October 11, 2025 • 33 mins
We speak with Frank Conniff - TV's Frank from Mystery Science Theater 3000 - about good news, good laughs, and using comedy to fight fascism. Check out his recent riffs at The Mads Are Back and his book The Time Tummlers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties and America.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Thanks for joining us today on another deep dive edition
of Good News for Lefties. I'm your host Beowulf Rockland,
and we almost like to think here about how do
we get through these times which are very difficult, and
we pretty much pay attention to the news. I think
(00:32):
everybody listens here pays attention to what's going on. They
read the headlines, and they know all the bad stuff
that's going on. And the point of the positive progressive
stories that we put out every day is how do
we get through this? How do we like buoy our spirits?
How do we continue to know in the face of
all this bad stuff that there's still positive things going
(00:54):
on and that we will be able to get through
and we will be able to get to the other
side of this and build something better and learn from
this hopefully. And it seems like we still have a
lot to learn. And one of the tools that I
have employed over the course of the years is humor
(01:15):
and comedy, and so I really wanted to speak with gentlemen.
We're going to speak to today, Frank Conneff. He's a
comedy writer, he's a comedy performer. He's TV's Frank from
Mystery Science Theater three thousand. He and Trace Blue do
a movie riffing show called The Mads Are Back. If
you haven't yet, you should check that out. And he's
(01:37):
the author of many books, including The Time Tumblers. I
think that's the most recent one, Frank, but you've got
a bunch of them out there.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah, The Time Tumblers is my most recent one and
getting very good response to it, and people are enjoying it,
and I think it might be fun for people trying
to get through these times that it just really it's
a book that very much takes place in the past
(02:07):
nineteen sixties and you know, although Ronald Reagan book, but
the plot of the book, well, the first part of
the book anyway, is that these aliens who watch the Earth.
They're kind of like the Watcher from the Marvel comics, right.
(02:30):
They one of them decides he wants to change Earth history,
but he can't do it in a really blatant way,
like killing Baby Hitler, because he'll get in trouble with
his bosses. So he.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Durn bureaucracy.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
He decides that he's going to prevent Ronald Reagan from
becoming president or even having a political career by killing
Fred McMurray so that Ronald Reagan can become the star
of my three sons and thus he thus he won't
have a political career. And that's that's the storyline that's
that starts out the book. Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So so sort of reguide his his potential career track
and just make sure he never quite gets quite gets there.
I'm wondering how we can sort of like, you know,
retcon the same thing for uh, for Donald Trump. But
I'm assuming that if you never had a Ronald Reagan
(03:31):
to to set that like right wing foundation, that you
may never have had a Donald Trump as a as
a celebrity either.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah. I mean it's it's really hard to say, but
it drives me crazy when people say, you know, I
you know, the Republican Party has gone to crap. We
we need to go back to the era of Ronald Reagan.
And you know, Ronald Reagan kind of kicked it all
off with yeah, with the white supremacy and the well
(04:04):
Nixon was into that before him. But it goes way
back in the Republican Party. All you know Old Water,
the Goldwater who opposed the Civil Rights Act, and they
all opposed the Civil Rights Act now, so you know, yeah,
Trump is just the latest in the long line of
(04:26):
people who have really messed this country up really badly. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
No, I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
But I will say though that you know, I'll go
either online to YouTube, or sometimes I'll turn on, you know,
one of the streaming services where there's a continuous stream
of either Mystery Science Theater three thousand or.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Or riff tracks. And I love you guys, I always do.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
But I will say that one of the things that
has given me comfort in this era is what you
allude to with with the book, that you're like going
to a pre era in the past and you can
sort of like immerse yourself in that that that like
like that that like you see these movies that you're
riffing either from the fifties or sixties or or seventies
(05:12):
or or even eighties and nineties now, and you're you're
putting yourself in a different world, and there's an attraction
to that in addition to the wonderful humor.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That you guys get out of it. Uh.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That also is just okay, I'm kind of I'm going
to take a brief retreat from the present moment, and
I'm just I'm going to live in this other world
where these people were had different clothes and and and
different cars. And you know, part of the foundation of that,
by the way, is like a pretty decent social safety net.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
If you think about it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Although you know, we boomers kind of screwed all that up.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But wow, I'm not I'm not going to blame you
personally from okay, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
I'm I'm a boomer and I have to take I
have to There has to be accountability for how we
messed every thing up. But yeah, you know a mystery
science theater that you know, it's been around for so
long now that it's been i think firmly established as
(06:13):
a comfort show. It's much about how comforting it is
for people to watch it, and then they have a
history with it. And you know, there was an interview
I saw recently with Bill Hayter from Saturday Night Live
and he's apparently he's a huge fan of the show.
(06:36):
And in the interview he said, you know, when he
was watching it when he was much younger, he said,
it made me feel less alone. And I love that,
And I've heard that from a lot of our fans,
and it's kind of my favorite thing to hear, even
though like our purpose was just to make people laugh
with these silly, goofy shokes, but the fact that the
(06:58):
show was made people feel more connected to something that
wasn't necessarily in their everyday lives. That's a that's very
gratifying for me to hear that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, yeah, no, And I get what he's saying too,
because you you are sitting in I mean, sometimes it
can be by yourself, sometimes with with other people, but
you're seeing and hearing actual human beings with their actual
voices interact in the same way that you would with
(07:35):
the media text and in it in kind of a
way that predates, like in a way it presaged I
think a lot of the commentary that goes on on
the Internet and on social media because people are constantly
riffing on things like that, and you see that that's
(07:56):
become so so predominant, and yet that also seems like
so distanced and removed and abstract in a way. And
I know there are things like on on Twitch in
which people are constantly like chiming in and riffing on
on things. But you guys did it in a way
that was like you're putting your presence and your voices
(08:18):
out there. So like when you watched this movie, you
were you felt like you were connecting in a way
that was something that you could do too, even though
like you weren't.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Present in the room.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You were you were in in a in a in
a you had a connection with with what you guys.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Were doing people had already I've heard a lot of
people say, you know, and I watched your show, you
were doing what we had already been doing at home,
you know, with our friends and family of just watching
stuff and then just choking around about it and you know,
and it uh, it's it just gave people a sense
(09:00):
of community and and that's you know, in general, community
is what we all need, especially now. Yeah, it's one
of the most important things we can have. And people
are really coming together in terms of resistance, and that's
that's a great thing to see.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
It is it's like community and and a shared presence.
And also when it's possible, like shared laughter about.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Something, I'll tell you I love shared left. I kind
of live for it. So if you're in a comedy
club and just one person laughs, you're kind of not
doing that well, so after is very value. Believe me.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You know, I was, I was watching what you were posting,
and I'd seen it in other places too. On a
blue sky with the with the protesters at the ice
of in Portland, Oregon, and you know, that's that's north
of where I am in the state of Oregon. You know,
the what Trump claims to be a war ravaged place.
(10:10):
And yet and yet they are these people in costumes,
dancing around, dressed up as frogs and uniform and I think,
and if I'm remembering correctly, your line was, it's the
New Zoo Review coming right at you, motherfucker's And I
thought that was fantastic because because it's like it's a
(10:31):
shared form of community and and and protest and humor
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
That like that that with a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Fun and a little bit of comedy, like completely undercuts
what Trump is is lying about with regard to Portland
and many other cities around the country.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, And people really enjoyed the New Zoo
Review reference. Uh yeah, it's and I love that these
protesters are dressing up in costumes and being really goofy,
and it's kind of like a really good weapon against
(11:08):
against the oppression. And I think it's one of the
Trump officials said, Oh, they're just doing that to cover
up how horrible they are, you know, and it's so
it's like it is. It's a very effective tool and
and I think that it protests in general, Like I
hope people keep just doing really goofy things, and people
(11:31):
online are like, you know, they're posting really funny videos
about you know, I mean, there's nothing funny about Ice,
but they're they're horrible, and people are posting that. You
might have seen the person who who had the video
of the guy on the bike and then the Ice
people started chasing him and they put.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
It yes yes in Chicago where they where like the
delivery guy like was taunting them and they just ran
off on his bike and Bigger.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Left at Benny Hill music.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
That's right, somebody out of the Benny Hill music.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
And uh, you know, there's a lot of really fun
fun stuff like that, and it's I think it's a
very effective thing too. You know, when you play the
Benny Hill music over over Ice running, you're you're really
puncturing their pubposity, right, you know. It's a very pompous
(12:27):
thing what they're doing. It's an evil thing that you're doing.
But when you when you throw in stuff like that,
it's you just make them look ridiculous. And and it's
a really valuable thing.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
No, you're right, because I mean, as you say, as
you imply, they they are dangerous, but at the same time,
they are ridiculous, and and they should be made to.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
You know, mainly they should be defied and and resisted.
But but ridicule is a part of that toolbox, you know,
of resistance in fighting back.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
All Right, they made made look ridiculous, and I cannot
afford to be made ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And I think I think that's true, Like, they can't
afford to be made ridiculous because when when people realize that,
then then they lose the sense of of of of
seriousness that they that they put forward and and and
and and they lose some of their power. That comedy,
that humor is is taking some of the power from
(13:33):
them and bringing it back to us and gets I
think the momentum going in the right direction. Yeah, yeah,
I think that's so important. What do you think is
has been like in your opinion, Like, I mean, we've
talked about a few examples here.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
What do you think has been the.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Most effective use of of of comedy since Trump has
returned in his second administration. I mean, again, I can
I can think of a lot of different examples. I mean,
the atjec prop that we were that we were just
discussing in Portland, Oregon, the guy running away in in
(14:12):
in Chicago. I mean, I think there have been a
lot of wonderful contributions from from from late night comedians.
