Jason Toney
@misterjt.bsky.social
Data & insights in Streaming media; WNBA; NCAA wbb; nwsl; tv; music; books; los angeles
Well, this was unexpected and nice
kottke.org@kottke.org · 3w ago100000% this: I Hate The Way We Talk Online. “Let’s discuss topics without feeling the need to win a non-existent argument. Hot takes? No. Engage with nuance. Show the grace you would extend offline to those you meet on these virtual streets.” [misterjt.com]
The price of engaging with topics I care about or content I enjoy in spaces where I know like-minded folks exist is that I earn the attention of those who care more about winning algorithmically than connection. Much like literacy, social skills have atrophied in this age of social media.
I Hate The Way We Talk Online
Jason Toney on algorithm-speak, main character energy, and why a simple question about music charts revealed how badly we've forgotten how to talk to each other online."
misterjt.com
I found my American spirit while making groceries this morning. It was hidden in a conversation with an immigrant security guard. Los Angeles is for everyone. So is this country.
What to this Negro is America at 250?
America is for everyone
misterjt.com
The Knicks beat the Spurs on the power of friendship. It's a meme. It's also the kind of courage we're starving for.
The Knicks and the power of friendship
The New York Knicks won their first championship in 53 years on the strength of something we've been starving for. A reflection on collective courage, a friend's moral clarity, and why "It's us" might...
misterjt.com
Drake is more of a character to be portrayed than who Aubrey Graham is as a person. We don't know that guy. We only get "the boy" — a nearly 40-year-old man-child, surprised that transactional relationships mean they are transactional for the other party, too.
Drake's ICEMAN Can't Make Me Care
Drake's most important album in years has great production and sharp bars. What it doesn't have is Aubrey Graham. A review of ICEMAN and what it means to grow up on wax.
misterjt.com
I know despair don’t care, but be strong!” I wrote about observing my dad's birthday two years after his death by consuming one of his earthly delights with family and one of the albums that helps me in those moments of melancholy.
Earthly Treats: Dave McMurray, Grief, and the Art of Staying Present
A reflection on observing my father's birthday, Dave McMurray's I LOVE LIFE even when I'm hurting, and what art offers when despair and doomscrolling won't quit.
misterjt.com
In this era of “I alone can fix it” ruthless individualism, I’m most inspired by evidence of earnest, joyful, hardscrabble people working together. Which is why I can't get enough of UCLA's Women's Athletics program. misterjt.com/2026/04/19/b...
UCLA's Quiet Superpower: Joy, Team, and Winning
Cori Close's champions and Kelly Inouye-Perez's softball squad share more than a campus. They share a culture of joy, team, and hardscrabble excellence.
misterjt.com
On my birthday, @webinista.com asked me what I wanted from the coming year. Two days later, I've got an answer
On turning 51
a pseudo poem on what I want truly desire in my 51st year.
misterjt.com
I forgot to post this over here. Thanks for sharing on my behalf @michellej.bsky.social
Michelle Jones@michellej.bsky.social · 5mo agoMy buddy @misterjt.bsky.social's post on digital tinkering really resonated with me. This week I used Claude to create a better (for me) UI for entering reminders into the Reminders app on my Mac. I'm delighted by the result. I get a jolt of joy every time I use it. misterjt.com/2026/03/08/t...
When every feed makes you work harder to figure out what’s real than to enjoy what you’re seeing, the simplest response is to look up and walk outside.
Intentionally Offline: Choosing Real Life Over the Algorithm
As AI and algorithmic feeds blur reality, reflections on social media and digital culture fatigue and the quiet freedom of choosing offline life.
misterjt.com
If you're in LA between now and May 3rd, you should see MONUMENTS @mocart.bsky.social Perhaps the most consequential art exhibit on display in the country right now. It certainly moved me. misterjt.com/2026/01/04/m...
Exploring MONUMENTS: A Journey Through History and Memory
Explore the impactful exhibition 'MONUMENTS', reflecting on Confederate statues and their complex meanings in today's America. Join the conversation.
misterjt.com
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but I still send physical holiday cards
The Timeless Art of Sending Holiday Cards and Letters
Discover the importance of sending heartfelt holiday cards and handwritten notes in a digital age. Personal touches matter more than ever.
misterjt.com
music + data = me nerding out a lot over the last two weekends
Transforming My Last.fm Data for Intentional Music Listening
Explore my yearlong music listening journey, analyzing genres, moods, and playlists to enhance intentional listening beyond streaming algorithms.
misterjt.com
I'm not on Spotify anymore, but 'tis the season. If last year was survival mode, this one was reconstruction. misterjt.com/2025/12/04/n...
Rebuilding Through Music: A Scaffolding Year in 2025
Explore how music shaped my scaffolding year in 2025, from hip-hop to jazz, fostering resilience and creative growth.
misterjt.com
Went to see Little Simz at the Palladium and got checked by the city. Maybe LA nightlife is fine, and I just got old.
Rediscovering Adventure: A Night Out in Hollywood
A night at the Hollywood Palladium reminds me to embrace friction, trust the creative process, and show up for joy — even on a random Tuesday.
misterjt.com
A couple of weekends ago, we were in Memphis celebrating with family, and somewhere between the blues and the barbecue, I realized I hadn’t danced enough.
