Easter. I mean, other megachurches. Yes, but they are playing a funeral dirt. Oh, cool. It is a kind of celebration. We're celebrating the dead. Yeah. Well, is it like what they do in New Orleans? They have a parade for the dead. It's a full second line band. Okay. Interesting. Okay.
Cool. Oh, no. And I did notice, and, you know, of course, no spoilers for what happens in the show, but I noticed you're wearing a wedding ring. And are there? Congrats in order. You know, it's so funny you mention that because I forget I'm wearing it, you know? Oh, okay. I'm wearing it because Christ is me. Oh, at this point in your story. I'm living his, you know, I'm living through his marriage. I personally have been undergoing a. pretty devastating breakup uh a pretty shatter
You mentioned intimate betrayal. And I know Christ, you know. That happened to Jesus when Judas betrayed him with the kiss. And you know what? It happens every day to the nicest guys like you because women just can't seem to get it together and shouldn't be trusted. It shouldn't be so hard. I fell in love with a woman at the gym. Boy.
she was absolutely beautiful. We, we, you know, I don't like to share a lot of personal details about myself just because I feel like it takes away from people understanding the cat. You know, to know too much about the performer, the actor underneath it is to take away from the ability of the audience to lose themselves in the character.
Right. Cool. But I fell in love with a woman who had three kids and I adopted each and every one of them immediately, which I thought was powerful and she thought was too quick. So you all weren't married, but you adopted her kids. I did. I did. So does that turn some kids, because they get a bit complicated legally now. Very much so. It's so funny you say that. And I didn't know that legality would even come into this.
But I very quickly found out that she perceived what I was doing as trying to steal. Oh, no. Which was not at all the case. I loved her kids. I wanted to demonstrate to her that I was not afraid of the fact that she had children. that I desperately wanted to be a part of their lives. Yes, she should be so lucky. Here she is, a single mom of three. Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry. She's not a single mom. Oh, no. Okay.
She's not a single mom. And that was part of it too, is I hadn't realized she was still in a relationship. But she was giving me so much energy. Really? So much energy and so much flirty eyes and stuff. She would always work in on the same machines that I was working in on or that I was working on. It was really confusing. Yeah. Lo and behold, I find out that she is... Fully betraying me by staying with her husband
Isn't that devastating? That's on her. She was really giving you mixed signals. Giving me crazy mixed signals. And I, you know, I've invited her to the show this weekend because I feel like. A lot of the show is about us and our relationship as seen through the. the characters of Jesus and Mary in this kind of opera rock.
opera progressive rock opera that i'm i'm calling it that i think i don't know that that's ever been done but yeah that is fascinating and i mean talking about intimate betrayal i just sometimes don't you just feel like Overrated. I don't get it. I don't understand. Think about it, because it's from exactly the Bible. Talk about intimate betrayal. It is. It's what Jesus says. Doesn't he say et tu brute?
Yeah. Which is like, it's the it's exactly what we're talking about. He got betrayed by his buddy. His buddy stabbed him right in the back for like. for what like 30 pieces of silver or something like that and it's sealed with a kiss just like betrayal always is a sweet kiss Yeah. And next thing you know, bing, bang, boom. I'm on the cross. Oh, that happens every day. And I'll tell you what, now that we're talking about it, forgive me if this is too personal a question, but what is intimacy?
Does it just mean close? I always thought it just meant... close if you're close to someone yeah i don't really i've never really understood it yeah i don't either if i'm honest i've watched a bunch of youtube videos oh okay which one yeah what did yeah Well, you know, I feel I'm I'm I don't know if, you know. I don't know if you guys listen to podcasts or anything like that, but there's a ton of great podcasts that'll really help you understand relationships and all of this kind of stuff.
You know, it's it's Joe Rogan. It's it's it's Jordan Peterson. It's the Tate brothers. It's you know, there's a ton of guys. There's a ton. Here's the thing. Here's the funny. There's a ton of men who have cracked relationships. And the thing is, women don't get it.
you know right yep yep yep yep well are you guys huberman oh i love huberman i i i listen to everything that huberman does god i think he's amazing and he's so strong i mean he's like absolutely shredded jacked and he's using science howie and i'm not sure if you understand this part but he's kind of what he's doing is he's hacking the human system. And he'll talk for three to seven hours about, you know, peptides. It's just, it's awesome. Here's the thing. We're gonna live forever.
We are. You know, these guys have figured it out. We're going to live forever. Right. Especially in Christ. And so that's what that's in my mind. What Jesus that if Jesus was here now. these are the guys these would be jesus's guys you know when mark maron says who are your guys yeah jesus christ when i when inevitably when my record gets takes off
and I am living as Christ, and I go on that Marc Maron show, and he says, who are your guys? As Jesus Christ, I'm going to say Jordan Peterson. These are the men that Christ would follow, right? And that's a big thing. Because everybody follows Christ, right? Yes. But who does Christ follow? You know?
That, my friends, is the first half of the episode with Jason Manzoukas. If you want to listen to the rest of it, head on over to mega.supercast.com where you can listen ad-free. It really is the best way to support the podcast. And for special episodes like this,
You get the whole thing. Ooh, it would help us so much if you become a member. And I would like to extend a very special thank you to Jason Mantzoukas. We love when he comes on here, not just because he's so much fun to play with, but also... The way he has contributed, he can play as many Jesuses as he wants, if you ask me, because it is a delight. You know him from so many great things like The League and Big Mouth, and also listen to his wonderful podcast, How Did This Get Made?
And if you would like to help us make Mega right now, it would mean the world to us. Even if you just leave us a rate and review, ooh, we would love you. But you can also become a member at mega.supercast. And the link is in the show notes. Speaking of members, a very special thanks to our founding members, T-Pop and Nana, Anonymous, you know who you are, and Bobby.