Lights, Camera, Livestream!
By Shreya Rohatgi
Amidst all the confusion in the world right now, we can still depend on social media to stay up to date and in touch with loved ones. Oftentimes, such platforms are viewed as an escape from reality, but with the current state of affairs, a break every now and then is much needed.
While life is slowly going back to the norm, it’s safe to say the idea of social distancing will still be in effect. Making the quarantine a little bit easier, three Owasso juniors have begun a livestream show that brings smiles and laughter to the community.
Appropriately titled J’s Daily Nightly Livestream, JJ Willis, along with co-host Ashton Slaughter, currently holds the show on weeknights at 1 a.m. CST from the daily nightly livestream Instagram account.
Willis is normally on the other side of the interview, being asked about his accomplishments, (most recently about being the top male competitor to represent Oklahoma at the Jimmy Awards) but hosting the show comes just as naturally to him as acting.
“It’s a lot of fun! I enjoy hearing about people from all around the country and the ways in which they’re coping with the crisis. I get to introduce the performers, ask the questions, lead the games. It’s all an absolute blast.”
On the cusp of a late night and into the early morning, Willis first started the lives around 1 a.m. “for kicks and giggles,” but soon switched over from the occasional streams to create his own talk show.
“Hudson Moseby came to me with the idea to structure the livestreams into a talk-show format, and we decided to keep the late-night vibe. Super late night,” mentions Willis.
Offering help to host Willis and co-host Slaughter, Moseby aids in the process of scheduling guests and brainstorming ideas for the future. While known for his position as left tackle on the offensive line, this football state champ has now taken on the honorary role of executive producer.
“I wanted to help make it more smooth, so I gave some ideas to help it become the show,” states Moseby.
When asked about the impact of the show, he believes the show can be another outlet for viewers. “I just think it’s gonna be something to let people [watch] while we’re out of school and stuck at home.”
Just like Fallon and Higgins, or Conan and Andy, Willis is accompanied by his close friend Ashton Slaughter. These two have always been an iconic duo, and their bromance certainly comes across. Though Willis and Slaughter are talented actors, their relationship is completely authentic.
Slaughter’s main role as co-host is to start the show with Willis and later sign off after the third and final guest. Oftentimes, Slaughter watches the clock to make sure the stream is running on schedule. Though he hops in and out of the show, Slaughter stays active with witty commentary throughout the interviews.
Filled with entertainment, chaos, and blazers, Slaughter describes that a project like this is meant to spread positivity and encourage a sense of community.
“Seeing people thoroughly enjoying it, we decided to build a schedule around it with specific guests. We wanna keep people in the loop with their friends and even introduce them to new people.”
Along with this project, Slaughter is a major sports fan who hopes to start his own podcast soon detailing topics like the NFL Draft and how COVID-19 has affected the many sports leagues.
At the moment, the show has already been “on the air,” interviewing peers and providing guest performances for several weeks, but this trio has no plans of stopping. Though the streams may move from weeknights to weekends, J’s Daily Nightly Livestream will continue their endeavor to lift spirits throughout the community.
Be sure to check out their Instagram account @dailynightlylivestream and don’t forget, if you miss a show, highlights from every stream can be found with the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGYSTKlJaFCXl2XXXruYbwQ/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0