TV talkshows in the 90’s were a trip. From Phil Donahue to Geraldo Rivera to Ricki Lake to the late great potty-mouthed icon, Joan Rivers, these shows commanded millions of eyeballs and for better (but mostly worst), represented mainstream pop culture in America.
Because of their reach, it was always a big deal when one of our own appeared on one of these TV shows. A single episode appearance could expose literally millions of people to a metal band that they otherwise would never have come across in their day to day life.
In 1990, GWAR was doing promo for their new album, Scumdogs of the Universe, and Joan Rivers was brave enough to have them on her show. Specifically- Oderus Urungus and Beefcake the Mighty. You KNEW this was going to be a trip when these were the first words out of Oderus’s mouth:
“Basically, we view the human race as scum. We are indeed from another planet you know and human beings we see as food- dogs so much to be destroyed on stage en masse. They do not dislike this, rather, they throw themselves gleefully into the jaws of death.” Beefcake adds: “yes, that’s right. It’s sort of a microcosm of the entire human condition if you will… they line up to die.”
To which Joan responds: “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” It’s all downhill from there, but honestly, props to Rivers for having a sense of humor (and for letting the whole thing go on for what likely for her was an excruciatingly-long ten minutes).
Watch GWAR on the Joan Rivers Show below:
Throwback: GWAR Respond to Corey Taylor’s Insults in 2003 – “Keep Your Whining Trap Shut”