It's here! It's alive!! The ASK DR. HAL! Show is now Up and Running!
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 12th!
It's Time to Come and Visit a Popular Favorite Again =====SEE OUR ALL-NEW STAGE======== Chez Poulet Gallery, 3359 Cesar Chavez (Army) Street between Mission and South Van Ness. Just on the edge of Bernal Heights. The old Odeon Neighborhood.
THIS WEEK:
KrOB'S GIANT SPIDER RAMPAGE! Hairy, Bulging, Brobdingnagian Arachnid Runs Amok, Wreaks Horrid Havoc As if the unwelcome presence of a berserk mammoth-sized spider wasn't bad enough in and of itself, behold now how the Colossal Cob causes fatal car wrecks and explosions as it skitters loathsomely about. Not to be missed. Kompiled with... the "KrOB Touch!" What, we ask, could be more horrible than an enraged 12-ton spider on the loose? Well, perhaps a lot of things, but now KrOB's traditional monster movie edit turns its focus this week on the ever-present menace of giant spider attacks once again, dealing with arachnids of absolutely elephantine dimensions. Watch closely and shudder as its fangs peel the roof of a police car right off, so it can ingest the luckless cop inside. Dr. Hal will narrate this scientific presentation. Those who are sensitive to such material are advised to turn away or shade their eyes. It's all happening right here--
SAN FRANCISCO – November 12th Chez Poulet Gallery-Cabaret 3359 Army [Cesar Chavez] @ Mission-- SHOWTIME 9:00 PM WE MEAN IT THIS TIME
THE SLAPDOWN Admission to the Ask Dr. Hal! show in its newest form? That's
$10 -ISH
A donation to support the enterprise, now in its 12th year. An unavoidable, if regrettable necessity in turbulent times and a harsh, unforgiving economic climate. A vote of confidence, if you will. Keep Chicken afloat. Support the Arts. Give what you can. May the spirit of charity dwell in your heart. Now fork over, cheapskate!
WE START... WITH A CLASSIC CARTOON Just before each performance begins, we screen a great animated cartoon-- each one seven minutes of the best theatrical shorts ever committed to film. KrOB and Dr. Hal believe that these all-too-rarely seen featurettes, part of our nation's cultural heritage, deserve wider exposure, greatly surpassing as they do the lug-headed mediocrities of Hanna-Barbera and the limited horizons of the Cartoon Channel's contemporary hack-work. Last week we showed Bob Clampett's 1940 Porky Pig epic, "Prehistoric Porky." Wednesday we continue this new Ask Dr. Hal! "teaser" with the showing of the Bugs Bunny Grand Guignol masterpiece, "Hare Ribbin'" (1944) directed once again by the superb Mr. Clampett. It has Bugs Bunny, but not the laid-back, gay Bugs you may be familiar with from Chuck Jones's overexposed late Warner Bros. cartoons of the Fifties. We're showing Clampett's Bugs, so be advised. He's... not that cuddly. There are two versions extant of this notorious cartoon, which is always censored on TV when it's shown. Actually they never do show it these days. It's too strong stuff for Planet America. But it's funny-- Lord, it's funny. At press time we still didn't know if KrOB's showing the version that ends with the "Suicide gag" or the one that ends with the "Murder gag." Our show will start the moment after the cartoon ends.
"If there was an award for the most violent Bugs Bunny cartoon ever, I'll bet Hare Ribbin' would win it with no sweat." -- JSmith, Cartoonz for U
GUESS WHO? FRANK CHU! If he ever wanders far enough afield from his accustomed orbit in the Upper Mission, perennial protester Frank Chu will be welcomed and encouraged to say a few familiar words in way of benediction. Anybody got his number?
SCIENCE ON THE MARCH ADH Science expert Pete Goldie will lead attendees through the endless reaches of the universe in his continuing segment, "Waste of Space."
COMPUTER FREEBOOTER David "Yo-Yo Pro" Capurro will be on hand, serving up accompanying images (usually) scraped up from the benthic bottom of the Internet. As his fingers fly over the keyboard you will be unable to avoid the horrendous, stomach-churning results, on
MULTIPLE MONITOR SCREENS It's a ring-tailed Multi-Media Experience, is what it is.
CHICKEN JOHN SEZ: "Hey, everybody-- come see the Ask Dr. Hal! show in a brand new location: my living room. It's 4 guys doing improv on 4 different levels. It can be amazing."
