Free Your Mind With LKJ – Jason Kemp, The Materialistic World

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of Free Your Mind with LKJ. And a wonderful New Year to all the listeners. You know, let's be upbeat, positive in here because I have a very positive guest joining us on this show, a contemporary Renaissance man called Jason Kemp. Hello Jason, are you there? I'm here, Jags. Thank you for having me. Hello and welcome to the show and a Happy New Year. And you know, let's get all this positivity going and You know, it's 2022. Can we just start, maybe, with introducing yourself? I'm changing it a little bit for the new year. Introduce yourself to the listeners and let us know what a contemporary Renaissance man is. Well, I suppose I could easily define myself as one thing. I've been, I've been a film— a filmmaker all my professional life, mainly as a producer of of content, various, particularly big-budget television commercials. But, you know, in my spare time, of which there is currently more, um, I also write my own material, I perform my own material. I've had, uh, some professional experience in the theater and in front of the camera in feature film. And, um, I do all sorts of things. So, you know, the expression Renaissance is to describe someone who's not specifically qualified in one definitive thing but in a variety of things. Yes, we used to call them the jack of all trades. Yeah, jack of all trades, we can do that. And it was a horrible adaptation of the wording. In that phrase, because a jack of all trades, what it means is sometimes for us as a person like yourself, you find, yes, like for me, I can write a book. Yes, I can understand food and the world of critics, you know, different things in theatre. So, you know, you start stretching yourself out with your mind once you're freeing it and looking at different roads that you can travel, many roads in your life, but it is one big journey, like people stopping off, you know, when you're doing that journey of life. And for instance, if we put it down to like a holiday destination, being a travel journalist, a news reporter myself, again, varying off, when you're going off, you stop at different parts and you learn from that and you take parts of that with you that you really enjoy and think, you know what, I enjoy that, that makes me feel good, that's, you know, good for my well-being, etc. So for you, like you're saying, you know, or what you've been doing, you found yourself expressing your own personality and characterism through that. Yeah, in different ways. And I think, yeah, life is one big journey and you can take many roads, as you say, but you can do that in parallel. You know, these things, these different things can happen at the same time, you know, simultaneously. Yes. Yeah. So how do you structure— how have you structured your life? Take us back to who you was, you know, where you was born, if you don't mind, and a little boy growing up, family life. Who was— did you know, you know, let's start at the very beginning. Start at the very beginning. Well, I'm in London. 1968. I think that's a defining, a defining geographical component of who I am. You know, I'm a Londoner, born and raised. I was born in Guy's Hospital on a winter's day in March 1968. My mum and dad are both very much Londoners, particularly my mother, who's, you know, a white working-class woman, proudly so, from the Old Kent Road. And she had me in Guy's Hospital, and I lived in Trinity Church Square, which is the home of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. That's where they rehearse and record, in that beautiful church opposite where I first lived. And then my mum and dad moved out of London very, very briefly to St Albans in Hertfordshire, which my mum, being a big city girl, almost drove her mad. In, you know, crazy— I think loneliness and depression really, that, that, you know, she was out in the kind of what seemed to be the middle of nowhere for her, in a cultural wasteland. So we moved into the not that much more urban Mill Hill suburbia where I lived most of my childhood actually, you know. My mum still lives in the same house that she brought me— she and my father brought me up in. My mum, very much a homemaker, as they say in, in America, and my father worked in the film industry in advertising, publicity, and distribution, in the same way that my grandfather worked in the film business in advertising, publicity, and distribution. And when we come to that, I'll explain how I kind of plowed my own furrow within that world. I don't know whether it was a sort of an atavistic thing that I followed them into that, or I just was consciously, subconsciously, uh, emulating my family's professional journey. Um, but I grew up in Mill Hill, you know, in the, in the main streets of, uh, of, of the very, very, very safe, leafy suburban neighborhood, which at the time, you know, I think I found probably sort of quite dull and predictable and prosaic, but it was safe. And I think that allowed me to really kind of explore who I was, I think, as a kid from the safety of this sort of leafy environment. I was sport mad as a kid, I was drama mad as a kid, and just was all about living life, I think, to the full in an unfettered way that my parents really encouraged. They were very liberating people who encouraged me to sort of just do really what I wanted to do in life. I mean, I was fortunate that they didn't prescribe anything to me, they just sort of let me and my little brother— I've got my brother is 2 years younger than me, um, just do, do what we wanted. Not in a sort of wild, feral, kind of burglar the neighbors kind of way, but just, you know, go on your own journey. Because this, this is it. This is our, probably our one chance at physical manifestation as spiritual beings. And whether they articulated it or not in that way, I'm not sure, but they certainly encouraged me to just make the most of it. Um, and then when I was 11, I went from the sort of very cozy, uncompetitive world of the local Church of England primary school to a sort of a big deal academic independent boys' day school out in Hertfordshire called Haberdashers' Askes. From which a lot of, uh, very well-known people kind of came from. Um, and going to a school like that, I mean, gave me loads of sort of