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Dick Richards
Dick Richards is the co-creator of The American Music Show. QT asked him a few questions about the show, its history, and its future.
QueerTelevision: What is The American Music Show?
Dick Richards: It’s a soap opera within the concept of a variety talk show. We feature real
people and real music events along with a large peripheral cast of made-up
characters, many of whom have evolved into almost-real: for example RuPaul,
DeAundra Peek, Duffy Odum, Betty Jack Devine
QT: What happens on a typical episode of TAMS?
DR: Our show is done with one main camera operated by Bud and another camera
pointed at Bud’s face so Potsy and I can talk to Bud in the TV on the set.
Therefore, the viewer sees what Bud, who controls the camera, wants us to
see; and since Bud is a fabulous photographer, it’s like watching a photograph
in motion. Often we go to different locations. We’ve telecast from a
beauty salon, a factory, on a car trip, from a moving train, from outer
space, at a political campaign office. We hid out in a bomb shelter and had
to wear gas masks during the Gulf War. But we actually construct these
locations inside our own studio because it’s too complicated to go outside.
That’s one of our main production secrets. Our studio is located in a
private home where we can have cocktails and proper refreshments without some
supervisor telling us, “You can’t do that in a TV studio!”
QT: Does the show have a mission?
DR:Yes, our mission is to hold open a tiny window through which the kinds of
unusual and inspired entertainment that we enjoy can escape into other
people’s homes for them to enjoy too. The media has so many filters, and we
try to provide an obscure side road around those.
QT: Is the feedback on the show always positive?
DR:When we first started our show in 1981, it was me, Potsy and James Bond.
James was an Atlanta City Council member and is the brother of civil rights
leader Julian Bond (Julian is currently National Chairman of the NAACP). Our
program originated then in the basement of James and Julian’s mother’s home.
Anyhow, James was very outspoken and the big newspaper had other issues with
both him and Julian, and the big newspaper criticized our program as perverse
and silly with interracial dating and gay sex, and used that as a part of a
vicious attack that eventually ended James’s political career and played a
part in Julian’s being run out of town. After that, James left the show and
Potsy and I continued with Bud “Beebo” Lowry joining us. We switched to
talking in code and using mental telepathy to convey controversial ideas
because we just don’t have any power - well, not enough to go up against those who
do. Now, the feedback is positive from all sorts of very nice and cute people
because we concentrate on doing our show for the people who like our kind of
show, and the people who wouldn’t like it don’t pay any attention to it
because they don’t understand what it is we do.
QT: TAMS has become a bit of a star factory. Whose careers have you launched
and who's your next big discovery?
 DR: We are so proud of RuPaul who was our very first write-in guest. He was
living with his sister in Atlanta then and saw us on public access and knew
his act was perfect for our show. We invited him on and it was love at first
sight. We showed RuPaul’s music, his movies, his press conferences, his rise
to the top. We still get to show the movies RuPaul did in Atlanta - Mahogony
II, American Porn Star, The Starbooty Series, Wild Thing - RuPaul is so good
to us! Our other successes include Lady Bunny of Wigstock fame whose first
appearance in drag was on our show, Lurleen Wallis a current feature in Paper
Magazine, teenage singing sensation DeAundra Peek who’s already a legend here
in Atlanta and has been on TV in England on several shows, Betty Jack Devine
who has gained regional recognition as a columnist for Eclipse Magazine.
Next on the list, we’re hoping for our new rock and roll hottie Crash Hotman,
DJ Tennessee a New York DJ but also a great music and comedy talent, and
ARGE an over-the-top creator of cartoon art. We’re still working on Duffy
Odum and the band Monkey One, but bands are very volatile and hard to do.
QT: If you had Regis' budget for your show, what would you do different?
DR: We would have a blimp with our logo great big on both sides of it and we
would broadcast live from it, and take trips in it too.
QT: As a producer, who has inspired your work?
