TV Party
“It's the TV show that's a party!”
TV Party was a public-access television cable TV show in New York City that ran from 1978 to 1982. Glenn O'Brien was the host. Chris Stein, the co-founder of the pop band Blondie, was the co-host and Walter "Doc" Steding was the leader of the TV Party orchestra. Amos Poe was the director. Guests included Mick Jones, David Byrne, Debbie Harry, James Chance and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Brink Films has re-released some of the best of the 80 plus episodes on DVD, as well as a documentary about the TV show.
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Cast
Seasons
Seven of the best episodes comprise Brink Film's DVD releases of the show.
- Ep 1
1.Premiere Episode
18-12-197860mThis was the premiere show. Regulars included Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fab Five Freddie, Deborah Harry, John Lurie and Tim Wright of DNA. Extras: John Lurie, David Walter McDermott, K...
- Ep 2
2.The Sublimely Intolerable Show
08-01-197960mThe first 10% of this show sums up what we don’t get on TV anymore. Technical difficulties. TV Party was live and improvised, and this meant casual disaster. This early episode get...
- Ep 3
3.The Halloween Show
30-10-197960mHalloween ’79 - Glenn is dressed in a casual Dolly Parton lesbian look. With Chris Stein, Debbie Harry,Richard Sohl, Fab Five Freddy & more. This is TV Party at is most dense and a...
- Ep 4
4.The Time & Makeup Show
19-08-197960mThis episode plays with ideas of time and space, (“time is money” and “dead air”) alternating between aggressive boredom and quick wit. The TV Party Orchestra (Walter Steding on vi...
- Ep 5
5.The Heavy Metal Show
08-04-198055mThere were two TV Party Heavy Metal Shows: one taped at the Mudd Club, now lost, and this live studio sequel featuring a “Mock Penis Envy” backdrop by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and a g...
- Ep 6
6.The Crusades Show
17-02-198160mFebruary 17, 1981. Reagan was the new President. Iran had just released its American hostages, and Israel and the PLO had rejected Egypt’s peace plan. It was a grim moment and TV P...
- Ep 7
7.The Color Show
13-06-198260mTV Party’s final episode (season) was broadcast live in color on Channel J, a public access “commercial station.” TV Party tried to pay the extra expense of going to color by selli...
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