cultural, academic, social opportunities, you know, many of which I blew, but we'll come to that later. Um, but more than anything, going to a school like that made me realize that you know, you were— I wasn't inferior to anyone else. And, you know, when you go to a school where that produces famous people in the world of everything from politics to academia to the theater and film and so kind of everything in between, and you realize that, you know, because you sat next to these people in a class, that actually they're no better they're no cleverer, they're no more articulate, they're no more funny than I was. It kind of gave one a lot of confidence in later life that, um, was never been taken away from me. No, and you know, when we're talking about— we're looking at this schooling, for instance, um, you know, for these people, you knew your feet were solid on that ground. From that time. You can see that in, you know, from your parents and letting you find out who you were. And, you know, as you say, and giving you free rein, but to find your own inner self and what you do. And you said, you know, you were about this spiritual being. Do you believe in the spirit world then? I believe that we are all one and we are all part of a universal consciousness. Consciousness. And do you think there is somewhere else that we go? Um, well, I certainly think we came— we come from somewhere else, and we return from— to that place when this physical manifestation ends. So yes, in one word, yes. Because, you know, I was raised a Catholic, but I do believe in the spirit world. I believe there are things that happen that are unexplainable, you know, like you were saying, you know, all being one, where we go and you hope there's a better place, but it's a bit like the déjà vu, um, and I've known that, or, or you've felt that you're in this position or in this room or something. Did you dream it or something? You know, have you ever experienced that? Yes, and I think, you know, that's rationalized in, in a in the— through the sort of the prism of materialism. Do you understand what I'm saying when I say that expression? You know, everything in this world that we, we're in now is defined by this— through this prism of what we call rational materialism, right? Through, through philosophy that, um, uh, posits the, the notion that all, all we see in front of us is what we have. Right? So a table is a table because— which I'm banging on the table, you can probably hear that— because we can see it and feel it. And if we don't see it and feel it, it doesn't exist. And if I'm honest, I've gone through most of my life being, uh, a proselytizer of rational materialism. That's really what I believed, you know. I was a— I was an atheist. You know, probably from— you could loosely describe from the Marxist school. And, you know, I've gone through a complete change of perception in the last 2 or 3 years. But it's probably like, you know, been— I've been on that journey longer than that. But it's really— I've come to a point where I'm more able to understand and more able to articulate my views on life. And what I believe and what I don't believe. And part of being able to do that is having the spirit, if you will, the courage, the, um, and the honesty to, to admit that I, the way I'd perceived life was, I think wrong might be too strong a word, but yeah, it is wrong. I now no longer believe what I once believed. But we are living in a world now, like, let's, you know, just recap on that, Jason, and what you're saying is about the honesty and being able to say who you are. You know, we are in a world that is ever-changing now, like you're saying. You can actually express who you are, well, you know, in what your belief is. You know, people years and years ago couldn't come out and say they were gay. People, you know, um, couldn't talk about mental health, couldn't talk about issues. But we are in a world now where people are understanding that we have to stop, we have to listen, and we have to be ourselves. Absolutely. This is our— this is our one chance at consciousness. I mean, without that, you know, going on to sort of a, you know, the sidetrack of reincarnation, and I wouldn't rule that out as a, you know, as, as a, as an outcome from each, if there is more than one, uh, chance at consciousness. But, you know, I, I think we have to assume that this is, this is it, and, and make the most of it in, in a, in a way that isn't materialistic, if you see what I mean. This is, this is actually about realizing that, you know, we're here manifested in a material sense, only to realize that materialism is a worthless belief system. And I think that is to master what it is to be human, is to realize that materialism is— can I swear? Can I call it— can I? No, you can't swear. Okay, okay. I'm glad you gave me one. Glad I asked. But unfortunately, um, it's a beep, right? Okay, I understand. So I shan't swear. But it's, um, it's— this materialism is, is groundless nonsense. And, you know, we are here to understand that we are all of us one and all connected and all spiritual beings. And this is, this is what— this is what we're here for. And it's not about— I mean, there are, there are parts of the Christian doctrine that I really relate to and understand, but they're also there is much of it that I don't agree with, which has prevented me, um, from, you know, making a sort of a full commitment to one, one belief system or another. And, and this, and this, this, this sense of being spiritual, I think, has also been co-opted by this sort of belief system called New Ageism, if you will, which is equally nonsensical as, as is the Christian doctrine. And I don't want to offend any New Agers or Christians, you know, who might be listening. You know, actually we have more in common than we don't— that we don't have in common. And it's like being, you know, being— it's like being in an AA or an AA for the whole of your life. You know what, that when you go into a meeting they tell you, you know, look for, look for the similarities and not the differences. And this is what I think what we all need to do to, to understand and embrace and, and really live and feel this, this what this oneness is. And you can call it the Christ consciousness, you can call it, you know, and that's to borrow from, from