Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

The Name Of This Play Is Talking Heads


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 2, 2005

Modified Mar 7, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 2, 2005

Modified Mar 7, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

2005_03_artsedhelmestv.jpgWe're all guilty of watching VH1's "outrageous" "specials", featuring people who probably don't know Britney Spears talking for one hour about "Why Britney is SO OUTRAGEOUS", or whatever. Fifteen minutes on why she eats cheetos, FIFTEEN. You know you watch these specials, it's okay, so do we.
Gothamist will be checking out Marc Spitz's new play on this whole tv genre entitled The Name Of This Play Is Talking Heads*. Spitz is an expert, as a senior writer at SPIN magazine he's been a talking head himself. Below is a summary of this, his seventh, play:

The Name of This Play is Talking Heads

skewers the vapidity of music punditry on networks like MTV and VH-1. Talking Heads takes place backstage at your garden variety music channel where an innocuous music journalist for a reputable industry magazine prepares to make his first appearance on a show of this nature. In this case it is the Top 100 Most Rockatrocious Moments in History. When he witnesses how the obligatory comedian taping his segment is being force fed material and told what to say, he is shocked that these experts were not only amateurs, but they had no insight or integrity at all.  When he decides to rail against the system the results may have fatal consequences!

So get off the couch and stop watching shows about shocking! celebrity! moments!, and watch a play (about the shows about the shocking celebrity moments.)

The Name Of This Play Is Talking Heads starts tomorrow, March 3, and runs through March 26. Thursdays and Fridays at 8, Saturdays at 8 and 10, UNDER St. Marks Theater [94 St. Marks Place (bet. First Ave. and Ave. A)]
Tickets are $15 and can be puchased here.

*The name of this play is David Byrne approved.

Tagged

britney spears

celebrity

david

david byrne

first ave

gothamist

history

industry

marc spitz

Marks Place

mtv

Music

people

talking heads

theater

tickets

Under St

VH-1

vh1


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

What do you see when you record the whole of the boroughs?

By

Sonia Rao

Published Oct 5, 2026


Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

It's a busy month at the branches.

By

Alec Hamilton

Arts & Entertainment

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

It's a busy month at the branches.

By

Alec Hamilton


NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism

By

Hank Shteamer

Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.

By

Hannah Frishberg

In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.

By

Elizabeth Shwe

and

James Ramsay


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .