The Cool Chick (adj): A female that embodies the essence of pure, undiluted cool; witty, brilliant, snarky, and most importantly, has bigger balls than her "Cool Dude" counterpart.
Mary Jo Pehl is a cool chick. As a writer and performer on the cult classic TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000, she helped to create one of the most brilliant and subversive shows to ever hit the airwaves (A monumental task considering the show's premise was basically, "a couple of puppets and one human make fun of bad movies").
From her portrayal as a head on a tray (Jan in the Pan) to the bitingly funny mad scientist-from-hell Pearl Forrester, Mary Jo taught us that a funny woman can encompass more than a couple of throw-away lines about a pap smear, she can be down-right dangerous. And that my friends is a hilariously beautiful thing.
Now, eleven years after the show went off the air, most of the cast has reunited to create Cinematic Titanic, which combines the tradition of MST3K with a more adult-centric attitude. Between the live shows across the country and the DVDs, MST3K fans have finally found a reason to live...or to at least leave their parent's basement.
FOG snagged some time with Madam Cool Chick as she and the CT cast finished their East Coast tour to chat a bit about life on the road, fanatical MST3K fans, Austin, TX and performing with the old gang.
FOG: With the popularity of Cinematic Titanic, are you surprised by the seemingly never-ending love that Mistie fans still have have for you guys even though the show has been off the air for more than a decade? To this day I run into people who are still following MST3K on websites like Satellite News and other forums as well as trading DVD and VHS tapes searching for the perfect copy of The Incredible Melting Man. When you see all of us freaks at the Cinematic Titanic shows do you ever have that Shatner moment where you want to say, "Get a Life?" because I would understand completely if you did.
MJP: Actually, I fear if fans start getting a life it'll put us out of business! And not to sound corny or anything, but we are having such a ball with CT and the live shows, and we know couldn't do it without all y'all. Josh (J. Elvis Weinstein) has this great bit in the opening act where he says that MST3K fans are the greatest fans ever, and with long attention spans. Not only did each episode last 2 hours, they're STILL fans after 10 plus years!
FOG: Speaking of Cinematic Titanic, what's it like to work with most of the former MST3K cast again?
MJP: It's really great. Joel (Hodgson), Josh, Frank (Conniff) and Trace (Beaulieu) are so funny and so smart. When you surround yourself with such talent and such brains, it really makes you work to the top of your ability-fart jokes not withstanding.
FOG: Any great behind-the-scenes debauchery you would like to share?
MJP: Joel made me try sushi once.
FOG: The CT crew are touring pretty regularly in venues all across the country. Do you enjoy the energy of the live audience and traipsing around the US performing like rock stars to a bunch of fanatics, many of whom are completely high? Or would you rather sit in the safety of a recording studio and not have to worry about the jokes falling flat if an audience sucks?
MJP: We all got our start in stand-up comedy and/or improv, so we definitely feed off that live energy. We've found that doing it live creates a sort of three-way dialog among the movie, the audience and the performers. We have found that we prefer it to a studio performance.
FOG: As a former Austinite I have to say that I'm pretty stoked to have you sharing the same soil that I was on when I first started watching MST3K in the wee early 90s. How has the laid-back attitude of Austin affected you creatively? And most importantly, have you discovered the wonderful Austin hangover cure of a breakfast burrito with re-fried beans followed by a cold Shiner Bock beer?
MJP: Austin is a great place for writers and artists and musicians, as you well know. I'm really lucky in that I have a lot of opportunities to be creative, between my freelance writing and writing and performing for Cinematic Titanic.
Never had a breakfast burrito. but I do love breakfast tacos. But the thought of it after a night of partying accompanied by Shiner Bock makes me a little ill. I prefer diet Coke.
FOG: As a writer for a Geek-centric website, I would be remiss if I didn't ask you that age old question all Mistie's have nerd-fought over for almost two decades...who do you prefer, Kirk or Picard?
MJP: Mal.
Awesome.
You can find more information on all of Mary Jo's upcoming projects on her website here.
From her portrayal as a head on a tray (Jan in the Pan) to the bitingly funny mad scientist-from-hell Pearl Forrester, Mary Jo taught us that a funny woman can encompass more than a couple of throw-away lines about a pap smear, she can be down-right dangerous. And that my friends is a hilariously beautiful thing.
Now, eleven years after the show went off the air, most of the cast has reunited to create Cinematic Titanic, which combines the tradition of MST3K with a more adult-centric attitude. Between the live shows across the country and the DVDs, MST3K fans have finally found a reason to live...or to at least leave their parent's basement.
FOG snagged some time with Madam Cool Chick as she and the CT cast finished their East Coast tour to chat a bit about life on the road, fanatical MST3K fans, Austin, TX and performing with the old gang.
FOG: With the popularity of Cinematic Titanic, are you surprised by the seemingly never-ending love that Mistie fans still have have for you guys even though the show has been off the air for more than a decade? To this day I run into people who are still following MST3K on websites like Satellite News and other forums as well as trading DVD and VHS tapes searching for the perfect copy of The Incredible Melting Man. When you see all of us freaks at the Cinematic Titanic shows do you ever have that Shatner moment where you want to say, "Get a Life?" because I would understand completely if you did.
MJP: Actually, I fear if fans start getting a life it'll put us out of business! And not to sound corny or anything, but we are having such a ball with CT and the live shows, and we know couldn't do it without all y'all. Josh (J. Elvis Weinstein) has this great bit in the opening act where he says that MST3K fans are the greatest fans ever, and with long attention spans. Not only did each episode last 2 hours, they're STILL fans after 10 plus years!
FOG: Speaking of Cinematic Titanic, what's it like to work with most of the former MST3K cast again?
MJP: It's really great. Joel (Hodgson), Josh, Frank (Conniff) and Trace (Beaulieu) are so funny and so smart. When you surround yourself with such talent and such brains, it really makes you work to the top of your ability-fart jokes not withstanding.
FOG: Any great behind-the-scenes debauchery you would like to share?
MJP: Joel made me try sushi once.
FOG: The CT crew are touring pretty regularly in venues all across the country. Do you enjoy the energy of the live audience and traipsing around the US performing like rock stars to a bunch of fanatics, many of whom are completely high? Or would you rather sit in the safety of a recording studio and not have to worry about the jokes falling flat if an audience sucks?
MJP: We all got our start in stand-up comedy and/or improv, so we definitely feed off that live energy. We've found that doing it live creates a sort of three-way dialog among the movie, the audience and the performers. We have found that we prefer it to a studio performance.
FOG: As a former Austinite I have to say that I'm pretty stoked to have you sharing the same soil that I was on when I first started watching MST3K in the wee early 90s. How has the laid-back attitude of Austin affected you creatively? And most importantly, have you discovered the wonderful Austin hangover cure of a breakfast burrito with re-fried beans followed by a cold Shiner Bock beer?
MJP: Austin is a great place for writers and artists and musicians, as you well know. I'm really lucky in that I have a lot of opportunities to be creative, between my freelance writing and writing and performing for Cinematic Titanic.
Never had a breakfast burrito. but I do love breakfast tacos. But the thought of it after a night of partying accompanied by Shiner Bock makes me a little ill. I prefer diet Coke.
FOG: As a writer for a Geek-centric website, I would be remiss if I didn't ask you that age old question all Mistie's have nerd-fought over for almost two decades...who do you prefer, Kirk or Picard?
MJP: Mal.
Awesome.
You can find more information on all of Mary Jo's upcoming projects on her website here.
1 comments:
Loved Mary Jo Pehl as Pearl. Glad to read she's still kicking ass...and has great taste in space captains. :D
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