Alison Arngrim is loved and feared by people all over the world for playing the mean little rich girl Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. Alison credits the role with saving her sanity.
Today Alison joins us to talk about her funny and heart breaking memoir, “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch” which recounts her time on Little House, growing up in a crazy Hollywood, and her work on behalf of HIV/AIDS charities and victims of sexual abuse.
Alison Arngrim is loved and feared by people all over the world for playing Nellie Oleson on one the most popular TV shows of all time, Little House on the Prairie.
Although the series mostly focused on Laura Ingalls family’s struggle to make it on a farm in the late 1800s, one of the main reasons the show was so popular was the classic battle between good and evil that took place between the wholesome freckled faced Laura Ingalls and the lying, scheming, manipulative, mean little rich girl with blond locks, Nellie Oleson.
It’s the intense scenes between the two child actresses, real-life best friends, that made the show such intense, campy and fun.
Feast of Fun Winner 2010 Book of the Year
It’s our favorite book of the year, and we think you’ll love it too.
As the daughter of eccentric Hollywood parents, Alison was left on her own and sexually abused by her brother the teen actor Stefan Arngrim.
Alison credits playing a fabulous villain on TV with saving her sanity and eventually coming to terms with her brother’s abuse and family’s neglect. She’s survived it all and has come out with a touching sense of humor and a fabulous outlook on life.
Join us as we talk with the extraordinary Alison Arngrim about: growing up in a crazy Hollywood home, Nellie Oleson as a verb, her father’s job managing Liberace, her parents friendship with the first famous transsexual Christine Jorgenson, and the performance group The Nellie Olesons.
Plus, everything about Little House on the Prairie- the Wheelchair Episode, why they drank so much on the set, and her TV husband Steve Tracy dying from AIDS in the 1980s.
You can see Alison’s one woman show in Chicago Sept. 9 & 10, Davenports Piano Bar and Sept. 11, 2pm for a book signing at Borders on Clark Street. Check out her events page on Facebook to see if she’s coming near you on her tour.
Featured Book:
Alison Arngrim – Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated: Amazon
Featured Music:
Rachael Sage – Blistering Sun: Amazon | Site
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Audiences were horrified when the movie Showgirls came out in 1995. Today it’s a cult classic and one of MGM’s top selling DVD’s of all time.
Rena Riffel, who plays the tragic stripper Penny Hope, joins us over the phone from California to dish the dirt on Showgirls and talk about her upcoming projects which includes a musical version of Showgirls!
Audiences were horrified when the movie Showgirls came out in 1995. Critics hated director Paul Verhoven’s misguided attempt to capture the seedy show business world of Las Vegas, and it bombed in theaters.
Today Showgirls is a celebrated cult classic and one of MGM’s top selling DVD’s of all time. In fact, the film’s fan base is larger than ever and even the characters from the film enjoy a second life in the virtual world of Facebook as if the movie never ended.
You think you can do my nails for me now sugar?
The film centers on a sexy blond drifter Nomi Malone who hustles her way from pole dancing at a strip club to becoming the top showgirl at a casino in Las Vegas.
Although, many of the actors regret doing the film and will seldom speak of it, one actress, Rena Riffel, like all the fans has embraced the film’s campy plot, freaky sexual encounters and outlandish scenes.
Today Rena Riffel, who plays the tragic stripper Penny Hope, joins us over the phone from California to dish the dirt on Showgirls and talk about her upcoming projects which includes a musical version of Showgirls!
Rena’s working on her own soon to be released film “Trasharella: Ultra Vixen” about a starlet who becomes a super vixen to kill the evil Vampire of Hollywood.
Listen as Rena talks about working on Showgirls, watching it in the theater with Demi Moore and the cast of Striptease, how it was reborn as camp classic and what was the plot of the show within the show “Goddess” supposed to be?
We could have had anyone on this show: Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul. Rena Riffel is what Feast of Fun is all about! She’s dazzling, she’s exciting, and she’s very, very sexy!
[Originally posted in January 2010]
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Featured Music:
Rena Riffel – Trasharella (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): iTunes
Featured Movie:
Paul Verhoven – Showgirls: Amazon
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For over five decades, Carol Channing has delighted audiences with her bubbly personality and unique voice to become one of the most beloved entertainers of all time.
Today we’re delighted to talk to Carol Channing about arts education, why everyone loves to imitate her, especially drag queens, the Carol Channing Ventriloquist doll, and which President had her on his enemies list.
