#LiveAtFive with Jason Mraz from WAITRESS

Hello. Everybody welcome. To live at five today is Thursday December 7th, my name is Matt Roden and my name is Ryan Lee Gilbert um today's, a good day today's a good day today's a very good day very, we have an, excellent. Guest you guys are gonna freak out yes Jason Mraz is here he is very very exciting that's right, very but, first, news. Upon news upon news radio we. Have some news um Aladdin. Ariel. Jacobs who is Adam. Jacobs his sister and she original, who, the original are Aladdin, she, played the role of Princess Jasmine in the Australian. Production of Aladdin she's. Heading over to Broadway she's coming over to play the role she will begin in the show on February 20th 2018. Courtney. Reed who, is our current princess jasmine the wonderful, Courtney Reed she, will play her last performance on January, 10th and. Then Reed will, reunite, with Adam Jacobs who, is on, the tour for Aladdin she's gonna head to LA they're gonna do the show for like five weeks together and then, Isabella is, a mikaze. Makalah who is currently, playing Jasmine, in the tour we'll. Play that little break, in between Courtney, and before, Ariel starts January 17, through February 18th, so there's just three Jasmine's, just juggle Airy excited, all the different times playing Joe got that very excited remind me how I pronounce this last name Michael, Liu Weiyi Michael, Liu Weiyi, who is currently, playing Hamilton in. He's. Unlike a West Coast tour he was in San Francisco, and now they're in LA he, is going to be coming to Broadway which he already did it on Broadway before, right. So he's coming back to Broadway and, Xavier. Munos who's playing Hamilton on Broadway is, going. To the chose touring cast yes I believe so for. Switcheroos. Training, back and forth Trading Spaces but. No specific, dates no, dates yet yeah no we don't know yet they just said it's happening, sometimes. Prepare, you soon and are they previews in London. London I believe they'd yeah yeah for though they're about to open soon, so much Hamilton, a, Grateful. Dead musical, by the name of red roses green gold you may have heard of it it is playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre, off-broadway, it, been extended, again, for the second, time the, first time they were excited to January, 7th 2018, and now you, have until March 18th. To see that fantastic musical listen. Did you know the story of this musical I love it how its described Jackson, Jones and his family of swindlers, as they, gamble, their way to love and riches in 1920s. Cumberland, USA, the songs are mainly composed by Robert Hunter and the late and great Jerry, Garcia of the Grateful Dead and everybody in the show is like they're like actor musicians, absolutely, like we have them in here and like I don't know if we have them in here but we did a yeah.