DR: Lots and lots of stuff: the French absurdest playwrights like Ionesco, the
books of Kurt Vonnegut, The Illuminatus Trilogy, the Auntie Mame books and
movies, films of the 60’s and 70’s, popular music, art, cable TV, the many
brilliant people I get to be around; in fact, the best world’s fair, Expo 67
in Montreal, with all that exciting multiple imagery and design. I can
still sing the song about Ontario that was in one of the films. “A place to
live, a place to grow, Ontari . . .airy . . .airy . . .O!”
QT: Any plans for the future? How about mainstream television?
DR: Planning has never really worked for me. If I plan something, then it’s
pretty much not going to happen at all. Mainstream television is so 20th
Century. I don’t know how much longer anyone will want to think about that.
I do know that many people from around the world will enjoy seeing our
previous productions as well as something new. With the internet and all the
startup media, we’ll wait and see what happens. Every day is different and
shocking in its own way.
 Peaches For Me
by Segment Producer Andrew Nisker
What's up with Georgia? Eat a peach my ass. My new posse at The American Music Show sure know how to host a party minus the peaches. Wait a minute, did I say party? I thought it was a show. Well, no - it's a party that disguises itself as a show. That’s what good television is all about, isn’t it?
I’m sitting in Dick Richards living room, sippin' on Jimmy Beam and Coke. He pours himself a stiff gin and tonic with a big twist of lime as he explains that his program, The American Music Show, is the longest running cable access show in America. After what has already been a tough day of shooting, I have little patience for grifters who disguise themselves as characters from a John Waters film. Taking a big gulp and almost spewing up two ounces of Kentucky's finest, all I can say is "oh really?". Deep inside I didn't believe him; that was until he pointed me in the direction of the room next to where I was sitting. Engulfed in darkness, between the faint shadows I saw trashy furniture and studio lights.
Dick was the shit. This guy had taken his living room and turned it into make-believe real television show and in the process has launched the careers of RuPaul, Lady Bunny and their newest old discovery Betty Jack Devine. I was having drinks with a legend, and I didn't even know it.
Twenty-four hours later, I witnessed a live taping of the American Music Show. Dick was at the bar dishing out pre-show refreshments as Arthur (The Camera Guy) and I made our rounds speaking to the local talent pool. Dick showed us his dogs, poured us a drink and before we knew it the VHS camera was rolling and we were live (to tape). Having been on sets with Bryan Singer as he shot X-Men here in Toronto for, oh, $100M, it was refreshing to see Dick shoot his big show for a $1.99, the cost of a VHS cassette. Now let’s compare the X-Men to The American Music Show.
|
X Men |
American Music Show |
| Budget |
Limitless |
$1.99 |
| Catering |
You name it. |
Kentucky Bourbon and Coke/Gin and Tonic |
| Sets |
Large/ Plastic |
Junk from grave yards and the Salvation Army |
| Mascots |
None |
Tina and Peety (Dogs) |
| Crew |
Mostly straight |
Mostly queer |
| Audience |
Millions |
Forty on a good night |
| Cameras |
35mm Arriflex |
Panasonic VHS circa 1984 |
Independent television is alive and well in Atlanta, thanks to visionaries like Dick who consistently deliver. One day, when we’re all sittin' around eating pureed prunes and some nurse askes me what the highlight of my career in television was I’ll have to say it was the time I spent with Dick Richards and David Goldman. Most importantly they are a true inspiration for those of us who aspire to be creative but hold money as an excuse for limiting our artistic endevours. Dick Richards proves to us that if you have a $1.99 and an imagination then you too could have a television program.
As Always,
One Step Behind,
Andrew Nisker
Thinking of starting your own public-access show?
These ideas are already taken.
Driveways of the Rich and Famous - Hollywood, CA
http://www.driveways.com
Dark Currents - An "occult soap opera" from Northern Maine
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/3039/
Hare Krishna TV - from Houston, TX.
http://www.iskcon.net/hktv/
Brain Dead - Iowa City, IO. Sketch comedy from the land of corn.
http://www.leepfrog.com/~brog/
Jolly Joe Timmer - Pennsylvania's Polka King
http://www.jollyjoetimmer.com/
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