Lenora Claire's new "doNUTS" web series
Richard Metzger is the current Boing Boing guest blogger.
We constantly read about how network television is cutting back on expensive scripted dramas and sitcoms that can cost $5 million dollars an episode and up, in favor of more cheaply produced "reality TV" programming. Reality TV can still prove costly to produce, but it doesn't have to cost a lot to be entertaining...
Television development executives of the world who are reading this post, I call your attention to five minutes of sublime entertainment that was made for the cost of a single can of Diet Coke (literally). This is my pal Lenora Claire's new webshow, "doNUTS" (produced in affiliation with World of Wonder):
Given the choice between an episode of "Grey's Anatomy," "Rock of Love" or "Don't Forget the Lyrics" on one hand or a smart, sassy woman with bright red hair and ginormous breasts interviewing shitfaced donut eating drunks, on the other, what would YOU want to watch? Each episode of "doNUTS" will see the lovely Ms. Claire interviewing the colorful night owl denizens of the finest 24-hour donut emporiums in Los Angeles. This is primo TV! Are you television exec types out there paying attention? (I personally think Lenora should do a "Pee-wee's Playhouse" kind of thing, a "wink wink" semi-raunchy/semi-sweet, semi-ironic show for "the kids." Little kids just love her, you should see it. So do "the gays." They love her, too. Sign this woman up, she's a demographic-spanning star ready for her close-up!)
But "doNUTS" isn't the only notable thing Lenora's got on her plate these days. She's also a wildly popular Los Angeles-based art curator with red-carpet gallery events like her "Golden Girls Gone Wild" and Dolly Parton-themed group shows. Coming up is a Bettie Page exhibit with some very special surprises.
No matter where you turn, there she is. You might recognize her portrait by Marla Rutherford that is part of the current USA Network and Vanity Fair's "Character Project" advertising campaign.
She was also recently painted by the great Olivia.
And here she is eating glass. I think Tim and Eric should invite her on their show to do this.
Lenora Claire "Booty Baby" sculpture (NSFW)
doNUTS on YouTube
the latest
latest episodes
I totally friended her on MySpace
:D
Hooray! Love this lady! Thrilled to see her covered on BB.
Given the choice between an episode of "Grey's Anatomy," "Rock of Love" or "Don't Forget the Lyrics" on one hand or a smart, sassy woman with bright red hair and ginormous breasts interviewing shitfaced donut eating drunks, on the other, what would YOU want to watch?
Just offhand, I'd say "none of the above", but if I really, really had to pick one, I think I'd have to go with "Grey's Anatomy".
Hey, you asked. :-)
For the real scoop on Tang's Donuts in Silver Lake, though, you have to see it in its full, glorious context, as in the photo here.
Thank you sooooo much Richard! I also wanted to let people know that the Bettie Page tribute show featuring the art of the legendary pin-up artist OLIVIA. Show opens May 2nd at the World of Wonder Gallery in Hollywood. Also, just wanted to clarify that while the Golden Girls show was all me I didn't curate the Dolly Parton show. I just sat on a pile of hay holding chickens dressed as her at the show. Hope to see you all there May 2nd and hope all you fancy tv types give me a call.
Thanks for the add, Lenora!
:D
I thought she looked a lot like Dolly in the Vanity Fair advertisement!
In that Olivia painting she looks so much like Dolly Parton!
Portrait of me as Dolly by Austin Young http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenoraclaire/2851711436/ who just shot me for the Bettie Page tribute show which debuts May 2nd at the World of Wonder gallery in Hollywood. I don't really think I look like Dolly but appreciate the compliment. We do have some things in common...like big hair.
h4x0r,
That was way over the line. Have a week off.
You're really accomplishing so much, and you're having a blast while doing it! I was delighted to see your Merry Titmas show at the WOW on Hollywood. Now you have your DoNUTS web series, got a portrait made by Olivia, and now the Character Project has your gorgeous face all over town. I'm proud of you, Lenora!
-The EricZombie
Hey! She really DOES have ginormous breasts!
... Did I type that out loud?
Bettie White? That's shocking!
I thought everyone knew that Rue McClanahan was the one who starred as a stripper early in her career?