Is there anything that stands out to you or any
individual who you think has been particularly uh outstanding in
the service of comedy in anti authoritarianism.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Like I was just saying, I really think it's people
just regular people online who are who are being very
funny and they're really and they're really out there on
the streets, you know, confronting all of it. And to me,
the stuff that that those people put out is uh
(14:57):
is very effective. Although I thought that, I don't know
if you saw Colbert did did a meme of of
jd Vance making sweet love to a couch, and.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I know there have been a lot of those I
haven't seen. In particular, he got.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
A sombrero on his ass and it was a reaction
too to uh. J Devan, Yeah, jd Vance saying, you know,
you know, he was commenting on the the meme that
Trump put out with the Democratic leaders and.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Sombreros, right right, yeah, exactly, like like.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
He saying, oh, come on, it's just a joke. I mean,
and you know they always dismissed that with Trump, and
uh and so Colbert, you know, put out that meme
of of of him heavily humping a couch with a
sombrero on his ass, and and he and then and
(16:03):
then Colbert said, yeah, come on, it's just a joke,
you know. And uh, that was very effective, I thought,
and I really think that Democrats need to to be
more to do more stuff like that, to to come
back and hit Trump back with stuff that's it's you know,
(16:25):
that's outrageous like that and he and I don't know
how effective it is in terms of changing things, but
it gives us, it gives us comfort and uh and
laughter along the way. And that's that's a very important thing. Yeah,
you know, you.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Bring up a really good point because I will tell
you I I do not think that Hakeem Jeffries or
Chuck Schummer would would kill if they went down to
their local comedy club. Are are there are there Democrats
that you think are doing a good job of comedy
(17:03):
or or are the tips that you would give them
as a comedy professional that they could take up.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
You're really stretching the term comedy professional. I would and
I would never give them tips because I don't think
i'm you know, I'm not. I don't have that kind
of mind where I can give people tips about how
they should do comedy.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You know, given what I've seen of Chuck Schumer's material,
I think almost anyone could give him tips.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Yeah, yeah, you know, but the one who's really good
at that stuff is someone who they don't support, and
that's us around my mom Donnie. Yes, great videos. He
did a video that was like a parody of The
Bachelor and he and he he aired it during The Bachelor,
and he, you know, he has put out funny stuff
(17:57):
that it's meant to be funny, and he's been just
you know, he's just been masterful in how he's run
his campaign. And it's just galling to me that this
guy who was obviously the future of the Democratic Party
is not being supported by the Democratic Party establishment. It's
(18:20):
just it's just horrible that Schumer. You know, Schumer and Jeffries,
they've gotten you know, you know Chuck Schumer. You know
the kind of common like when I post something about
Schumer or Jeffries, especially Schumer, like there always be in
(18:44):
the comments, like someone will say he's going to write
a strongly worded letter, like that's kind of the the
standard joke about Chuck Schumer is he's going to write
a strongly worded letter. And a couple of months go
on CNN he literally said that that he was send
(19:06):
a strong, strongly worded letter to Trump. And and and
these guys are just clueless. They're whatever their virtues as
public servants, they're just the wrong people for this moment.
They're the wrong people to be in leadership. And I
have I have friends who say, well, don't don't focus
(19:27):
your eye on the Democrats, because it's the Republicans who
are causing all the problems. And that's true. But on
the other hand, we as Democrats, and I still consider
myself a Democrat. You know, we need if we're not
the right opposition, we're we're part of the problem. And uh,
Jeffries and Schumer to me are are part of the problem.
(19:51):
They're they're just incredibly ineffective. And I think they've gotten
a little better lately in terms of the shutdown and everything.
But you know, uh, which is which maybe means they're
hearing the criticisms. I know they're hearing the criticism, but
I don't know, Like if Chuck Schumer, I think he
used a curse word in one of his videos, mean
(20:12):
like he's trying to ooh more badass, but he's just
not the guy.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
He is not no he And I couldn't agree with
you more on on Mamdanni. And I will tell you
that out of any of the things that I have heard,
and I scour the internet each day for positive progressive stories,
the rise of Zaran Mamdani has has been the most
(20:39):
positive thing that I can think of. And you're right
he is. He has combined energy with positive policy proposals.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
He's likable, he's fun. Yeah, he does stuff that's fun,
policy based stuff like where he did something where he
had a race with a with a New York City
bus buses run, so you know, stuff like that. He's
really and I when I was in in New York
(21:11):
in the summer, I was believed it or not I
was filming a music video, which that doesn't happen often.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Were you one of the dancers in the background.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
No, I actually play a priest in it. But oh wow, okay,
But anyway, we're in Central Park and one of the
actresses in the video, it's really bright and uh enthusiastic
young woman, and she and she was so excited that
(21:43):
when we finished our shoot, she was going to go
out and canvas for Mondami. This was before the primary. Wow,
and she was so happy. And to see that kind
of enthusiasm in really young people, that shit ain't happening
with Chuck. I'm sorry, and it's you know, I hate
to say it, but one of the big problems is
(22:09):
old people like me, you know.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Again, not gonna blame you personally, Frank.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Yeah, but you know, whether it's Trump or Schumer. And
it's not even the issue of like how you know,
Joe Biden was obviously too old and had cognitive problems
or whatever. It's it's not even that, it's just that
our generation we need to make room for, you know.
(22:37):
And and I don't even think it's ageism. It's it's
we've got to make room for for for a new generation.
Of people to make a difference in the world. And
these people who are in their eighties, who are who
refuse to resign from office, they run for re election,
(22:58):
you know.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Uh yeah, And Nancy Pelosi is still there.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Stenny is still there.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yeah there, and and they you know, God bless them
for the for the contribution, like God bless Nancy Pelosi
for the contribution she's made. But uh she should. You know,
there comes a time when you when you should step
aside and let let let new let younger people. By
(23:25):
younger people, I mean people in their sixties, you know, but.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I mean there there there are a bunch of in
addition to Zorhan Mamdani out where I believe you moved
back to the Upper Midwest. And there's Omar Fate in Minneapolis.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yes him at an event, and uh, I don't know
if he's gonna win, but he's another one that's like
a bright hope because I think even if he loses
for mayor, he'll still be in the state legislature. Right
there are people like that and and and someone like
AOC who really knows how to use social media and
(24:05):
is very engaging and uh, you know she when she
first ran she beat this older establishment democrat that all
of the leaders supported. You know, as far as those
leaders are concerned with you, they didn't. They didn't want
they don't want an AOC, they don't want a DOMI,
(24:26):
you know. And these are the people that are that
are exciting, not just younger people, but old farts like
myself are very very inspired by these r you know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yeah, I mean, the the the guy who sort of
like kicked it all off in terms of challenging the establishment,
Bernie Sanders. He's not exactly a Spring checkout, and yet
yet he's leading this wave of young people. So it
really is about a mindset more than anything.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, yeah, and stuff that used to uh, words that
scared people like socialists. I think people they go through
tough times are much less scared by that word. That's right,
you know, and uh yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
It is interesting how I mean, I grew up, you know,
I was still going to school when the the the
end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin
Wall happened. But like saying like socialists like for such
a long time, as I'm sure you will know, it's
like such a taboo and just and now like the
(25:34):
taboo is broken.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
And it used to be a taboo to who criticized Israel.