the, from the Christian lexicon obviously, but it's— that doesn't, I think, do it justice. And maybe we don't— certainly I don't have the vocabulary to, you fully express what it is I'm trying to say, and I don't feel inadequate because I can't fully express it. I can express it, you know, it can be expressed empathetically, or I can empathize with its expression in music and maybe other forms of fine art, but certainly music. But, you know, in words it's very hard to express it and encapsulate it in a way that I'm satisfied with and is probably, you know, meaningfully digestible to people who are listening to what I have to say. Yes, yeah, exactly. And it is the ethos that I think, you know, as we're living in this world, in like yourself, you know, when you talk about Christianity, etc., going through, I think, of course, you know, now especially in 2022, as it comes is the kindness to each other. Well, that hand and what you're saying is, you know, it going through— doesn't matter what religion or whatever you are, you know, be the character that's kind and helps, isn't it? Yeah, well, I mean, to use it, borrow from another school of philosophy, yoga, which is something also I practice, you know, fairly regularly, that the mantra as you leave the class is be kind to yourself and be kind to others. And that, I feel, is an important thing to start and finish every day we're here on Earth. Yeah. With that sentiment and that thought. Yeah. And something that you were saying when you were talking about the inadequate part, but this goes back, I think, to your strength that comes, you know, your power, your standing and grounding on your feet. Like you say, when you're going back to your schooling, where there were famous people, etc., there, and that you was the same. We're all the same people. We all have eyes, noses, skin colour may be different, but we're all the same. What defines us is how we show our personality, our characteristics inside, your drive. Like, when your parents said they had their own drive and their own thing, but for you, their son Jason was going to find his own way. Well, it's how you use that consciousness. It goes back to— that's an expression, you know, in a different way of how, how you, you know, how you express your individuality. That's your consciousness. That's your part of the collective consciousness. And how you choose to use that is your expression of mastery of what it is to be human. And that mastery is probably even— that's too much of a materialistic word. It's actually about your, um, how you— it's an expression of that consciousness rather than a mastery of it, if you will. Yeah. And obviously for yourself, when we talk about materialism, I do believe in— and like yourself, you know, when we are now in 2022 that, you know, the year everybody makes their New Year's resolutions, what they're going to do, etc., going forward. But when you're putting away the Christmas trees and all the rubbish that's gone into the bins, etc., from the presents that we've shared with our loved ones and friends, you know, but it, you know, for me, it's— I don't buy anybody any Christmas presents, I'm afraid. My simple gesture is, you know, what I do buy— no, that's wrong, actually. I do give, but I don't go round all the shops. I haven't been one of those that was all round the shops. I gave what is needed to help that person's life. My son and grandchildren, they needed a new car. You know, some people may think that's expensive, but they want to buy a house. He's still on the renting ladder. You know, and he wants to buy this house. And by living in this materialistic world, he'll go, you know, they're brought up differently where we would save and buy our car and they use their money going on. But to get him onto the mortgage level, Jace, you know, he got a car on finance. So to get him to have that step, he can't have that. So that gift was a gift that he needed that will take him through, but he'll have it for years, you know, to go in and doing that. But the simple thing of, you know, Merry Christmas and the smile, and, you know, for those people over Christmas, you know, when you pick up that phone and you said Merry Christmas or giving a little bit of yourself and without the overindulgence, do we actually need all this stuff? So like yourself, And I still think that relates, you know, with your ethos when you're sitting in that class with all these very wealthy, high-to-do people that kept you grounded to say that you was the same. But for them as well, they probably have the same issues, you know, because you get some people, you know, look at Prince William, etc., and that, you know, when they go, they probably feel very nervous and how they are. Of people just being my friend because of that. Be, be who you are. And, and I mean, I'd be nervous if I was as bald as him. That's all I can say really about Prince William. Yeah, yeah, because, and he's done extremely well, you know, for himself and had a lot of his own issues, you know, after Diana, etc. Awful to lose a mother. And, you know, until you've lost that mother, you can't express that pain. So I've lost my own mother, so I can relate with them. But what I've seen from yourself is a person— and I'm sure the listeners are seeing— a very strong, very grounded, but a very humble contemporary Renaissance man, is what I can say. It has some spiritual being in there. Um, it's funny you just mentioned the word, um, humility, you know. I'm, I'm humbly grateful that you've employed it to describe me. And I was thinking, I've just done a yoga class and I've walked back to my house. I live in Camden Town in central London, and I was thinking about humility, and I would describe myself as a humble person when I'm in repose, when I'm in, you know, when I'm on my own, when I'm in the the company of people that allows me to be, be humble, then I am. But I think this, this, this aggressive, um, very competitive, materialistic— well, I'm going to use that word a lot in this conversation— I think this materialistic world in which we live, I think it's very hard to retain that humility. And I, I've consistently— historically, I've consistently failed to do that because as soon as I'm confronted with this sort of aggressive competitive materialism as, as it manifests in other