ASK DR. HAL!’s HOWLL-in’ HAL-lowe’en Eve!
Monday, October 26th, 2009“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.”
–Shakespeare, As You Like It. Act ii. Sc. 1.
Chicken John
presents
== THE GENUINE & ORIGINAL ==
ASK Dr. HAL! SHOW
NOW PLAYING AT THE
Chez Poulet Gallery-Cabaret
3359 Army (Cesar Chavez St.)
San Francisco, California
[Where Mission St. Joins Cesar Chavez]
And take note:
WE’RE NOW ON FRIDAYS!
FRIDAY, October 30th!
THE DAY BEFORE HALLOWE’EN
THE FINAL FRIDAY IN OCTOBER…
THE EVE OF ALL HALLOWS EVE!
NINE P.M. SHARP!
===DOORS OPEN AT 8:30 PM===
THE PRE-SHOW begins about Eight-Thirty.
We will be starting as close to Nine PM as we can.
Despite a long history of lagging audiences, we won’t
hold the curtain as we have in the past–
WE CLOSE, ideally, before Midnight, to give our East Bay friends the chance to
make it in time to catch the last train from the 24th St. BART Station, a few short
blocks North of the CHEZ POULET GALLERY-CABARET [Last East Bay train departs
about 12:16 AM] in S.F.’s colorful Mission District!
OUR HORRENDOUS
HALLOWE’EN SPOOK-TACULAR! (heh, heh, heh…)
Yes! You read it right! The original, unabridged & authentic
Ask Dr.Hal! Show
(beware of derivative question-and-answer shows)
now bursts again onto the scene–
with Chicken John & all your favorite
crew! With Robert Levy at the door!
KrOB at the controls!
Pete Goldie’s Science Scoops!
David “Yo-Yo King” Capurro body-surfs
the Internet!
Dr. Hal answers your queries!
They’re all back– doing
the show once more! Everybody–even– Woo-hoo!
–Frank Chu!
It’s just as if we never left!
Admission $10.00
The Dr. Hal Report
Vol. XII No. 3
——————————-
C O N T E N T S :
+ KARTOON : A STAR IS BORN —
PORKY’S DUCK HUNT DEBUTS
DAFFY DUCK IN EARLY TEX AVERY
WARNER BROS. WONDER
+KrOB MONSTER MASTERPIECE
SHOWCASES SATAN, IMPS IN
PERFORMANCE TO BE DAMNED FOR
+ NEWS: DR. HAL ART
OPENING NOW UP & RUNNING
@ MERCURY CAFE
+TOM KENNEDY TRIPARTITE SILENT ART AUCTION
IS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28TH
+ LAST BENEFIT FOR ACE AUTO THIS
HALLOWE’EN NIGHT AT CELLSPACE
+ SOCIAL NOTES
+ VERY LATEST PUZ-EV YOU TUBE KLIPS
————————————————
ASK DR. HAL!’s HOWLLin’ HALlowe’en Eve!
=== HILARIOUS TERROR– SERVED UP WITH TERRIFYING HILARITY! ===
With… UNIQUE ANIMATED CARTOON PRESENTATION–
Porky’s Duck Hunt (1937)
Another in our series of
the best American cartoons!
Lovingly selected–by KrOB…
Porky’s Duck Hunt is actually a cartoon KrOB’s wanted to show for a while. Though without the rat-a-tat-tat
pace of later cartoons– this short subject precedes the frame-by-frame study of speed and timing developed
later at the “Termite Terrace” cartoon studio on the Warners’ lot by Clampett, Avery and especially Jones–
it seems a good choice for Fall, and it does contain a couple of stand-out sequences. And, it’s mainly notable
for being the first appearance of the character Daffy Duck. This would seem arguable, as in the endless
contention about who invented Bugs Bunny (we at Ask Dr. Hal! vote for Clampett, though Avery usually gets
the credit in the cinema articles and Jones partisans would characteristically disagree).