Something, Sound amazing. And they all played a four instruments yes super, talented yeah and there's a lot of cool things on the site that you can be checking out right now Andrew. Lloyd Webber's School of Rock the musical on Broadway celebrated. Its second. Year on the Great White Way we ever great happy birthday we have great photos of the new Dewey's the, new, Rosalie, Mullins a kid. We just didn't ever have ever with them so I think that's coming out was it in like next week or something like that yeah it's very good some not reading. Yeah a new character study Charlie, and the Chocolate Factory Ben, Stein yeah very, insightful he was the original Pippin I don't know if people know this he was the original, Pippin on Broadway and now he's playing Grandpa Joe he's so good he's so good yeah and so sweet and smart and it's, a great but it's a great little segment. And a brand-new side-by-side. Would be wonderful. Susan, blackwell and she's talking to yeah Matt Doyle but do you think I wanted to say was I this it was like one of my favorites ever that we've done he. Does. This amazing Norbert, Leo Butz impression. And then like 15, minutes later Susan made him prank call Norbert. Leo Butz as Norbert. Leo Butz and, that's in the video that's amazing, yes and his puppies and his puppies, are in the video as well so that. Is all, I thought, as much as I'm sure you all want me to stick around it's I think my time is just about done here you're done yes so, what you're gonna see right now is a video that just came out this morning, I think came out this morning Oh Jason and Sarah in, a park in a very cold day it's, a, very cold day I'm seeing, it only takes a taste and it's, it's. Great and then we'll be right back with Jason rest. You. Remind, me of a girl I, once knew God. By now she's well in middle age. She's. Probably 41. Or. 42. Thank. You oh god, no no what I meant was that she, was a waitress at, a shop I used, to frequent quite, a lot nice, teeth in small hands and snuck me goodies I couldn't, afford them she, was sweet to me. Reminds. Me of you. Nobody. Ever really notices, me that way. She'd. Bake the pies fresh every day like, you I guess but I must say if pies were ebooks yours would be Shakespeare's. Letters, you. Remind. Me of her. But. Better. It. Only takes, a taste when, it's something, special it, only takes, a taste when. You know it's good, sometimes. One. Bite, is, more, than he. - no you want, more of the thing you just gotta, say, stuff. That. Reminds. Me of its thing we would say, me. In my mama in. The kitchen, will lead baby she say Jenna, you, could tell a whole story. With. A taste, yeah yeah that's exactly what, I mean, I swear. That as, those flavors, mixed in melted, I could hear this siren saying, it was truly something special one. Taste and I want the whole thing. I. Must. Say. It. Felt, like I was carried. Away. Intoxicated. Made me, escape, the, room. I was a. I. Can't. Help. But. Wonder how your, hands. Must have felt. Creating. Such a masterful. Thing. Just. One bite. Cause. All, that. Wondering. It. Only takes, a taste. He. Only takes a, taste and. You know it's good sometimes. One. Bite, is, more. Than. -. No you want, more, of, the thing you just got, a taste. Welcome. Back everybody so. I first encountered this. Human being in 2008. Wow, at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, cool. And it's. That. Night it was the first time I'd ever been introduced, to the idea and the concept of, gratitude and it. Totally, shifted, the course of my life wonderful, and. The. Music, and the mantras, have sort of become part, of, like the bedrock, of my human. Experience, one. School in Boston and. When. I was there the Marathon bombing happened and I. Gather in a studio two days after, the, marathon and with. Friends and we sang, your. Music and. And. It healed us and we put it on the internet and was able to heal other people and now. You're, here in New York City starring eight times a week and we tryst the musical yeah eating, pie spreading. Joy that's right I'm, really, happy that you're here say, hi hi Jason, Mraz's well thanks for that intro of course that's nice all true it's very touching, I got chills well true me too yeah um how's, it going over at the Brooks oh it's. A dream are, you having fun I'm having fun okay it's, a great show great.

Song Yes amazing, cast, yes I I. Am, so blessed to have been invited to be a part of it and you're, great in it well think I was there and I was I was there an opening night wonderful, yeah I wasn't, gonna like miss it great um but I want to get people context, because you like, grew up doing Thea right like you're a musical, theater kid growing up yeah so. We. Had arts available in our public school which is great I think goodness keep arts going in your public school yeah, and. So. I chose it as an elective every time I could drama communications. Chorus, I was doing after-school, programs, and summer programs because. Singing was my greatest joy entertaining, people was my greatest joy I feel and, out. Of, high school I, thought well I'm. Not gonna get a real job I mean singing is my greatest joy and I want to do my greatest joy so I actually, came up to New York as some other high school friends, went to am dock here on the Upper West Side yeah American Musical and Dramatic Academy on I am. Did you know that did you were you like I'm gonna go to school for musical theater like that's what I want to do well I didn't, get accepted to any other schools did, you apply to like a lot of schools others. Okay no I just applied to other other schools, like. Academic. Okay okay and I didn't have the academics. But. AMDA accepted, the ups I said you know what I'm moving to New York so okay screw, this little small town had you been there had you been in your home yeah okay yeah we had come on school field trips, I see Broadway. I spent. My spring my senior, Spring Break here while other people were going to the beach I was coming to New York City okay rollerblading. Around town going. In to see shows after, intermission so you can kind of like that oh yeah strapped, into the theater you know what was the what was your favorite like halfway show do you remember any. That. You saw the second act of the second act I was more paranoid, that I was in the theater right then, I couldn't, comfortably, I understand, okay so you went to am des yes and you were here yes so, I did two semesters at am des and while I was, here I started playing guitar right and I. Got, so much instant, gratification playing. The guitar and making, up song and being able to like just accompany yourself and do your own exactly, that I stopped going to class. Because. I didn't want to go to class that that's taking, too long yeah right I want to be with my guitar yeah, and, and. My. Roommate at the time he said you know what you should you should just be a rockstar Joey. He really, said those words I was like you know what I'm gonna do that okay. So. I. Moved, away from New York because I was working full-time here, and I thought auditioning, or, trying, to develop a career here would be very very challenging very, competitive, you are correct yes so I moved, away to work on my craft I said I'll come back to New York when I'm ready mm-hmm, but I got sidetracked and ended up in California and years later I saw my roommate he said I can't believe you did it I, can't. Believe you actually went and became a rock star do you know I stick. To things that you know I put my mind to when you left school when, you were leaving school were you like sure of that decision, and were people around you like what, are you doing what are you thinking, yeah I was, very sure of it, and I, I. Was. So naive that I thought I could make I thought, I could I could do it you were like I can do it I was like yeah I'm so I don't, want to say cocky but I think I know it's like a it's like a self-awareness, like yeah I understand I was like no I believe in this magic trick that I can do because any time I do it somewhere people. Are charmed, yeah it's, like I think there's something to this and if I work on it I can really, really. Grow it into something and you did and I did and, thank you for saying what you said in the intro because over. The years as I grew, to understand, my, magic. Trick as so bruce springsteen calls it in his first Springsteen on Broadway calls it a magic trick calls it a magic trick which I can totally relate to. Over. The years I. Discovered. That Jason means healer from Hebrew Wow. And I thought okay that is not that's, pretty incredible so. I. Began. To see what what. Could happen when a mantra, or positive message is infused with a melody I began, to see how I cannot only change audiences, but it was transforming, my DNA and who I was as a person and who I was as a person of service.