people, in other people's egos that are around me, and in the world that I've inhabited all my life, these, these, this has been, you know, at the fore. This is what you— this is the currency of, of being, of inhabiting that world. You have to not be humble and be aggressive and materialistic. And when I'm confronted with that, I too become aggressive and materialistic. And that, that doesn't, that doesn't please me to be able to, to say that. But to be able to recognize that now in myself, I feel, I feel humbly grateful. Yes, completely. Because You do recognize, and the whole thing is, Jason, through our lives, when we leave this planet, obviously any teachings that I believe that, you know, when we cross over, I believe we cross over to a better place, and we're here and all the lessons we learn here we take with us. But our legacy, what do we leave behind? You know, I interviewed Tony Klinger, a wonderful film producer. You probably know him, and his father was Michael Klinger. Yeah, a wonderful family. And Tony himself, you know, what would I leave behind, his legacy. And you know what I found in your industry with interviewing, um, like, Monroe, um, Richard, Sir Alan Barnard, in this world that you're saying is very much, you know, Cannes Film Festival, Monaco, all this materialistic world. When you go, it's like, you know, the dress, the You can't just rock up in a Primark dress. It's all materialistic, it's all glamour, it's all stuff. But that's what they sell, the magazines. It all goes on and goes on and goes on. And from that materialistic world, it does give mental health pressures to people. The kids growing up think, I can't be eating this, I'll be too fat doing this, you know, which goes on and does affect them for yourself. Mm-hmm. As I say, being in there. And looking at— and in your world is a very materialistic world because, you know, when you're filming, you've worked on different films and sets and people, how they are, and you hear about the divas, etc., coming through. But it's great that, you know, as I guess, you know, we spoke earlier and you said, um, you feel safe now. The word safe for you is— those 4 letters are very empowering for you because you feel safe to be able to speak out now, you know, you're humble to say, fine, you know, you're going to say, hey Jason, you know, you shouldn't be like this, which, hey, I'm allowed to be me, you know, and your honesty, etc., through that and all the drive and everything going through that. I mean, because obviously you've done, you know, let's talk about the BAFTAs and the Emmys and, you know, like that, with that world, when you see the prize, do you find that surprise is more recognised for us? Because sometimes I look at the BAFTA and the Glamour people, all the glamour and their dresses, and think when people say this is what they've won, and for the hard work and the sheer hard work that goes into that, you know, that they should be recognised for what they've done, and that recognition is great, you know, to come in there How have you found life in the world of what you've been living? Um, well, you know, I found it materially rewarding but spiritually bankrupt, you know, to a very large degree. In a nutshell, it's, it's, it's treated me very, very well materially because It's, you know, I was fortunate enough to be, you know, that the business was very kind to me in, in the form of material reward and awards. And awards— what awards have you won? Well, this is your awards. Sorry, say that again, I interrupted you. Sorry, the listeners, you were just— because I broke into you then, um, because when you mentioned awards. It's something, you know, that I wanted to chat to you, you know, for the listeners. This awards that you've won, can you tell the listeners what awards you have won? I'll try and reel off the list whilst being humble, but that's the sort of like, you know, it's almost contradictory. But I— your expression earlier was about being spiritually bankrupt but materially rich. Yeah, well, I think in terms of, um, well, in awards, I mean, when I applied my trade as a, as a commercials producer, you know, making big budget propaganda films for brands as diverse as Nike and Porsche and McDonald's and literally everything in between, um, I won every award going many times over. There's, you know, the big sort of international jamboree for that industry is the Cannes International Advertising Festival, and the awards take the form of lions, and I won gold lions many times over, you know, 4, 5, 6 times, you know, with different directors for different brands with different companies. And the only constant in those awards was me, and that was, you know, should be a gratifying thing, but it was I don't know why, a strangely ungratifying thing. There's another organization called DNAD, Design and Art Direction, which is the kind of, uh, the, the real, um, the ones with real kind of creative, uh, kudos, if you will, within that business. And I've won, you know, they take the form of pencils. I won many pencils for the work that I did for, with lots of different people, again with different brands and situations and products and all that kind of thing. And it was, it was, it was, it was nice to receive those things because— but even that, it was, it was an immediate, um, exchange of that award for, for material reward, right? So that recognition became material because if you won that prize, that gold line, or those pencils, or went in that DNAD Annual or won that Arrow at British Television, you just knew that by association you'd be getting more work in the next 12 months because you were awarded this award, you know, that— and straight away there was this exchange for, for the, for the recognition for the material. And that was— there was something sort of hollow about that. And even sort of working in that business is as great fun as it was, and as— and as— and as— I keep using the word rewarding— as it— as it was, it was— it was almost like eating— you got to do this great big job, you win a prize for it, you'd be well paid for it. But I— I found it analogous to eating a, you know, a splendid Chinese meal. You know, it tastes amazing at the time, but 2 hours later you're feeling unsatisfied and you want to eat again. That's how— and somehow I'm nourished. And