Allee Willis Blog

26Jan 2010

THE COLOR PURPLE coming back to LA. Feb. 10-28

26Jan 2010

THE COLOR PURPLE coming back to LA. Feb. 10-28

aw-tcp-pantages_1261

Fantasia as Celie. Fantastic cast, many from the original Broadway production. Five years of my life into the making of this baby. I’m very proud of it. If you’re in LA come to the Pantages.

20Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Christmas Pantyhose Dolls!

20Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Christmas Pantyhose Dolls!

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‘Tis the season to be celebrating all kinds of krazy krafts as the holidays seem to bring out the most enthusiastic and kitschy kualities in krafters. These kind of stuffed pantyhose dolls scare me more than Cabbage Patch dolls or apple people because it seems so gross to be using old garments that have snuggled so close to the sweet spot only to be caressed in their new lifeform like they were as fresh as the driven snow. Whoever made these has probably been stuffing their old pantyhose into a drawer since they first sprung on the market in the 1960s.

The wikipedia definition says that pantyhose are designed to:

be fashionable
ease chafing between the foot and footwear
keep the legs and feet warm
hide physical imperfections such as blemishes, bruises, scars, hair or varicose veins

I wouldn’t mind if its uses were confined to the above because the see-through skin on dolls with pantyhose skin also freaks me out. Not to mention the gingham and paisley outfits. I do love the ‘please don’t touch’ signs though. Don’t worry, I won’t. Merry Elephantiasis Christmas!

This fashionble bit of Kitsch is the winner of the prestigious Classique d’ Camembert award, the highest honor bestowed upon an object submitted to The Allee Willis Museum of Kitsch at awmok.com. I thank aKitschionado Jason Mercier for his excellent and discerning taste.

06Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Teapot Wool Cap

06Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Teapot Wool Cap

Teapot-hat-crop_1322

It just got freezing in LA. The skies are getting dark and gloomy, you need a heavy coat, it’s very un-LA like. The only thing that makes me feel okay about the cold invading the gorgeous, sunny west coast is that I get to wear my hats. I have a bunch of them that look like objects. This teapot cap keeps my head warm just like the real thing keeps the brewed stuff piping hot. I love this hat because it always stands up proud no matter what rains or snows on it. The only thing I don’t like is tea. Never could stand it, never will. I don’t care if it’s flavored, in ice cream, has 3 pounds of honey in it or what. When it comes to tea, this hat is as close to my mouth as it’ll ever get.

26Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Soupy Sales “Do The Mouse” Hat

26Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Soupy Sales “Do The Mouse” Hat

Soupy-Sales-hat-aw

One of the first rituals I ever remember doing with total religious fervor was eating my lunch every day with Soupy Sales. “Lunch with Soupy Sales”, his landmark kids show that launched in my hometown, Detroit, in 1953 and ran there exclusively until 1957 when it went nationwide on ABC, was mandatory noon viewing accompanied by my staple of one half peanut butter and jelly and one half tuna sandwich with a large glass of Sealtest milk spiked with several hits of Bosco.

Like the other zillions of kids watching I was into Pookie, Black Tooth and especially White Fang. But what I really dug, which I can’t believe I sensed at such an early age, was how free-form and irreverent Soupy was as a host, seemingly performing for his friends in the studio, lots of adlibs, in-jokes and laughing at himself. I remember thinking this guy knows how to throw a great party. All the other kids shows, all of which I also watched and loved, seemed very stiff compared to Soupy so he became one of my first genuine role models.

One of the first rituals I ever remember doing with total religious fervor was eating my lunch every day with Soupy Sales. “Lunch with Soupy Sales”, his landmark kids show that launched in my hometown, Detroit, in 1953 and ran there exclusively until 1957 when it went nationwide on ABC was mandatory noon viewing accompanied by my staple of one half peanut butter and jelly and one half tuna sandwich with a large glass of Sealtest milk spiked with several hits of Bosco. Like the other zillions of kids watching I was into Pookie, Black Tooth and especially White Fang, but what I really dug, which I can’t believe I sensed at such an early age, was how free-form and irreverent Soupy was as a host, seemingly performing for his friends in the studio, lots of adlibs, in-jokes and laughing at himself. I remember thinking this guy knows how to throw a great party. All the other kids shows, all of which I also watched and loved, seem very stiff compared to Soupy so he became one of my first genuine role models.

