Author Roland Kelts On “The Cats That Rule The World,” Sheba, Japan, Cats, Future Plans & More

Documentary series The Cats That Rule The World — as made possible by Sheba — was directed by Academy Award Nominee Geoffrey O’Connor (Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends, Surviving America’s Most Hated Family) and is now available on YouTube. The 5-part documentary series follows incredible human stories, as told through their profound and redemptive bonds with their cat, ultimately examining the powerful emotional connection that can lead to mutually-great healing and change.

The Japan Cats episode of The Cats That Rule The World explores the peerless place held by cats in Japanese culture. Helmed by author Roland Kelts, Japan Cats goes on a journey via the Kishigawa Railway Line to visit the current Kishi Stationmaster cat Nitama and learn of about her predecessor and saviour of the station, Tama. Now heralded as a Shinto Goddess, Tama’s legacy has spread across the country resulting in thousands of yearly visitors to the station. Another episode of the docu-series, Hollywood Cat lifts the lids on feline Hollywood royalty and their A-list lifestyles. Thus, you have cats from all sorts of backgrounds and employment status represented within The Cats That Rule The World.

On April 6, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with the aforementioned Roland Kelts via Zoom, as embedded below. More on Kelts — who discussed his upcoming project related to Blade Runner within our conversation — can be found online at www.twitter.com/rolandkelts and japanamericabook.com, while more on Sheba and The Cats That Rule The World is here and here.

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Tags: Blade Runner, Geoffrey O’Connor, Japan, Pete Townshend, Roland Kelts, Sheba, The Who, Tokyo Cats

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."