My blog: MST3K, Rifftrax, and Beyond

July 1, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Portion of Proceeds to Benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs

Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff, known to fans of the cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 as “Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank” respectively, have announced a special livestream screening of Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda on Tuesday, July 21 @ 8pm ET, with the two comedians (collectively known as “The Mads”) riffing over the 1953 dud. The show will mark Beaulieu & Conniff’s first time performing together this year, after The Mads’ 2020 tour dates were cancelled due to COVID-19. Tickets are on sale now for $10.

“If you’ve been social distancing yourself from Glen or Glenda, Trace and I are giving the all-clear to watch this classic film,” said Conniff. “Of all the movies we’ve riffed, from MST3K to Cinematic Titanic and our own live shows, this is our favorite. Join us!”

The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda will broadcast live via a private YouTube link that will be sent to ticket purchasers an hour prior to showtime. A percentage of the proceeds from the event will benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs, who engage primarily in training, education, and advocacy at the national and local levels.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 has its roots in Minneapolis, when it premiered on local affiliate KTMA-TV (now WUCW) on November 24, 1988. Comedian Joel Hodgson created and starred in the TV show, which found him playing a janitor in the “not-too-distant future” imprisoned aboard The Satellite of Love, forced to watch a series of bad movies in an effort to drive Joel and his robot friends insane. The show was eventually picked up by Comedy Central and later the Sci-Fi Channel, before being rebooted by Hodgson in 2017 for Netflix.

Beaulieu, who also provided the voice of “Crow T. Robot” during the show’s initial run, portrayed evil mad scientist “Dr. Clayton Forrester,” while Conniff acted as Forrester’s lab assistant and sidekick, known as “TV’s Frank.” Both Beaulieu and Conniff were writers on the show and have continued to collaborate since leaving MST3K, as members of the similarly-themed live show Cinematic Titanic, and also as co-hosts of the weekly movie podcast Movie Sign with The Mads.

In 2015, Beaulieu and Conniff began touring movie theaters throughout the country as The Mads Are Back, offering their signature brand of quick-witted commentary (known to MST3K fans as “riffing”) over numerous B-movies.

Glen or Glenda, named by critic Leonard Maltin as “possibly the worst movie ever made,” is Ed Wood’s semi-autobiographical docudrama which follows Glen (portrayed by Wood), a man who wrestles with his desire to cross-dress as his alter-ego, Glenda. The film, which opens with a bizarre performance by horror legend Bela Lugosi, has been ridiculed for its cheap production values and nonsensical narrative ever since its release. The troubled production of Glen or Glenda was chronicled in Tim Burton’s 1994 film Ed Wood.

“Glen or Glenda might be the worst movie ever made but it is also a film with great heart and compassion for the subject matter,” said Beaulieu. “I could be wrong. I’ve only seen it 50 times.”

The Mads will also be conducting a Q&A with fans after the screening for as long as time allows. Tickets for The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda are on sale now.