WELCOME TO THE SHOW
My name is Steve Owens and I meet a lot of people; sometime in my travels, sometimes in my own home town. Several times (quite by accident), I have stumbled into what I consider to be fascinating stories. So after way too many got away, I decided to start recording them. Some of these conversations will be fascinating ONLY to me. Some will be fascinating to you too. In the end, I guess this podcast is just an excuse for me to get to travel, meet, and talk to more people. So if you are so inclined…
Walk with me, down Fascination Street!
Recent Episodes
J. R. Stokes – Filmmaker (Edge X)
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J. R. Stokes
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street, as I get to know filmmaker J.R. Stokes. J.R. is a writer, director, actor, producer from Staten Island, NY. In this episode, we chat about growing up in SINY, and what made him want to become a filmmaker. He shares stories of making his first Machinimas, and a short film or two leading up to his debut full length film. His previous short ‘Headstone of Solitude’ gave him the experience and the confidence to make his first feature film. During high school, J. R. developed what would become his initial full-length effort: ‘Edge X’. As we discuss his latest project, we dive into what he decided to make a full-length feature film fresh out of high school, and why he chose such dark subject matter. He is also kind enough to share how a high schooler is able to afford to make a full-length feature film, so take notes! ‘Edge X’ is a film about adolescent drug addiction, and its pitfalls. In their first film; ‘Edge X’ stars: Cadence Meier, Alexandra Totillo, Randall Krauss, J. R. Stokes, and several others. This film is available FOR FREE on YouTube, as long as you have a registered YT account. Fair warning… ‘Edge X’ centers around intense drug use and has themes of violence & despair. This is a very dark film, but it is a good film. In my opinion, the production and cope of this film show a much more mature filmmaker than the J. R.’s age would indicate. Check out his channel SidsCinematics on YouTube, and rate it on Letterboxed and IMDB… if you are so inclined. But more than that; follow him on the socials to see what he has coming up next. I’m sure it will be a great watch and tell him you heard him on Fascination Street Podcast!
The Dutch Kills – Rock Band
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The Dutch Kills Take a walk with me down Fascination Street, as I get to know the Brooklyn based indie rock band The Dutch Kills. In this episode, we chat about how the band got together, and how involved NYU was in the process. The Dutch Kills consists of: Julia (vocals / guitar), Maxine (bass), Alec (guitar), and Heather (drums). We also discuss NYC as a whole, improv, the N train, to Astoria, and some community rehearsal spaces for NYC bands. The members are from all over the US, so we talk about why they left their towns of Fayetteville, Minneapolis, and Wilmington. We do mention Dawson’s Creek (Joey & Pacey Forever!), before moving into their actual music. Their debut EP, called The Rot, was released last year, and their new single Cheap Love was released last month. Look for new singles to drop in a month or two but keep tuned to their channels for more updates and tour info. Also, if you have a time machine, go back to last week and check out their several unofficial shows at SXSW in Austin. The band does let me play their newest single Cheap Love, and it’s a BANGER!
Bo Donaldson – Musician (Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods)
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Bo Donaldson
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Bo Donaldson. Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods had the number one song in America in June of 1974; with the timeless hit “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero”. They also had hits on the charts all throughout the 70’s. In this episode, we chat about how he got into music, and how his band came to be. Bo shares great stories about his mom deciding that she was going to meet Dick Clark and get him to make her son’s band famous…. and then she did it! We also discuss some of the band’s early days, where they opened for The Osmonds for over 300 shows. I pry just a bit into Bo’s personal life and try to get to the bottom of some of the rumors about him dating Valerie Bertinelli before Eddie Van Halen. Along the way, we chat about each of the charting hits for the band, other fun Dick Clark stories, some previous guests of this show, Bo’s real age, and why on earth he likes Cincinnati’s Skyline chili so darn much! Plus, he lets me play their number one hit, as well as a little-known television show theme song the band wrote at the request of Dick Clark. Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods are still playing occasional shows in and around Southern California, and they are even playing a show in Buffalo, Ny in July. Check BoDonaldsonAndTheHeywoods.com for everything about the band; including new music, and tour dates.