So. As, it. Went on. That. Really became my mission with my magic trick was to, try. To look inside of myself and see where, am I still broken. Where's where's you're still avoid where, is there a relationship. In this world that I need to heal because, as long as I know somebody, that we're not getting along there's never gonna be world peace you. Know yes I know that, to. Family members don't get along there's, not gonna be a breeze right, so how can I help bridge that healing. Mmm-hmm and if I can do it in my own life and in my own family then maybe it'll work on stage or in somebody's headphones, yeah and that. Became sort of how I that's. How I've continued, to do it since then - I was gonna ask you so that was you pretty much answer the question but I'm curious. Because you know all, the, things that you talk about and and the messages, that you send out in your music they're. Like super specific and I feel like they're aligned. With who you are and I'm, wondering how, did you sort of I mean you kind of just said it but how did you find, those things where did those discoveries start happening how do you sort of, clarity, about the things that you do care about do you know what I mean yeah well. It, we're. Never finite. No we're. Always growing and so with every age comes, some, sort of new, obstacle. Or challenge, that. Song. Writing was. My tool for. Understanding. The, pages blank and I as I write, these lessons, that I'm learning or these mistakes, that I'm making, I sort. Of I'm able to reflect, my life it's like journaling, anybody can do the same exact, thing with journaling, they can see their life unfold, on the page and. Hopefully. Solve, their problems, or at least become more aware of their problems so. I've always used songwriting as a way to sort, of disappear, or escape, but. Also throw myself into, the device, it's like meditating, it's like meditating, and I think if you're doing anything passionately. Whether. It's you, know you're acting you can totally lose yourself to the character to the moment or.

