Halle Stanford, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Children’s Entertainment at the Jim Henson Company (which produced the Amazon original pilot, Teeny Tiny Dogs), shares the key to family happiness: the oxygen mask.

As a mother of two boys (a teen and a toddler) and owner of two small dogs, I grab those “Mommy Moments” whenever I can find them.  You know, hiding in my bathroom for 15 minutes with the latest Game of Thrones book (“Mommy has to go potty.  I’ll be riiiight back!”). Mommy Moments make me one happy momma.

I learned this happy parent lesson years ago when I was going through a difficult divorce, and was worried about the happiness of my son. A wise friend told me, “You know what Rabbi Airplane says? Put your oxygen mask on before your kids. Your son will be happy if you are happy.”  And lo, my pal was right.  Today, my teen and toddler are both happy. It is important to be a happy parent. 

Years later as I listened to the actual “put on your oxygen mask first” lecture on an airplane, I noticed my six year old son holding his breath. Curious, I asked him what he was doing.  “Practicing holding my breath until you can get the mask on my face.”  Whoa. Smart kid!  He got me thinking back on the “oxygen mask” happiness metaphor. When do kids learn to put the happiness mask on themselves?  And how long do they need to hold their breath?

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If Bebe Neuwirth’s performance of the gloriously profane “Someone With Whom …” in the Amazon original pilot Browsers reminded you of a certain Broadway classic, well, there’s a reason for that.

We asked Browsers creator David Javerbaum to tell us about that song and the rest of show’s soundtrack, which features music by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Brendan Milburn (and is available for free at Amazon MP3):

“My Life”

Music by Brendan Milburn, a wonderful composer and friend I have known for almost 20 years. It introduces the four interns both individually and as a group, so it had to be long – 3 1/2 minutes, much longer than the typical song in the show, but necessary to have a real “opening number” feel. The tune Brendan wrote is catchy and irresistible. As for the title, yes I’m aware of the Billy Joel song, but it was the perfect hook for this song. It will not happen again. There will not be a “Piano Man” song in Episode Two.

“Goin’ Viral”

The music is by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, my collaborator on many other past projects and an all-around protean musical force. It has a nice Chemical Brothers sound.

“When I Tweet”

Music by Schlesinger. Very anthemic. I’d like to add another verse, give it a real ending and release it a single. I think the Twitterverse would really like it. Particularly if we could get the Bieb to cover it.

“It’s Not Like”

Music by Milburn. A lovely delicate AABA waltz with a tricky little melody and some amazing orchestration – check out the pizzicato!

“Someone with Whom Not to F—-“

Music by Milburn. Evocative of “Whatever Lola Wants” from Damn Yankees, but deliberately so – Bebe was once Lola, and Julianna [the interns’ terrifying and powerful boss] is very much like what Lola would have evolved into had the devil retired and given her the job.

Read more from Javerbaum about the show.