Saturday, August 13, 2005

Andy's TV--the scoop has to do with an Mtv hook up: The early 1980s saw two Warhol cable television shows; (1) Andy Warhol's TV and (2) Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes. The former was created in 1982 and the latter in 1986 for MTV. I don't remember seeing either of them, even though I did watch Mtv whenever I had a chance. Looking for information on how long either TV shows ran, I only get the same pasted sentence quoted above. I get the feeling either shows did not do too well. On Mtv I found nothing on "Fifteen Minutes" but I did find information on a recent Andy DVD release... Superstaaa:

Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol

Product: DVD Release
Release: 05.27.2003 ( USA )
Director: Chuck Workman
Starring: John Coplans, Henry Geldzahler, Allen Ginsberg, David Hockney, Sally Kirkland
Cast and Crew

Actually, here's a decent list of Andy's production in TV and film:

"Saturday Night Live" (1975) TV Series (film segments)
... aka NBC's Saturday Night (USA: original title)
... aka SNL
... aka SNL 25 (USA: new title)
... aka Saturday Night Live '80 (USA: new title)
L'Amour (1973)

Blue Movie (1969)
... aka Fuck
Lonesome Cowboys (1969)
... aka Andy Warhol's Lonesome Cowboys
... aka Horse
... aka Ramona and Julian (USA: original title)
The Loves of Ondine (1968)
San Diego Surf (1968)
Four Stars (1967)
... aka The 24 Hour Movie (USA)
Imitation of Christ (1967)
The Nude Restaurant (1967)
Bike Boy (1967)
I, a Man (1967)
The Andy Warhol Story (1967)
Tiger Morse (1967)
The Closet (1966)
The Beard (1966)
More Milk, Evette (1966)
Outer and Inner Space (1966)
The Velvet Underground and Nico (1966)
Ari and Mario (1966)
Chelsea Girls (1966)
Hedy (1966)
... aka Hedy, the Shoplifter (USA)
... aka The 14-Year-Old-Girl (USA)
Kiss the Boot (1966)
Lupe (1966)
Milk (1966)
Salvador Dalí (1966)
Screen Test #3 (1966)
... aka Suicide (USA)
Screen Test #4 (1966)
Shower (1966)
Sunset (1966)
Superboy (1966)
Screen Test (1965)
Screen Test #2 (1965)
Screen Test #1 (1965)
Beauty #2 (1965)
Bitch (1965)
Camp (1965)
Harlot (1965)
Horse (1965)
Kitchen (1965)
The Life of Juanita Castro (1965)
My Hustler (1965)
Poor Little Rich Girl (1965)
Restaurant (1965)
Space (1965)
Taylor Mead's Ass (1965)
Vinyl (1965)
The 13 Most Beautiful Women (1964)
Batman Dracula (1964)
Clockwork (1964)
Couch (1964)
Drunk (1964)
Empire (1964)
The End of Dawn (1964)
Lips (1964)
Mario Banana I (1964)
Mario Banana II (1964)
Messy Lives (1964)
Naomi and Rufus Kiss (1964)
Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of (1964)
The Thirteen Most Beautiful Boys (1964)
Whips and Women (1964)
Blow Job (1963)
... aka Andy Warhol's Blowjob (USA: complete title)
Eat (1963)
Haircut (1963)
Kiss (1963)
Naomi's Birthday Party (1963)
Sleep (1963)

What's the story with Andy's wig... For one thing it is now popular enough to be considered a Halloween Costume: Andy Warhol Wig is a very white wig, $29.99 USD/Unit

Andy's name is enough to make an abstract shape on a T-shirt become a pop-cultural reference: Ryan McGinness "Warhol Wig" T-Shirt (Navy).

The selling pitch for the T-shirt is worth noting as well: Normally we just put multiple colors of one design under the same item but this one needed its own space. I rock one of the olive ones on the regular and always get the odd "What is that?". One time a guy offered me a bump of coke. Actually that was just when I was djing a couple weeks ago. I don't remember what shirt I was wearing then..
American Apparel manufactured tee from Urban Arts with metallic silver printing.

p.s. I declined the coke. I don't touch that shit.