Raspberries!
For over seven decades, Carol Channing has delighted audiences with her bubbly personality and unique voice to become one of the most beloved entertainers of all time.
In 1949, the musical “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” opened on Broadway featuring Carol Channing as Lorelei, the role that would shape her career for the rest of her life.
Who can forget her Oscar nominated performance as “Jazz Baby” Muzzy Van Hossmere in the film Thoroughly Modern Millie? Or her role as Dolly Levi in the stage version of Hello Dolly and her countless television appearances.
Today we’re delighted to talk to Carol Channing about her upcoming performance at “Help is on the Way,” Northern California’s largest annual AIDS benefit concert in San Francisco on Aug 15th at the Herbst Theater.
Listen as we chat with Carol Channing about fighting for arts education in public schools through her charity, Channing Arts, why everyone loves to imitate her, especially drag queens, the Carol Channing Ventriloquist doll, and which President had her on his enemies list.
Plus questions from you, the listeners and even one from Tony Award winning playwright Terrence McNally.
Featured Music:
Carol Channing – For Heaven’s Sake: iTunes
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It’s impossible to talk about the hilarious cult films of John Waters without mentioning one of his greatest actresses, Mink Stole, who appeared in all of his films.
Join us as we talk with Mink about all of here wonderful lines from the films, her friendship with Divine, John Waters and Peaches Christ and why she gets butchered to death in so many movies, including All About Evil.
It’s impossible to talk about the hilarious cult films of John Waters without mentioning one of his greatest actresses, Mink Stole.
As a teenager Mink Stole met John Waters in Baltimore. Little did she know that her roles in such cult classics as “Pink Flamingos” and “Female Trouble” and then later on in “Hairspray” and “Serial Mom” would become some of the most beloved and twisted films of all time.
Mink Stole in All About Evil - photo by Austin Young
Although she’s appeared in every single one of his films, Mink still found the time to develop an acting career and even form her own band. This year Mink appears in Joshua Grannell’s film debut “All About Evil” as a nagging librarian who meets her untimely demise.
Join us as we talk with Mink about the origins of all those wonderful lines, her friendship with Divine, John Waters and Peaches Christ and why she gets butchered to death in so many movies, including All About Evil.
You can see Mink live in the flesh at the Chicago premier of “All About Evil” at the Music Box Theater on August 14th.
Featured Music:
Blue Hippos – Forty Forty: iTunes
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Actress Carole Cook comedic skills impressed that Lucille Ball so much that she took her under her wing. It was the start of a lifelong friendship and working relationship between the two, with Carole appearing in many of Lucielle Ball’s TV shows including The Lucy Show and Here’s Lucy.
Today we talk to the legendary Carole Cook about her work and friendships with many of comedy’s leading ladies and her behind the scenes apperances in such cult films as Sixteen Candles and TV dramas like Dynasty.
Actress Carole Cook was bound for Broadway when she got a call from Lucille Ball to audition for a part in her stage revue.
Carole was so impressive that Lucille took her under her wing, and gave Carole her stage name in honor of her dearly departed friend, actress Carol Lombard because she felt they both shared “the same healthy disrespect for everything in general.”
It was the start of a lifelong friendship and working relationship between the two with Carole appearing in many of Lucy’s television shows.
She would also appear in several cult movies, like Sixteen Candles and The Incredible Mister Limpet, and such popular TV dramas like Greys Anatomy and Dynasty.
Today we talk to the legendary Carole Cook about her work and friendships with many of comedy’s leading ladies, including Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, JoAnne Worley and of course Lucille Ball.
What was it like living and working with Lucy? What happened between Carole and Molly Ringwald in the film Sixteen Candles? And did Lucille Ball ever get over her divorce from Desi Arnaz?
Plus questions from you, the listeners–
You can see Carol on Sunday, August 15 at the Herbst Theater in San Francsico at Northern California’s largest annual AIDS benefit, “Help is on the Way.”
Featured Music:
Carole Cook- Before the Parade Passes By:
Featured Movie:
The Incredible Mr. Limpet: iTunes | Amazon
Sixteen Candles: Amazon
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Everybody loves Cassandra Peterson’s alter-ego Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She’s taking a new turn in “All About Evil” by playing a mom.
