Explore every episode of the podcast Have You Heard of Me

In honor of the legacy of the now late James Van Der Beek, we highlight this TV series that was too smart for TV! It is so smart and funny on several levels and James was so good at playing a version of himself. I have it on DVD. 

James talks about one of his fav artists of the early 2000s, Blu Cantrell and two of her big hits, Hit em Up Style Ooops (2001) and Breathe (2003). 
I do not own the rights to the music! 

The January Man plays like a quiet, character-driven film about endurance, restraint, and the weight of beginnings. Set against gray skies and long winter shadows, the story follows a man who moves through the world with discipline and emotional control, shaped by loss, responsibility, and the belief that survival requires structure. He isn’t loud or flashy; his power comes from patience, from showing up when others fade, from carrying burdens without applause. As the film unfolds, small moments—missed calls, silent rooms, early mornings—reveal the cost of always being the steady one. By the final act, The January Man becomes less about coldness and more about resilience, suggesting that strength isn’t found in warmth alone, but in the ability to endure the season until change arrives.

• Kevin Kline as Lt. Nick Starkey — the quirky ex-NYPD detective brought back to help catch a serial killer.
• Susan Sarandon as Christine Starkey — Nick’s former lover and his brother’s wife.
• Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Bernadette Flynn — the mayor’s daughter who becomes involved in the case and Nick’s life.
• Harvey Keitel as Commissioner Frank Starkey — Nick’s brother and police commissioner.
• Danny Aiello as Captain Vincent Alcoa — part of the police hierarchy Nick deals with.
• Rod Steiger as Mayor Eamon Flynn — the panicked mayor desperate to catch the killer.
• Alan Rickman as Ed — Nick’s eccentric neighbor who helps in the investigation.

James talks about several songs that music artists did that addressed fans and/or critics. Included are smippets of My Opinion is the Only Opinion by ME (james Lott jr) and Yesterday When I was Mad by the Pet shop Boys! 

Rob Reiner passed away at the age 78 and this is my favorite movie of his that he directed. His direction in this film is to be studied! Great performances from Kathy Bates (who won the Oscar) and James Caan. Rob will be missed for so much of his work and humanity! 

35 years ago this week, this show was the number 10 show of the week. James talks about Unsolved Mysteries. 

James talks about one of his fav movies! It stars Zoe Saldana! 

I don't own the rights to Stranger in Paradise from the album we are featuring, Red Hot Rhythm and Blues! 

James speaks of the underratedness of Diana's vocal and acting peformance. Yes she got an Oscar nom, but there are some truly great moment no onetalks about enough! 

On Amazon Prime now! James talks about the Ted Danso/Holly Hunter lead, Tina Fey produced Sitcom! 

Britney Spears & Ying Yang Twins- I've Got That Boom Boom (2004), an album track from IN The Zone. 

Part 1 of the song was the biggest song of the Miracles career. But there was a Part 2. James talks about it and plays a snippet. James does not own the rights to the song! 

Danielle Spencer who play sarcastic little sister Dee, died August 11th, 2025. We play a snippet of her comic genius from the show (I do not own the rights) and talk about the show itsself.

JLJ talks about this not talked about album from 1974. 

James reacts to the new song that is on Barbra Streisands new album. We alos play a snippet of the song. ( I do not own the rights to the song)

JLj went into this documentary thinking it would be one thing and fond out it was completely different! 
HBO Docs 2017

JLJ spotlights the son and namesake of Kenny Rogers and his one and only commercial album. 

This is a special edition! The GRANDSON of the 10th President John Tyler dies at age 96. This is a historic occassion for many reasons. JLJ gets into it! 
Special mention to People magazine! 

I do not own the rights to Find a Way by Amy Grant.
We talk about the first female to crossover from Christian music to the pop charts! She was a trailblazer! 

This movie starring John Cusack has special meaning to James Lott Jr, the host.

I revisit a seldom talked about track from MJ's Off The Wall album! 

One of my favorite albums of all time! Out of print but I have it! Rozalla had a string of hits in the early 90s. JLJ is the host! 

JLJ revisits a show from his childhood with new perspective. 

JLJ revisits the 3 spinoff shows from MASH! 

JLJ has the cassette single of this rare track from Mohammed Ali's daughter.

JLJ talks about a rare song and a rare remix of the song that is still one of his favs today! 

 A historic recording happened in 1995 for the Soundtrack to the film Panther! JLJ talks about it! 

"Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings" is a single from LL Cool J's fifth album, 14 Shots to the Dome. It was released on June 1, 1993, along with "Back Seat (of My Jeep)". The original version was produced by Marley Marl; however the more popular remix was produced by Easy Mo Bee. The song reached #2 on the Hot Rap Songs and #24 on the Hot R&B Songs charts.JAmes Lott Jr revisits the song. 
I do not own the rights to the song! 

JLJ talks about the one season Designing Women Spinoff from 1995 Starring Delta Burke.

I own the rights to the song! 
I feature a side project I worked on. Musical. 

Coverdale–Page (stylised as Coverdale • Page) is a collaborative studio album by English singer David Coverdale and guitarist Jimmy Page. It was released on 15 March 1993 by EMI in Europe, 16 March by Geffen Records in North America and 18 March by Sony Music Entertainment in Japan. The album's production was handled by Coverdale, Page and Mike Fraser. Following the disbandment of Coverdale's band Whitesnake and a failed reunion attempt by Page's band Led Zeppelin, John Kalodner proposed the idea to Page of the musicians working together. After meeting each other, they began writing songs, which were then recorded over the course of 1991 and 1992.
I do not own the rights to the song! 

