I realize the fog machine/polyester armpit vapors of my last post are still fresh in your nostrils. Apologies if the following clip is officially too much of a good thing. Then again, can’t everyone can use one more reason to love this man?

Yep. That’s Richard Pryor fronting a deadly funk/metal band that looks like Sunn O))) on national television in 1977. This is indeed a strange and glorious universe.

New drawing from one of my favorite artists to help us embark on the new week. See more of Jonathan’s art on his website, Scrapbook Manifesto. 

Sometime last spring I vowed to only buy dresses to simplify shopping and slow closet growth. That’s all been forgotten now, though I did faithfully stick with the plan all of the summer. But, as with any drastic regime, there were side effects.

Once I finally realized just how sick of dresses I’d become, I began purging anything frilly and light-colored along with most dresses I’d accumulated. Now I actually need to get a flashlight to navigate my closet, like in the olden times of Zo-spookiness. This means muted colors, layers back in effect along with pants paired with heels. Less overt girlyness with a lot more attention paid to interesting construction and detail, even when I’m wearing skirts or dresses. A new era?

My mantra’s become “quality over quantity” this season. I’m not really shopping and am donating a lot to Goodwill thus leaving myself with fewer, better options. Though in all likeliness this is simply hibernation and my shopping appetite shall return, ravenous!

Fetish performer Dita von Teese has been cast to play the role of WWI-era exotic dancer/spy Mata Hari in a new film directed by Martha Fiennes. The full story is here.

Before we get to whether or not Dita can pull this off, a bit of history: the original femme fatale, Mata Hari was born Margaretha Zelle to a humble family that ran a hat shop in Holland. She moved to Java as a newlywed at age 18, but family life was not in the stars for Mata Hari; after a divorce, she resurfaced in Paris, poised to reinvent herself as a sultry dancer princess.

She first performed as a circus horse rider under the name Lady McLeod, but reached true fame when she introduced herself as an exotic dancer under the name Mata Hari (“Eye of the Day” in Indonesian, “Mother of God” in Hindi). An overnight success, she was famous for her seductive performances, elaborate costumes and Oriental origins; she posed as a princess from Java, initiate in the mystical art of erotic ritual dance. After her rise to stardom as a dancer, Mata Hari became a courtesan, then a spy, and ultimately, by some accounts, a double agent.

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EnglishRussia always knows what I need. And what I need, generic apparently, pharmacy is an electric bodybuilder. Few things are as helpful here in the 21st century as a shiny robotic companion. While some might be using their model for heavy lifting and dubious pleasure activities, I would use my Russian meat machine primarily for kitchen duties, such as greasing skillets. Be sure to have the sound on when watching.

A beautiful morning to you all, search from our other tentacled friends in the Mediterranean sea. They may not have brains but this one seems to have a heart on display.

Breaking news! I realize this is very last minute and only applies to our brethren in Northern California, but tonight Jesse Hawthorne Ficks is hosting a “Disco Extravaganza” at the gorgeous Castro Theater in SF. They’ll be showing prints of The Wiz, Staying Alive, and best of all, everyone’s favorite futuristic spiritual disco rock opera cult classic, The Apple.

Wait, what’s that you say? You’ve never seen The Apple before?

Mister Boogalow disapproves.

The Apple is a steaming Midas turd of a film baked in massive amounts of tin foil. It’s a glitter-encrusted, mylar-ensconced acid trip. It’s Jem and the Holograms’ flea market jamboree. It’s… it’s…. oh I have no idea what on earth these people were thinking, but the result is utter crackpot genius.

The British Library has put up a great informational page and gallery of Victorian Freak Show Posters.

“Novelty acts relied a great deal on shock, therefore performers were not revealed in the flesh to audiences until money had changed hands. Titillating publicity was crucial, as the people described in these adverts often bore little resemblance to what lay behind the curtain or turnstile. Exaggerated and stylised illustrations lent age to dwarf acts, stature to giants, and plausibility to mermaids and bear boys. The advertisers of these shows aroused the curiosity of the audience by overplaying, often entirely inventing, ‘true life’ stories.”

This online exhibit is part of a collection called Bodies of Knowledge, which also includes medieval astrology, Chinese acupuncture (with amazingly detailed diagrams), Renaissance anatomy lessons, Ruysch’s “fantastical cabaret of preserved body parts,” the first X-Rays ever taken, and lots of other morbid and fascinating eye candy. Thanks for ze tip, Jerem!

Degenerotika Clothing is a new alt fashion label by Slovenian artist/videographer/designer Tea Bauer. The clothing is gothic for sure, but there’s nothing pensive or frou-frou about it: the sharp, angular, textured garments look like they’re designed for dangerous people, people with unnatural reflexes and ambiguous morals. I can see Aeon Flux wearing this for a violent date with Trevor Goodchild, or Molly Millions donning this for a rare night out dancing on the Killing Floor.

The Degenerotika portfolio can be here, and I’ve included my favorite pieces after the jump. I’ll admit that some of the pieces are hit-or-miss for me, but when it’s a hit, it’s a stab straight to the heart. Tea has a clear voice and a unique perspective on alternative fashion. Definitely one to watch.

The nineties cultural vacuum had barely kicked off when Eerie, Indiana adopted the corn-fed TV formula of the day and injected it with a healthy dose of DARQUE. What resulted was something along the lines of Blossom meets Twilight Zone.

This television artifact was first aired in 1991, and quickly won its place in cult history, despite it’s brief life on the air. For an example of what you’re in for look no further than the first episode, featuring man-size Tupperware put to unnatural use:

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