If You're running a marathon you can totally lose yourself, it's like flow State yes, flow State exactly, so I've always used song writing as flow State and. When. I do this often, it. Could be a topic that's comedic. It could be a topic that's sexy, young topic they eat going and, occasionally. It's a topic that's. Important. Yes it's meaningful, and it's healing something, in me that's that's. Broken or that's needed light shined on it and that's. The good stuff the juicy stuff that I hope makes it on to the album's right and eventually, is what gets heard by you, know listeners how many songs because you've obviously written a lot and put a lot of music how many songs, like, what's the percentage of music that makes it to people's ears versus the music that never gets heard, ten. Percent ten, percent yeah. What. Is the determinant like what's the determining, how do you decide. What goes at. What point do you say okay this is ready to share and I'm, gonna keep this for myself well the first turning, point is the stage can I take it to the stage because that's the live performance, absolutely yeah and if I can recreate this magic, every time I play it bonus. Yeah and in the second part is is really the the business, of music you know there's a third there are committed course that, you, know are buying and selling this music, and and that can sometimes be the frustrating, part because. You've got a wealth of material in a catalogue but if it's if. It's not competitive, at the moment, and then it's fine it's hard to get it through the door but you play stuff in live shows all the time isn't, released told you know what I mean yeah yeah yeah I feel like that is live, artists live is where I'm I have full creative, control to. Sing. Anything, I wish and I think there's a big difference between i I, mean, there obviously is a big difference between live, performance, and recorded music I mean it's like it's a someone, can be a recording artist and someone can be a live performer, absolutely and they're totally. Different things, yeah, I'm. Wondering. About. So. You write a song. Eventually. It's simple you need to share it with people mm-hmm, can. You talk about the process of like putting your stuff out there and putting yourself out there and the role that fear. Plays and. All of that stuff. Well. I think more and more people can relate nowadays, because we all have broadcast channels, to social, media yes it's the exact same thing we're all human and as soon as you put a picture of yourself out there or a poem. Or even, somebody else's poem that you like yeah you, you, are then subject, to someone, else's judgment or ridicule, or criticism, and it's, it's never easy. What's. Important, is that you like it you, know I was on a show this morning and I I was playing the guitar and I missed a chord oh, and. I just was, so I, beat, myself up for 10-15, min really not to me is harder, than, reading some comment, if somebody's saying you suck at guitar it's like on you it's the inner stuff yeah that I deal with but the process, of releasing it. It's. Fun it's exciting I, want people to see. And hear. My art when I make it, yeah. And it's good thanks, I appreciate that yeah you're you're welcome.

See I all these things that I was gonna ask you but you already answered oh really did I just but, it's good no it's a good thing it's a good thing I was like a therapy, session I'm for. Me too oh yeah. I'm, trying to see I mean lots of fans from all over the world which is exciting. Hi fans from all of hi grants from all the way Wow 96, comments, I don't even think I can scroll through these on here wait hold on let me see if I can pull them up in my phone cuz I there, were some good questions that people were sending earlier today in, which we did this out hmmm any, other wisdom you want to drop on people actually, you know what I think, we should in, the meantime while I'm looking this up you, have waiting. From Rockets coming back, out I'm by here really, exciting yeah, it is out on vinyl you're. Going on the road in March going, on the road in March and we haven't announced it yet but I'll be on the road in the summertime as well and in the fall exciting. It's, a big world and I'll be on tour all 2019. If there's a big world to cover so if, you, only see tour dates in the southeast of the US right now it's because, that's all we put out but, we'll eventually get to you full band or just you a, little, about okay so sometimes I'll be out on the road by myself and sometimes I'll be out with the super band including, the fabulous. Musicians. In raining Jane so. Good there guys so good they're good um. Jen. Wants to know okay, Jen how. Do you rationalize the, choices your character, and waitress makes oh we, always try to find the good in character to play even if we don't agree with them what, do you think happens to him after we leave the world of waitress oh you. Know I was I was optimistic I, was thought well I think, he's learned and was awakened, by Jenna hunterson and, I think he's going to go and patch things up with. With. His. Wife yes, Francine, pomander and it's. Amazing. How just about everyone else in the cast and in the production team you're like oh no they get a divorce so. Really you're, like oh literally, like a pot can it be positive, the only optimistic. Gynecologists in the building. I've. Learned my lesson I. Tasted. The pie and I. Want to go home and make a better pie with my wife I like. That I like I like that outlook on it yeah um Sylvia wants to know how's. Married life married. Life is is, great. Yeah, yeah, it's, I, think. When you're in a relationship with anyone. Exclusively. For a very long time yes it can be challenging yes, but what's. Exciting is that every. Year almost every day is something, new like. A learning, process always six, years now it's, like wow now we've been together six years in a day now I've been together six years in two days so if something comes up - he's never faced yep no, one's to blame yeah, because it's like hey we've never done this before so. We get to grow together and help each other out and she's really the best. Reflection. Of me meaning I get, to be my best self when I'm with her that's why we married I think those are the mean those are the best kind of relationships, friendships any, kind of relationship, right like that you can be your full truest, most honest, truest. Gasps yep, I'm gonna say most disgusting. Self, um. Carol. Wants to know you've spoken about being a healer Jason means healer in Hebrew are. There any healers, in your life hmm. Cats. Love. Cat I love, cats. Little. Dogs love, to love the fur friends, fur fur, friends um you. I mean there's a lot of causes that you have gotten behind you have your own foundation yeah a lot of cars life rolls on and al gore I mean there's so many things that you've gotten behind yeah um I think.