You know, right right now when you when you used
Israel and you say genocide, a lot of people are like, yup,
you know yeah, yeah, uh. You know, these people, these
horrible people who are who are making the world worse.
(26:00):
People are not complicitly just going along. That's what like
the Democratic established it and especially the Republican establishment, they
want everyone to just support Israel no matter what, you know, yeah,
because they get a lot of their money from from
from Apak or whatever. And absolutely you know, and people
are seeing what's going on and and they're like, no,
(26:23):
you know what, that is a that is a genocide. Sorry,
that is a genocide happening.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, no, it absolutely is.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
And I was, I like, just just yesterday, I was
I was talking to a friend of mine who's got
I don't know exactly what age, but he's he's he's
into his seventies, and he said to me kind of
out out of out of nowhere, you know, it's it's
really just horrible, what's happening to those those people in Gaza.
(26:50):
Something that I like, he's not a political person. We
don't usually talk politics. But he just put that out
there and it struck me, Wow, this is really resonating
with people beyond those who just typically engage with politics
on the left. We have come to the realization that, yes,
when it's happening, it's horrific. We have been complicit in
(27:12):
it and it needs to stop. And I and that,
and that is one of the things that gives me hope,
the fact that that that is happening to people who
wouldn't ordinarily engage in politics in that way are coming
to the realization that, hey, the kind of capitalism that
we have is not working in the United States of America,
(27:34):
and that what's happening in Gaza is in fact a genocide.
And that is now the standard baseline belief, maybe not
among the political class, maybe not among our leadership, but
among ordinary people.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
And that is very heartening.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
People yeah, are like, yeah, economic justice. A genocide is
a genocide, and economic justice is something we would like,
we would like to have, you know, hope in our lives.
And these old, these old people in charge who've been
in charge forever one way or the other, in one
(28:14):
form or another, they're not giving us the life that like.
For instance, I as a baby boomer had as a
possibility to me. You know, they don't have that now,
and they're rightfully pissed off about it.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, it's it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I keep coming back in my mind and this is
a very obscure reference. But you know, I think I'm
talking to the right person. In terms of obscure references.
There is there's there's an old radio show that I
used to listen to because I'm into old time radio,
arch Obler's Lights Out.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Oh yeah, I've heard of that.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
And there and there was, and there was one episode
from the nineteen forties where called Immortal Gentleman, and there
were these like two underground people of younger age who
are going on a mission to like destroy these like
immortal elders who had like taken over society and could
(29:14):
have the ability to live forever. And I come back
to that as a metaphor for what's going on again,
not blaming you personally, Frank, but it really does seem
that for a long time, the Boomer generations has, although
(29:37):
many good things have been done by them in many ways,
have sort of been in their positions for too long
and the time has come to make that room. And
I think people are coming to that realization, including members
of the boomer generation, and.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
That gives me hope.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
That gives me hope that that people are realizing it
is time to move forward. It is time to move
on and the ideas of the past are not ones
that work today. We have new ideas. Let's move forward
with those.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Absolutely. Yeah, you know, let us old people keep making
jokes and stuff.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
But I love the jokes. I love the obscure references.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
That is truly one of the things that has always
has always drawn me to your particular form of comedy. Frank,
So thank you. Don't don't stop making the jokes, don't
stop making the references.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I'm still I'm still at it. You know. The thing
about comedians, though, is that we do have our like
cranky old timers who who are clueless about the world.
I don't want to mention any names Bill Maher, but anyway,
you know, comedians though traditionally like they you know, like
(30:59):
people Jack Benny and Grout Show and Burns. They were
very active into their eighties. So that's that's okay for
comedians to keep And if you're still funny, you know,
that's where there's too much agism is where you know,
(31:19):
older comedians or not don't get the opportunities that they
might necessarily get exactly. But you know so I intend,
I have. I don't plan on retiring, although show businesses
often asked me to retire, but persuely, I'm not there yet.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Show business may have asked you to, Frank, but I
think the rest of us are in agreement. Stay where
you are, keep going, keep keep blue skying.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
We absolutely love it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Frank Knef TV's Frank of Mystery Science Theater three thousand.
Where can we find more information about your Your books
shows everything that.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
My books are all available at dumb Dash Industries dot com,
and there are and there hard copies, uh there are
autographed copies of them, and and also there's audio versions
of the Time Tumblers and I think UH and Dark
(32:25):
app THEA and UH and UH and the Mystery Science
Theater Book. I wrote twenty five Mystery Science Theater films
that changed my life in no way whatsoever. There are
UH there are audio versions of those books. And then
the Time Tumblrs there's a uh an e book of it,
(32:47):
and in the e book there are Wikipedia links to
every single obscure reference, and there are many of them,
believe me.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Yeah, and and uh, you know, a portion of the
proceeds the sale of that will be contributed to Wikipedia.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
The annotated version of your book, complete with with.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
References, that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, links to every every time I make a reference
to something and to it.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's great. That's great.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
So dumb dash Industries dot com. H please please check
it out. Frank Kneff, thank you so much for being
with us today on good News for left Eas. Keep
up all the wonderful work that you do, and thank
you so much for being with us.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Thank you, thanks for having me. It was fun.
