ALIVE FROM OFF CENTER: WHAT YOU MEAN "WE"? (TV)
Summary
One in this series of arts programs featuring the work of leading avant-garde artists in video, music, dance, theater, and film. This program features two video works by performance artist Laurie Anderson. The first, "Late Show" (an excerpt from her film "Home of the Brave"), is a music video of one of her songs. The second, "What You Mean We?," is a fantasy in which Anderson creates a clone of herself so that she cope with her busy schedule. As she is interviewed by a talk show host (played by Spalding Gray, off-screen), she introduces the clone (who is male), explains the reasons for his existence, and describes her relationship with him. The clone later composes a song in Anderson's place while she relaxes, and he begins work on his own project -- a film script. Scenes from the "film" are shown; Anderson gives the clone her opinion of it, and suggests that he work instead on a film about "two guys on the road." Scenes from the new "film" are shown. Later, the clone appears on the same talk show that Anderson had appeared on earlier and introduces his own clone -- played by Anderson.
(Series title varies; as above, 1985-1991; as "Alive TV," 1992 onward.)
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: September 1, 1986
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:19
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T91:0120
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music; Performance art; Video art
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1985-1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Melinda Ward … Executive Producer
- John Schott … Producer, Writer
- John Sanborn … Animation, Opening and closing animation
- Mary Perillo … Animation, Opening and closing animation
- David Byrne … Music by
- Susan Stamberg … Host
- "Late Show":
- Laurie Anderson … Performer
- Adrian Belew … Performer
- Richard Landry … Performer
- William S. Burroughs … Performer
- "What You Mean We?":
- Susan Dowling … Executive Producer
- Andrew Reichsman … Producer
- Laurie Anderson … Director, Writer
- Perry Hoberman … Artistic Director
- Laurie Anderson … Cast, "Laurie Anderson" and Clones
- Bennie Diggs … Cast, Bennie
- Phillip Ballou … Cast, Phil
- Anne Rovetto … Cast, the Waitress
- Spalding Gray … Cast, the Talk Show Host