Because. The world is kind of so connected, now and we all have access to so much information and, we can see. There's. No really other way to put it like so much suffering it can. Feel overwhelming yeah, and I think people sometimes. Shut down because there you go I'm, too there's too many things I don't know what to do yeah so I'm wondering how. You picked, or not, picked but how you decide sort of which causes, you're like really passionate, about sure, and what, if there, are actionable, steps that people can take sure, you can share well I think nobody. Donates, to a cause, they donate to people. So. Behind, every great cause is our, champions. Our leaders, and who are on the ground doing, phenomenal. Work phenomenal. Research, phenomenal. He Elena and so, when I've met those people and, seen their work I donate, to those cause either I align myself with them and help shine a light on their cause. You, went to Standing Rock - yeah, I, had to because, they were all, we were seeing was violence, yeah on the news like there's rioting, so, I knew. That was not the case I knew this was a peaceful protest so I went there to see that, it was a prayer, camp everyone. Who was protesting there was praying, and it was so beautiful and basically. They were educating. All of us that five hundred years ago settlers, came and took. This land and the. Fight continues. This is a 500 year battle so that's. A completely different story, but that. Was. A very, very real, awakening, that. To. Align myself with that yeah. But, when it comes to you know aligning, yourself with causes, and yeah then taking actionable, steps yes how where do you start, you know what I mean I. Would. Say where do you start, where. Do I start, I mean you said the humans it was the people that thought so so here's, a good example I, because. I met so many humans, over the last 15, years yeah I was, starting to spread myself right in writing. Checks here here here here here going here here and I thought okay I'm helping. But am I making a big difference so we. Are currently. Refocusing. My own foundation to. Focus specifically, on arts, education, and the advancement, of equality and, I. Do that, because it, helps me Street because that's where I came from right right and I think that's a great place to start is look. At your childhood, or your community and say what, could have could have made your life better yeah or what could make.

These Inequalities better. Or stronger, or how. Can we bridge these, these. Gaps or differences yes in. Our community, so I say start there where if something rubs you the wrong way and you're passionate about how that makes you feel that's, a pretty good place to start yeah. So. About. Six years, ago the school of Performing Arts in the Richmond community where, I went, also known as spark I was gonna say spark sorry yeah okay, we, started a program there called live art which is an all inclusive arts, program, so it's kids with who are typically able to and kids, all abilities. So, it's 200, kids and we're thrown in and the art mediums are super mashed up so you might be painting with your feet and dancing blindfolded. And it's, it's chaotic. Yeah and beautiful. And it's, a it's. A ten month long school curriculum, and at the end of the is an after-school program or is it it is after-school, program and then in June we have this massive, theatrical, event where the kids. Create. This, to, act massive. Theatrical, production, with a narrative and we bring in veteran artists to jazz it up and it's, extraordinary but. It's really one of the only inclusive, arts programs that we've been able to find because, it teaches acceptance, compassion, and empathy mm-hmm. You know if your partner, is someone, who's deaf then you're gonna learn sign language and get on their level yeah you know if your partner is someone who's autistic you're. Gonna learn a completely different kind of force to walk in their shoes you're forced, to understand, in their world perspective so. Students. Parents, teachers the whole community when they see it completely transformed, by it so that's kind of been our most recent. Effort. Yeah. We're really trying to replicate, around. The world that's amazing it's amazing that you're doing this gonna be fun um I, want, to know you know musicals, are such a specific thing theater. Theater is such a specific medium, yeah what. Do you think it is about theater that is so magical, because it's something that you've done forever, and it's something that you've cared about forever and been you know fell in love with what is it about the medium of theater because it's different than doing a concert it's different than doing the live performance yeah what is it about theater, it's. It's, kind of like watching the ocean waves you can't stop them but. When that wave come, and so if you're in theater. When. That curtain comes up the wave has. Started, yeah and, you. Really can't stop it yeah the, momentum, carries, you through and. And. Anything. Could happen I mean it could take you down it, could take your breath away it can, evoke. Emotion. Round of applause laughter. It's. It's. An ensemble piece, typically. Yeah of all. Of these human spirits, agreeing. On something, a circumstance. A circumstance. Losing. Themselves in, it and getting carried away with these waves of sand the audience to absolutely. Without the audience it wouldn't have right and plus, what, we feel in in the musical waitress we feel when. That audience laughs and applauds at certain moments, we, know they're with us yeah, unlike. Those Wednesday, matinees. Wednesday. That name-o. Sleepy old tired, clap. A little extra louder for those sitting around you that's really fun but. Uh yeah. It's it's. It's. A live. It's. A living thing yes theater is a living thing it's, not a movie, you're not you're, not there to be quiet.