NOT A BAR So there won't be any booze for sale this time, OK? BRING YOUR OWN. We encourage you to. Of course, good questions will still be rewarded in the traditional manner-- with Fernet Branca, TM --the "Miracle Liquor."
THE ASK DR. HAL! SHOW - FEATURING FRANK CHU - CHICKEN JOHN - DR. HAL - KrOB - PETE GOLDIE - DAVID CAPURRO - WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE "RELATIVES"-- SPY, MOSES AND LUCKY - ROBERT LEVY AT THE DOOR - DONATION TEN DOLLARS OR SO - COME ALL, COME ONE, NEW SHOW, NEW RUN...
WEB SITE Visit www.askdrhal.com for more information than you need.
AND DON'T MISS OUR VERY SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMER-- À SBJÖ RN GOTTFRID SWEDISH BREAKDANCER! No details available at press time.
SOCIAL NOTES Ask Dr. Hal! opened in the new space last Wed. without flinching or faltering. And we did see many a familiar old face in the brand new space, continuing from our last run at the late, great 12 Galaxies. But tho' 12G is no more, or perhaps just in hiding, whaddya know! Redoubtable Robert Levy, legendary host of that dynamic dive of yore, was our acting doorman. Continuity again. Yes, we saw many of our former regulars, incl. dashing Don Bruce, taking in the show with admirable Adam Feldstein (bro. of Tracy), genteel Geoffrey Smart, bosun of the legendary land galleon La Contessa back in th' day, and ADH habitués discerning Duncan D'Nuts squiring agreeable Alex O'Leary... Puissant Paul "Pot," Gentleman Farmer, was there with a sample of his latest heavenly horticultural holding. Again and again, his questions brought him that shot of Fernet, dispensed by an ever-more-choleric Chicken. Altho' devious Dave Capurro was present (of course) --and he brought his posse-- he let pertinacious Paul do the heavy lifting in the Fernet finagling dept. But crafty Cappy's day will come, mark my words... Delectable Dawn Stott, jewel-like Justin Credible and torrid Taryn Towers rubbed shapely shoulders with the likes of yodeling Yoni Wannalaya, a.k.a. the zestful Zoli, jocular John Law, who helped us fire off the first round of ADH by setting up the divine Doggie Diner trailer trio in front of chic Chez Poulet --and jaunty Jascha Ephraim, creator of the Ask Dr. Hal! web site (see above). Here's a word to the wise, webheads-- jovial Jascha's now got an all-new attraction up on line-- go to jaschaephraim.com and take it in. His live group New Pantheon (you knew it as supergroup The Jascha Ephraim Memorial Library) has morphed over the past year into a string quartet (cello, viola, and two violins) with jubilant Jascha and red-hot jujube Jessy Brown singing up a storm. Check it out-- Sunday, November 23rd you don't want to miss them as they play outdoors with the Extra Action Marching Band down @ Broadway and Columbus Ave in S.F. 'round about 5:00 PM for the Dramatic Unveiling of bashful Brian Goggin's new public sculpture, Language of the Birds. They say it looks like a flock of glowing books taking off into the sky. How did we find out? A little bird told us... Meanwhile, back at last week's show, pedagogical Pete Goldie helmed an outstanding Astronomy Report-- it's called "Waste of Space." Navigating thru Space's endless wastes, perceptive Pete revealed (among other celestial sights) the (ominously?) sunspot-free face of our nearest star. What's ailing you, Sol? Man, the things one worries about. Well, if the Sun does explode, I won't have to write another one of these, at any rate... Kryptic KrOB's unearthly "edit" of revered Ray Harryhausen's Venusian-on-the-loose 'un 20 Million Miles to Earth had a few features that woulda surprised harried Harryhausen but went over big, it seems, with modish Madeline, curvaceous Colleen Dillon and fetching Fan Ameke, not to mention two-fisted Toby Marvin and admirable Adam Moore, the inventor of Moore's Law, subject of an ADH question... Notable Neiltron was in the "Zone" once he figgered us out... Then there were the Po'buckers, that trailer-dwelling family: slinky Spy, manly Moses and li'l Lucky, who all came down (out of the rafters) to take in the show. But bad-news bureaucrat Bascom T. Gradgrind, "the Guy from Child Protective Services" actually had the sauce to show up and remove lively Lucky right during the performance-- now mixed-up Mom and puzzled Pop will be asked to complete a Child Placement Resources Form in order to provide the names of three people "to