Good News for Lefties and America.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Thanks for joining us today on another deep dive edition
of Good News for Lefties. I'm your host Beowulf Rockland,
and we almost like to think here about how do
we get through these times which are very difficult, and
we pretty much pay attention to the news. I think
(00:32):
everybody listens here pays attention to what's going on. They
read the headlines, and they know all the bad stuff
that's going on. And the point of the positive progressive
stories that we put out every day is how do
we get through this? How do we like buoy our spirits?
How do we continue to know in the face of
all this bad stuff that there's still positive things going
(00:54):
on and that we will be able to get through
and we will be able to get to the other
side of this and build something better and learn from
this hopefully. And it seems like we still have a
lot to learn. And one of the tools that I
have employed over the course of the years is humor
(01:15):
and comedy, and so I really wanted to speak with gentlemen.
We're going to speak to today, Frank Conneff. He's a
comedy writer, he's a comedy performer. He's TV's Frank from
Mystery Science Theater three thousand. He and Trace Blue do
a movie riffing show called The Mads Are Back. If
you haven't yet, you should check that out. And he's
(01:37):
the author of many books, including The Time Tumblers. I
think that's the most recent one, Frank, but you've got
a bunch of them out there.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah, The Time Tumblers is my most recent one and
getting very good response to it, and people are enjoying it,
and I think it might be fun for people trying
to get through these times that it just really it's
a book that very much takes place in the past
(02:07):
nineteen sixties and you know, although Ronald Reagan book, but
the plot of the book, well, the first part of
the book anyway, is that these aliens who watch the Earth.
They're kind of like the Watcher from the Marvel comics, right.
(02:30):
They one of them decides he wants to change Earth history,
but he can't do it in a really blatant way,
like killing Baby Hitler, because he'll get in trouble with
his bosses. So he.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Durn bureaucracy.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
He decides that he's going to prevent Ronald Reagan from
becoming president or even having a political career by killing
Fred McMurray so that Ronald Reagan can become the star
of my three sons and thus he thus he won't
have a political career. And that's that's the storyline that's
that starts out the book. Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So so sort of reguide his his potential career track
and just make sure he never quite gets quite gets there.
I'm wondering how we can sort of like, you know,
retcon the same thing for uh, for Donald Trump. But
I'm assuming that if you never had a Ronald Reagan
(03:31):
to to set that like right wing foundation, that you
may never have had a Donald Trump as a as
a celebrity either.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah. I mean it's it's really hard to say, but
it drives me crazy when people say, you know, I
you know, the Republican Party has gone to crap. We
we need to go back to the era of Ronald Reagan.
And you know, Ronald Reagan kind of kicked it all
off with yeah, with the white supremacy and the well
(04:04):
Nixon was into that before him. But it goes way
back in the Republican Party. All you know Old Water,
the Goldwater who opposed the Civil Rights Act, and they
all opposed the Civil Rights Act now, so you know, yeah,
Trump is just the latest in the long line of
(04:26):
people who have really messed this country up really badly. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
No, I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
But I will say though that you know, I'll go
either online to YouTube, or sometimes I'll turn on, you know,
one of the streaming services where there's a continuous stream
of either Mystery Science Theater three thousand or.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Or riff tracks. And I love you guys, I always do.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
But I will say that one of the things that
has given me comfort in this era is what you
allude to with with the book, that you're like going
to a pre era in the past and you can
sort of like immerse yourself in that that that like
like that that like you see these movies that you're
riffing either from the fifties or sixties or or seventies
(05:12):
or or even eighties and nineties now, and you're you're
putting yourself in a different world, and there's an attraction
to that in addition to the wonderful humor.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That you guys get out of it. Uh.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That also is just okay, I'm kind of I'm going
to take a brief retreat from the present moment, and
I'm just I'm going to live in this other world
where these people were had different clothes and and and
different cars. And you know, part of the foundation of that,
by the way, is like a pretty decent social safety net.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
If you think about it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Although you know, we boomers kind of screwed all that up.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But wow, I'm not I'm not going to blame you
personally from okay, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
I'm I'm a boomer and I have to take I
have to There has to be accountability for how we
messed every thing up. But yeah, you know a mystery
science theater that you know, it's been around for so
long now that it's been i think firmly established as
(06:13):
a comfort show. It's much about how comforting it is
for people to watch it, and then they have a
history with it. And you know, there was an interview
I saw recently with Bill Hayter from Saturday Night Live
and he's apparently he's a huge fan of the show.
(06:36):
And in the interview he said, you know, when he
was watching it when he was much younger, he said,
it made me feel less alone. And I love that,
And I've heard that from a lot of our fans,
and it's kind of my favorite thing to hear, even
though like our purpose was just to make people laugh
with these silly, goofy shokes, but the fact that the
(06:58):
show was made people feel more connected to something that
wasn't necessarily in their everyday lives. That's a that's very
gratifying for me to hear that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, yeah, no, And I get what he's saying too,
because you you are sitting in I mean, sometimes it
can be by yourself, sometimes with with other people, but
you're seeing and hearing actual human beings with their actual
voices interact in the same way that you would with
(07:35):
the media text and in it in kind of a
way that predates, like in a way it presaged I
think a lot of the commentary that goes on on
the Internet and on social media because people are constantly
riffing on things like that, and you see that that's
(07:56):
become so so predominant, and yet that also seems like
so distanced and removed and abstract in a way. And
I know there are things like on on Twitch in
which people are constantly like chiming in and riffing on
on things. But you guys did it in a way
that was like you're putting your presence and your voices
(08:18):
out there. So like when you watched this movie, you
were you felt like you were connecting in a way
that was something that you could do too, even though
like you weren't.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Present in the room.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You were you were in in a in a in
a you had a connection with with what you guys.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Were doing people had already I've heard a lot of
people say, you know, and I watched your show, you
were doing what we had already been doing at home,
you know, with our friends and family of just watching
stuff and then just choking around about it and you know,
and it uh, it's it just gave people a sense
(09:00):
of community and and that's you know, in general, community
is what we all need, especially now. Yeah, it's one
of the most important things we can have. And people
are really coming together in terms of resistance, and that's
that's a great thing to see.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
It is it's like community and and a shared presence.
