GUEST LIST: TALLIE MEDEL
Dawn Richard, Kate Bush, Enya, Carly Rae Jepsen & Anthony Gonzalez
I didn’t intend to watch the Oscars this year but I found myself at a bar playing it and I got very emotional when the Best Picture winner was announced, and I saw my friend Tallie Medel onstage with the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once accepting the award.
Tallie can do it all. A hilarious and warm and wickedly talented actor and dancer and clown. I remember first seeing Tallie alongside Eleanore Pienta and Sunita Mani in Cocoon Central Dance Team, one of the all-time great showstoppers that could pop up on a random comedy show and completely change the way you think about multiple art forms by doing something so dumb so incredibly well. Mandatory viewing:
Tallie has since gone on to have a successful acting career outside of blue morphsuits and furry bellies, in independent films and the critically acclaimed and legendary Traffic School trilogy. and also as a teacher! I took a clowning class that Tallie teaches (which I recommend to anyone with an interest in the performing arts) in hopes that I could access just a modicum of the sincerely silly magic that Tallie can make onstage. Sadly I got an F and my mom got really mad at me and says I have to work all summer.
It was very cool to see someone who has produced so much joy onstage have a big moment on Hollywood’s Biggest Stage™ in front of like Harrison Ford.
Part of what Tallie teaches is becoming an empty slate to experience things without any preconceptions and with a sense of wonder, and that’s probably the best way to experience these song picks because one of them is from a Pixar movie:
Kate Bush “Why Should I Love You”
This is my favorite song since I was a kid. Prince produced so you get a guitar solo, ah my lord. My dad and I danced to it at my wedding, because it reminds me of listening to THE RED SHOES together, and the lyrics are so special to me. If you haven't listened to THE RED SHOES, honey, "Lily" is gonna freak you out
Carly Rae Jepsen “Want You In My Room”
Carly is one of my favorite horny guys. It's her, Prince, and Robyn. I love how hard she loves, and how many songs she has about being passed over. Hurts so good. And then in this song? Honey, it all worked out. "On the bed, on the floor!" The drums are so good. Get it, girl. "I wanna do bad things to you / Slide on through my window" God, like Skeet Ulrich in SCREAM
Dawn Richard “Billie Jean”
Symphonic & blows my mind every time I listen. This is a good late-nite yearner of a ballad AND and it's very hot. Man I'm gonna listen right now.
Enya “Even in the Shadows”
I fell in love as an 8-year old with THE MEMORY OF TREES. My mom and I sang along to "Anywhere Is" by reading that lil booklet in the jewel case. Then I learned the people mocked Enya so I abandoned her and my own joy. Then I came back. Did you know the swelling vocals on her tracks are from dozens of her layered vocals? I love this present wave of Enya-influenced musicians and bands. She's a gift. I have a public Enya playlist. She's an all-time for me. This song feels like a pop song and it hurts so good.
Anthony Gonzalez “Proud Corazón”
Weeping. Stay with me. I teach clown which means I'm working on scouring 'cringe' from my bad self. I'm Mexican and Coco looks so much like my aunt Yaya who was so nice to me. The news of kids at the border held in cages was fresh. Coco's dad is allowed to pass through with his family for the first time, he's reunited with Coco, god I'm a goner, it's a mirror of the border. My family doesn't listen to mariachi much, we're more into soul music, but I LOVE MARIACHI.