Here's a person wearin a Warhol wig... too self-aware(?)

Here's a possible reason why Andy wore the white haired wig: Sokolowski noted that Warhol often wore wigs to mask his receding hairline and to take attention away from his bad skin.

Hmm... I don't think Andy ever wore a blond wig(?):
“I turned up in a blonde Andy Warhol wig, so even those who knew me didn't know I was there, let alone in the band. In the dressing room, when Marcus caught sight of me in a wig, he said, 'What are you wearing a wig for?'. I said ‘Marcus, I always wear a wig on stage’.” Maybe it's a blonde version of Andy's white wig?

Incidentally, The American Museum of Natural History is currently having yet another Dinasour show: IMAGINE THE THRILL OF DISCOVERING something brand-new about a creature that lived millions of years ago. Ever since the first dinosaur fossil was identified almost 200 years ago, people have wondered how these fascinating animals lived, moved and behaved. At first, dinosaur hunters used only such tools as a keen eye, shovels and compasses. Today, scientists also rely on everything from satellite technology to scanning electron microscopes.

I wonder how different it is from the one they organized when they also exhibited Andy's Endangered Species exhibition.

The history of diamonds. Switching stones is part of the trade as Andy explains. Like Magic, it does not have to happen in the corner, but right in front of your eyes: If the jeweler is intent on stealing your stone, he can do it while you watch. If you don't feel right at a particular store, move on.

We had a local jeweler here lose it all (home, store, freedom) when it was discovered that he had a regular habit of swapping out his customer's stones for CZs. After several complaints, police tracked his actions for a year. Caught him red handed. It does happen.

Here is a Jeweler telling tales from the other side: Many customers have inherited or received jewelry as a gift and may not know exactly what they have. We recently sold a gentlemen a diamond to replace the CZ in his wife's wedding set... She had worn it for years without knowing that her "diamond" was a simulant, but he couldn't afford to buy her what she wanted when they got engaged and had been too embarrassed to tell her... So we helped him "upgrade" her center stone... Placing the shoe on the other foot, sometimes the public will try to pass off what they know to be a simulant as a diamond - and then accuse a jewelry store of switching stones. A h yes, the pendulum swings both ways...


Here's another good one from the same source: Many jewelers and jewelry manufacturers use imitation diamonds in their settings for display and samples for traveling sales people. Although it is quite rare, it is possible for one of these items to get mixed up with "live goods" and be inadvertently passed on to the public.

Here is a sales pitch... Imagine this scenario. Let's say your jeweler had one dishonest employee in a position of trust and that employee was switching stones and let’s say that employee was finally caught. Now the jeweler who is probably an honest guy is going to want to replace the switched diamonds. So he realizes that this has been going on for years and there are hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of replacements. Well guess what, he's probably going to have to file bankruptcy and then, where are you? You are out of luck. Your diamond is gone and so is any chance of getting it replaced.... To sell Jewerly Insurance Bonds: We strongly believe that a bond is an essential item for any jeweler to have. It guarantees our customers that they will always have recourse. We are the first online jeweler to maintain a bond in the amount of $50,000 per occurrence. In the unlikely event that something like this could happen, each of our customers would be protected up to a $50,000 purchase price. Many people are quick to point out the need for grading reports; sarin reports, gemprint reports but none of those will guarantee you will get your diamond or be reimbursed in the event of something like this. Good one.

Inscriptions may be the answer to stone switching(?): if your diamond is ever lost or stolen, or you suspect an unscrupulous jeweler of switching stones during a repair, you now have a way to identify your diamond.

