Nez talks about visit from "CBS Sunday Morning" crew and reminisces about Davy Jones (UPDATED)

4/21/2016

The Monkees to appear on CBS Sunday Morning on May 29

UPDATE 5/22/16: Michael was visited by the CBS Sunday Morning crew in late April. On May 16, all three Monkees were interviewed in Nashville after taking part in a SiriusXM Town Hall event. Portions of that interview will also be featured on the CBS Sunday Morning segment on May 29, 2016.

Here is the full text of Michael's remarks:

The video with CBS Sunday Morning went as well as could be expected -- or so it seemed from my perspective.

Anthony Mason seems to be a true Monkees fan. He talked about how he had grown up with the show and how it had been a good memory and a good time for him.

I had the feeling that he, like many journalists I have talked to over the years, was struggling a little to get his head around just what the Monkees were and importantly what they are -- have become. It’s a mind twister for sure.

My standard answer is “I have no idea” -- which is a safe response since, 1 -- it’s true, and 2 -- I'm not in a position to know, given my relationship to the show. The question is a good one, though -- and it seemed to be framed for Mason, like it is for many others, around whether it is/was a “real band” or not.

For me the television show started it all so that is my foundation for understanding what the aesthetics are, and the music and the concerts all come from that. But we shall see what Anthony has to say on May 29 -- Memorial Day weekend -- that is when he told me the show would air.

We did not talk about the 1996 Monkees special in any depth, just a quick drive-by of the concept -- and I did not get to parse the Davy-in-Ethel-Merman-drag with Anthony at all -- so that will sit on the public sidelines for a little longer -- although it is one of the great joys in my mind.

During that shoot in 1996 Davy and I were sitting in the trailer and he was in full drag regalia -- makeup and hair -- getting ready to do the little bit where he was going to do an Ethel Merman riff. He looked a LOT like Ethel Merman in that get up -- just the right age and size -- dress and shoes -- perfect.

We had not gotten the rights to use the song “No business like show business” since the publisher and author had reportedly forbidden it to be licensed for such purposes. Davy was trying to get into “character” -- I’m not sure how much he know about EM -- but he was giving it a shot -- Broadway diva gestures and voice --when there was a knock at the door and an old friend of DJ’s poked his head in asked to come in and say hello for just a sec.

DJ was clearly surprised and happy --they embraced and laughed and DJ said he hadn’t seen his buddy for years -- I think the friendship may have gone back to his days in England -- and they did the small talk of reacquaintance and rememberings. After ten-fifteen minutes -- I excused myself, let them catch up.

I watched from distance as they said goodbye to each other and Davy walked toward the set when he stopped in his tracks and stared at me then at the mirror he was standing next to. He looked back at me, and then, in what seemed to be a blind panic -- ran over to me and said “Has he gone?! Did he leave?!” I nodded yes. “Oh no. I haven’t seen him in years” Davy said, “I only now realized I was in this Ethel Merman drag the whole time. I can’t imagine what he must have thought. I didn’t mention it -- and neither did he!!”

The two of us exploded in laughter -- long and loud. Davy got through the routine as the pro he was -- but not with breaking into laughter a few times and having to do a retake. We had some good laughs, DJ and I.
Wonder what he might have thought of the new album and the CBS interview? Wonder what DJ thought the Monkees were?

The wonder of show business -- like no business I know.

2 Comments

Sunny Nestork

4/24/2016 19:17:59

I can hardly wait--Mike (and Peter) are my co-favorites! I LOVE THEM ALL!

Mike link

5/23/2016 03:52:15

I always think that, in the end, the love of the group by both fans and the ones who were/are and will be inspired by what they have done, is defined by this. The right four guys walked through the door. The spirit of those who wrote for the show, and the song writers who got their tunes picked was a good one. And something good grew from the initial spirit of it when the four began to really play, write and perform. A great storm grew around a good, like often times happens in life and it was momentarily attacked, sidelined and left for dead. But good in all forms resonates (because it must) and something that made people happy was remembered, nurtured, defended and supported back (through the years) to a proper state of love and mutual affection. And the real gift of truth here is- people love and embrace what they are doing now in their 70's as much as they have through their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's. It's a story of talent, perseverance, the power of a positive feeling and love. The group, the four guys who actually made that happen and the power that message sends is what their legacy is about. As John Lennon said- " they have their own scene, don't send them down for it- you try and do what their doing- see if you could do one quarter as good ".