PASCACK VALLEY—Justin G. Tsai, a local senior emergency responder and former first lieutenant of the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps — now a self-described “medical shield and sentry for many of America’s most prominent celebrities and VIPs” — was invited this past weekend to serve and protect yet more prominent clientele.
Tsai, through his company Tsai Mobile Health LLC, was solicited to provide services for Showtime’s “Matt Rogers: Have you Heard of Christmas?” as standby EMT and Covid-19 safety consultant.
Dress rehearsal performances were Aug. 20. Taping was Aug. 27. The work was under the direction of Doron Max Hagay, also of “Saturday Night Live.”
Tsai, of Paramus, whose credentials include NREMT and BSN, told Pascack Press on Aug. 31 that this was a comedy special for a live audience, which also is in the can for Showtime for later release.
The Public Theatre explains, “Matt Rogers (Las Culturistas, Fire Island) leaves comedy forever with the highly anticipated release of his holiday album, ‘Have You Heard of Christmas?’ Live on stage at Joe’s Pub, Matt will perform every original song from this very real new seasonal classic, which is definitely for sure coming out. Accompanied by the talented musical director Henry Koperski on the keys and joined by semi-talented special guests, Matt welcomes you to join him for a drink or two and confront yourself with the question… Have You Heard of Christmas?”
Tsai said he was on call for “several well-known performers, as well as a crew, from management all the way to the art and design as well as the hair and makeup teams,” most of whom are SNL vets.
He explained that cast and crew met with him one-on-one as part of preparation for this project.
He said he also was retained to provide services for the premiere of A&E Network’s “Court Night Live” at the start of August.
We’ve covered Tsai in these pages in his works arranging ambulance tours and presentations for local Girl Scouts. Now he says he’s been invited to serve on a commercial for the regional Girl Scouts organization.
When we profiled his business venture in June, in “Local EMT on call to celebrities, superstars, and the Pascack Valley,” he said he was happy to be taking “many adventures providing medical services for some of society’s most prominent and well known names.”
Through Tsai Mobile Health LLC, Tsai is a “set first-aider,” Covid compliance officer, and health, safety and risk consultant to those for whom danger is a way of life — as is discretion.
He lists as clients “Shark Tank” star Barbara Corcoran, singer Lorde, comedian Sam Jay, RJ Barrett of the Knicks, and actors Michael Biehn and Ben Foster — among many others.
He was on hand at the 94th Academy Awards; Viacom/CBS production “Uncoupled” season 1; taping for “The Wrath of Becky”; HBO’s “Pause with Sam Jay”; the reality series “Deadliest Catch”; concerts at Montclair’s Wellmont Theater; and New York Fashion Week.
He was at Carnegie Hall in May as standby for the ViacomCBS, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and MTV networks’ 2022 upfront event.
He said, “Most people probably pay hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars for the honor and privilege of spending a Saturday evening sitting front row at Carnegie Hall. Yours truly was being paid hundreds of dollars to be there.”
As an EMT, Tsai served the Pascack Valley this summer at the Pascack Valley Junior Police Academy, Westwood Regional High School graduation, the Bethany Community Center’s Summer Bash (in the Township of Washington), and Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps. ambulance wetdown.
August marked the second anniversary of his business.
For more information call (917) 420-5878 or write JGTsai.Freelance@gmail.com.