And also when it's possible, like shared laughter about.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Something, I'll tell you I love shared left. I kind
of live for it. So if you're in a comedy
club and just one person laughs, you're kind of not
doing that well, so after is very value. Believe me.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You know, I was, I was watching what you were posting,
and I'd seen it in other places too. On a
blue sky with the with the protesters at the ice
of in Portland, Oregon, and you know, that's that's north
of where I am in the state of Oregon. You know,
the what Trump claims to be a war ravaged place.
(10:10):
And yet and yet they are these people in costumes,
dancing around, dressed up as frogs and uniform and I think,
and if I'm remembering correctly, your line was, it's the
New Zoo Review coming right at you, motherfucker's And I
thought that was fantastic because because it's like it's a
(10:31):
shared form of community and and and protest and humor
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
That like that that with a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Fun and a little bit of comedy, like completely undercuts
what Trump is is lying about with regard to Portland
and many other cities around the country.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, And people really enjoyed the New Zoo
Review reference. Uh yeah, it's and I love that these
protesters are dressing up in costumes and being really goofy,
and it's kind of like a really good weapon against
(11:08):
against the oppression. And I think it's one of the
Trump officials said, Oh, they're just doing that to cover
up how horrible they are, you know, and it's so
it's like it is. It's a very effective tool and
and I think that it protests in general, Like I
hope people keep just doing really goofy things, and people
(11:31):
online are like, you know, they're posting really funny videos
about you know, I mean, there's nothing funny about Ice,
but they're they're horrible, and people are posting that. You
might have seen the person who who had the video
of the guy on the bike and then the Ice
people started chasing him and they put.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
It yes yes in Chicago where they where like the
delivery guy like was taunting them and they just ran
off on his bike and Bigger.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Left at Benny Hill music.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
That's right, somebody out of the Benny Hill music.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
And uh, you know, there's a lot of really fun
fun stuff like that, and it's I think it's a
very effective thing too. You know, when you play the
Benny Hill music over over Ice running, you're you're really
puncturing their pubposity, right, you know. It's a very pompous
(12:27):
thing what they're doing. It's an evil thing that you're doing.
But when you when you throw in stuff like that,
it's you just make them look ridiculous. And and it's
a really valuable thing.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
No, you're right, because I mean, as you say, as
you imply, they they are dangerous, but at the same time,
they are ridiculous, and and they should be made to.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
You know, mainly they should be defied and and resisted.
But but ridicule is a part of that toolbox, you know,
of resistance in fighting back.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
All Right, they made made look ridiculous, and I cannot
afford to be made ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And I think I think that's true, Like, they can't
afford to be made ridiculous because when when people realize that,
then then they lose the sense of of of of
seriousness that they that they put forward and and and
and and they lose some of their power. That comedy,
that humor is is taking some of the power from
(13:33):
them and bringing it back to us and gets I
think the momentum going in the right direction. Yeah, yeah,
I think that's so important. What do you think is
has been like in your opinion, Like, I mean, we've
talked about a few examples here.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
What do you think has been the.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Most effective use of of of comedy since Trump has
returned in his second administration. I mean, again, I can
I can think of a lot of different examples. I mean,
the atjec prop that we were that we were just
discussing in Portland, Oregon, the guy running away in in
(14:12):
in Chicago. I mean, I think there have been a
lot of wonderful contributions from from from late night comedians.