care for their child while the parents participate in services." Any takers? Biggest Surprise of the nite was the appearance at ADH of "Killer" Keith Joe Dick and Better Half dreamy Diane Dick. Hailing from Hollywood, the dauntless Dicks actually go way, way back with Dr. Hal to various theater performances in the 70's, working with the Invisible Theatre. Since then, you may have seen K-Joe in such movies as Tapeheads (1988) in the role of Mr. B, along with John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Clu Gulager, Ted Nugent, Junior Walker, Connie Stevens, Courtney Love, Sy Richardson, Mike Nesmith and "Weird Al Yankovic," among others, or in the monster pic Ghoulies (1985) as himself. He's been in a bunch of other movies, also done live a capella doo-wop and has a new CD out with his new group the Po' Moguls. The gi-normously talented fella also is a painter of supergraphics and is the man to see in the sign biz. Yep, we hadn't seen krazy Keith and divine Diane since our last trip to Tinseltown a few years back & had no idea we'd see their beaming faces at our opening. But then, you never do know who might show up at our show, do you? Come see for yourself... Be a part of Showbiz History down at the elite Chez Poulet Gallery-Cabaret. As for us, we plan to be there for awhile.That's right! Now that we're booking the show ourselves, in its own performance space, no drug-addled rock club owner can "suddenly" remember that one of our show dates is pre-empted by a thoughtlessly booked Buttswabz concert, benefit or other seemingly more profitable enterprise. It will play on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, and that is that. We at Chicken John Productions are keeping track of the fact that there are those who need to catch the last B.A.R.T. train at 12:17 AM from the 24th St. Mission Station back to the wilds of the East Bay. Translation: these days we start earlier. We really do. Try to get there before 9:00 PM, when the cartoon starts...
AMUSING PUZZLING EVIDENCE YOU TUBE CLIP The endless-seeming Election Period is now, at last, behind us. For those who would like one final wallow, check out this ultra-entertaining (Adult-themed) Puzzling Evidence video clip from the ADH Pirate Cat radio show featuring Dr. Hal, KrOB, Pete"Savant" Goldie and the appearance of special guests Presidential Candidate John McTaint and vivacious wife Sindi McTaint. Go to:
V. VALE, RE/Search founder gets SFBG GOLDIES Lifetime Achievement AWARD.
Kimberly Chun, SFBG scribe (and quite an original prose stylist herself) interviewed V. Vale and boiled down 2 hours of verbiage into a concise feature, reprinted below. It's also at: http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=7452&catid=85&volume_id=398&issue_id=404&volume_num=43&issue_num=06 - we've reprinted it here because, out of paranoia, we've seen many features "disappear" from websites, and we don't want this feature to vanish into the ether. Thanks, SGBG & Kimberly!
"Call him the monkish punk elder of counterculture in the Bay and fringes wherever they may fray. Behind a monochromatic, black-clad, black-banged façade and unassuming demeanor, V. Vale is a man of so many interests and accomplishments that it's hard to know where to start. How about with Vale as Punk Showman?
"In 1984 I'm sure I put on one of the greatest shows ever to celebrate our J.G. Ballard book," the 50-plus publisher says. He's tucked beside a thermos of tea in his book- and collection-crammed office-apartment in a North Beach edifice that, legend has it, Janis Joplin, Odetta, and Paul Robeson once dwelled in. Survival Research Labs and an S-M group were on the Fort Mason bill, and in honor of the occasion Vale visited the junkyard and had them deliver two cars that he selected. "I'm sure people had died in them - there was so much blood in the interior - and they were all crushed down. There's no way you could survive that!"
Naturally, Vale and SRL [Survival Research Laboratories] rigged up the two bloody junkers to simulate a sex act - doggy-style - while yet another car with square wheels and a huge battering ram attacked the humping death-mobiles. The, ahem, climax: a performance by Public Image Ltd.
If that's not punk - in the classic, highly original, high-low San Francisco style, full of hard-scrabble high spectacle and an edge you can lacerate yourself on - who knows what the f0ck is?