Dance Like No One’s Watching Again
Discover the power of joy and self-expression through dance in this reflective piece on embracing happiness and authenticity.
misterjt.com
Halloween and Día de los Muertos brought deep thoughts on remembrance, resistance, and what it really means to love L.A. 💀🕯️💙🤍
Halloween 2025 and the Spirits of Los Angeles
A Halloween reflection from Los Angeles that bridges costumes and community, Día de los Muertos altars and immigrant stories, art and activism.
misterjt.com
After Game Five, a woman claimed she'd come to her first pro sports event just for Caitlin Clark. Then we dug deeper. #wnba
Why the WNBA is an Inclusive Community for Every Fan
Join the excitement of the WNBA as fans connect and celebrate community, including newcomers discovering the joy of women's basketball.
misterjt.com
I suppose Labor Day is a good time to reveal that I'm working again. Mostly, I'm like Venus Williams in 2025: thanks for the subsidized healthcare.
Labor Day Reflections: Returning to Work in a Changing World
I’m working again. Please don’t clap. This is a candid reflection on job searching, human connections, and the dignity of work in modern America
misterjt.com
I want less noise and more clarity online. It’s Been A Minute with Brittany Luse has been my shortcut. 20 minutes, no brain rot.
Finding Clarity: Why 'It's Been A Minute' Is My Go-To Podcast
Discover why Brittany Luse’s _It’s Been A Minute_ is my go-to podcast for navigating digital culture without drowning in online noise.
misterjt.com
Missing #WNBAAllStar for the first time in years 😭 but the merch? Still fire. Here’s what I might cop from the comfort of my couch. misterjt.com/2025/07/19/w...
Must-Have WNBA All-Star Merchandise You Can Buy Online
Explore must-have WNBA All-Star merchandise from shoes to shirts and collectibles, perfect for fans looking to shop online now!
misterjt.com
Started writing about music, ended up writing about LA, loss, and the magic that holds us together. The best of 2025 (so far): misterjt.com/2025/07/08/2...
Music, Magic, and Resilience in 2025
Explore the vibrant music and culture of Los Angeles amidst its challenges, celebrating resilience and unity through sound and community.
misterjt.com
NPR Tiny Desk Content Winner Ruby Ibarra at The Regent: protest-delayed, joy-delivered. We got a little hyphy. #livemusic #dtla #LosAngeles
Ruby Ibarra and the Power of Joyful Noise in Downtown LA
A live music report from Ruby Ibarra’s DTLA show—delayed by protest, reenergized with resistance, and rooted in the joyful noise of the immigrant community
misterjt.com
What I see on my street is beautiful, as Los Angeles often is. Birds chirp. The sun shines. The jacarandas are in bloom, littering the sidewalks with purple petals. Neighbors walk their dogs and babies. I could be deceived into believing that life is normal. But my city is in crisis.
How Lalah Hathaway’s VANTABLACK Helped Me Hear My City
Amid unrest in Los Angeles, Jason Toney reflects on Lalah Hathaway’s VANTABLACK and how deep listening reveals what the city is truly saying.
misterjt.com
Hi, I'm doing some writing for the DC Jazz Fest this year. First piece up now!
What Does Jazz Mean to You?
By Jason ToneyIn Late March of this year, the Mellon Foundation hosted a virtual symposium called American Jazz, American Culture. Elizabeth Alexander, president of the foundation, moderated the conve...
dcjazzfest.org
"Just because the barbarians have broken through the gate, that doesn’t mean we have to cede our ground. I walked away from SXSW, but I’m not giving up on the WNBA. It’s my home. It’s our house."
How to Enjoy the WNBA Beyond Online Distractions
Explore how to enjoy the WNBA beyond social media and avoid toxic online discourse while celebrating the game's vibrant culture.
misterjt.com
Our friend is gone—and that truth still takes my breath away.
Honoring Shannon Mahoney: A Life of Fierce Joy and Purpose
Remembering Shannon Mahoney: a fierce spirit of joy and activism. Honor her legacy by sparking joy and fighting for what’s right.
misterjt.com
The surreal montage “Magic What We Do” awakens the lead vampire’s interest in Sammie in the movie and stirs something deep in me. I’m weaving across genre, time, space, and race as I reckon with my relationship with this powerful music. Am I a blues man now?
Discovering the Blues: Embracing Truth and Life's Joys
Discover the powerful connection between life and the blues in 'Sinners'. Explore themes of resilience, joy, and deep musical roots.
misterjt.com
Back when I had TikTok on my devices, I would regularly get sucked into a Theo Von rabbit hole: clips of him talking to black celebrities or other people lip syncing his Theo-isms. He is the friendly fool, and I think that's genuine, even though it often means messy political takes.
Theo Von Dismantles the Interview Show (Gift Article)
The comedian and podcaster is one of the defining conversationalists of media’s new MAGA-friendly mainstream. But he can be harder to pin down, politically and culturally, than his bro-cast peers.
nytimes.com