Is there anything that stands out to you or any
individual who you think has been particularly uh outstanding in
the service of comedy in anti authoritarianism.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Like I was just saying, I really think it's people
just regular people online who are who are being very
funny and they're really and they're really out there on
the streets, you know, confronting all of it. And to me,
the stuff that that those people put out is uh
(14:57):
is very effective. Although I thought that, I don't know
if you saw Colbert did did a meme of of
jd Vance making sweet love to a couch, and.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I know there have been a lot of those I
haven't seen. In particular, he got.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
A sombrero on his ass and it was a reaction
too to uh. J Devan, Yeah, jd Vance saying, you know,
you know, he was commenting on the the meme that
Trump put out with the Democratic leaders and.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Sombreros, right right, yeah, exactly, like like.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
He saying, oh, come on, it's just a joke. I mean,
and you know they always dismissed that with Trump, and
uh and so Colbert, you know, put out that meme
of of of him heavily humping a couch with a
sombrero on his ass, and and he and then and
(16:03):
then Colbert said, yeah, come on, it's just a joke,
you know. And uh, that was very effective, I thought,
and I really think that Democrats need to to be
more to do more stuff like that, to to come
back and hit Trump back with stuff that's it's you know,
(16:25):
that's outrageous like that and he and I don't know
how effective it is in terms of changing things, but
it gives us, it gives us comfort and uh and
laughter along the way. And that's that's a very important thing. Yeah,
you know, you.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Bring up a really good point because I will tell
you I I do not think that Hakeem Jeffries or
Chuck Schummer would would kill if they went down to
their local comedy club. Are are there are there Democrats
that you think are doing a good job of comedy
(17:03):
or or are the tips that you would give them
as a comedy professional that they could take up.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
You're really stretching the term comedy professional. I would and
I would never give them tips because I don't think
i'm you know, I'm not. I don't have that kind
of mind where I can give people tips about how
they should do comedy.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You know, given what I've seen of Chuck Schumer's material,
I think almost anyone could give him tips.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Yeah, yeah, you know, but the one who's really good
at that stuff is someone who they don't support, and
that's us around my mom Donnie. Yes, great videos. He
did a video that was like a parody of The
Bachelor and he and he he aired it during The Bachelor,
and he, you know, he has put out funny stuff
(17:57):
that it's meant to be funny, and he's been just
you know, he's just been masterful in how he's run
his campaign. And it's just galling to me that this
guy who was obviously the future of the Democratic Party
is not being supported by the Democratic Party establishment. It's
(18:20):
just it's just horrible that Schumer. You know, Schumer and Jeffries,
they've gotten you know, you know Chuck Schumer. You know
the kind of common like when I post something about
Schumer or Jeffries, especially Schumer, like there always be in
(18:44):
the comments, like someone will say he's going to write
a strongly worded letter, like that's kind of the the
standard joke about Chuck Schumer is he's going to write
a strongly worded letter. And a couple of months go
on CNN he literally said that that he was send
(19:06):
a strong, strongly worded letter to Trump. And and and
these guys are just clueless. They're whatever their virtues as
public servants, they're just the wrong people for this moment.
They're the wrong people to be in leadership. And I
have I have friends who say, well, don't don't focus
(19:27):
your eye on the Democrats, because it's the Republicans who
are causing all the problems. And that's true. But on
the other hand, we as Democrats, and I still consider
myself a Democrat. You know, we need if we're not
the right opposition, we're we're part of the problem. And uh,
Jeffries and Schumer to me are are part of the problem.
(19:51):
They're they're just incredibly ineffective. And I think they've gotten
a little better lately in terms of the shutdown and everything.
But you know, uh, which is which maybe means they're
hearing the criticisms. I know they're hearing the criticism, but
I don't know, Like if Chuck Schumer, I think he
used a curse word in one of his videos, mean
(20:12):
like he's trying to ooh more badass, but he's just
not the guy.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
He is not no he And I couldn't agree with
you more on on Mamdanni. And I will tell you
that out of any of the things that I have heard,
and I scour the internet each day for positive progressive stories,
the rise of Zaran Mamdani has has been the most
(20:39):
positive thing that I can think of. And you're right
he is. He has combined energy with positive policy proposals.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
He's likable, he's fun. Yeah, he does stuff that's fun,
policy based stuff like where he did something where he
had a race with a with a New York City
bus buses run, so you know, stuff like that. He's
really and I when I was in in New York
(21:11):
in the summer, I was believed it or not I
was filming a music video, which that doesn't happen often.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Were you one of the dancers in the background.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
No, I actually play a priest in it. But oh wow, okay,
But anyway, we're in Central Park and one of the
actresses in the video, it's really bright and uh enthusiastic
young woman, and she and she was so excited that
(21:43):
when we finished our shoot, she was going to go
out and canvas for Mondami. This was before the primary. Wow,
and she was so happy. And to see that kind
of enthusiasm in really young people, that shit ain't happening
with Chuck. I'm sorry, and it's you know, I hate
to say it, but one of the big problems is
(22:09):
old people like me, you know.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Again, not gonna blame you personally, Frank.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Yeah, but you know, whether it's Trump or Schumer. And
it's not even the issue of like how you know,
Joe Biden was obviously too old and had cognitive problems
or whatever. It's it's not even that, it's just that
our generation we need to make room for, you know.
(22:37):
And and I don't even think it's ageism. It's it's
we've got to make room for for for a new generation.
Of people to make a difference in the world. And
these people who are in their eighties, who are who
refuse to resign from office, they run for re election,
(22:58):
you know.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Uh yeah, And Nancy Pelosi is still there.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Stenny is still there.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yeah there, and and they you know, God bless them
for the for the contribution, like God bless Nancy Pelosi
for the contribution she's made. But uh she should. You know,
there comes a time when you when you should step
aside and let let let new let younger people. By
(23:25):
younger people, I mean people in their sixties, you know, but.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I mean there there there are a bunch of in
addition to Zorhan Mamdani out where I believe you moved
back to the Upper Midwest. And there's Omar Fate in Minneapolis.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yes him at an event, and uh, I don't know
if he's gonna win, but he's another one that's like
a bright hope because I think even if he loses
for mayor, he'll still be in the state legislature. Right
there are people like that and and and someone like
AOC who really knows how to use social media and
(24:05):
is very engaging and uh, you know she when she
first ran she beat this older establishment democrat that all
of the leaders supported. You know, as far as those
leaders are concerned with you, they didn't. They didn't want
they don't want an AOC, they don't want a DOMI,
(24:26):
you know. And these are the people that are that
are exciting, not just younger people, but old farts like
myself are very very inspired by these r you know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yeah, I mean, the the the guy who sort of
like kicked it all off in terms of challenging the establishment,
Bernie Sanders. He's not exactly a Spring checkout, and yet
yet he's leading this wave of young people. So it
really is about a mindset more than anything.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, yeah, and stuff that used to uh, words that
scared people like socialists. I think people they go through
tough times are much less scared by that word. That's right,
you know, and uh yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
It is interesting how I mean, I grew up, you know,
I was still going to school when the the the
end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin
Wall happened. But like saying like socialists like for such
a long time, as I'm sure you will know, it's
like such a taboo and just and now like the
(25:34):
taboo is broken.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
And it used to be a taboo to who criticized Israel.
