American Atheists announced Saturday that comedians Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu will reprise their roles from the Emmy-nominated series Mystery Science Theater 3000 at the American Atheists 2015 National Convention in Memphis in April in front of a live audience. For now, the movie that has been chosen for the performance is not being announced.
The announcement was made by the group’s president, David Silverman, during his appearance on the Dogma Debate podcast on Saturday. … Beaulieu and Conniff will speak at the convention in addition to hosting their comedy show.
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Frank and Trace to Appear at Atheist ConventionThis item broke over the weekend…
83 Replies to “Frank and Trace to Appear at Atheist Convention”Commenting at Satellite News
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Well… given the circumstances, perhaps they should riff “The Ten Commandments”.
I guess this means they don’t believe in Manos. The Master does not approve.
What a heart-warming announcement during this Christmas season…….
Hey, a gig is a gig. Best of luck with the show.
wow
My pop and folk sensibilities! No!!!!
Or rather, good for them. *shrug*
It’s just a theology so we really should relax.
My guess….”Nothing On 34th Street”
Well, it’s not like Dr. Clayton “I’m the god! I’M THE GOD!” Forrester didn’t drop a few hints now and again.
I don’t care about the religious/atheist angle — I just wonder about copyrights & trademarks & such, over the MST3K characters. Anybody got any insight on that?
When Frank posted this on social media last night, there was no mention of an appearance by Forrester and TV’s Frank.
Granted, the two of them are obviously hilarious together, but slipping on the costumes… might be legally tricky.
But April is right around the Easter Bunny’s birthday! How disrespectful.
Man, I really really hope somebody records this. I’d love to go if it were closer to me.
Maybe they can do a comical retrospective on Madelyn Murray……. or not.
eh, it’s no worse than writing for Salon.
That’s strange, isn’t Kevin usually the Catholic-baiter?
And yeah, @1, sounds like they’re there to do “Public MST3K-ing of religious movie/footage”, which pretty much consists of 90% of an Athie’s existence to begin with…What, was Penn Jilette busy again?
(Or maybe they should have hired the RiffTrax folk, they’re the ones who immaturely think they’re “punishing” something by riffing it…)
Riff any given TRANSFORMERS movie. Each is airtight proof of a Godless universe.
#9, 10: Portraying copyrighted characters in a public performance might be problematic for say a stage play, but not a work of satire (lampooning Harry Potter for example). However, telling jokes as characters from a show that told jokes is a gray area. Is the performance the movie, the riffs, or them dressed as characters from a show? Also, Frank and Trace CREATED the characters in question. The voices, the mannerisms were created by them. Where do Dr. Forester and TV’s Frank begin, end? In any case, I dare Jim Mallon to sue them over it. He’s already held in low regard for forcing Joel off his own show, then absconding with the rights. This would push him to Dr. Mudd status.
They must use Kirk Cameron’s movie “Saving Christmas”. From what I’ve heard about the movie, it has such messed up theology that it would be perfect for both the theist and atheist crowds.
He can and could: Dr. F and Frank aren’t “owned by Trace and Frank”, they’re owned by Best Brains, Inc.
Whether satire or not, an actor can’t go running around in copyrighted movie-character costume on his own time without the studio or otherwise owner having something to say about it.
(And I don’t know where Frank stands, but I’m assuming Trace doesn’t want the entire show associated with Atheist axe-grinding, when the appearance is just a standup gig, for an audience that already has a bit of functional trouble distinguishing the difference between kidding and soapboxing.)
You mean a miserable, lazy, good-for-nothing-thing-thinnnnggg?….Oops, sorry, wrong guy. ;)
Hey to be clear Frank and I are not appearing as Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank. We will be appearing as us. Frank and Trace.
We don’t even own the old costumes. Although I do know who does. A fan who shall remain un-named, (that’s his business) bought them from BBI. We got to see them at one of our CT shows. They are very nice people and they actually look pretty good in our evil hand-me-downs.
I won’t speak for Frank but for THE TWO OF US to wear the old costumes and dress as those characters at a convention or a personal appearance at this stage in our lives would be sad, pathetic and just a little bit weird. Mostly sad.
Just because we wear the stuff in our private lives is our own bees wax.
Trace
Trace! Just in case you’re continuing to read this thread – thank you for your incredible talent. I can’t tell you how much MST3K has meant to me. You guys are like The Beatles of comedy. Thank you for making the world better!
Unfortunately I cannot make this. I have told a few friends who are going that if they meet Trace they should ask him about the “big haired guy” who occasionally asks him if he can borrow the snow blower. It’s an old Facebook joke I had with him from several years ago.
I’d just like to second Droppo’s words of appreciation – well said. You have my everlasting gratitude, Mr. B.
And Merry Christmas – if that’s ok.
Scott
So I guess they are aiming to bring the MST3K reboot to MSNBC?
I really don’t think it’s a good idea to alienate even a fraction of your potential audience with political activism.
@21 – I’ll third the sentiments in my own special way:
They were never funny after Season 7–Trace, one of the Last Good Brains. :)
“Political activism” in the sense of holding an opinion, viewpoint, or position. Don’t they know only non-public figures are allowed to do that?
Wow this is really weird. So are Trace and Frank both athiest? Just kind of surprised by it.
My understanding is Mike is a Christian too, but not sure Joel!s beliefs, but they are usually respectful to a point. As a Christian they never went as far as Seth McFarland in making fun if my beliefs. Making fun of Christians and their actions is different as all people do dumb things. Still like MST3K no matter what they believe.