that's my life for years, was this being on this kind of conveyor belt of having very rich and expensive Asian food. I say Asian because Chinese food is very sugary and very rich and it's very fatty. Not to be dismissive of it, I love it, but it's It's not something you want to eat all the time. And that was my staple diet. And that did my, did my soul no good. No, no. But I don't do that anymore. I haven't, I haven't actually made a commercial for a number of years. And since then I've been working on my own projects, which to varying degrees have become, you know, more fulfilling, more rewarding, and more substantial. While still kind of broadly inhabiting the kind of the filmed media kind of milieu. Yeah, because it seems, you know, obviously for many of the listeners that will be listening, you know, when they're with the interview like with yourself, it's such a fascinating world, isn't it? It's like opening a box of chocolates and which ones can you decide on doing? Because it does, you know, look glamorous. It does, um, you know, like you say, and it is a wonderful world, you know, when I've gone to many, um, occasions ourselves to go on there, which is good. But it's very positive, like yourself, you work in a positive manner because, you know, we're hearing a lot of people now, Jason, coming out from your world and platform that, you know, the grammar, that they've suffered mental health stresses and stuff through that. Did you notice through your career of building work, you know, collecting, and your empowerment and work that you've done, which still shows, this humble person that you are, throughout that, in your journey, you know, what you're reading now, you know, because of news, you'll be surprised, you know what I'm saying, like with Robin Williams, you know, and others, you know, that are going in there like Caroline Black bless her heart, you know, the stresses and strains. Is there a lot of pressure put on you as a person in that industry? Well, enormous, enormous, because it's— and by the way, I think, you know, making what I do, my occupation, analogous to sort of feasting on a box of chocolates is probably better than than the Chinese meal that I, that I employ. But, but it's, you know, if you eat too much of these seemingly good things, it makes you feel sick and it makes you feel sick spiritually and emotionally. And because you make— you don't realize you're making sacrifices because you're neglecting— you don't reckon when you're in the midst of it, you know, getting on the plane and flying here for a period of time and making that, you know, big budget advert and then getting on the plane and flying back and then being at home for a couple of weeks and then doing it all over again. You, you're so consumed by it that you don't really realize that you're neglecting your, your soul. And, and I think once— certainly in my case, one seeks the solace of, uh, drugs and alcohol in order to fill that spiritual void. And that's a very common story in that, in those kind of, in that kind of world in the broadest sense. Yes, you are. And when you're touching on about the drugs and the world that's on there, you know, we see many high-profile people that, you know, they're doing because they want— you've got to keep going. Your body is saying, well, you're saying abusing your body. I can't take this, I can't take it. So they, they're given something to— no, just take this, that'll keep you up. In the end, they give you all these others, then you can't sleep for days. And you know, when you're hearing these people, then they give them stuff to make them sleep because it's work, work. And it's the whole abuse of your own body. Yeah. And your mind and everything is screaming out that then has no control to go in it, that, you know, when people then have to go to clinics, etc., to find themselves again, you know, learn how to eat. So when people overindulge on food, you know, you know, all of the above and more. And, you know, to sort of come off the— slightly come off the subject, you know, but, you know, sex is also— it plays a role in all of that, you know. Promiscuous sex actually And counterintuitively, it's a substitute for human intimacy. You know, you're with this person today, that person tomorrow, and someone else completely different next Monday, you know, and the other days of the week. And that, that, that's a, that's a, a very, very cheap substitute for being really connected with another human being. In this, in this physical form, you know, because sex is a magical thing. It's a spiritual, it's a spiritual activity. And in our world now, like, like almost everything else, it's been, it's been reduced to a material one and one of, of, of numbers and conquest and, and possession rather than, you know, the, the the connection between one soul and another, which is what it should be. Yeah, too free. People are too free, do you feel? Now, yes, without doubt. You know, I mean, I can say that not in a judgmental way because I'm talking about myself. I'm not saying, oh, this person shouldn't do this or that person should do that, but it's just, it's just what I have learned as a person. You gave your way— yourself way too freely. Oh yeah, it is today that it's It's more about the, the soul and the meaning and what it is as well, because you're hurting yourself, isn't it? It's trying to be happy, finding happiness within. We're all of us, you know, we're in— we're all, um, completely locked in, plugged into the, the matrix of instant gratification, right? So it's like, I want that car, I'm gonna go into the showroom and get it now. I want that musical instrument, I want to buy that guitar now, I want that house, I want that fur coat, I want that person. You know, we've— we have as a culture, as a society, reduced other human beings to commodities. You know, this, this materialism that we— that prevails over everything. And, you know, I was going to spill off and talk about the, the bigger narrative in which we find ourselves, but I won't do that because we agreed not to before we came on air, but you know, we're in spiritual war. This— we're in a war between good and evil, between those who are— those of us who understand spirituality and understand that, that, that love is the only commodity that is, is a commodity of any