It's just one of many tales - about shooting pistols with "Uncle Bill" Burroughs or watching exotica innovator Martin Denny field a $25,000 royalty check - that emerge during an interview with this lifelong interviewer. His own narrative is just as riveting: he grew up, as part of a minuscule Japanese American minority, in a small town in Riverside County, raised on welfare by a mother who suffered from mental illness. The young Vale read voraciously, from the kitchen table to the bed, which led to his acceptance at Harvard, though an antipathy toward ivy made him choose to attend UC Berkeley instead. In the '70s, he worked at City Lights, and in 1977, while ripping off the covers of unbought magazines and returning them, he formed the idea to start his own zine about the punk scene combusting right around the corner at Mabuhay Gardens. Search and Destroy was born, with $100 seed money from Allen Ginsberg and matching funds from his boss Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
Now lauded as an invaluable document of early punk and a graphic design rule-breaker ("We'd do a layout meeting: 'Here's the text. Here are the pictures. Your job is to make this interview as rad as you can'"), Search and Destroy also became a way for Vale to make critical connections between the work and thoughts generated by punk groups and those formulated by artists in other media, as interviews with Vale's mentors Ballard and Burroughs made their way into the zine.
When the Mabuhay scene turned toward servicing a younger, violent hardcore audience, the zine-maker's interests shifted as well. Tapped to start a stateside headquarters for Rough Trade in 1980, he convinced founder Geoff Travis to fund a new tabloid, RE/Search, during an all-nighter. Three issues later, Vale moved on to launch a typesetting business, RE/Search Typography, which he ran in North Beach until he sold it in 1991 when he saw that the home computer had finally arrived.
In the meantime, the RE/Search series had become the equivalent of an ever-unfolding countercultural bible: essential reading not only for punks - all the books, Vale swears, are informed by that revolution - but artists, musicians, cultural fire-starters, and trouble-makers of every nonconformist stripe. In turn, Vale built a bridge with his paperbacks between the cultural movers around him and the world of books that has succored him. "I learned long ago that reading is not a passive process," says Vale. "I like to mark up my books. My books are heavily interacted with. I look at books not as books, but as conversations."
The RE/Search volumes Vale is most proud of, on Burroughs and Ballard, resuscitated the former author's career and threw a proper coming-out party in America for the latter. Vale went so far as to help organize Burroughs' tour with Laurie Anderson. Meanwhile, RE/Search's sibling compendiums, Incredibly Strange Movies (1986) and Incredibly Strange Music (1993, Vol. 2 1995), were pivotal in placing filmmakers like Russ Meyer and Herschell Gordon Lewis and music-makers such as Yma Sumac and Ken Nordine in a new canon for culturally conversant hipsters, leading to crucial reissues and reappraisals of their work.
And then there's RE/Search's biggest hit. "The most influential of all the books is Modern Primitives [1989], which sparked the whole mainstream mass interest in piercing and tattoos and body modification," says Jello Biafra, who first met Vale in 1978 when Biafra was simply an admirer of Search and Destroy and the vocalist for a then-new band called the Dead Kennedys. "There was very little of that going on compared to what happened after that book came out. Of course, now even secretaries and bank clerks and Bush administration bureaucrats have tattoos, and who knows how many pierced penises are on the Republican National Committee!"
With a new publication, pr0nnovation? P0rnography and Technological Innovation, just out, and books on Timothy Leary, Burning Man's P0ss Clear newspaper, and steampunk on the horizon, Vale doesn't have time to be bitter that so many have grabbed ideas from his tomes and run with them. "I would say I've had a disproportionate amount of influence," he says. "People tell me, 'Your Pranks [1987] book inspired Jackass, Punk'd, and god knows how many other TV shows.' You just keep thinking of your next project and never look back." www.researchpubs.com [end]
I would like to offer a formal and humble apology. Although I always use Mr. Nader as an example of what a 3rd party candidate's politics would be like, the statement issued today from Mr. Nader is so pathetic that he has rendered himself now politically irrelevant.
"We'll see if Mr. Obama becomes Uncle Sam or Uncle Tom." Ralph Nader 11-5-08
OK, I cried when I heard Obama's speech last night. What if it's true? What if cynisism can be defeated and democracy can work? What if the problem has been the leadership and we can turn things around. What if this is the actual, instead of the theoretical? Well I'm not gonna be tight-lipped waiting for my chance to say I told you so.
Whatever it was he said, it sure was good showmanship. So whatever, even if we are going to hell in a hand basket, at least there's a good in flight movie now.
Proposition R was defeated by a landslide of epic proportions. Of course. The people have spoken. It was funny, though...
A friend of mine flew the American Flag last night out side of his house. 3 years ago that would be unheard of.
With liberty, and justice for all. Wow. I remember those words confusing me as a kid. I stayed up until 5 in the morning reading the bill of rights. Amazing. Really. If it's been a while, and if you have ever tried to write something and get it down... ya know, get the point across quick-like... check out the first amendment....
