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American Morning
Look at Latest Sensation in Performance Art World
Aired May 20, 2002 - 08:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Time now to introduce you to the latest sensation of the performance art world. It's not just a concert, but it's not quite a Broadway show either. In fact, it defies description, but that didn't stop our own Jeanne Moos from giving it a try.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fish and spoon, seems like an unlikely combo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Warren Fischer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Casey Spooner (ph).
MOOS: Thus was born Fischerspooner, which brings us to the question, what is Fischerspooner?
ANGELA DI CARLO, MAKEUP DESIGNER: It's not really this, and it's not really that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I'm talking to CNN right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I describe it as an experiment in entertainment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's art, mom.
MOOS: At least it's being staged at an art gallery, owned by Jeffrey Deitch.
JEFFREY DEITCH, DEITCH PROJECTS: This is the avant garde and the kitsch mixed together.
MOOS: With wigs almost a foot high, it's a little like the Broadway show "Cats" -- cats with rabies.
The performers dash around from stage to stage, sometimes ending up off the stage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've given the audience what they want.
MOOS: This audience had great expectations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm expecting it to be a happening.
MOOS: Spooner performs, Fisher is creative director.
WARREN FISCHER, FISCHERSPOONER: A little bit of the odd couple thing, because he's flamboyant and I'll mild-mannered.
MOOS: The two met in art school. Their first performance was at a Starbucks. Now instead of lattes, the audience ingests in video art, projected on screens, and costume changes on stage.
The light show continued outside when the fire department arrived to deal with the problem with the generator.
(on camera): Did you ever hear of Fischerspooner?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did now.
MOOS (voice-over): Fischerspooner flaunts what most performers try to hide, for instance, lip syncing and dealing with cameras.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to have to ask you to step down from this vicinity. It's very dangerous. Now I'm telling you, you're interrupting my craft.
MOOS: One fan called them...
(on camera): ... cultural astronauts?
(voice-over): This, from a guy named Vinnie, offering free feminine hygiene cases. Even musician David Burn (ph) came to the show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is great.
MOOS: Fischerspooner wasn't the only name they considered...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went through bad names. I suggested hustle and bustle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't believe he admitted to that.
MOOS: Though Fischerspooner hasn't yet made it on to the cover of "Time"...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look, I got the cover of "Butt" magazine, my dream come true.
MOOS: They may have the wind against them, but their real dream is to go mainstream.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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