Documentary filmmakers and more, World Of Wisdom (Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey) go through some of the indelible moments from their films Party Monster and Becoming Chaz, and also share their sensational new book, The World According To World Of Wisdom. They talk us through the Vogue magazine doc, In Vogue, and also Don’t Ask Don’t Tell-addressing gays in the military.
Sharing the footage and stories behind their films. Randy and Fenton are as dynamic in the studio as the elaborate outsiders they immortalize in their craft.
Watch new episodes of BYOD live each week on Tuesdays at noon on TheLip.TV, or tune in for the archived replay starting here on the following Thursday.
ABOUT BYOD:
BYOD is hosted by Ondi Timoner, director of “DIG!,” “JOIN US” and “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC,” and has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice. Each week the show explores a different documentary filmmaker or aspect of filmmaking, with special guests and a live Q&A– diving deep into creative process and the business realities of producing and distributing films. Ondi shares her insider views, opinions, and personal stories, welcoming audience participation. BYOD aims to entertain, inform, and elevate documentaries in general by bringing attention to films and film makers that deserve exposure.
GUEST BIO:
World of Wonder is an international media production company based in Hollywood and London. Founded in 1991 by producers-cum-auteurs Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, the company creates reality and documentary television programs, feature films, and Internet video content. The company is best known for producing Inside Deep Throat, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and Party Monster (both the feature film and “shockumentary”). In addition to their doc work they have produced a number of RuPaul’s television shows which have already completed five seasons on Logo, VH1 and OUTtv in Canada.
World of Wonder operates primarily out of its historic art-deco building on Hollywood Boulevard. The basement, once home to the legendary punk rock club The Masque, now houses the company’s video archive and a sound stage.
Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey met in the graduate film program at NYU, in the mid-’80s. Intent on becoming famous, they formed a disco-pop-rock duo called The Fabulous Pop Tarts and began performing regularly at Danceteria and other clubs in downtown New York City. They produced two albums, Age of the Thing which included their hit single, “New York City Beat”, and Gagging on the Lovely Extravaganza, which included guest appearances by Lady Miss Kier, RuPaul, Martyn Phillips, and Filthy the Dog. World of Wonder was organized initially in order to manage the Fabulous Pop Tarts, and to enable projects in television production and licensing, documentary film-making, and in helping to build the careers of their friends and fellow artists, particularly RuPaul.
ADD’L LINKS:
http://worldofwonder.net/
http://www.youtube.com/user/WOWPresents
http://www.amazon.com/World-According-Wonder-Fenton-Bailey/dp/0985583401
https://twitter.com/WorldOfWonder
EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
00:01 Welcoming Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato of World of Wonder.
03:04 Going from pop music to making Party Monster.
06:40 The burning desire to be famous.
11:59 The club kids turn fame upside down.
13:57 Party Monster, clip.
17:06 From being bookish to coming to America.
19:50 Maintaining a proper partnership.
26:40 Filming outlandish archetypes without dehumanizing them,.
30:41 Chaz (Chastity) Bono Becoming Chaz.
41:00 Chaz becomes a reluctant celebrity.
59:59 Finding a common thread in their stories.
1:03:08 Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and gays in the military.
1:10:10 In Vogue, a different kind of film about Vogue Magazine.
