[Remind-Fans] Asterisk on subject line when remind -k'mail ...' directory

[Jon Fineman]

I am seeing a difference in the subject line for my email when I run the 
two commands below:
remind -f -z5 -k'mail -s "reminder: %s" jjf </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1' 
~/reminders

produces the subject:
reminder: \\\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\\test\ msg\ today\ at\ 
20\:50\\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\\

vs

remind -f -z5 -k'mail -s "reminder: %s" jjf </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1' 
test_msg.rem

produces the subject:
reminder: test\ msg\ today\ at\ 20\:50


test_msg.rem contains:
REM Thur AT 20:50 MSG test msg %e %3


I have isolated the difference to using a directory vs a file name.

Is there a way to suppress the asterisks? On an email subject line using 
a smart phone it pushed the important part off of the screen.

Thanks.

Jon