Actually no, you are incorrect. Betty White was a pin up girl http://www.rtl.nl/components/actueel/rtlboulevard/entertainment/images/betty_white_nude2.jpg if you do your research you'll find some really cute photos of her wearing nothing but ear muffs. Also, Betty was supposed to play Blanche and Rue was supposed to play Rose but they swapped at the last minute.
LC: You're everything Angelyne could never be.
it's a shame you have to create a livejournal account to comment on her blog. i would have congratulated her long ago.
Thank you Anonymous person. I rarely update my livejournal. I'm more of a Facebook/Myspace/Twitter gal but my site should be relaunching soon.
I am so glad this is back on Boing Boing after mysteriously disappearing for a while. Now I can send it to my friends.
To Miss Claire, I absolutely loved your WOW shows. I, too, live in LA and they are certainly a treat to attend, although they have a tendency to be packed. But I guess that is not a negative thing for you, it just shows how much people like the art.
Also, we share the same hair color. Purely coincidence, but fun none the less.
Thanks Iris! Hope to see you May 2nd for the Bettie Page tribute show featuring the art of Olivia as well as Colin Christian, Austin Young, Spencer Davis, and some other amazing artists. I'm also going to be doing fashion shows and lookalike contests during the run of the show so while the opening will surely be crowded there will be more mellow days where you can come and get a good look at all the beautiful art.
This sounds interesting and all, but it did so the last 2-3 times it was page-topped.
Whatever BB's doing that causes articles to keep popping to the top is causing issues trying to keep up with whats new. Please fix this so I don't miss stuff because I think I've already read the whole page and you just inserted content in the middle.
I don't think I can watch Lenora. Nothing personal, but big red lips and fingernails creep me out, ever since Heidi killed and ate Mrs. Miller. I'd just fed her a big mixing bowl of kibble, put some stuff away, then walked into my office. Out the window I saw Heidi's rear end sticking out of the big hollow pepper tree where the Millers lived. I went out there to see what was going on. Heidi looked up at me, her snout and paws bright red with blood. Mrs. Miller lay torn to shreds, feathers everywhere. I'm haunted by it every time I see big red lips.
good grief. what's wrong with you people? i don't want to come across as a square, but this donut-reality-tv segment was just that: reality-tv bullshit. making fun of some doped blokes at the drive-in. that's just elitist, sad hipster stuff. have i missed a vital point here? i'm sorry, but i just don't get it.
@BassToelPel: You did miss something. You must have been sick the day they handed out a sense of humor.
Love her! Wish I could go check out some of her shows in LA.
hmmm. in fact I spent the last week in bed with a tonsillitis. so i probably really missed that sense-of-humour thing. i'll try to catch up on it when i'm feeling better.
Betty White, Nazi, latex-wearing, dominatrix. Who'd-a-thunk-it. Actually, Betty has always been a 'dirty girl' as far back as I can remember. She appeared on Steve Allen and many other celebrity casted shows in the Fifties and Sixties, and would more than occasionally utter some double entendre remarks that gave some inkling into her 'darker', more sexual, persona.
@basstoelpel: "...this donut-reality-tv segment was just that: reality-tv bullsh*t. making fun of some doped blokes at the drive-in..."
Watching an episode of 'Extreme Idiots- The Drunken Sluts Episode' last night I realized that the more people see of this stuff, the more they'll realize how stupid drinking is.
Knockers rule.
Betty White did pose nude when she was younger:
http://www.chicasbond.com/peliculas/chicas/bettywhite/BETTY%20WHITE.JPG
Until Unicorn Chaser hits the market, I will leave it to others to uncover nude Bea Arthur pictures.
You're either confusing the term "cost" or "literally" here.
Even if this were a lark done in everyone's spare time, there are costs that add up to more than a $1.00 here.
Yes, great and interesting things can be made on the cheap, but let's not get carried away.
...Oh shit, did I just become a concern troll?
@D, #29
Yes. Yes you have.
Thanks for covering this, Richard.
Lenora deserves all the good that's coming to her. She is a sweet and wildly creative woman who just needs the right vehicle. I'm glad these things are rolling in the right direction for her- I can't wait to see her corsetted self rocking my tv set!
WANT !