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
45 words, one sentence, 5 freedoms. Wow. That's like 3 floors in an elevator.
I guess it all comes down to getting a parking ticket and rejoicing that the system works.
CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA, BUT NOT ALL by Phoenix Giffen
Current mood: contemplative
CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA. I could not be happier with the fact that Obama won. He didn't just win, he killed it. He kicked ass by a landslide. It gives me hope for the future. For me, voting for him had nothing to do with the color of his skin, but instead the content of his character. Something that Martin Luther King once said he hoped his children would one day be judged by. Discrimination has no place in this world. It doesn't belong in schools, in churches, at work, in the home, etc... To see a man like Obama win the highest office made my heart smile, knowing that the country is headed in a better direction. A direction that leads away from hate, bigotry, ignorance, and fear. A direction that instead leads to light, love, and acceptance for all. However, a cloud came over my heart today as well. I got the news that Prop 8 passed. It's so confusing to me that as civil rights took a HUGE step forward, another kind of civil rights took a step back. It's so confusing to me that people who praise love on Sunday could vote against it on Tuesday. It's so confusing to me that some minorities who have experienced bigotry themselves first hand could then want to impose those same chains on another group of people. When does love prevail? When do we look beyond color, beyond gender, beyond religion, beyond who others love, and instead look inside the heart? My heart is heavy today. My heart hurts for all of those amazing, good, beautiful people and their families out there who were told today that their love doesn't matter. These people who want nothing than the same rights as everyone else, were told today that their love isn't good enough. For those of you who voted yes, shame on you. I'm not mad at you, but instead I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for you that you've allowed yourself to be manipulated by false statements and lies from churches. I feel sorry for you that you want to separate people instead of bringing everyone together. I feel sorry for you that you choose to take hate and fear over goodness and love. Love is the only thing that matters in this world, and if you're blessed enough to find it, hold onto it with both hands. Screw what the hate mongers say. You fall in love with the person, and not the equipment they carry, or the color of their skin, or the God they worship. You don't choose love because if you could, no one would ever have to experience a broken heart. This whole thing is just ridiculous. With everything else going on in the world, these people want to focus their attention on bringing down love? It's just insane! The lovely little Christian folk who voted yes should've instead invested their time, money, and energy into ending hunger or one of the MANY other causes worth fighting for. They need to wake up and really pay attention to the message that they sent, because if they really knew what it meant, they wouldn't have said it. Educate yourselves people because ignorance is the biggest crime of all. I WILL ALWAYS BE AGAINST HATE, AND I AM PROUD THAT I VOTED NO ON 8.
I didn't write this,some family members sent it to me..harsh,but funny and I think dead on in certain ways.I'm into the notion of The United States though,jokes aside-Z
Read on, gentle reader...
Dear Red States:
We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren't aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon , Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.
To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.
We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.
You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.
Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms. Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.
With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.
With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.
We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.
Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.
Finally, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico
Finally, at long last, the day has arrived. After all the talk of experience and hope, pantsuits and flag pins, hockey moms and pundit plumbers, mud-slinging robocalls and grandiloquent infomercials, it's finally your chance to vote however you like. San Franciscans also face an alphabet soup of city propositions that will decide the fate of sex workers, tenants, SF General Hospital, and whether or not Number 43 will be immortalized with a sewage plant — not to mention the thousands of same-sex married couples across the state, whose civil rights are at the mercy of the California electorate thanks to Prop 8. But whether Wednesday morning gives you cause to celebrate or commiserate — or both — the rest of this week presents plenty of opportunities for jubilation and introspection. Before you dive into this issue, though, be sure to get out there and cast your ballot.
FREE RE/SEARCH PARTY! The Counter Culture Hour with host V. Vale Guest: Winston Smith Thursday October 30, 2008 doors 7:30, show 8:15 New Nothing Cinema 16 Sherman Street, OFF FOLSOM ST betw. 6th and 7th St. - MUNI 12 bus is closest stop)
browse books before and after, "shmooze, hang out"
Please join us for a taped interview with collage artist Winston Smith, who will also be in attendance, along with host, V. Vale and videographer/editor, Marian Wallace.
Winston Smith of San Francisco is known for his artwork on Dead Kennedys albums as well as "New Yorker" covers. He fills us in on his life and work -- illustrated by his humorous and kick-a** social-commentary collages. Video is one-hour.
Come and say hello!
RE/Search Publications 20 Romolo Place B San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 362-1465 info@researchpubs.com - our website: www.researchpubs.com
contemplative 