Amazon FreeVee's Jury Duty Series Finale Celebration
I’ve been in my DJ era for over ten years now, but before I got behind the decks as DJ Tessa, I was Tessa the paralegal. So the Amazon FreeVee “Jury Duty” Season Finale Celebration on April 25, 2023, was a rare opportunity to see my two worlds collide in a refreshingly hilarious way.
The Amazon FreeVee original “Jury Duty” isn’t your typical courtroom comedy series. The whole thing, from the trial to the judge to the lawyers to the jury, is completely fake — except for one juror, Ronald Gladden, who believes it is entirely real. Filmed in the same “mockumentary” style of classics like “The Office” and “Parks and Rec,” “Jury Duty” reveals Ronald’s amusingly comical behind-the-scenes experience in what can only be described as a wacky roundup of fellow jurors and an even nuttier case. Think “Punk’d” to the extreme.
In keeping with the satirical premise of the series, the event was held at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville at Universal CityWalk and featured lots of fun nods to the show. No detail was overlooked in making this event truly unique to the series, from the arm wrestling station, cast cupcakes, and custom gameboards to a real-life judge stand, caricature drawings, and an appearance from the infamous Sonic The Hedgehog — even the chair pants were on display. IYKYK. And, of course, the hysterically diverse cast and crew were all there to commemorate the occasion. James Marsden made a big splash, but the real guest of honor and the unsuspecting superstar of the show was the series’ dupe, Ronald Gladden.
There was so much to love about this party, but the fact that I got to dress as a judge and DJ from a life-size judge stand was certainly a personal highlight — especially with my 12-year background as a paralegal. Beyond that, the lighthearted and goofy nature of the show lent itself well to one of the funnest playlists I’ve ever put together. All the tracks were upbeat, silly songs from every genre, including lots of 90s music, making the whole night one big dancing sing-along. Some of my favorite tunes from the night were “Sussudio” by Phil Collins, “Club Tropicana” by Wham!, “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors, and “The Sign” by Ace of Base.
As for the partygoers, the evening was a total laugh fest. There was an unexpected sing-along of Gavin Degraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be,” a cast request for “The Wobble,” and you already know I had to play Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville” as an ode to both our venue and the theme of the show. By the end of the night, Ronald was surprised by a special cameo from Sonic and presented with the “golden poop” by the judge himself, Alan Barinholtz.
Being the party DJ for this insanely funny event was an absolute blast. I am so grateful to Little Cinema and Amazon FreeVee for bringing me along for this ride. I don’t think I stopped laughing or dancing the whole time!
Take it from me — don’t sleep on “Jury Duty.” It’s exactly the kind of pure humor we all need in our lives right now.