The psychology behind the signature of a celebrity; Why Andy didn't want to sign the pictures may be because there were so many of them: 200. And I mean, that is beyond the notion of a fan asking for an autograph, it's more like a business set up, 200 Andys. Well, kind of. It falls inbetween, it's like a good art piece but one which only works if Andy signs them and gives them back like he would to a fan. Only this guy was not a real fan. And it sounds like they were all unique pictures, not duplicates, which is the case when a fan has a picture signed by their favorite celebrity. Besides, it's not like it was a picture of Andy approved by him or his PR people. Andy was not in control of the situation. I'm not surprised he didn't sign them.

Regardless, apparently, there are a few autographed photos of Andy outthere:

Name: Meredith Blantley
Comments: For Sale: Andy Warhol Autograph... I have no idea the value. Best Offer.

In this one he appears to be in a plane: Among the more than 300 celebrity candids in this extraordinary collection are Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Truman Capote, Leonard Bernstein, Gloria Swanson, Sammy Davis Jr., Telly Savalas, George Burns, Gig Young, Henny Youngman, Mamie Van Doren, Ginger Rogers, Richard Boone, Richard Burton, Yitzhak Rabin, Martha Graham, Bob Hope, Pearl Bailey, Otto Preminger, Cliff Robertson, Gregory Peck and Arthur Miller among many more.

Here is his book Popism:
Question to the group...
I have a signed copy of Andy Warhol's book, Popism, the Warhol's 60's. I
was wondering if anyone might know how I can find out if the book is worth
anything and if the signature is authentic?


Thanks for your input.
Barb in Texas



A signed Interview magazine: WARHOL, ANDY
An edition of Interview magazine, April (no year), featuring a large, colour head and shoulders length image of American actress Goldie Hawn pictured winking and wearing a Harley Davidson motorcycle cap; this fantastic piece has been signed and dedicated across the front in black biro pen ink 'to peter, Andy Warhol'. Mounted, framed and glazed (21x27 in overall); in excellent condition.
£950.00

Hmm... Why not sheets and pillow cases, Andy? I mean, People have had deep moments in life when contemplating them: "I have been sickly ever since I was a child and have frequently been confined to bed. How often as I lay there I used to think what uninspired decorations sheets and pillow cases make. It wasn't until I was about twenty that I realized that they actually served a practical purpose, and this revelation of human dullness stirred dark depression in me.

Dahmer: Other items were: Doritos, Ruffles, cans of Bud, Pabst and Miller, Clorox Bleach, Woolworth Pine Cleaner, peacock feathers and a fish tank. There were various sheets and pillow cases with blood stains on them, but I'm sure they weren't thrown in with the rest. I'm sure some pathologist burned them or something. Oh, and a refrigerator.

They're a manifestation of the civilized world, maybe? Smart Survivors are looking for the necessities of life. They are adept at finding decent clothing, shoes, sheets and pillow cases, bath towels and blankets for their families. They inspect for quality and cleanliness. Sometimes, the whole family shops together.

Or maybe Andy wanted to avoid the obvious next step... cater to animals: Now your dog, cat or other critter can be on your bed without leaving muddy paw prints! Bed Sheets and Pillow Cases screen printed with your loveable creature.

But being part of this dilemma is what Andy may have been trying to avoid: I, too, have had problems with blue and purple items. I am now on my second set of purple towels which are all ruined with pink spots and streaking. I have blue sheets and pillow cases, and the pillow cases have become washed out. I do use Proactiv skin care. After reading all these comments about this and Clearasil, I'm thinking this is what's doing this. I don't use a bleach detergent or softener on towels. I rarely put bleach in the dispenser in my machine. I have a Whirlpool front loader, but I used to have a GE top loader, and it happened with that washer too.

Bathroom stories, why Andy would not want to go to the public bathroom...

After a preliminary meeting with the chief tech people in particular John Morton, I was aware that the guest bathroom was the highest on the hierarchy of shots to be sifted and put out on the main video stream. I was also aware that the phone tapping would freeze the audio so that all you could hear was the phone conversations.