I do not own the rights to the song! 
The Firm were a British rock supergroup formed in 1984, featuring singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Jimmy Page, drummer Chris Slade, and bassist Tony Franklin.[1][2][3] The band released two albums in 1985 and 1986 and eventually saw their greatest chart success with the songs "Radioactive", "All the King's Horses", and "Satisfaction Guaranteed".

City of Angels is an album by the Motown soul group The Miracles, released on Motown Records' Tamla label in September 1975. The group's fourth album recorded after replacing lead singer Smokey Robinson with Billy Griffin in 1972, City of Angels is a concept album, depicting of a man from "Anytown, U.S.A." who follows his estranged girlfriend Charlotte to Los Angeles, where she has gone in hopes of becoming a star. All of the tracks on the album were written by Billy Griffin and Miracles bass singer Pete Moore. Freddie Perren and Moore served as the album's producers.The album's first single, "Love Machine", peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 6, 1976, and was a multi-million-selling platinum single,[3] becoming the most successful single of The Miracles' career. Its success coincided with the rise of the disco craze of the late 1970s. Another song on City of Angels, "Ain't Nobody Straight in L.A.", caused controversy due to addressing the subject of homosexuality: "Ain't nobody straight in L.A./It seems that everybody is gay."[4]City of Angels reached 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States, and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Black Albums chart.[5] The Miracles' City Of Angels was also a Platinum album with over one million records sold.[3]The song "Overture" from that album, co-written by Moore and Billy Griffin, was used as the official theme on Radio Monte Carlo in France from 1978 to 1979.[6] While not available on CD in the U.S. until more recently, City of Angels was available in its entirety on the Motown import release, The Miracles – The Essential Collection.
I do not own the rights to the song! 

"Nightshift" is a 1985 song by the Commodores and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was written by lead singer Walter Orange in collaboration with Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde as a tribute to soul/R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, both of whom died in 1984. The song was released as the album's first single in January 1985 by Motown Records.[2] "Nightshift" was recorded in 1984 and became the Commodores' first hit after Lionel Richie's departure from the group. Bruce Springsteen covered the song in his 2022 studio album, Only the Strong Survive.
I do not own the rights to the song!

In addition to his work as a visionary, award-winning director, writer, producer, and sound designer, music is a vital part of David Lynch's artistry. Working with composer Angelo Badalamenti on the music for 1985's Blue Velvet, he realized music could be another rewarding form of expression, and that movie's soundtrack set the standard for the Lynchian style: twangy guitars, clouds of synths, and gauzy vocals that coalesced in a dreamlike blend of familiar and strange. The music for the beloved television show Twin Peaks took that sound into the mainstream, with its soundtrack going gold in the U.S. Lynch's palette expanded to blues, jazz, and experimental rock on 2001's Blue Bob and to shadowy electronic pop on 2011's Crazy Clown Time. The director's later releases included collaborations with Flying Lotus and Donovan and 2024's Cellophane Memories, an album with Chrystabell that reimagined the surreal pop that started it all. RIP Mr Lynch 2025 

Avril Lavigne- I'm WIth You/Losing Grip (2002-2003)
James Lott Jr shares the love he has or the songs.
I do not own the rigths to the songs!

Norman Lear created the series during the time when conservative talk radio was experiencing its initial upswing in popularity in the United States, particularly in the form of Rush Limbaugh. Lear felt that the time was right for a new show to explore new issues, making 704 Hauser even more explicitly political than All in the Family. John Amos, a veteran of the earlier Lear sitcom Good Times (itself a spin-off of the All in the Family spin-off Maude), starred as Ernie Cumberbatch, while Lynnie Godfrey played his wife, Rose.[1] The show features a reversal of the original All in the Family formula. Ernie and Rose Cumberbatch are working class Democrats, while their son Goodie is a conservative activist and his girlfriend, Cherlyn Markowitz (Maura Tierney), is white and Jewish.The show attracted middling ratings, and was cancelled after five episodes (with one episode remaining unaired).

Lets talk about the brillance of Singer Karyn White! 
I do not own the rights to the song Secret Rendevous. 

James revists the legendary Ellen Show from the 90s and its impact on all the future LGBTQIA shows and characters. Ellen is Ellen DeGeneres. And we are talking about the TV show not the talk show that came later. 

Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters is an American variety show starring American country artist Barbara Mandrell, along with her sisters Irlene Mandrell and Louise Mandrell. The show ran for two seasons on the NBC network between November 1980 and June 1982. The program mixed both music and comedy sketches. The siblings often engaged in sketches involving their family relationship. The music of the show featured the sisters singing and playing a variety of musical instruments. Guest performers were also a part of every show. The show ended its run after Barbara Mandrell decided to step away due to the constant workload.
I do not own the rights to the audiof. Mel Tillis and the show

The number 2 US movie of September 1984 is Tightrope by Clint Eastwood.

James lovingly talks about the number 1 from 1976 from Rick Dees! 
I do not own the rights to the song! 

In honor of this episode being released on Saturday the 14th, Sept 2024, we look at the comedy horror spoof of the same name. Starring Richard Benjamin

James talks about hit Dark comedy War of the Roses from 1989. Starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner! 

RIP Evelyn Thomas (died July 21, 2024)

Thye had a big hit with the video and song in 2001. James Lott jr looks back at the Robbie and Nicole hit! 

Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis had a number one hit with Crusin and a dramedy film with Duets in 2000. James Lott Jr looks back at both! 

James Lott Jr fondly looks about to the John Travolta/Olivia Newton John Film and soundtrack to Two of a kind! I do not own the rights to the music. 

James Lott Jr fondly looks back at the film and soundtrack from Rick Springfield.
I do not own the rights to the music! 

The TV movie that had a large impact on James Lott Jr as a teenager, he rewatches it 40 years later and shares all of his feelings then and now! The Day After was on ABC.