Listen as we talk with Cassandra Peterson about working with directing drag queen Peaches Christ, the origins of her beloved character Elvira and her thoughts on the movie “Showgirls.”
Everybody loves Cassandra Peterson’s alter-ego Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
Cassandra began her career as Las Vegas showgirl and later went on to being a horror movie hostess. As Elvira she is a Halloween icon and sex symbol for all things campy and spooky.
The “gal in the wig whose talents are big” takes a surprising new turn in Joshua Grannell’s directorial debut film “All About Evil” by playing a mommy, not a mummy.
Listen as we talk in-depth with the brilliant Cassandra Peterson about taking off her character for the directing drag queen Peaches Christ, the origins of her beloved character Elvira and her thoughts on the movie “Showgirls.”
Cassandra announces Elvira is also coming back big time this fall with the return of her fabulous TV show “Elvira’s Movie Macabre.”
Plus-
Did you know she dated Elvis Presley as a Showgirl in Las Vegas?
The Eastern origins of Elvira’s unsual eye makeup.
Discover the final resting place of her famous red victorian couch. Believe it or not, it’s not in the Smithsonian!
And questions from you! Don’t miss this show, it’s scary good.
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Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
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Featured Music:
Elvira’s Gravest Hits – Elvira: iTunes
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With the success of her parody videos on 80s soap opera stars and her recent re-dubbing of Lionel Ritchie’s ridiculous video “Hello,” Deven Green practically owns the word “Hello” on the internet.
Today Deven Green and her hunky husband Joel Bryant join us today to give us a sneak peek at their upcoming projects which include a cooking reality TV show , a vampire/zombie web series and a song written on the ukulele just for us.
The word “Hello” was championed as the preferred phone greeting by Thomas Edison, it was a hit song for the Beatles, the Doors and later on Lionel Ritchie, and now it has now become associated with comedian Deven Green.
With the viral success of her parody videos on 80s soap opera stars where she proclaims “Why Hello” and her recent re-dubbing of Lionel Ritchie’s ridiculous video “Hello,” the greeting has become so closely associated with Deven Green that she practically owns it on the internet.
Brace yourselves, Deven Green and her hunky husband Joel Bryant join us today to give us a sneak peek at their upcoming projects which include a cooking reality TV show on TLC, a vampire and zombie web series and a song on the ukulele written just for us.
Happy IDAHO, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. But shouldn’t that be IDA-HOT? Oh no, the “T” is silent yet again!
YouTube celebrates their 5 year anniversary with professionally made videos on people whose lives were changed by the video sharing site.
Horror of horrors, Wikipedia replaces a Klingon character from its logo with a character from the Amharic language, which may or may not be spoken more widely than the artificial language created for the Star Trek film and tv series.
And a cute little robot called the I-Fairy conducts a straight wedding ceremony in Japan even though same-sex marriage is not legal in that country.
Shoutout to Austin Young (for his fabulous Nagel-inspired photo of Deven) and Pandora Boxx for turning us on to Shayna Ferm’s music.
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Join us at Pridefest Milwaukee
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Shayna Ferm And The Upper Deckers – Blonde: iTunes | Amazon
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Writer and oral historian E Patrick Johnson spent two years traveling the South to interview almost a hundred men for his extraordinary book Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South. He’s now briging these men’s stories to life with a theatrical adapation of the book.
Listen as we talk about the responsibility of performing these men’s powerful stories and on the unnerving use of slur words in books, films and theater.
Writer and oral historian E Patrick Johnson spent two years traveling the South to interview almost a hundred men for his extraordinary book Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South.
E. Patrick Johnson put a lot of love into the project and now he’s bringing these men’s stories to life with a theatrical adaptation of the book- Sweet Tea: The Play, produced by About Face Theater now playing in Chicago at the Viaduct Theater until May 29.
Listen as E. Patrick tells us about the responsibility of performing these men’s stories and he weighs in on the unnerving use of slur words in books, films and theater.
What is the best way for writers and artists to handle taboo slur words? Do we avoid them, embrace them or look to them for a deeper understanding of who we are and why people hate?
Hot news:
The Illinois Department of Public Health runs a bizarre ad campaign demonizing gay men as disease ridden Frankenstein monsters in of all places, the back page of a gay newspaper. Who was sleeping on the job when they ran such a hateful ad?
Due to the success of the Betty White Saturday night live Facebook group, new groups are popping up all across the social network begging for their favorite celebrity to become the next host of the show.
Updates on Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee Kagan and more on George Rekers, the boy hungry, anti-gay Baptist preacher.
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Featured Book:
E. Patrick Johnson- Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South: Amazon
Featured Music:
Antony & The Johnsons – I Am a Bird Now: iTunes
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13372 downloads
Being born into a famous family is never easy, so it’s refreshing to hear that James Duke Mason, the son of 80s pop star Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s, and grandson of Hollywood actor James Mason is not only well adjusted, he’s fabulously gay.
Today Duke talks with us over the Internet from his home in the south of France about his film debut in “You Can’t Have it All” and his mom’s new autobiography “Lips Unsealed” where she admits it was cool in the 80s to kiss girls.
Being born into a famous family is never easy, so it’s refreshing to hear that James Duke Mason, the son of 80s pop star Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s, and grandson of Hollywood actor James Mason is not only well adjusted, he’s fabulously gay.
Duke (as he likes to be called) came out at the age of 14 when he pitched a fit because his mom said she was too busy to take him to see the iconic gay film, Brokeback Mountain. Since then, he’s gotten politically active by working for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and video blogging on YouTube where he enthusiastically spreads a message of pride.
Here is a photo of Duke taken at a pool party with actor Ryan Phillippe. Want to know what transpired during this party? Listen to the show and find out.
This fall, Duke is moving to Los Angeles where he plans on studying film-making and politics with the hopes of bringing a new energy to the gay rights movement.
Today Duke talks with us over the Internet from his home in the south of France. Listen as we talk to Duke about his film debut in You Can’t Have it All, his mom’s new autobiography, “Lips Unsealed: A Memoir,”where she admits it was cool in the 80s to kiss girls, and why he took down most of his YouTube videos.
Duke has some strong words for closeted gay celebrities and politicians and addresses head-on why some young people must embrace the label of being gay.
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Join us at Pridefest Milwaukee
Over over a hundred and fifty acts including Kathy Griffin,
Patti LaBelle, and Joan Rivers! Visit Pridefest.com today
to get your tickets and book your hotel room.
Featured Book:
Belinda Carlisle – Lips Unsealed: A Memoir: Amazon
Featured Music:
Belinda Carlisle – Voilà : iTunes | Amazon
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Tired of just having a one night stand with Jesus and he doesn’t call you back? Well, maybe it’s because you’re not listening. There’s no escaping God’s massive love, so get ready for the Best Church of God, the only church God goes to, ever.
Today, the hilarious sister Lindsay Goldapp and brother Scott Levy help us to find the true meaning of the Bible and boost our self-esteem with the knowledge that, thankfully, not everybody will go to heaven.
Tired of just having a one night stand with Jesus and he doesn’t call you back? Well, maybe it’s because you’re not praying hard and long enough! There’s no escaping God’s massive love, so get ready to fill that cavernous hole inside you with fabulous music from the Best Church of God, the only church God goes to, ever!
The church’s choir director Mike Descoteaux brought over two of his most dedicated parishioners, sister Lindsay Goldapp and brother Scott Levy to help us find the true meaning of the Bible and boost our self-esteem with the knowledge that, thankfully, not everybody will go to Heaven.
A comedy group 6,000 years in the making, the Best Church of God is relocating to Donnie’s Sky Box, a fabulous comedy venue located deep inside the Second City Compound, where all comedy firearms are licensed by God and the only deaths are from laughter. We just wonder how many Xenu points you have to accumulate before you reach the top of the Tina Fey pyramid.
Plus hot news:
An Israeli man is sent to prison for 10 years for tricking women into having sex with him by saying his semen was holy and had healing powers.
A Muslim American journalist speaks out against the radical website “Revolution Muslim” that directed veiled threats against the creators of the TV show South Park for depicting Mohamed in a recent episode.
Janice Dickinson attacks pop star Mick Jagger, saying she couldn’t get no satisfaction from the modest size of his manhood.
And congratulations again Israel, the iPad is now approved for sale in the Holy Land, after weeks of banning the tablet computer over concerns its wireless signal could disrupt other devices and block signals from heaven.
Check out today’s sponsors:
Join us at Pridefest Milwaukee
Over over a hundred and fifty acts including Kathy Griffin,
Patti LaBelle, and Joan Rivers! Visit Pridefest.com today
to get your tickets and book your hotel room.
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13658 downloads
Was this the gayest opening number for any awards ceremony yet?
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