From all accounts Jim didn’t force Joel off the show. Joel seems to get bored with projects and leaves to do something new which he has done time and time again.
Forrester and Frank only riff on movies in a parallel universe anyway. ;)
Little suprises me about the beliefs of the people on the show. It still seems to rankle people that Mike’s kinda conservative and Frank’s kinda not.
Without trying to sound too sappy, I frankly think the fact that there wasn’t a political/theological echo chamber on the show to be one of their greatest assets. No one seemed to be on the show with an axe to grind for or against any group or belief.
That said, one of the funniest jokes ever is still “Look, if this is your God you have a severe ontological crisis.” Any show that can throw that out gets a gold star from me.
It’s amazing how people freak out over the most trivial things.
Yay Frank & Trace!
Mike did an interview quite a few years ago where he kinda bashed atheists. That stuck in my craw(Crow?)I’ll admit. I still enjoy his work pretty much. Frank and Trace should have the right to their (non)Beliefs as well. If you cant take a little criticism or questioning of your beliefs, well, Boo-Hoo.
Not really sure what this means.
If one stuck in your craw, shouldn’t both stick in your craw? Seems like you are the one who is Boo-Hooing. The rights should go both ways.
I found the interview to which I think you’re referring (from 2004): http://liheliso.com/Issue7/Issue7.html#Mike_Nelson
If this is the one, I don’t think he bashes atheists. But when questioned about atheism and morality, he has an opinion.
I am a very conservative, very evangelical Christian, and nothing MST ever did offended me. That was the beauty of the show, as several people have already said. The personal beliefs of the actors is their own business, and I appreciate that they played it down the middle for the most part, on the show.
As I said in my Facebook post announcing this gig, I’m not an atheist, but I am a devout blasphemer.
“As I said in my Facebook post announcing this gig, I’m not an atheist, but I am a devout blasphemer.”
Frank, I was invited to a FURRY convention. No one ever said, “Oh, he’s a FURRY. I was invited to a science convention. No one ever said, “Oh, he’s a scientist.” But go to ONE Atheist convention…
I’m cool with whatever you guys believe or don’t believe, because my love for your work (and let’s just say it – my love for you guys personally (no booty calls please)) extends beyond this. But I’m warning you – you show up at *one* ‘Babylon 5’ convention…
Thank you, Frank and Trace, for illuminating in very clear terms why people were freaking out over nothing.
A gig is a gig. Money is money. It’s not a contract saying the person being paid MUST subscribe to a certain preferred ideology, etc.
Every single dang one of them (the cast of MST3K) have been to Comic Book Cons and we all know that comic books cause JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. I say we close down this site and erase any mention of their very existence.
Trace + Frank = the greatest.
That is all.
Belief systems are still, even in an age where folks should be more accepting and understanding, a touchy subject. I’m a Christian, but I don’t have any issue with anyone’s beliefs. Acceptance is the key. But one thing I need clarification on: Trace, are you saying you are NOT a furry scientist…?
Speaking for the other side, I am an atheist. I hope that’s alright with everyone here.
It has never bothered me that some people involved with the show don’t think the same way I do. They make me laugh and they seem like nice folks. Being a liberal and an atheist living in a decidedly non-liberal, non-atheist town, I have discovered that several non-liberals and non-atheists are actually fun people and great to hang out with. Despite the fact they aren’t clones of me.
I also make no assumptions about anyone’s faith just because they find themselves at an atheist convention. Some people actually support equal pay for women without being women themselves, or support GLAD without being lesbians/gays themselves.
Gotta love the tolerance that one difference of opinion seems to bring out in some fans.
Hello Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Coniff! Thank you for visiting this board! Have fun at the conference.
#17: You could be more wrong about satire as it relates to copyrighted/trademarked characters. See the SPOOKY MOVIE series. KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE. See comic strips which have used copyrighted characters. WHACKY PACKAGE stickers I grew up with. Mel Brooks’s SPACE BALLS. See the BARRY TROTTER series parodying Harry Potter. Satire is the root of free speech. Without it, SNL couldn’t have made fun of pop culture for the last 39 years.
@ AmazingRando – Couldn’t agree more. If we could all be okay when someone’s view on something differed, and understand and appreciate that viewpoint both for the respect of that person and for the things we can learn from their beliefs/viewpoints, it would be amazing what we could accomplish.
Incidentally, I don’t know much about the Brains’ affiliations to…well, anything. Except for Mike I guess since it was mentioned above somewhere. Their personal lives have nothing to do with their comedic work, so it’s really of no consequence. Their diversity and creativity are why we are all commenting here, and that’s all that needs said.
I’m not NOT saying I’m a furry scientist. The episode of MST where Dr. Forrester had ever progressively hairy ears was based on unauthenticated fact. Just saying’.
Thanks Trace – I think that puts that debate to rest, and gives us insight into some aspects that may or may not be factual about you. Kudos for not dodging the issues.
Coincidentally, I just showed my friend that episode (San Francisco International) the other day – one of the hidden gems of that season. That’s really funny you’d mention that one!
@23 – Don’t you ever feel you’re doing a huge disservice to the MST3k fan community with your constant poisonous comments?
Atheism as an idea isn’t explicitly political, though I could see where someone could mistakenly get that impression. As for alienating your old audience, I’m sure Dennis Miller could illuminate us all on the concept.
Also, on the “Pod People” podcast that was mentioned here recently, Joel talked extensively about his religious upbringing and the huge role that church entertainers and variety nights played in shaping his interest in performing. He didn’t say anything about his current beliefs, but it was an itresting side of his personality I hadn’t heard before.
So, different strokes and all.