In 1965, Soupy put out a record called “Do The Mouse”. I went crazy for the little dance he did because rather than just putting his hands up to his head for ears he was always wiggling his fingers and I never saw a mouse ears move like that. Although the song was a classic sing-along type pop song, the track and vocal had elements of R&B and Soupy’s phrasing, especially in the chorus, was classic Soul. As I was living in Detroit, from whence Motown was born, this kind of music was all around me. Though Do The Mouse’s lyrics may have been exempt, the musicianship was totally influenced by the city the song was cut in which, of course made me love it even more.

In honor of Soupy’s passing last week, I dug out my “Do The Mouse” hat, one of the more obscure pieces of Soupy memorabilia. I have a Soupy puppet as well as a Soupy marionette and I’ve seen lots of those online over the past few days. But not the hat, which I put on as I combed YouTube for Soupy doing The Mouse. The videos at the bottom of this post. There’s a couple minutes of stuff before the singing and fantastic Mouse choreography starts but it’s all worth seeing because this guy was a classic casual yet frenetic showman who was way before his time. Sales was instrumental to what TV became as more and more personalities understood it wasn’t about a camera being pointed at you as you performed so much as being in the middle of someone’s living room, connecting with the guests and keeping the party going.

In 1965, Soupy put out a record called “Do The Mouse”. I went crazy for the little dance he did because rather than just putting his hands up to his head for ears he was always wiggling his fingers and I never saw a mouses’ ears move like that before.

Although the song was a classic sing-along type pop song, the track and vocal had elements of R&B and Soupy’s phrasing, especially in the chorus, was classic Soul. As I was living in Detroit, from whence Motown was born, this kind of music was all around me. Though Do The Mouse’s lyrics may have been exempt, the musicianship was totally influenced by the city the song was cut in which, of course, made me love it even more.

In honor of Soupy’s passing last week, I dug out my “Do The Mouse” hat, one of the more obscure pieces of Soupy memorabilia.

I have a Soupy puppet, which I’ve seen a bunch of online over the past few days, and the much rarer Soupy marionette.

But I haven’t seen the hat, which I put on as I combed YouTube for Soupy doing The Mouse. There’s a couple minutes of stuff before the singing and fantastic Mouse choreography starts but it’s all worth seeing because this guy was a classic casual yet frenetic showman who was way before his time. Sales was instrumental to what TV became as more and more personalities understood it wasn’t about a camera being pointed at you as you were performing so much as being in the middle of someone’s living room, connecting with the guests and keeping the party going.

25Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Wedding Gowns Made Out Of Toilet Paper

25Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Wedding Gowns Made Out Of Toilet Paper

toilet-paper-wedding-gown-winner

Though it doesn’t seem like quite the appropriate material for a dress commemorating a lasting holy union there’s no disputing the price is right! Made entirely of toilet paper, tape and glue, I think these gowns are fabulous and the concept of buying the makings of your wedding dress at Costco is brilliant. I mean it. I’ve never understood anyone blowing the entire wad on a dress they’ll wear once, flowers and chopped liver swans and then living in squalor with only a photo album and four fondue pots to remind them of the one day that life was so entirely good. I’d so much rather spring for a few hundred rolls of toilet paper, which probably leaves much to spare after the gown is glued, then end up using toilet paper for napkins the rest of my life because all the coin went into the dress that you’re probably already too fat to fit back into.

This brilliant Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest is sponsored every year by cheap-chic-weddings.com of Boca Raton, Fl. Although the 2009 first-place winner was Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, pictured above, my favorite is second place winner, Terri Glover of Marlin, Texas, because of all the little toilet paper points sticking out that probably rippled in the breeze as she walked down the aisle.

