Ryan Jay is a nationally syndicated entertainment journalist and Wizard of Oz historian. He can be seen Fridays on NBC-Milwaukee’s “The Morning Blend” and on Saturday morning newscasts, reviewing what’s worth seeing, streaming, or skipping in theaters and on TV. Ryan is a member of the Critics’ Choice Association which annually awards excellence in TV and film at the Critics’ Choice Awards. He regularly interviews celebrities and local performers, promoting current work. Prior to his work in broadcasting, his career spanned 13 years in television production, producing major pop culture and entertainment programming for networks such as Bravo, Showtime, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, TLC, and The Jerry Springer Show.
As an Oz Historian, Ryan produces and emcees Wizard of Oz-related events and presentations at fandom cons, museums, theaters and schools across the country. In recognition of this work, he was honored to have his handprints & autograph cemented with those of notable Oz celebrities at the Oz Museum in Kansas; and was bestowed honorary lifetime membership by the L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Historical Foundation in New York. He has been an active member of the International Wizard of Oz Club since childhood.
Ryan Joy on the set for interviews with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.
Notable Oz interviews include Wicked’s original Broadway stars Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth and Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, including their participation in an Oz documentary he is currently directing. It focuses on the creation and legacy of the song “Over the Rainbow” and is produced by Aaron Harburg, great-grandson of Wizard of Oz lyricist Yip Harburg.
Other highlights include work and interviews with stars from the film adaptation of WICKED, Return to Oz, Oz the Great and Powerful, NBC’s Emerald City, The Wiz Live, the original Broadway & revival of The Wiz, Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return, Sci Fi’s Tin Man, The Muppets Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Off-Broadway’s The Woodsman, Tom & Jerry Back to Oz, Boomerang’s Dorothy & The Wizard of Oz, Prime Video’s Lost in Oz, relatives of the stars and once-surviving Munchkins from MGM’s The Wizard of Oz; and more.
For TeslaCon 2026, Ryan will share selected interviews with cast and crew members from Disney’s 1985 live-action film Return to Oz including a wonderful conversation with composer David Shire. A related presentation will focus more directly on the Wheelers, a race of cyborgs Dorothy encounters in Ozma of Oz, that have wheels instead of hands and feet. That talk will include an interview with Pons Marr who played a Wheeler in Return to Oz. And Sunday Ryan takes the podium again with an update on the latest happenings of interest to Oz fans. From Wicked to the Oz Universe graphic novel, the new It’s Dorothy documentary, and touring productions such as Oz on Ice and The Wiz revival, Ryan was behind the scenes and on camera getting our questions answered. Expect to hear about a theme park in Australia and live-action films in Russia, and the headline-grabbing, AI-enhanced adaptation of the 1939 MGM film for the Sphere is Las Vegas.