Music industry veteran Lou Adler’s second and final directing credit, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS predated the riot grrrl movement by close to a decade. It effectively pioneered the aesthetic behind the feminist punk movement that took off in the 1990s. Three anxious teens (Diane Lane, Laura Dern, and Marin Kanter) form The Stains, taking the stage in scandalizing outfits and outrageous makeup — and carrying a transgressive message to young women seeking self-expression after the era of sexual liberation.

The Stains have more spirit than talent, but they’ve got bigger problems. A cast of aging rockers (including real members of The Tubes, The Clash, the Sex Pistols, and more) and competitive upstarts (Ray Winstone as a cockney punk) send The Stains’ leader into a self-interested spiral.

Give to these causes in need during ICE’s occupation of Minnesota:

Support Minnesotans defending their communities from ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
@sanctuarysupplydepot: Mutual aid group in Mpls getting basic necessities to our houseless neighbors https://linktr.ee/sanctuarysupplydepot
@mplsmutualaid: Clearinghouse of mutual aid for our neighbors: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid
ISAIAH, an interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice in MN: https://secure.everyaction.com/G8TCnxFlE0qd9zlUEYjjeg2
Show love to North Minneapolis families in crisis: https://www.gofundme.com/f/show-love-to-north-minneapolis-families-in-crisis

References:

Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains 4K UHD/Blu-ray from Fun City Editions
“University of Minnesota expert helped make animated beavers in ‘Hoppers’ true to life” by Kirsti Marohn for MPR News
“Johnny Knoxville: ‘Jackass was born among friends and that’s how it will end’” by Natalie Marlin for Little White Lies
“The Fabulous Stains: Behind the Movie” (1999)
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Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog

#RiotGrrrls #DCP

Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast, Bluesky at @trylovepodca.st, and email us at trylovepodcast@gmail.com to get in touch!

Show art by Emily Csuy. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro music: “I Slept in an Arcade” by Black Randy and the Metrosquad from the LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:00 - Episode 389: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS (1982)

02:04 - Whadja Watch This Week?

21:27 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary (under exclusive license from AG Enterprises, Ltd.)

24:12 - A movie that’s unsure what it wants to say

37:15 - Filmmakers admitting they have no idea what the kids are up to

47:54 - What we wished we’d seen in THE FABULOUS STAINS

59:31 - Lawnboy

1:13:25 - Figures, real and imagined, who throw things a bit out of whack

1:19:22 - The ridiculous ending

1:26:57 - The Junk Drawer

1:39:07 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1982

1:42:53 - Cody’s Noteys: The Sabulous Grains (sandpaper trivia)