Gerry Rasmussen- Canadian Cartoonist (Betty)
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Gerry Rasmussen
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Canadian cartoonist Gerry Rasmussen. In this episode, we chat about how Gerry got into drawing, and how he started making money with his artistic skills while still in elementary school by selling on the spot drawings of ‘Denis the Menace’ to fellow school kids. Next, we get into how he met his co-creator, Gary Delainey at art school. Together, they produce a daily comic strip called ‘Betty’. They have been making this comic strip for nearly 50 years, and due to its runs in The Edmonton Journal, and other publications; it is one of the most recognized comics in Canada! Being featured on GoComics.com and syndicated by King Features doesn’t hurt either! ‘Betty’ has been popularized throughout modern popular culture for several decades; even a fun tie-in with The Edmonton Oilers hockey organization. We also touch on some of the children’s books Gerry has illustrated, such as ‘Sniffy the Beagle’ with author Rita Eagle; and the sports books: ‘Crazy About Hockey’, ‘Crazy About Soccer’, & ‘Crazy About Basketball’ by author Loris Lesynski. Finally, we discuss his passion for teaching art to kids and adults. In partnership with a couple of universities in and around Edmonton, Gerry teaches, draws, and motivates the next generation of art enthusiasts. If you happen to see him at Red Deer Polytechnic (formerly Red Deer College), or The Pygmalion School of Art, tell him you heard him on Fascination Street Podcast!
Special thanks to Gerry’s son Nils Rasmussen (Uncle Outrage) for turning me onto his spectacular father!
Chris Maher – Actor (Boardwalk Winter / Canyon of the Dead
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Chris Maher
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street, as I get to know Chris Maher. Chris is an actor who currently has 8 projects in either pre or post production. In this episode, we chat about his growing up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the long and winding path he took to find acting. After spending some post graduate time in China to study finance, and a stint in law school, Chris gets a call to become a runway model. This led to some work in commercials, and eventually roles in short & feature films. We cover his entire journey from traveling the world with his school choir, to his time in China, Chicago, and Miami. Coincidently, we each share a story about Power Rangers and Iowa. Finally, we discuss each of his 8 forthcoming projects. I ask him about all of them, which takes us on several detours. Some of his friends and co stars are previous guests of the show. This episode was recorded about a week before the premier of his new film Boardwalk Winter. Keep your eyes peeled for this fella! Many of these projects are coming out soon, and some are out now. Find him in film & TV, just about everywhere! I hope I didn’t make it too weird for him in his FIRST podcast interview!
Look for Chris in:
Rescue: Hawaii Surf (TV)
Canyon of the Dead (film)
Desert Dawn (film)
FTX: Descent into Madness
Division (a short film)
Boardwalk Winter (film)
No Dogs Die
Vindicator
The Lost Keys
Lover, Stalker, Killer
Bleeding Heart
Nova
BONUS: Peter Jason (1944-2025)- Actor (Re-Release)
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Peter Jason
Peter passed away on February 20, 2025.
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know veteran actor Peter Jason. In his episode we chat about why he became an actor, and some of his more memorable roles. We talk about working on 48 Hours with director Walter Hill, his connection to Frank Marshall, as well as working with John Carpenter, and some of the fun he has had on the sets of Deadwood and Baskets.
Then we jump into his new film Deep In The Forest; which is released TOMORROW! (May 31st). NO SPOILERS!! But he does lay out the premise of the film and it sounds FASCINATING!