value. And even to define it as a commodity is to under— underrate it. And everything else is nonsense. It's, it's, it's— sorry, I'm struggling not to use a swear word, but I have— you're doing very well there, Jason. You know, you are doing very well. And actually, this is what we're in. This is a battle between the materialists and the people who understand that we're spiritual beings. And it's, it's good and evil. And, and right now we've got to pick a side because this is it. This is it. We're in a war. Yeah, as we said, we, like for many people, we're not going to talk about this certain thing that's been going on for 2 or 3 years because we need to move forward being positive, positive people. Oh, I'm being absolutely positive that, that, you know, love will prevail, you know, and good, good will win in this, you know. It is a battle, and I think everybody um, in the last 3 years. We've all been, you know, struggling with a battle. And as you say, good will prevail, love will prevail, love conquers all. Well, I believe, I believe that it, that it can. It's been on the ropes. It's been on the ropes in recent times. I'm sure there's many listeners, you know, when people have been on the ropes of divorce, you know, breakups, everything. How is this ever gonna, you know, be positive again? And for people, you know, after Christmas, you know, probably think, oh God, you know, they've overspent, the bills are coming in, then, you know, the things that go on, the arguments that happen. You know, there's a good— there was a good Christmas song, doesn't it? I think it was Pogues that sing it, isn't it? Um, I think that was the one. But if you actually listen to the words, it's, it's quite a depressing song, you know, that comes out. They always put on every year. Haven't they changed the words? Haven't they censored the words to that? I think some of it has. Yeah, no, they've changed. But obviously, you know, I'm old, old school, so I still have the original. Yeah, no, for sure, and may that be played forever. But, you know, if we can sidestep slightly, I mean, you know, let's talk about the digitalization of culture, you know, and it's sort of now everything is digital, it can be changed or deleted, cancelled, just literally on the flick of a switch. And that's a scary thing. I think we all need to go back to more analog. That's everything has to be more analog. I think digital, whilst there are some, you know, superficial benefits to the digitalization of our world, which again goes back to the instant gratification that I was just talking about, we need to look for more kind of analog organic— and that's a much overused word— permanence to our, our lives here on planet Earth. I feel a bit like, um, the car— I'd like to get in that car, Back to the Future, for myself personally. That's my own personal perception on this because I feel I've gone too far ahead you know, in the scientific world and the world we're living in, you know, with these robots now, they're trying to make you humans fly and everything like that, um, and, and going on that. I want to go back, you know. I've bought myself, uh, I did for Christmas, you know, the, the old-fashioned, like, gramophone thing for my dining room, which had the CD player. It has Bluetooth, it has a record player. It has the old cassette, but it's a combination of everything but on there, but you know that you can play all your music. So grinding to show different things, like, you know, my granddad was like, grinding, what is that? I said, you know, I said, that's a record, what's one of them, you know. And when we look at that, so for myself, you know, reasons I want to go back is I like the tradition, nothing, you know, all these big presents around you, A phone call to somebody that needs help, the invisible hand, being there when somebody wants it, being kind, you know, only have what you need, really. But when you've bought that and you're saving it and going in there, yes, it's nice to have our treats, etc. But I like the family life, you know, let's have a game. I mean, my friends came before Christmas and we all dressed up. We had a murder mystery at home. You know, they all bring a bottle like the old American Supper type thing, a little bit of food. Everyone brings something to the table so you're not overstressed, you're not overworked. And again, you were saying about digitalisation. I mean, you know, when people now are trying to use the internet today, where's gone where you used to go to a bar and meet somebody and chat in a normal way? For me, but people are too scared to do that now. They've gone onto these dating sites and everything. But even when you go on those dating sites, we bring digitalisation into that. Because you've got all these Face Apps now that they can superimpose their face and you actually meet the person, they don't even look anything like it. So you spend all this time trying to find yourself, trying to find love, etc. And even that's been— well, it's dark magic, you know, and it's, it's about creating barriers between, you know, sovereign human spiritual beings. And creating this digital nonsense. And I mean, I've always found those dating sites mostly, well, totally unrewarding. But here's an interesting thing, is that, you know, when you do meet someone in the real world, I've noticed that even if they're kind of seen seemingly on the same page as oneself, you know, spiritually and intellectually and in terms of perception, it's— you still rely on this, why aren't we even— why aren't we meeting up? Why are we, why are we WhatsApping and giving each other sound bites of our thoughts? You know, some of them intimate and hopefully all of them sincere. Why are we chatting on WhatsApp? Why aren't you, why aren't we, you know, going for a walk in the park or why aren't we going for a, you know, sitting on the sofa or sitting in a restaurant or doing something that where we're looking at each other in the eye. And holding hands and getting to know each other? Why aren't we doing that? Why are we all so— are we all so cowed? Are we all so— what are we afraid of? You know, and ask this question of myself as much as anything. You know, I'm not posing it to other people. What are we afraid of that prevents us from, you know, making that human contact? If it doesn't work