Jay Sones

Jay Sones, 28, sits across the small table at Fenian’s talking on his cell phone (the kind you can send pictures through) with his baby sister, Meg. He tells her that I’m interviewing him and responds when she asks why, “I guess people just can’t get enough of me,” and gives his characteristic chuckle. He’s wearing a three-quarter sleeved gray-and-scarlet baseball shirt with jeans. Dark spiky hair covers his head and frames his greco-roman facial features.

A native Jacksonian who has lived in more cities than I’ve visited, Jay is a constant joy to be around. “I’m a fairly open book,” he says. I submit that his book is cloaked in a thick sarcastic veneer. He’s not easy to nail down on issues or philosophies, wanting to keep his options open, I guess. I asked him if there was something very few people knew about him, since I’ve known him for about eight years. He says, “I enjoy teasing animals,” again with the chuckle. “No, I really think I’m pretty open,” he says.

His mother, Donna Sones, is an original Sweet Potato Queen. Jay can’t remember life before the Queens. From his mother’s friendships with these women, he’s found himself a character in books and a soon-to-be-released sitcom on WB. “I can’t say it’s anything other than fun without getting in trouble,” he says, making his blue/gray eyes shine. Although he has a degree in mechanical sculpture and video art from Reed College in Portland, Ore., Jay makes his living as a freelance Web designer. His thesis adviser offered him a grant after graduation to build the college’s Web page (something he had never done before), and he’s never looked back.

Jay’s childhood dream was to be a photographer for National Geographic, and he still enjoys shooting pictures, mostly social now. He designed the SPQ Web site and answers thousands of e-mails a year because of it. A huge fan of music—he once drove to North Carolina for a bluegrass festival—he loves “to bang around on my guitar although it’s unfortunate anyone has to hear it.” He says he’s been playing for 15 years, but it sounds more like three.

As co-host of the weekly trivia hoo-haa held at Hal & Mal’s called Pub Quiz, Jay’s excited about its upcoming birthday. July 15 will be the anniversary of the local cult favorite that started in co-host Shannon Thornton’s hometown, Memphis, at a bar called Kudzu’s. Jay promises a big pot and much fun, even for the losers, he adds.

Previous Comments

I’m just really excited because Bingo really picked up on Jay’s essential Greco-Romanness. Greco-Romaniness. Greco-Romanee. Something.

#82313 | Author: David McCarty | Date: Jul 11 2003

How else can you say skinny white guy?

#82314 | Author: bingo | Date: Jul 12 2003

How else can you say skinny white guy?

#82315 | Author: bingo | Date: Jul 12 2003

the lead-in sounds like the beginning of a porn story…i can’t wait to read what’s next!

#82316 | Author: king james | Date: Jul 12 2003

Tee, hee: Bingo the Porn Writer. 😉

#82317 | Author: ladd | Date: Jul 12 2003

Jay aka Cupcake aka Sir Jay, on the Sweet Potato Queen Message board is our savior….there are many a young larve (that’s what we call wimmens under 40), who would love to get up closed and personal with him…hehehehehe….

#82318 | Author: Suz | Date: Jul 12 2003

Jay is awsome and we are so proud of him!!! He is the greatest guy in the world to us Queens!

#82319 | Author: Happy mama | Date: Jul 12 2003

Uh oh, Jackson, the Queens have found us! Welcome, girlfriends.

#82320 | Author: ladd | Date: Jul 12 2003

The Queens know everythang Hunny…can’t do sumthang without us knowing bout it….we has found out stuff you wouldn’t ever believe… Smooches!

#82321 | Author: Suz | Date: Jul 12 2003

Hey bingo – great story!! I bet you didn’t know this little known fact, however: When you double post on the SPQ Message Board of Love, you have to buy all the Queens a margarita 🙂

#82322 | Author: Tammy esquala | Date: Jul 13 2003

Does it count that Bingo has SERVED all the Queens quite a few margaritas? ;-D

#82323 | Author: ladd | Date: Jul 13 2003

Margarita? Youse gal’s can’t drink all the maggies I can throw attcha!

#82324 | Author: bingo | Date: Jul 13 2003

Once again, Bingo has written a lovely article without having to dig for the darkness and skeletons of a person to make it interesting. I think it’s great that she didn’t feel the need to mention Jay’s bizarre pudding fetish, or the fact that he practically black mailed me into letting him co-host Pub Quiz with that tacky little photo he took while I was, shall we say, “tipsy”. No, there was no need to bring up that ugly incident in Mexico with the bottle of Tequilla and the donkey, or the time he “accidently” set an SPQ Wannabee’s hair on fire and somehow managed to snap a photo of it. It just wasn’t necessary, because Bingo is one helluva writer, and Jay is one helluva guy.

#82325 | Author: Shannon | Date: Jul 13 2003

maybe we should have a whole new website to extol all the virtues of our lil Jay. www.jaysnotqueer.com?

#82326 | Author: bingo | Date: Jul 14 2003

Nice article, Bingo. Looking forward to tomorrow’s Pub Quiz!

#82327 | Author: Ex Libris | Date: Jul 14 2003

Ex Libris, have I beaten you at Pub Quiz? Will I beat you tonight?

#82328 | Author: bingo | Date: Jul 15 2003

Bingo– I don’t remember what our head-to-head record is, but I do know we’ve beaten each other before. As far as tonight’s Pub Quiz is concerned, that depends on the questions.

#82329 | Author: Ex Libris | Date: Jul 15 2003

Yes, we’re playing tonight, too. But the metal round ALWAYS brings us down. We’re trying to bring in a ringer to account for Shannon’s musical tastes. ;-P

#82330 | Author: ladd | Date: Jul 15 2003

Just remember– when in doubt, answer Michael Bolton. :^)

#82331 | Author: Ex Libris | Date: Jul 15 2003

Thanks for the great article! It’s always nice to learn more about our Jay. I’m just glad I was not the one who’s hair was set on fire. That could have brought Hal and Mal completely to the ground.

#82332 | Author: NuClia Waste | Date: Jul 16 2003

Great article. We love our Jay!!! He is one in a million!

#82333 | Author: Queen Bunny Fufu | Date: Jul 16 2003

Nuclia! Welcome to the Free Press site. You don’t really know me — I’m just one of the wannabes wearing a SPQ hand-me-down every parade — but I always admire you and those stilts and those unbelievable get-ups from down on the ground. And your Web site is great. ;-D

#82334 | Author: ladd | Date: Jul 16 2003

Dark Spiky hair…greco roman features… shining blue-grey eyes……pant, pant, B-I-N-G-O……you’ve put Jay on the most wanted list.

#82335 | Author: Ktay | Date: Jul 16 2003