Follow Peter on social media:
Insta: PeterJason99
FB: Peter Jason
Website: PeterJason.net
Marcus Monroe – Comedian / Juggler
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Marcus Monroe
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Marcus Monroe. Marcus is a comedian now, but was a juggler for many, many years. I guess he is still both. In this episode, we chat about why Marcus decided to learn magic as a child, and then not long after, decided to be a juggler. He tells me a few stories from his juggling days; including some of his time juggling on various cruise ships. From Celebrity Cruises, to Disney Cruise, Marcus has performed on them all. He even tells a crazy story about how he got to juggle on Late Night With David Letterman, and an even more insane story about the time he was the opening act for the band Cake. Marcus and I exchange Neil Patrick Harris stories. Mine makes me look like a psychopath, his turns out pretty good! Next we turn to comedy. Marcus explains why he decided to get into comedy, and we talk about his “Subway Series”; which is how I found him. He releases videos of him telling VERY corny jokes to unsuspecting NYC commuters. These videos are a ton of fun! Finally, we discuss he previous podcast Talkie Walkie, and his newest podcast The Boy Friends Podcast. Check out his videos on Instagram, and get his podcasts everywhere you listen.
JoJo Garza – Texican Rock Star! (Los Lonely Boys)
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JoJo Garza
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know JoJo Garza. JoJo is the bass player for the Grammy winning Texican Rock band Los Lonely Boys. In this episode, we chat about how the Garza brothers got together and became a rock band. JoJo explains how his dad taught them all how to play nusic from a very early age. It doesn’t hurt that both sides of the family have music royalty and Tejano music icons. Of course we discuss their meteoric rise to fame with their 2003 mega hit song HEAVEN, and some of the amazing things that came with it’s success. JoJo shares some fun stories about meeting some of his music idols, and even a heart warming tale of Willie Nelson giving the Garza brothers the shirt off his back… sort of. Los Lonely Boys are back, with their first new album in 11 years. RESURRECTION is exactly what you want from another Los Lonely Boys album. There are several hit singles on the new record, and JoJo let’s me play my favorite track from it!. Catch Los Lonely Boys on their nationwide tour; with supporting bands including: Los Lobos, Del Castillo, Texican Legacy, The Cisteros, and more. Get tour and ticket info at LosLonelyBoys.com
Roger Mooking – Chef / TV Personality / Musician / Artist / Author
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Roger Mooking
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Roger Mooking. Roger is a chef, a TV personality, a musician, artist, and author. In this episode, we chat about why his family moved from Trinidad to Edmonton, Alberta when he was a toddler. Then we get into why he got into music, and we cover his music career highlights; including MC Mystic, The Maximum Definitive, and Bass Is Base. Â Next, we discuss why he decided to get into the culinary world, and how he ended up getting his first TV show. Of course we talk about the many shows that have followed, even to this very day. I fanboy a little bit about when I first discovered Roger, and he lets me plat my favorite song of his. Then we talk about his relationship with time, and time as a concept itself. Finally, we do a deep dive into his newest album and accompanying book. The album is called ‘SoundBites’, and the book is called ‘Curious Sounds’. Spoiler alert… Roger lets me play my favorite song from the new album! Both are available everywhere and RogerMooking.com. We even do a little talking about Roger being inducted into the Black BBQ Hall Of Fame! Don’t miss Roger popping up everywhere on The Food Network, Food Network Canada, The Cooking Channel, and of course his newest show ‘Breaking Bread with Roger Mooking’ on Amazon Prime
Cindy Mich – Journalist / Media Personality / AIA Film Festival Founder
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Cindy Mich
Take a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Cindy Mich. Cindy is an award-winning journalist, as well as a media personality, film maker, and the founder of the Art Is Alive Film Festival. In this episode, we chat about how she became a journalist and eventually a film maker and film festival founder. From growing up in Milwaukee, to becoming involved with television and film, Cindy’s road has been fascinating to say the least. A few years ago, Cindy lost Michael. He was her best friend, her partner, her inspiration, and her lover. We spend a good bit of this episode getting to know Michael, and how impactful he was in her life. Cindy shares fun stories, and anecdotes about Michael, including how he inspired her to make everything from short films to TV series, to magazines, and more. We dive into her Art Is Alive magazine, her Art Is Alive Film Festival, and so much more. Cindy tells me about how she became a judge for the American Film Institute and spends some time talking about some upcoming projects that include medical misdiagnosis, (Hurt By healthcare), Saving Fancy Face, and Sonny & Trixie. This episode covers feelings of grief, loss, love, and healing. Be sure to follow Cindy Mich everywhere and keep your eyes and ears out for her upcoming projects.