Listen to New Voices on Studs Terkel our partnership with 826CHI-here! Read the Story
Showing 1 - 15 of 20 results
Woody Allen discusses his life and art, the influence of both success and failure on his work, and how he finds comedy in life’s difficulties and trials. He discusses his first screenplay, “What’s Up Pussycat?” and other comedians who have influenced the development of his own comedic work, including Mort Sahl, Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, and George S. Kaufman.
While performing some of their original material, comedians Vic Greco and Fred Willard talk about how they come up with their ideas for their shows. Always the entertainers, and while talking over one another, Greco and Willard explain that most of what they do on stage is improvisation.
The comedic creative force of Lily Tomlin and Tomlin's comedy writer Jane Wagner discuss the character of Edith Ann as well as the bag lady, Trudy. The comic geniuses discuss with Studs Terkel the new release "Edith Ann: My Life So Far". Tomlin assumes the character of Edith Ann to relay stories of her life in a dysfunctional family as a six year old. Edith Ann writes letters to Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, and Senate representatives to get her message heard. She tells the Senator that kids model grownups and grownups need to act better to protect the kids.
Comedians Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca talk about their work together. They explore the meaning and emotions behind comedy, improv, and pantomime and how the audience is involved with their shows. Sid recalls several of their skits and does a few examples of his dialects.
Discussing the book "Doing it with style" with the authors Donald Carroll and Quentin Crisp.
Marcel Marceau, a French mime, discusses the art behind mime including silence, humanity, and astonishment. Parts of an earlier interview with Marceau are also played.
Tomlin talks in depth about the characters she has created and played (Trudy the Bag Lady, Kate, Agnus Angst, Chrissy, Lynn, Marie, ) in the play "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" by Jane Wagner. Tomlin talks in detail about each character and inspirations and influences behind each, especially Trudy.
Self-proclaimed Love Goddess, Judy Tenuta, was also known as the Aphrodite of the Accordion, to her fans. Tenuta talks about how she saw Elvis in her Cheese Whiz and he told her to start her own religion, which is known as Judyism. Calling herself the Love Goddess came to be after her brothers literally kissed her hands and feet when she asked them to. This is a very short conversation that ends abruptly.
Lily Tomlin and her colleagues, George Boyd, Cheryl Swanek, Louis St. Louis and Larry Freeman talk about their working together. St. Louis says working with Lily is similar to being on an eternal vacation. Freeman says Lily will tell you if there's a problem with the production. Four of Tomlin's comic pieces are included in the interview.