In our view, although
the duck, despite his familiar sable livery and neck ring, seems fairly generic, when he talks, something clicks–
it’s Daffy, all right. And we owe it all to the immortal Mel Blanc, whose voice animated the Warners cartoon
stable as much as did the animators. Indeed, this is also the first cartoon in which Blanc voiced both Porky
and Daffy. Originally scheduled only to provide the speaking voice of the duck, Blanc had won the part of Porky
earlier that year.
Bob Clampett once told this author that the pig stuttered because so did his original voice
provider (Joe Dougherty).
But after the cartoon Porky’s Romance, Dougherty was fired by the studio for not
being able to control his stutter!
Anyway, Porky’s Duck Hunt turned out to be a very popular cartoon, known
in movie houses for its crowd-pleasing gags and the debut of Daffy Duck, and it met with very positive reviews.
Only a year later, this cartoon was reworked by Avery as Daffy Duck and Egghead, which was in color. In that
cartoon, Daffy is officially given his name, and Porky’s role was filled by Egghead, another Avery-created
character who was ultimately to evolve into Elmer Fudd
(in Elmer’s Candid Camera (1940). We at Ask Dr. Hal!
are not enthralled with what Jones made of Daffy in the 50’s, although this represents many people’s
only view of the character from TV exposure during the 70s, before they stopped showing these cartoons at all–
a spluttering, neurotic and greed-obsessed foil for an ultra-laid-back, gay-seeming Bugs Bunny. But the
unadulterated Daffy had a good run up to then. WATCH for the cameo appearance of odious, now-forgotten
comedian Joe Penner, whose signature line, as heard here, was, “Wanna buy a duck?” Caution: BEWARE
of the colorized, truncated versions of this cartoon, particularly the atrocity (badly) re-drawn in the Orient
during the 70s, some lame-brain executive’s decision– the sad fate of all the black and white Porkys. The true
version, with which KrOB will begin our show, is in black and white and has a very special end title (with Daffy
goofing all over the lettering), an Avery trade mark.
Don’t come too late, or you will miss this…
Also with…
HORRIFYING KLASSIC KrOB MONSTER EDIT:
REVELS OF CHERN-O-BOG (Night on Bare Mountain)
This is our idea of Hallowe’en programming. And– it’s one of those things– we and KrOB are quite familiar
with it. Both of us used to wonder if selections like these were too familiar to show our audience. But now we
know– all this stuff has simply dropped from general view. Last week to our amazement even the learned Pete
Goldie couldn’t identify the classic animation KrOB had up as part of the pre-show. That’s why we bring it back–
the products of genius should be seen.
But… what is it? Aha! Our more informed readers have already guessed. As for the rest of you, involved copyright
issues prohibit us from going into more detail. It’s one of the all-time masterpieces of the pre-digital cinema, is
what it is. Hand-drawn, with supreme artistry. But why is it good for Hallowe’en?
That will become evident at the proper time and place. You know, we were talking to attendee distractingly
beautiful Kate Willett at our last show. When we idly asked what she thought of the cartoons we screen, her dark
eyes grew wider as she told us that she deliberately avoided them, for a curious reason– she finds them…
frightening. That’s right, cartoons. Porky Pig– frightening. Well, folks, that may be an atypical reaction– to fear
drawings that move. But be that as it may, here’s the thing– to any imaginative person, this upcoming animated
segment is frightening! Really– coy Kate should stay well away from this one. It’s a supreme scene of supernatural
dread and religious terror, informed by centuries of belief and occult tradition. Y’know, if that’s not an all-time
bargain, Pilgrim, we’ll eat our Fez. Remarkable! Educational! View it all on our Giant Screen. It’s just one small
fractal fragment of the totality to be experienced at our unique and well-travelled night club show; once more we
bring it to our outré but receptive audience. But not for the easily frightened. Fully narrated, of course, by Dr. Hal.
Read the latest hard-hitting interview
with Dr. Hal on Laughing Squid’s Blog:
http://laughingsquid.com/a-conversation-with-hal-robins/
CHICKEN JOHN! KrOB ON THE JOB! FRANK CHU JOINS THE KREWE!
VISIT PETE GOLDIE’S PLACE — IN SPACE! CAPPY TROLLS ONLINE
FOR SIGHT-GAG 7th HEAVEN! NO BAR– BUT YOU CAN DRINK!
(JUST BRING YOUR OWN)
NEWS – ONGOING SHOWS
“THE PRODUCTIONS OF TIME” –Dr. HAL’S NEW ART SHOW!
For everyone who missed Dr. Hal’s last art show, some of the images shown there are now featured again,
together with new and previously unshown works. It’s all happening at the Mercury Café, 201 Octavia Street
(at Page). The opening party featured entertainment by Dr. Hal and KrOB. Keep watching this space for our
announcement of the closing party, which, when it happens, in addition to another appearance by the
demented duo, will present a live performance by Dr. Hal ably assisted by KrOB’s visual and auditory magic!
It will also be an opportunity for those who are interested to purchase a limited number of Dr. Hal’s books, The
Meaning of Lost and Mismatched Socks (which is becoming quite a rarity– Random House is now out of
them), Dinosaur Alphabet and Alien Apocalypse 2006, including autographed and dedicated copies.
This may be the last best chance to get some of these. Art Prints of many of the pictures can be ordered from
Studio Reflex of San Francisco– pick up a form at the show. The Mercury, serving organic and fair trade
coffees and locally produced foods, can be reached at (415) 252-7855.
ONE NIGHT ONLY
FREE 3-PART AUCTION TO BENEFIT THE ESTATE OF TOM KENNEDY
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28th
In April our friend the amazing artist Tom Kennedy died in a tragic drowning accident at Ocean Beach in
San Francisco. The Ripper Journey Foundation has been established in his memory, and a three-part art
auction fundraiser will take place from October 28th through November 12th at the Jellyfish Gallery, 1286
Folsom Street in San Francisco. The public is invited to participate and attend free of charge.
Tom Kennedy passed away April 12, 2009 while body-surfing. He left behind a legacy as a pioneering
sculptural artist, social agitator and builder of more than twenty Art Cars. As a founding member of the
Art Car Movement, his works evolved into symbols of political protest and peacekeeping. Tom envisioned his
beloved and most recognized art car, Ripper the Friendly Shark, traveling around the world with a crew called
the Friend Patrol. Together they would inspire and support friendship and peace in conflict zones where
people perceived as enemies live and work together. The art auction will raise money to send Ripper the
Friendly Shark on this mission at least once a year. The three-part fundraiser will kick off on October 28th
with a silent auction and live performances and wrap up on November 12th with another live auction. An
ever-growing list of artists has donated artwork to be auctioned with all proceeds to benefit the Ripper
Journey Foundation. Featured artists include, among others, Haideen Anderson, Margot Duane, Karen
Cusolito, Michael Christian, Brian Goggin, Dan Das Mann, Jon Alloway and Kal Spelletich. The event,
featuring Dr. Howland Owll and a special performance by Mark Growden and Phat Mandee, will also
showcase photos, art and videos about Tom Kennedy and the Ripper Journey Foundation created in his
memory. All pieces in the silent auction will also be online at
tomkennedyart.com.
EVENT DETAILS
Venue: Jellyfish Gallery at 1286 Folsom Street, San Francisco
October 28th ~ Opening Night
6:00 PM until Midnight
This announcement adapted from Scott Beale’s write-up on Laughing Squid. For complete information, go to:
http://laughingsquid.com/tom-kennedy-art-auction-to-benefit-the-ripper-journey-foundation-in-memory-of-tom-kennedy/
HALLOWE’EN NIGHT SHOW & BENEFIT FOR ACE AUTO’S BILL THE JUNKMAN
AT CELLSPACE
Saturday, October 31st, more than a dozen bands, performers and DJs will sing swan songs to everybody’s
favorite junkyard in San Francisco to raise funds for the Junk Man who has run it for a quarter century as a
selfless patron of all those who turn mere ‘dumpster diving’ into the art of divining precious obtainium. The sad,
inescapable fact is that the legendary Ace Auto Dismantlers will itself be dismantled by the last day of the year.