In his own public space:Andy Warhol records Ondine in the Factory bathroom Let's be a bit more explicit on this one: "I'd provoke any kind of hysteria I could think of," he says elsewhere, "just to get myself a good tape." At one point, he even follows Ondine into the bathroom while he is defecating -- or trying to.

Again, his own public space: A few nights after transformation, Vox visited the Factory, where her appearance scared Warhol so much that he locked himself in the bathroom. Vox eventually convinced him she meant no harm, and Warhol set up his camera and began filming.

This one is quite possible (somebody got paid for this pseudo-theory...): Warhol's self-portraiture seems more like those frozen moments when a teenager, just coming to grips with their own sexuality and sense of self, stares into the bathroom mirror wondering if everything that's happening inside them can actually be happening.

This may be the kicker though... Morrissey then excused himself to go to the bathroom. As Warhol spoke on the phone, Solanas shot him three times. Between the first and second shot, both of which missed, Warhol screamed, "No! No! Valarie, don't do it." Her third shot sent a bullet through Warhol's left lung, spleen, stomach, liver, esophagus and right lung.

Lucy was cool, when I first saw her. Reruns are what I caught. I never thought she was sexy until much later. Funny does not go together with a sexiness--and a sex symbol she is not, though a comedy icon she is. But Lucy was really a good looking woman. I did not realize this until I saw her in an interview, in her later years and as she talked about I Love Lucy they showed clips. There was this woman, not cracking jokes, just talking and then the clip would come up and she was just doing something out of one's mind. Getting stuck in Jail in a little town where the Sheriff is also the judge... not doing justice to the diva.

Hook up the goods:

The Mertzes are celebrating their eighteenth wedding anniversary, and Fred wants to attend the fights. Ethel, of course, wants to go nightclubbing. The couple fight, and take their disagreement to the Ricardos, who take the same gender's sides. Ethel and Lucy decide they will go to the Copacabana -- with dates! The boys hastily say that's fine, but eventually regret it, and Ricky calls his friend Ginny Jones, a singer, to fix him and Fred up with dates. However, Lucy also calls Ginny, who informs the girls of the men's plan. The two tell Ginny they will arrive at the Ricardo home at the specified hour. What kind of wild costume will the two wear when they go to meet their husbands...?

Then again: Ricky cuts off Lucy's allowance and charge accounts after witnessing another example of her careless accounting habits. When Ethel arrives with tickets to a quiz show ("Females Are Fabulous") that awards prizes of $1000 to women who will do zany things for prizes, Lucy excitedly agrees to attend. Lucy wins her qualifying round, and host Freddie Fillmore announces her money-winning stunt -- she must introduce Ricky to her "long-lost first husband." Lucy is a nervous wreck that night waiting for her "first husband" to arrive. When a tramp comes, Lucy introduces him as her long-lost husband, until her second "first husband" comes...

Gotta have... baby: Lucy Has a Baby! At the time this episode aired, it was the most watched television program ever. It beat out Queen Elizabeth's coronation and President Eisenhower's inauguration. When originally aired, the end of this episode contained this voice-over: "Yes, there's a new baby, a wonderful baby at the Ricardos'. And we at Philip Morris rejoice in the blessed event. We know that all our millions of friends join with us in extending congratulations and good wishes to the Ricardos. May their lives together be filled with as much joy and laughter and carefree happiness as they have brought all of us week after week. To Lucy, to Ricky, and to the new baby: love and kisses from Philip Morris and from all America."

When things were not so funny any more...
Return Home from Europe--April 5, 1956--Desi Arnaz had wanted this to be the last episode of the series, and then revert to a new monthly hour format (which would come along in 1957) but he was persuaded to stay on for another season. Even so, this episode has many lines that give a sense of closure. It was, however, the last Lucy episode involving Jess Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer would later sue Desilu after the premiere of The Lucy Show, saying that Lucy Carmicheal was really Lucy Ricardo with a different last name.