The Show with No Name
Encyclopedia
The Show With No Name was a long-running and highly popular Public-access television cable TV show in Austin, Texas
, hosted by Charlie Sotelo and the mysterious "Cinco." Each show featured clips of TV, film and music ephemera
along with commentary by the hosts and calls from a predictably unruly Public-access television audience. The clips were usually video snippets that captured a crazy moment of ephemeral history, such as Ed McMahon
drunk on The Tonight Show
, an early live TV appearance by Frank Zappa
playing the bicycle and other found instruments, or the famously disastrous Andy Kaufman
appearance on Fridays. Often they were obscure cult favorites only circulated underground , such as Heavy Metal Parking Lot
, the profane bloopers of an actor in a Winnebago sales video
, or Corey Haim's Me, Myself, and I. Many other clips simply presented a zeitgeist gone by: a trailer for an Akira Kurosawa
or Sam Peckinpah
film, a Bill Hicks
comedy set, or Bob Dylan
appearing on the Johnny Cash show
.
Each clip was bracketed by skits and banter among hosts Charlie (always shown in a static headshot against a black background), Cinco (shown from the back at a sound console), and occasionally viewers who called in. Cinco, whose face is never shown on-air, had both a voice and a haircut similar to Howard Stern
's -- this was never explained or commented on in the show, humorously creating the false impression that Cinco was Stern, slumming on local cable.
"The 10 year old kid" (Luke Adams) was a recurring caller who would tell a Bill Hicks
joke every time he was on air. During a Christmas episode Adams went live on air with Charlie and took viewer calls. Later, Adams also performed live at the Alamo Drafthouse for a Show With No Name Clip Show.
The show was enormously successful, given its small venue. It ran for 280 episodes over 8 years and won eight 'Best of Austin' awards, as chosen by the editors and readers of The Austin Chronicle. It launched a series of popular live clip shows at the Alamo Drafthouse
theater, including the memorable Raw, Uncensored and Totally Nude, which featured clips that the hosts deemed too controversial to air. It often courted controversy and was pulled from the air on at least two occasions. Its devoted audience of local fans and out-of-towners who traded tapes was remarkable for a show that received no advertising, ran on Public-access television, and whose webpage was defiantly unhelpful (except when promoting a special event, it showed only a plain black page with a logo and no links or text). In a time before YouTube
and before blog
ging, the video fragments featured on The Show With No Name were revelatory: moments that would have otherwise been lost to time and obscurity were given a clever and well-curated weekly forum.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, hosted by Charlie Sotelo and the mysterious "Cinco." Each show featured clips of TV, film and music ephemera
Ephemera
Ephemera are transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Some collectible ephemera are advertising trade cards, airsickness bags, bookmarks, catalogues, greeting cards, letters,...
along with commentary by the hosts and calls from a predictably unruly Public-access television audience. The clips were usually video snippets that captured a crazy moment of ephemeral history, such as Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon
Edward Peter "Ed" McMahon, Jr. was an American comedian, game show host and announcer. He is most famous for his work on television as Johnny Carson's sidekick and announcer on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. He also hosted the original version of the talent show Star Search from 1983 to 1995...
drunk on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
, an early live TV appearance by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
playing the bicycle and other found instruments, or the famously disastrous Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
appearance on Fridays. Often they were obscure cult favorites only circulated underground , such as Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Heavy Metal Parking Lot is a video documentary short produced by Jeff Krulik and John Heyn in 1986.-Plot:Heavy Metal Parking Lot documents heavy metal music fans tailgating in the parking lot outside the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, on May 31, 1986, before a Judas Priest concert...
, the profane bloopers of an actor in a Winnebago sales video
Winnebago Man
Winnebago Man is a 2009 American documentary feature film directed by Ben Steinbauer that follows the Internet phenomenon created by a series of twenty-year-old outtakes from a Winnebago sales video featuring profane outbursts from the salesperson, Jack Rebney...
, or Corey Haim's Me, Myself, and I. Many other clips simply presented a zeitgeist gone by: a trailer for an Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
or Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
film, a Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
comedy set, or Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
appearing on the Johnny Cash show
The Johnny Cash Show (TV series)
The Johnny Cash Show was an American television music variety show hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969 to March 31, 1971 on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show reached No...
.
Each clip was bracketed by skits and banter among hosts Charlie (always shown in a static headshot against a black background), Cinco (shown from the back at a sound console), and occasionally viewers who called in. Cinco, whose face is never shown on-air, had both a voice and a haircut similar to Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
's -- this was never explained or commented on in the show, humorously creating the false impression that Cinco was Stern, slumming on local cable.
"The 10 year old kid" (Luke Adams) was a recurring caller who would tell a Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
joke every time he was on air. During a Christmas episode Adams went live on air with Charlie and took viewer calls. Later, Adams also performed live at the Alamo Drafthouse for a Show With No Name Clip Show.
The show was enormously successful, given its small venue. It ran for 280 episodes over 8 years and won eight 'Best of Austin' awards, as chosen by the editors and readers of The Austin Chronicle. It launched a series of popular live clip shows at the Alamo Drafthouse
Alamo Drafthouse
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, United States. It has screens in nine locations across Texas and one in Winchester, Virginia...
theater, including the memorable Raw, Uncensored and Totally Nude, which featured clips that the hosts deemed too controversial to air. It often courted controversy and was pulled from the air on at least two occasions. Its devoted audience of local fans and out-of-towners who traded tapes was remarkable for a show that received no advertising, ran on Public-access television, and whose webpage was defiantly unhelpful (except when promoting a special event, it showed only a plain black page with a logo and no links or text). In a time before YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and before blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ging, the video fragments featured on The Show With No Name were revelatory: moments that would have otherwise been lost to time and obscurity were given a clever and well-curated weekly forum.