Episode 122: Pat Mastroianni – AKA Degrassi’s Joey Jeremiah

Pat Mastroianni played Joey Jeremiah on Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High (and, later, on Degrassi: The Next Generation). The pre-Internet incarnations of Degrassi – all shot on location in Toronto-area schools – built a massive fanbase for tackling topics that weren’t being broached anywhere else on children’s television: interracial dating; sexual violence and child abuse; teen suicide; drunk driving; epilepsy; depression; grief; abortion; bullying; poverty; teen pregnancy; AIDS; burgeoning sexuality. The original shows explored all of these heavy topics with kids playing their actual age – and, despite the gravity of the subject matter, Degrassi was entertaining. It was fun – Joey wore a fedora and formed a band called The Zit Remedy with Wheels and Snake in which they only played one song (“Everybody Wants Something”) – and it was relatable. It was must-see TV for an entire generation of Canadian kids whose adoration knew no bounds. And now we’re all grown up. Where are our Degrassi kids now? How did Degrassi change their lives? And do they know how much they meant to us Canadian kids?

And thanks to Joey Jeremiah – AKA Pat Mastroianni – we don’t have to wait any longer for answers. Pat is the filmmaker behind a new documentary called A Narbo’s Guide to Being a Broomhead, which unfolds during Degrassi Palooza, a three-day cast reunion weekend in Toronto attended by fans from all over the world. Pat intercuts poignant and funny moments from the reunion weekend with camcorder footage and personal photos from behind the scenes at Degrassi. The result is a film that gives viewers a front row seat to a one-of-a-kind fan experience, and also insight into the many ways the young actors were impacted by their time in Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. It’s a funny and moving documentary for the generation of Canadians who grew up with Snake and Wheels and Caitlin and Joey, and get an inside look into one of the most iconic and groundbreaking series to come out of Canada. Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment