Devo
Beautiful Mutants Art Tour
Venue: Lit Lounge (East Village) · City: New York
Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo had an art exhibit at the Fuse Gallery in NYC, July 2004. Mark had many paintings on sale, ranging from $400 and up. He surprisingly showed up. I had the opportunity to interview him and Jerry Casale for my cable sketch comedy show, Ms. Divine's Le Tee Hee Hee Heure. They were rather pleasant — nor did they smash my camera, despite my many fun questions, so that was nice. You can download the music video I did with their song "Too Much Paranoias," called Attack of the Cake Mixer.
Transcript Between Mark Mothersbaugh & Myself
Me: This is my television program. Would you be interested in saying hello?
Mark: Hello, how are you out there. Now what's your show. Where is it broadcast at?
Me: My show is called Ms. Divine's Le Tee Hee Hee Heure and it's broadcast on Channel 56. Do you get it? Where do you live?... Oh, you're not allowed to tell me.
Mark: Do you get it in NY?
Me: Uhmmm... yes.
Mark: I'm gonna watch it tonight in my hotel room.
Me: Oh okay, that's great. But I think you have to pay extra for cable.
Mark: If I have to bootleg 'em, I will climb up a television pole.
Me: (pointing to the little bag) I gave you a bootleg of my tape.
Mark: Oh, fabulous.
Me: I don't think you need to pay for cable. You know, you can just kind of look happy.
Mark: Ok, you are watching the Ms. Divine show.
Me (speaking to Girlio camera): Can you come a bit closer... oops.
Other voices: I was at the show last night, it was absolutely incredible.
Mark: Yes.
Loud fan: remarked another fan.
Me: Uhhmmm, can you say it one more time?
Mark: You are watching the Ms. Divine show.
Me: Ahhh, thank you...
More Transcript of My Conversation with Mark
This is after I walked around the gallery and returned to question him.
Me: Oh, sorry.
Somebody: That's ok.
Me: Can you sign this... (hands poster to Mark)
Mark: No, I am not going to sign this. Oh... that's your show.
Me: What did you think I was trying to do?
Here Mark gets a sudden burst of energy and proceeds to bite the poster. I just make silly faces to make the pictures look interesting.
Heading Over to Mark Later with Some Questions About His Young Wife
Me: I have a question. If you're offended, you can just say you are.
Mark: Go ahead.
Me: Do you ever wonder if your wife might run away with a younger man in the future? Or are you confident that you're a handsome Devo man and no woman will ever leave you?... Oh, you don't have to answer.
Mark: Aah. Eehh. Aaah... I think that. Ummm, the nature of human relationships is always liquid and volatile, and at best it's dangerous.
Me: Do you consider yourself a handsome man?
Mark: You know, I don't. Uhhh. I uhhh. I uhhh, uhhh. I think I... for a potato, I am ok.
Me: Do you think your personality is better than your looks, or your looks are better than your personality?
Mark: I uhhh. I think my artwork is better than both of those.
Me: (feeling guilty after asking all those questions, especially since the veins on his head tightened): Wow, that's pretty impressive... well, thank you very much...
Mark: Oh ok...
Following Is the Transcript Between Jerry Casale and Myself
Me: We are going to see what the other Devo members have to say.
Me tapping the other Devo one.
Me: Hi, I am from Ms. Divine's Le Tee Hee Hee Hour and I was wondering if you would like to say hello to the camera.
Jerry: Whom am I saying hello to?
Me: To Ms. Divine's hour.
Jerry: Ms. Divine Hour.
Me: Say it a little louder.
Jerry: Hello Ms. Divine's hour, this is Jerry of Devo.
Me: Oh yes. Now may I ask you another question?
Jerry: Now known as Jihad Jerry. (grinning)
Me: Uhhh, do you feel a bit overshadowed by Mark, because he seems to have a lot of fans over there... (points to the fans mauling Mark) Do you feel neglected?
Jerry: Well, this is his art show. It's not mine.
Me: Oh, are you buddies with him?
Jerry: No.
Me: Do you get his money when he sells a painting?
Jerry: No.
Me: Are you here for the free wine?
Jerry: No.
Me: Why are you here?
Jerry: To see beautiful girls like you.
Me: What about the age difference? Does that bother you?
Jerry: What?
Me: The age difference?
Jerry: No, age difference makes no difference.
Me: Oh my... this is Ms. Divine, reporting for Ms. Divine's Le Tee Hee Heure.
Heading Over to Jerry Again to Ask More Questions
At that time I wasn't sure who Jerry Casale was. I mean, I listen to their music, but never paid attention to names or faces.
Me: We are going to talk with the other guy from Devo, we don't know who he is. But we're going to, uh, find out. Gimme a moment. Let me just weed my way into the crowd and find out what's going on. He is taking a mighty long time to autograph things. I don't know why... okay, let's see.
Me: Oopss, sorry, sorry. (as I banged into some people) They're taking photos with the fans. So let them take photos with the fans before we ask any questions.
Jerry: Hi there, more pimpy questions?
Me: Ok, the first question is: do you feel you get more women because you're in Devo, or you're actually a very handsome man?
Jerry (grinning): I got rewarded for doing something right in life. Sometimes when you create something and it's successful, women go for you. The same way they go for successful brain surgeons, sports action heroes.
Me: But do you ever feel that women like you because you have money and you're from Devo, or do you think they like you for your true personality?
Jerry: Hahehehe. Oh, they like me for what I can do with my tongue.
Me: Ewww. Yucky. Perhaps we'll spare everyone the details... but do you ever wonder, one night, and think "perhaps I am not as handsome as I thought I was, maybe women don't really like me." Do you ever have those nights... "oh, nobody likes me, I am such an ugly duckling"...
Jerry: Yeah, well I don't really care if anybody likes me. That was always...
Me: No, but do you ever think that?
Jerry: No, I don't care if anybody likes me.
Me: That's pretty nice.
Jerry: It makes you free. Don't care what anybody thinks. Don't care if they like you. F**k 'em, life is too short.
Me: Ok... thank you very much.
Jerry: Thank you.
Later On, as I Tried to Get Some Secrets
Me: Ok, you want me to shut the camera off?
Jerry: Yeah.
Me: Personal conversation with Devo.
Unfortunately, I took a bit too long to shut off my camera, and Jerry had escaped into the night. Alas, no secrets were unearthed...