Though it doesn’t seem like quite the appropriate material for a dress commemorating a lasting holy union there’s no disputing the price is right! Made entirely of toilet paper, tape and glue, I think these gowns are fabulous and the concept of buying the makings of your wedding dress at Costco is brilliant. I mean it. I’ve never understood anyone blowing the entire wad on a dress they’ll wear once, along with flowers and a chopped liver swan and then living in squalor with only a photo album and four fondue pots to remind them of the one day that life was so entirely good. I’d so much rather spring for a few hundred rolls of toilet paper, which probably leaves much to spare after the gown is glued, then end up using toilet paper for napkins the rest of my life because all the coin went into the dress that you’re probably already too fat to fit back into.

This brilliant Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest is sponsored every year by cheap-chic-weddings.com of Boca Raton, Fl. Although the 2009 first-place winner was Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, pictured above, my favorite is second place winner, Terri Glover of Marlin, Texas, because of all the little toilet paper points sticking out that probably rippled in the breeze as she walked down the aisle.

I especially love Terri’s strap marks on her back. It’s so nice to see someone who knows they have a very special outfit to wear who grooms their body accordingly for the occasion.

Here’s a video showing this years’ entries:

Although I think Cheap Chic Weddings has provided the Kitsch fashion statement of the year I also really, seriously, definitively think that their concept of toilet paper wedding gowns are an all round brilliant idea.

16Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “Like, Man, Lend Me Your Ear” Beatnik Statue

16Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “Like, Man, Lend Me Your Ear” Beatnik Statue

beatnik-statue_4994

I collect anything Beatnik, especially when the colloquialisms of the day accompany it. “Like, man, lend me your ear” was in heavy rotation circa 1956, printed on bed sheets, stationery, statues and any other kind of collectibles that could be pushed on the burgeoning newly liberated teen and young adult crowd.

This guy has a “real” mustache and goatee, the kind of furry, feathery stuff they stuck on cats and other ceramic animals in the ’50s and ’60s. But what’s all those black whiskers on his nose?!

Also not sure why the ceramicist portrayed him as an old bald man as the Beat generation represented all that was rebellious about youth. But this incongruity kicks it up a notch on the Kitsch scale so I’m not complaining.

This guy has a “real” mustache and goatee, the kind of furry, feathery stuff they stuck on cats and other ceramic animals in the ’50s and ’60s. But what’s all those black whiskers on his nose?!

Also not sure why the ceramicist portrayed him as an old bald man as the Beat generation represented all that was rebellious about youth. But this incongruity kicks it up a notch on the Kitsch scale so I’m not complaining.

10Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Handmade “Especially Blended” Chef Jar

10Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Handmade “Especially Blended” Chef Jar

chef-shaker-Tony-Whan_0640

Not sure exactly what blend Tony Whan stashed inside when he made Murray Yunkers this jar featuring a removable chef’s cap with holes in it but it’s awfully cute and practical whatever contents it was made for. Standing 9″ high and looking somewhere between professionally made and a lumpy school project, it’s signed “Stole” on the bottom, which makes no sense seeing as the cap clearly says it was made by Tony Whan. Perhaps Tony “stole” the bottom part from “Stole” and only made the top.

It would seem like a special blend, be it coffee, tea, snuff or whatever, would want to be airtight so the holes in the top don’t make much sense either. Maybe it was for something like sugar, flour or grated cheese but there’s no way of securing the hat when the chef is turned over so, once again, it makes no sense. I guess Tony Whan was in his own little world making something special for Murray Yunkers and I guess I’ll never know what exactly it was made to hold but I’m happy I have this happy little chef to make me think about both of them all of the time.

Not sure exactly what blend Tony Whan stashed inside when he made Murray Yunkers this jar featuring a removable chef’s cap with holes in it but it’s awfully cute and practical whatever contents it was made for. Though it would seem like a special blend, be it coffee, tea, snuff or whatever, would want to be in something airtight so the holes in the top don’t make much sense.