You know, right right now when you when you used
Israel and you say genocide, a lot of people are like, yup,
you know yeah, yeah, uh. You know, these people, these
horrible people who are who are making the world worse.
(26:00):
People are not complicitly just going along. That's what like
the Democratic established it and especially the Republican establishment, they
want everyone to just support Israel no matter what, you know, yeah,
because they get a lot of their money from from
from Apak or whatever. And absolutely you know, and people
are seeing what's going on and and they're like, no,
(26:23):
you know what, that is a that is a genocide. Sorry,
that is a genocide happening.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, no, it absolutely is.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
And I was, I like, just just yesterday, I was
I was talking to a friend of mine who's got
I don't know exactly what age, but he's he's he's
into his seventies, and he said to me kind of
out out of out of nowhere, you know, it's it's
really just horrible, what's happening to those those people in Gaza.
(26:50):
Something that I like, he's not a political person. We
don't usually talk politics. But he just put that out
there and it struck me, Wow, this is really resonating
with people beyond those who just typically engage with politics
on the left. We have come to the realization that, yes,
when it's happening, it's horrific. We have been complicit in
(27:12):
it and it needs to stop. And I and that,
and that is one of the things that gives me hope,
the fact that that that is happening to people who
wouldn't ordinarily engage in politics in that way are coming
to the realization that, hey, the kind of capitalism that
we have is not working in the United States of America,
(27:34):
and that what's happening in Gaza is in fact a genocide.
And that is now the standard baseline belief, maybe not
among the political class, maybe not among our leadership, but
among ordinary people.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
And that is very heartening.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
People yeah, are like, yeah, economic justice. A genocide is
a genocide, and economic justice is something we would like,
we would like to have, you know, hope in our lives.
And these old, these old people in charge who've been
in charge forever one way or the other, in one
(28:14):
form or another, they're not giving us the life that like.
For instance, I as a baby boomer had as a
possibility to me. You know, they don't have that now,
and they're rightfully pissed off about it.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, it's it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I keep coming back in my mind and this is
a very obscure reference. But you know, I think I'm
talking to the right person. In terms of obscure references.
There is there's there's an old radio show that I
used to listen to because I'm into old time radio,
arch Obler's Lights Out.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Oh yeah, I've heard of that.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
And there and there was, and there was one episode
from the nineteen forties where called Immortal Gentleman, and there
were these like two underground people of younger age who
are going on a mission to like destroy these like
immortal elders who had like taken over society and could
(29:14):
have the ability to live forever. And I come back
to that as a metaphor for what's going on again,
not blaming you personally, Frank, but it really does seem
that for a long time, the Boomer generations has, although
(29:37):
many good things have been done by them in many ways,
have sort of been in their positions for too long
and the time has come to make that room. And
I think people are coming to that realization, including members
of the boomer generation, and.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
That gives me hope.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
That gives me hope that that people are realizing it
is time to move forward. It is time to move
on and the ideas of the past are not ones
that work today. We have new ideas. Let's move forward
with those.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Absolutely. Yeah, you know, let us old people keep making
jokes and stuff.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
But I love the jokes. I love the obscure references.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
That is truly one of the things that has always
has always drawn me to your particular form of comedy. Frank,
So thank you. Don't don't stop making the jokes, don't
stop making the references.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I'm still I'm still at it. You know. The thing
about comedians, though, is that we do have our like
cranky old timers who who are clueless about the world.
I don't want to mention any names Bill Maher, but anyway,
you know, comedians though traditionally like they you know, like
(30:59):
people Jack Benny and Grout Show and Burns. They were
very active into their eighties. So that's that's okay for
comedians to keep And if you're still funny, you know,
that's where there's too much agism is where you know,
(31:19):
older comedians or not don't get the opportunities that they
might necessarily get exactly. But you know so I intend,
I have. I don't plan on retiring, although show businesses
often asked me to retire, but persuely, I'm not there yet.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Show business may have asked you to, Frank, but I
think the rest of us are in agreement. Stay where
you are, keep going, keep keep blue skying.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
We absolutely love it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Frank Knef TV's Frank of Mystery Science Theater three thousand.
Where can we find more information about your Your books
shows everything that.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
My books are all available at dumb Dash Industries dot com,
and there are and there hard copies, uh there are
autographed copies of them, and and also there's audio versions
of the Time Tumblers and I think UH and Dark
(32:25):
app THEA and UH and UH and the Mystery Science
Theater Book. I wrote twenty five Mystery Science Theater films
that changed my life in no way whatsoever. There are
UH there are audio versions of those books. And then
the Time Tumblrs there's a uh an e book of it,
(32:47):
and in the e book there are Wikipedia links to
every single obscure reference, and there are many of them,
believe me.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Yeah, and and uh, you know, a portion of the
proceeds the sale of that will be contributed to Wikipedia.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
The annotated version of your book, complete with with.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
References, that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, links to every every time I make a reference
to something and to it.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's great. That's great.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
So dumb dash Industries dot com. H please please check
it out. Frank Kneff, thank you so much for being
with us today on good News for left Eas. Keep
up all the wonderful work that you do, and thank
you so much for being with us.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Thank you, thanks for having me. It was fun.
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