Hello to all who stumble upon my little corner of the internet! Normally I don't deviate much outside of my content reviews, but I was asked if I was interested in participating in promoting this event and I accepted. I'm assuming most who read this board are fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, correct? If not, read some of my posts and familiarize yourself with it, ASAP! Those who do know what I'm talking about will be familiar with Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff, who played Dr. Clayton Forrester (also voicing Crow T. Robot) and TV's Frank on the series as a dynamic duo for five years before Frank's departure in season six (Trace graced us with his performance for two years beforehand and departed himself one year afterward). To many fans, they had the greatest comedic chemistry on the show.
Years later, Trace and Frank reunited for live riffing on Cinematic Titanic and after departing that project they created their own little live riffing project called The Mads are Back! I've been wanting to cover The Mads are Back on my blog for years, but they never toured in my neck of the woods in Idaho, so I've never had the pleasure, but I've heard nothing but wonderful things. I've always hoped someday they'd release some of their riffs online so I can get my Trace and Frank fix!
As just about anybody in the world knows, 2020 has sucked. The COVID-19 scare has been the deathblow to a lot of little businesses and even some big ones. Trace and Frank took a hit because they had to cancel all of their touring dates this year. Now we have the opportunity to support them online by tuning in to the a live streaming event where they riff the Ed Wood classic Glen or Glenda! The press release is seen down below.
(Note: In the email I received this in, I also got an offer to team up with these fine folks to give out free tickets to stream this event. I'm fishing for interest right now, so if you're interested in some sort of giveaway, let me know and if I see enough interest I'll see if I can set something up!)
Trace Beaulieu And Frank Conniff (“The Mads” From Mystery Science Theater 3000) Announce Livestream Screening Of Ed Wood’s Glen Or Glenda
Portion of Proceeds to Benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs
Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff, known to fans of the cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 as “Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank” respectively, have announced a special livestream screening of Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda on Tuesday, July 21 @ 8pm ET, with the two comedians (collectively known as “The Mads”) riffing over the 1953 dud. The show will mark Beaulieu & Conniff’s first time performing together this year, after The Mads’ 2020 tour dates were cancelled due to COVID-19. Tickets are on sale now for $10.
“If you’ve been social distancing yourself from Glen or Glenda, Trace and I are giving the all-clear to watch this classic film,” said Conniff. “Of all the movies we’ve riffed, from MST3K to Cinematic Titanic and our own live shows, this is our favorite. Join us!”
The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda will broadcast live via a private YouTube link that will be sent to ticket purchasers an hour prior to showtime. A percentage of the proceeds from the event will benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs, who engage primarily in training, education, and advocacy at the national and local levels.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 has its roots in Minneapolis, when it premiered on local affiliate KTMA-TV (now WUCW) on November 24, 1988. Comedian Joel Hodgson created and starred in the TV show, which found him playing a janitor in the “not-too-distant future” imprisoned aboard The Satellite of Love, forced to watch a series of bad movies in an effort to drive Joel and his robot friends insane. The show was eventually picked up by Comedy Central and later the Sci-Fi Channel, before being rebooted by Hodgson in 2017 for Netflix.
Beaulieu, who also provided the voice of “Crow T. Robot” during the show’s initial run, portrayed evil mad scientist “Dr. Clayton Forrester,” while Conniff acted as Forrester’s lab assistant and sidekick, known as “TV’s Frank.” Both Beaulieu and Conniff were writers on the show and have continued to collaborate since leaving MST3K, as members of the similarly-themed live show Cinematic Titanic, and also as co-hosts of the weekly movie podcast Movie Sign with The Mads.
In 2015, Beaulieu and Conniff began touring movie theaters throughout the country as The Mads Are Back, offering their signature brand of quick-witted commentary (known to MST3K fans as “riffing”) over numerous B-movies.
Glen or Glenda, named by critic Leonard Maltin as “possibly the worst movie ever made,” is Ed Wood’s semi-autobiographical docudrama which follows Glen (portrayed by Wood), a man who wrestles with his desire to cross-dress as his alter-ego, Glenda. The film, which opens with a bizarre performance by horror legend Bela Lugosi, has been ridiculed for its cheap production values and nonsensical narrative ever since its release. The troubled production of Glen or Glenda was chronicled in Tim Burton’s 1994 film Ed Wood.
“Glen or Glenda might be the worst movie ever made but it is also a film with great heart and compassion for the subject matter,” said Beaulieu. “I could be wrong. I’ve only seen it 50 times.”
The Mads will also be conducting a Q&A with fans after the screening for as long as time allows. Tickets for The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda are on sale now.
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