Friday, March 11, 2011

Stairway To Stardom

My friend Doug Miller and I have gained some favorable notoriety for being the people behind the preservation and promotion of a legendary Manhattan public access television "talent" showcase that aired from 1979 through 1992 called "Stairway To Stardom."

If you like reality shows, you can't get any more painfully real than this. Amateur singers, dancers, comedians, and even a magician or two found their way on the air, thanks to the stringent auditioning litmus test of the show's host, and occasional crooner Frank Masi.

In 2006, there was quite a flurry of activity surrounding the show, as it made its first appearance on youtube. Jennifer Sharpe, a radio producer/reporter and collector of cultural ephemera, interviewed me for an NPR story. At the same time, Doug and I co-hosted a screening of clips from the show at the now defunct Monkeytown in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The screening also featured live performances from two of the show's original alumni. A reporter from The Village Voice attended the show, interviewed me over the phone shortly after and wrote an article about it.

Do yourselves a favor and check out some of this stuff. Even if I wasn't one of the people behind its resurgence, I'd still go crazy over the amazement that most certainly awaits you.

Here's the youtube channel I recently set up and uploaded dozens of clips to.

http://www.youtube.com/user/stairwaytostardom

And in case you need some further evidence to egg you on, here are a few of the most popular clips.


      

      

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