Through It you're there to breathe, and participate with us and I think we need I think a lot of people now especially in the world that we live in are craving, collective. Experiences, like that we're able to go and sit in a dark room and share, in this like one singular, moment like you said anything can happen it only happens once I think of it kinda like a concert too right, you know what I mean where everybody, comes in the same room and it's only that thing is only gonna happen that one time right I think there's something like really magical about that there, is and what, I've noticed is that, even, though we're following a script it's, different every day is it, different every day is because these actors bring their truth to the characters, and if. There's a subtle, dip in energy they. Have a different truth in the way they deliver the lines and what as we're volleying these truths back and forth. The. Context, change, of course I mean there's a million, ways I could. Enter. The, pantry, and have this conversation with, Jenna and when. The director tells me to go darker, and darker with it and. Then she feels that darkness then it. It. Just, it feels different every time that's. That's a gift because. Actors have thoughts on stage and there's. No perfect thought yes but, you, just allow the thought to whatever, the thought is of the day will, determine, how that line is spoken and so it makes the show different every time, you've, been in the show now for a couple how many weeks like four weeks four weeks uh, it'll. Be five weeks tomorrow what, have you learned about yourself, about. What have you learned. I. Think. I've learned. What. I just said about the truth yes actors bring their truth to, the stage and they're always solving problems, for. The. Audience to help tell, this narrative yeah and I, think prior. To joining this show or even prior to acting because this is my first time acting in my adult life I, I. Would have assumed it was playing pretend, but. There's not pretend, happening, it's, all true, yeah. You're. Given a line but, you're not pretending. To read the line what. Makes it powerful is, when you put your truth into the line. So. That that information, can be sung or rapped or spoken right into these musicals, yeah excited, to do with Sara oh my, gosh and that's, the other thing too I've done, it with two different Jenna hunterson now Oh cousin, cousin Stephanie Williams and, Betsy, Wolfe and both, of them have a completely, different Jenna Huntress so you now know that sara is gonna have a completely different Jenna hunterson so that. That excites me yeah because then makes it it makes it brand new again I'm. So happy that you're here have you been finding fun in New York are you enjoying, New. York of course yeah I know, I left here on my 19th, birthday and, I. Felt, like a little. Bit like a loser because I moved here too yeah, to. Do this, yeah. But. I said no I'm, moving away, for. A bigger purpose, I'm moving, out of here so that I can get my act together in one day New. York will call me back and I will work did you know that you, knew that like, you had faith that you were like it'll. Bring me back I mean knowing me back I said I might be in my 40s, or my 50s, when I have some life experience, and, sure enough I. Got. The phone call about a month after my 40th birthday it's, the University New York called me back and said hey. We want you so. It's and it flew by 22, years 21, years flew. By so, enjoy. It you only get so many breaths on, this, planet, so catch as many as you can I mean.

What's I mean come on what, more could you possibly ask for I'm so so. Grateful that you came through my pleasure really, really appreciate. It and. I appreciate all, you guys who've been watching I'm sorry we couldn't get your questions we were just having, a time no way yeah you know the way we do if, you haven't now, is a really good time to go see waitress is. He's in it Sara's going in you. Can get waiting for my rock and I'm vinyl yeah, pre-sale for the March shows starts next week right or it already started I don't know dinner a story so already started check the internet the Internet's they said I'll tell you all those things yep and, a song coming out in a movie, this Christmas, called father figures, and, you. Can expect, new. Music. In 2018. And some, of that stuff that's. On the youtubes ready is so. Good oh good oh yeah thanks, oh yeah and you're playing some of it in the the weight room before we go playing your piano in there it's a lot it's a lot I like it like that I get, that I appreciate. You guys I appreciate you will, see you tomorrow everybody.

2017-12-12 05:30

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