Meanwhile there’s a Hallowe’en night ruckus planned at CELLspace to raise spirits and funds for the man
behind the yard. Artists, musicians and metal-reanimators will return 2.5 decades of favors, and throw a
party to scare away the bill collectors scratching at Bill the Junkman’s chamber door. YOU can come and put
some much needed cash in the till, and get rocked, amused, bemused, and dance your junk off. Featured artists
include:
XTRA ACTION MARCHING BAND
MARK GROWDEN
ATTABOY & BURKE
LOS BANOS
SEEMEN
…and many more. With your horrifying hosts, John Hell & Dr. Hal. If you’re wondering “where to go” on this year’s
Hallowe’en Night (kind of like New Year’s) and want to try something novel, this is for you. Doors are 8PM, show
starts at 9. Ticket price is $10 sliding all the way up to how much art and culture mean to you. Please be generous–
Bill has tens of thousands in legal fees from trying to fight eviction and related costs. Dress like a junkyard zombie,
a piece of haunted junk, the ghost of Power Tool Drag Races past– remember that? –a homeless trash pile, or a
nuclear-irradiated pirate on a garbage skiff. The Bill the Junkman Look-alike contest is sure to be a hoot (girls
and guys both encouraged to enter!). This notice adapted from Mikl-em’s Guest Post on Laughing Squid– read the
whole thing here:
http://laughingsquid.com/halloween-night-show-benefit-for-ace-autos-bill-the-junkman-cellspace/
A Central Services production.
SOCIAL NOTES
This Ask Dr. Hal! thing really seems to have momentum! The crowds are coming to the old Chez Poulet
Gallery-Cabaret… This week, though, we’ll really be putting that to the test on the day before Hallowe’en.
Sure, we’ll be up against a million parties– but some folks apparently would rather take in ADH than bob
for apples, or the contempo equivalent… We won’t have apples, as far as we know, but we’re determined
to do a show that respects the values of the season, despite how it gets more commercial every year &
all that– kackling KrOB’s got some tasty selections he’s itchin’ to screen, & he and diligent Dr. Hal‘ll be seen
here & there at various venues (see NEWS, above) before they toss the old punkins out… But back at the
show, we’re still making interesting discoveries… Like, f’rexample, how creative Chicken’s discovered that he
doesn’t haveta work too hard to make the potted Pot-Smoking Guys laff– in fact, those guys– jocose Juhani
Smith & knocked-dead Ken Kneisel ‘ll laff at anything chatty Chicken sez! Sure makes our jolly job
(Entertainment with a capital E) eeasier… Was that muckity-mucks Mr. & Mrs. Brody Culpepper in the
house, something that happens once a Coon’s age? (If you wanna know what that figger is, brainy Brody could
tell ya… Jolly Jascha Ephraim (pronounced A-Frame) & posse were there… we saw ’em… Magnificent Max
found his way thru our doors… ditto anxious Andy Antrobus & mellow Molly Mulier, a gen-u-inely generic
couple… ‘N howabout that kute Kate Willett… Is she there for us or for the after-party? 1nce th’ whip-its give
out, we’ll know… Her man, manly Marc Roper, already knows the answer… Photog Puzzling Evidence was
shooting us more for You Tube entries on his PuzEv TV site, right? Several times at recent venues, the perplext
Puzzler‘s found himself mistaken by various individdles for none other than judicious John Law… Then it
happened again at our show… ‘S odd as that is, what was odder was that the real, jenuine J.L. was standing
right there! Wotta hash; maybe ’twas th’ tash… But tho proud Puzzo does indeed sport one of the most
magnificent mustachios ever to compete in the Arena of Facial Foliage, a mustache does not a judicious John
Law make… Th’ reason being, jaunty John these daze displaze a bristly beard, not weird, but also clearly no
soup-strainer, & that’s a no-brainer… rebarbative of him, eh? Always re-stylin’ the shrubbery… Some of our
“regulars” didn’t make it, tho– where were damozel Dawn Stott, princely Paul Pot, or luscious Lynn
Rubenzer? What’s the answer? We also missed radiant Robin Coomer– thought she might be there– there
was a rumor– all were absent from the krewe… And friendly Frank Chu– where were you?
