Public Access Poetry
September 23, 2011 11:42 AM   Subscribe

In 1977-1978, a public access TV show called Public Access Poetry featured leading poets from across the country (Ted Berrigan, Ron Padgett, Eileen Myles, John Yau, Brad Gooch, just to name a few).

Thirty-one episodes are now online, but the Poetry Project at St. Mark's is seeking funding to convert and post the remaining 15 reels of the show.
posted by mattbucher (5 comments total) 16 users marked this as a favorite
 
Oh my God. There was something other than Midnight Blue on public access TV in the 70s. I wish I had known. Actually, it wouldn't have mattered to me then, but I'm glad I know now. This is incredibly awesome.
posted by The Bellman at 11:55 AM on September 23, 2011


"Brad Gooch" is a really unfortunate name.
posted by Saxon Kane at 12:15 PM on September 23, 2011


I think it's a good name. He's not primarily a poet, so my post is a little misleading. Also, most of these folks are from the Downtown School or scene or New York School, 2nd generation or whatever--not necessarily from across the country.
posted by mattbucher at 12:20 PM on September 23, 2011


This is fantastic.

I'd really like to watch these on my TV; how would one go about downloading them?
posted by roll truck roll at 1:14 PM on September 23, 2011


I don't remember this program, but from the same time period I remember Anyone for Tennyson? over on PBS.

50 episodes, three seasons, presenting more than 700 poems. Guest readers included Claire Bloom, Henry Fonda, Vincent Price, William Shatner, Fred Gwynne, Jack Lemmon, Robert Culp, and LeVar Burton (who must've been about 12).

Apparently it was 'award-winning', though I remember it as being just awful, dreadful, dull, and contrived. Admittedly, my own paradigms have shifted a bit since 1977, so possibly I'd appreciate it better now.

Surprisingly, there seem to be a number of places to view episodes, but I cannot vouch or any of them.
 
posted by Herodios at 1:49 PM on September 23, 2011


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