out, so be it, you know. Be friends with it. And if it does, well, then you've got a really good one. Sorry, darling. Yeah, I was saying exactly what you were saying there. When you were saying that, but if it doesn't work out, just be kind, be nice to each other. There's no need to use aggressiveness or words and just say it's not working out. Perhaps our alignment isn't aligning as it should be and going on. But like you were saying, people, you know, not doing— I mean, I was featured in the People's Friend article, which is a talking point, and that was about the importance of eating together. Yeah, I said that communication is often improved whilst eating together, aligning our taste buds and our palate to do the infusion of both flavour and the ambience found when we eat together around the table. Using facial recognition and our body language whilst engaging with each other allows the daily stresses to go away. That was a comment I put into that, which you're saying, why don't we go out and eat? Why don't we do But when you're saying it's all digital, let's WhatsApp, let's— you're losing what it's all about, our communication, our natural habits. Fundamentally, fundamentally, we are surrendering to digital nonsense. So one of the things that I've been doing recently, because I want to sort of talk about this, and I think this might find it really— is that I've been writing my own material, still trying to Um, still trying to work within, uh, all the things I've learned experientially of putting on a show and, you know, making films to, you know, albeit mostly to sell products. But I, I've written, um, I made a little short film. I know you mentioned Richard's Sell and Buy in Monaco, and my film won the best short film prize at the, at the Monaco International inaugural festival this, this summer. Unfortunately, I couldn't get to go because of what we've agreed not to talk about. Yeah, but, um, I've used that little film as a little coming-of-age story set in the neighborhood in which I grew up in Mill Hill, and it's called Bye Bye Barnet. And I've used that as the jumping-off point for a multi-season, multi-part TV show about a gang of misfit primary school kids who awaken ancient kung fu magic to save the world from digital slavery. And this is my attempt, and I seem to be getting some traction on this, which I can't talk about at this point, but maybe I can come on again in 6 months' time and— Yes, how the show's going, but it's all looking very, very positive with some very big deal names of corporations and individuals, you know, some of whom are participating in this game of digital slavery. But, you know, everyone needs some positivity in their life. And hopefully I've been able to, I will be able to tell this story which is I think very sweet and innocent and hopefully uplifting to the kids and the young at heart adults who will hopefully watch the show once it's made and it's called Ricky Lee's Kung Fu Club. Is it? Please watch out for that. Yeah, I will do because, you know, when we're saying when we're looking forward and investing ourselves in, you know, new films, new stuff coming on there. Like with Richard, who's a, you know, great friend of both of us actually, the 007 I've introduced, and there's some stuff that he's like working on, The Girl Who Couldn't Sing, The Boy with the Orange Hair, etc. Right, well, I'm also involved in that, The Boy with the Orange Hair, I'm producing that, that, that film. Um, it's being written by a very talented, uh, writer called Glenn McCoy, who's doing the first draft of the script in the new year. So Richard's someone I know very well, and actually I believe that's how I kind of come to be on your show. I think that was Richard Selwyn Barnett. Yes. So thank you for that, Richard. Yes. Yeah, thank you to Richard, because I think, um, you and I will be connecting, you know, for the listeners, you know, to much on to that side. But, um, Obviously, when we're looking at stuff, people think, oh, you know, when I've wrote a book— well, I've wrote several actually that will be coming out this year myself— but The Boy with the Orange Hair, etc., with that, you know, people don't understand as an author, you know, when you write a book, that book then has to be put into— someone's reading that book for it to go onto TV. It then has to be rewritten in a world for actors to go, and you know, that costs my own, so that's where investments and everything come in. And, you know, I'm all looking forward to, you know, going that way directly. So Seb Manrath has got some stuff coming out there, so I'm looking at going for that way. So for people, as we were talking earlier, is about, you know, our road and our journey in helping. But for me, that will help people, you know, by doing stuff and working with people, which is it. Slightly different, but that's for me as an author, you know, looking at that side and, you know, for your stuff that you bring out, which is positivity and going in and well done you, you know, for doing this and the producing of what you're doing. And have you ever seen Saving Mr. Banks, the film with Emma Thompson? I mean, I hadn't seen it and I watched it yesterday afternoon and it was about um, it was about P.L. Travers, the woman who wrote, uh, Mary Poppins, and it's about her, it's really about her kind of coming to terms with the awful childhood she had which inspired her to write the book which was a source of inspiration for generations of, you know, kids all over the world. I mean, it's this massive-selling book and Walt Disney wanted to make, literally Walt Disney himself, not just corporation wanted to turn it into a film, and she was, you know, couldn't get her head around how things necessarily had to be changed in order to, you know, make it relevant and entertaining as a movie. And through her own experiences with Walt, you know, she learns to sort of let go and sort of become whole as a person. And if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend. Yeah, have a look at that. Um, it'd be great, wouldn't it, like sitting down and as we're in the new year and, you know, looking at stuff, you know. Yeah, and it's really moving the lights and stuff. But, um, no, for yourself. So on a whole, Jason, you know, um, for everyone, I think the listeners will agree, you