AMAZING, AMUSING PUZZLING EVIDENCE YOU TUBE CLIPS!
Did you know you can watch some of the show right this minute? Well, thanx to Puzzling
Evidence, you can! Go ahead– scope out a few of the hi-lites from previous episodes of Ask Dr. Hal!
—on You Tube! It’s easy! It’s fun! It’s time-consuming! And it’s technologically au courant, and absolutely
the next best thing to being there in person! You need to visit his wonderful site, with rare video of the
Lost Galleon La Contessa and many wonders unrelated to our show– HELCO from Burning Man ’96,
various festivals and performances of all your faves– as well as our stuff from the links below. How?
How, you say? You do? Why are you talking to your computer? Go ahead– just click, clickety-click, on these
handy URLs. Remember, if it won’t play, try watching in High Quality…
Our second show of the latest run— straw telescopes seek Cassini Probe porn, with Phat Mandee
warbling “Over the Rainbow” in the background! It’s our October 16th show, its hour come round at
last (Pt. 1):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/2/TNz1un4qzWA
Saturn-shine on the moons of Saturn up against the Three Body Problem in the new “invisible” ring;
Cosmic Splat on Iapetus. What flavor ice cream is Hal, you ask? Answered October 16th (Pt. 2):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/1/rgLjQx0yECc
Light bulb eating by Chicken John and Phat Mandee consumes a priceless antique Edison-Mazda bulb
October 16th (Pt. 3):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/0/SCP6w2S1zcY
Cougars and their ways then become the topic– this was the ruling October 16th (Pt. 4):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/3/WA4-1q9cpdg
Zombies and Poetry— do they… go together? Here’s what we said October 16th (Pt. 5):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/2/VigfjfFtotA
Our prevue show features Moon Matters, & Pete Goldie offers a lunar lunchpail on October 9th (Pt. 1):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/7/OE2n6ph_aNs
Then after more Selenitic sensationalism Pete gives Chicken a needed lesson in courtesy, aided by
the Politeness Pachyderm, a.k.a. the Polite Elephant. This was on October 9th (Pt. 2):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/6/xEKerwUwodA
Dr. Hal enters with an excerpt from Milton‘s L’Allegro, somewhat bungled as always– then… From our
October 9th show (Pt. 3):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/5/Nc-GK1Vds8A
Love and other things, Hell, clay, pebbles, meters, Chaco Taco’s Op-ish birth story, carnys, BigTop
peanuts, hay, barkers, cops, burlesque girls, vagina dentata, THC-induced delirium, clicking sounds,
Dawn‘s laugh, Don Fisher, Jesus‘ middle name, you name it… on October 9th (Pt. 4):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/4/7OQ7eO45YJM
Picking up some still life while being “gingered” by a microwaved viking dressed in a paisley fractal
art barge….priceless. At least, we hoped so– on October 9th (Pt. 5):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/3/co14OqXtjUs
As advertised, so-called Siamese Twins— Dannygirl Waters & Katy Bell essay absent Chicken‘s role,
first bringing on Attaboy— this is all on August 19th (Pt. 1):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/31/jTG6UKqk4PY
Then Pete Goldie struts his stuff in Space, thanx to the Distaff Duo August 19th (Pt. 2):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/30/-nxzwUDbbho
The Siamese Twinlets bring out Dr. Hal, and it all gets metaphysical August 19th (Pt. 3):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/29/9pAeEgc8K0I
Dr. Hal‘s personal sexual preferences & Default Mode are then revealed August 19th (Pt. 4):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/28/EY8v_RcBcPY
A Shropshire Lad is folded in as a mandatory recitation, still August 19th (Pt. 5):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/27/ko3vntTe5gM
It all concludes with a query on ectoplasm– but why not? A $20 Buck Question! –and
Puzzling Evidence huffs a record amount of Church Air, all on August 19th (Pt. 666):
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PuzzlingEvidenceTV#p/u/26/-ZWceYQdTcI