JTX

original URL:
http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/66/jtx

Having worked as the personal assistant for Marilyn Manson, singer JTX has seen his share of rock-star antics. To some degree, that inspired his tune "(I'm Gonna) Party Like a Rockstar" from his self-released 2007 debut, With Love From Detroit. But JTX, whose father was Jay Thomas, a popular New York City DJ and a guest star on the sitcom Cheers, isn't a one-trick pony. He's written songs for fellow Motor City rocker Uncle Kracker and opened for everyone from Linkin Park to Bowling for Soup, whose offbeat sense of humor his lyrics often recall. He recently spoke to us from his Detroit home, where he said he was working on writing tunes for a new Uncle Kracker album.

Was "Party" inspired by working as a personal assistant for Marilyn Manson? I bet he can party like a rock star.

He knows how to do it better than anyone. Every night was like this: He'd stay up all night long at a Ritz-Carlton hotel room with about 40 strippers. He'd be blasting rap music and watching the Disney channel. He'd suddenly demand I run to 7-Eleven and get blueberry sno-cones, glazed doughnuts and Dippin' Dots, no matter what it took. Even if it meant spending 100 dollars on a cab. I'd come rushing back and he would knock every single thing out of my hand and stomp on it, and then another band member would rip my pants down and pour hot candle wax on my balls. He would have me sing my songs for the girls and direct me like he was directing the symphony. It was like that every night of the week for a year and a half. I loved every minute of it, even though I was covered in bruises.

Your MySpace site says you were "born an orphan," but I thought your father was Jay Thomas, a famous DJ in New York City who had a role on Cheers. What's the real story?

The real story is that I only met him four years ago, when I turned 21. I never knew who he was. My biological mother had been looking for me and sought me out. I have a great family in Detroit, so I never had any longing. I was living in Hollywood and there was a gigantic billboard - with his picture for some TV show he was promoting - that was outside my window. He's really fun, and I understand myself more. It couldn't have been crazier, but it's great. Cheers and Murphy Brown [which he also starred on] were a little before my time, but I've seen those shows. It's just very strange.

If it had a bit more twang to it, "How Did I Get Here" could be a hit on country radio. Tell me about that song.

My band and I were invited to play Afghanistan. I met so many soldiers and heard so many stories - that was the one that came out best. I'm not a politician, and the soldiers are braver than I'll ever be. It's just a story about someone who wants to know how they got there. Afghanistan really changed my life. I get all this attention for it, but I just write songs and those people are away from their families and in harm's way. They thought Mick Jagger was landing when we'd show up in these black helicopters. They just wanted to rock.

And "Sunshines Black" really is a country song.

It's funny you say that. I think its outlook is a little too hard for the country world. I have a country single out. The singer from Alabama just covered a song I wrote. Somebody asked me about "How Did I Get Here" but wanted to change to the lyrics to "hurrah, hurrah America" or something like that. I would love to have a country hit, and I have a song on hold for Rascal Flatts. I just want to write songs; I don't care who sings them.

You have that line about getting fired from a Burger King for sucking helium out of a soft-serve machine. True story?

It is. It happened to a buddy of mine. Like most of those stories, it got mixed up. He was actually sucking the nitrous out of cans of whipped cream. The lyrics got muddled, but I think that's what happens when you hang out with dudes who get fired from Burger King.

Do you plan to party like a rock star after the Hard Rock show?

Oh, definitely. They're giving us all the food and drinks we can handle.
- The Cleveland Free Times

original URL:
http://www.usmagazine.com/emmy-award-winning-actor-discovers-he-has-a-son

Actor turned turned radio personality Jay Thomas (who nabbed two Emmys for his role on '90s sitcom Murphy Brown) has discovered he has an illegitimate son.

Thomas' son, John Harding "JT," who is the frontman for the band JTX, found his father after years of searching.

"I was told by my adoptive parents, 'I joined them as a family member as an infant and my biological dad was 'different' and not like the rest of us," Harding tells Usmagazine.com. "Those remarks often caused me to fantasize and wonder about just me who my birth dad really was... A monster? A member of the traveling circus?"

At 17, Harding, left his home in Detroit, Michigan, to look for his biological dad while pursuing a music career in Hollywood, CA, where he'd frequently see Thomas' face on advertisements. Finally, Harding connected with his birth mother who revealed who his father was. Harding's reaction?

"He was the guy on the billboards!" Harding tells Us.

Harding, 28, and Thomas, 60, met for a Fat Burger and immediately bonded.

“It was like meeting myself 30 years ago," Thomas tells Usmagazine.com. "He’s got a different talent but same drive and passion and certainly the same sense of humor."

Thomas jokes, "Obviously if I knew he was going to be this successful I would have kept him!"

Thomas, host of the Jay Thomas Show on Sirius Radio, famously played hockey player Eddie Lebec, who made Carla a widow on Cheers when he was killed by a Zamboni machine.

Thomas and his wife Sally Michelson are parents to sons Sam, 17, and Jake, 15.

See what your favorite '90s stars are up to.

Following in his pop’s footstep’s, Harding's career is taking off. Listen to Harding’s first single, "(I'm Gonna) Party Like a Rock Star."

"I've got two families to cheer me on to help me achieve my musical dream! Harding gushes.

Thomas and Harding will share their story on Howard Stern's "Howard 101" on Sirius Radio, on August 15. - US Weekly

Watch the ABC News clip:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4566870&affil=wftv - ABC

original url:
http://defamer.com/5068544/bastard-son-of-cheers-alum-wears-bra-on-today-because-why-not

Check out the review and video clip of JT's appearance on NBC's TODAY show! - NBC

Watch the clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFwqNKsJaWI - VH1

Watch it Here:
http://www.mandjshow.com/videos/together-again/ - FOX

Watch it Here:
http://www.theinsider.com/news/1196079_Jay_Thomas_Meets_His_Mystery_Son

J.T. was adopted. He grew up in Michigan with loving parents and later moved to Hollywood with rock star dreams -- but he found something totally unexpected: The dad he never knew!

"I'm sure I fantasized that my dad was Burt Reynolds or Tom Hanks or somebody," he tells "The Insider." "But I never had any idea my real father was a world-wide celebrity."

"I was always curious where I came from," he continues. "I saw a commercial on television about an adoption service. I called them …and gave them the information and she said, 'Your biological father is not like the rest of us.'"

It turns out that J.T.'s dad is none other than Emmy-winning actor Jay Thomas, famous for roles in such TV favorites as "Murphy Brown," "Cheers" and "Mork & Mindy." Thomas had put J.T. up for adoption more than two decades ago when he wasn't quite ready for the responsibility of fatherhood. Now, reunited, their resemblance is undeniable -- and it's just an incredible coincidence that their initials are both J.T.

Jay's wife Sally recalls, "When Jay went and met him, he said, 'I know he's mine. I don't have to have a DNA test. That's my child.'"

"It was strange for us at first," recalls J.T., "but I was honest with him and I said, 'I don't need any money and I have a great life, but it's exciting to meet you,' and we just kind of hit it off."

"You look like I did 27 years ago," Jay tells J.T. "And you're gonna look like [me] one day."

"Balding?" responds J.T.

Now, father and son are making up for lost time. J.T. has become part of Jay's family, along with two sons from his current marriage, and Jay even spoke at the funeral of J.T.'s adoptive father when he passed away.

These days, J.T. is the frontman for the band JTX, featuring the single "(I'm Gonna) Party Like a Rock Star," and dad Jay is appearing on "Boston Legal" and starring in the upcoming Lindsay Lohan movie 'Labor Pains,' alongside his Sirius Satellite Radio program "The Jay Thomas Show."

Watch "The Insider" for more with Jay and J.T.! - The Insider

Watch it Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3DwzlRf3_A&feature=related - Dr. Phil

original url:
http://www.siriusaddict.com/2006/02/18/featured-music-jtx-nothing-matters/

This week’s featured music is pretty much only played on Sirius Satellite Radio. You won’t hear it on XM and you won’t hear it on terrestrial radio just yet. It’s pop/rock that would be played on Sirius Hits 1, if you’re a satellite radio subscriber.

The song is Nothing Matters by JTX. It has the feel and edge of Zebrahead but with a pop overtone to it. Since it’s currently not on iTunes or any mainstream service, you can listen to the MP3 at JTX’s official website. The lyrics are non-existant, too, so I transcribed them. View the lyrics for JTX - Nothing Matters.

I like the song because it has a harder feel to it than most pop songs that are out there right now. Enjoy!
- SiriusAddict.com