know, we've touched on many, many subjects, um, but very strong. Your character is very strong. Again, as we've said, you know, recapping on that Who are not sure, the listeners will totally agree. What, you know, on this interview, as you come on to free your mind, let's talk about, which I believe you have freed, you've, you know, expressed by the Christianity, you know, uh, digitalization, etc. But is there anything else that you feel strongly or you would like the listener to know about you? Because, um, we will be closing the show in approximately 7 minutes, so we're running out of platform. It goes so quickly, and, you know, it'd be wonderful to bring you back on, you know, 6 months' time when this project has come out and you can talk freely about that. But, you know, we're coming towards the end now. What is the message you would like the listeners, and hope they've had, from this interview? I think, um, if I was to sum it up, it's about— and I'm not sure where this expression comes from— but it's about letting go of the anger and breathing in the love. And I think that's what all our lives need to be more about. And I think we've all been turned into horribly self-absorbed narcissists who, who have been rendered unable to realize and understand, let alone live, that the world is about everyone. It's not just about me, it's about all of us, and we are all one. And It's about having the courage to know and understand that and being brave enough to live with the consequences of that, because not everyone will get that in your life, in your orbit. To whomever is listening to the show, they won't. And there will be— you can't take prisoners in this journey that we are all on. You've got to understand that there will be consequences and some of them won't necessarily and immediately leave you with good feelings of immediate gratification, but we've all got to play a longer game of learning and living what it is to be human beings. Less than 7 minutes. But it felt like I was at the Last Supper there. Yeah, I felt that right on that table with it all, you know. Your message is very, very clear, you know. We've been brought up in a world where it was, you know, put— nobody thinks of anywhere, put yourself first, it's me, think of me first, which what you're saying, no, we have to think about this, we have to do that, stop this, no, It's not me, it should be us, it should be we. And doing that, and as you're saying, not taking any prisoners or stuff on that, is going forward, you know, help, you know, as we said, you know, mental health or wellbeing 2022. Let's be encouraging, let's bring the good to defeat the bad, let's be strong and fight all this. And if you're at that bus stop, help somebody, speak out, you know. Turn and think of me. Oh no, I'm not going to help that. That's going to put my time out. Change your perception in 2022. Let's fight off this damn evil and negativity and the narcissistic ways, and let's go forward with positivity and help and support, isn't it? Yeah, I agree. I agree. And it's about, it's about, again, I'm, you know, I'm not peddling Christianity by any stretch of the imagination, but when you just said what you said, I see the, you know, the parable of the Good Samaritan, you know, and I think it's important to remind ourselves that those stories and those messages exist for a reason, just as those more malign narratives that are peddled to us on film and television are there for a reason too, and their motives aren't good ones and they certainly aren't sincere. No, and you know, just before we're closing, just too much, we haven't even talked about, you know, your life as a comedian, so— Oh, oh well, I mean, that's, that means that my show is full of expletives and kind of darkness and instant gratification, kind of in an ironic way, so you know, I'd love to come back and talk about all that and what that— what I've done and how that works and all the rest of it, and hopefully be able to plug, um, some shows that people can come and actually see me do my thing. Um, because that is— that I've used it, you know, my performing is therapy, you know, in a— in a— and therapy in itself, that's sort of a cheap word that's thrown away and banded around, so you know, to, to, you know, as a sop to real kind of understanding. But it's, it's actually about, um, you know, learning, learning about oneself. And that's helped, that's helped me do that, um, in a way that wasn't kind of obvious to me to start with. But I put a pause on that for reasons various because I've been distracted by other things. Um, but, um, hopefully I'll be going back to that, you know, this year— this year being 2022 as opposed to 2021 when this is recorded— and people can, you know, because again, it's not about, you know, there's things that I could do online and post them online, but I don't want what I do to have this digital barrier to it, this encumbrance, this hurdle. This flaming hoop that you, I, and an audience, potential audience, have to sort of jump through in order to make a profound connection. And it's about doing things live in front of real people in real time in a real environment. And it's about it being analog and not digital. And that's what I believe anyway. Yeah, I'll say, as you were saying, you know, was that in the last— and we will be bringing Jason Kemp back on the show in around 6 months' time to hear about everything that he's been up to in his positive world, his messages about positivity, you know, and being kind, etc. I hope everybody looks at— who have listened to this and perhaps replay this show to understand you know, what it's like to be positive, what it's like to be a humble person, what it's like to be a kind person, what it's like to be a gentleman. That is also so humbling. And that, you know, just a man in a powerful world, but a very humbling gentleman, um, a gentleman with a spiritual being in everything. About him and let us into a world. And I truly believe that the caption, a contemporary Renaissance man, totally describes Jason Kemp. So thank you, Jason, for coming on to Free Your Mind: Let's Talk About It with LKJ. Was a pleasure, and we'll see you in 6 months' time. Yeah, can I just give a little shout out to my mum Linda and my son Reggie and his amazing mother, Sarah Lord. Lovely, thank you.