Maybe it was for something like sugar, flour or grated cheese but there’s no way of securing the hat when the chef is turned over so that makes no sense either.

Standing 9″ high and looking somewhere between professionally made and a lumpy school project, it’s signed “Stole” on the bottom, which also makes no sense seeing as the cap clearly says it was made by Tony Whan. Perhaps Tony “stole” the bottom part from “Stole” and only made the top.

I guess Tony Whan was in his own little world making something special for Murray Yunkers and I guess I’ll never know what exactly it was made to hold but I’m happy I have this happy little chef to make me think about both of them every time I walk in my kitchen.

17Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “What’s Wrong With This Kitschture?”

17Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “What’s Wrong With This Kitschture?”

What was the marketing guy thinking when he hooked up The Supremes with a bread brand deal? Pumpernickel maybe, but white bread?!

I own the plastic sleeve the bread came in. Made in 1966 by Schafer Bakeries, Inc. of Lansing, Michigan, in partnership with Hitsville Merchandising, where someone should have caught the irony of the bread match.

Please play the film for optimum Kitsch pleasure!

06Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Crab Straw Purse

06Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Crab Straw Purse

crab-purse_9917

This crab has spent many a summer with me not to mention Labor Day weekend. Although she’s adorable and I get many compliments whenever I take her out, the top ‘hat’ lid constantly falls open so she’s a bit of a pain to spend time with. Not that there’s that much room to store anything other than essentials even if she remained shut tight. But style triumphs over function when something’s this cute.

Made of basket reeds and straw, many of the appendages have been stitched back onto the body with dental floss, making this crab purse quite the crafts project. The tipped beret, felt lips and cats eye marble eyes are special standouts.

In mere days she’ll be ready to burrow back into the sand for her winter hibernation so we intend to have a very good time this weekend indeed.

This crab has spent many a summer with me not to mention Labor Day weekend. Although she’s adorable and I get many compliments whenever I take her out, the top ‘hat’ lid constantly falls open so she’s a bit of a pain to spend time with. Not that there’s that much room to store anything other than essentials even if she remained shut tight. But style triumphs over function when something’s this cute.

Made of basket reeds, many of the appendages have been stitched back onto the body with dental floss, making this crab purse quite the crafts project. The tipped beret, felt lips and cats eye marble eyes are special standouts.

In mere days she’ll be ready to burrow back into the sand for her winter hibernation so we intend to have a very good time this weekend indeed.

11Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Meet Pigmy Will!

11Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Meet Pigmy Will!

Here’s how I spend my spare time, making this highly sophisticated -NOT- animation with Prudence Fenton, of Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Peter Gabriel videos fame. After being a private joke for 15 years, we’ve finally committed (in all senses of the word) the Pigmy to film. If anybody deserves a place on the mantle of Kitsch Klassicism, it’s Pigmy Will.

We’ll be churning out two to four of these weekly, all under 30 seconds, as fast as our minds can de-numb and fingers can move.

Today’s offerings include “Pie Day”, “The Counter”, “The Boat Ride” and “Take 20”. At the end of each masterpiece you can click through to the next one. So just click here or on one of the videos below to get started.

Follow pigmywill on Twitter! And join his fan page on Facebook if you’re there too.

See all 4 Pigmy Wills (by the time you read this there may be more):

Deet deet deet deet!!

Anywhere from 2-4 of these coming out weekly, all under 30 seconds, as fast as our minds can de-numb and fingers can move. Today’s offerings include “Pie Day”, “The Counter”, “The Boat Ride” and “Take 20”. At the end of each masteriece you can click through to the next one. So just click here to get started.

See all 4 Pigmy Wills:

“Pie Day” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRS7D6mSoHs

“The Counter” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFKQ3iCcS3Q

“The Boat Ride” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psJQPtbY1h4

“Take 20” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNtwIwlcE0