Over the years, I've tried to appreciate The Flaming Lips. The fact that they've held together for 25 years is commendable (and difficult to fathom). But their aesthetic has always been, "We're weird!" and I find myself asking, "Is that all you got?" If I want weird, I can call up some of my extended family and have a brief discussion about almost anything. Weirdness achieved.
But the Lips have a fanatical following and sometimes that's all it takes. Except apparently in the 90s, it might not have been enough because The Flaming Lips went where few weirdos dared to tread: the revamped Peach Pit of Beverly Hills 90210. I think it was the Peach Pit. I had stopped watching around the time Shannen Doherty's "it" girl, Brenda Walsh, left Los Angeles to become a successful actress in London. This plot twist made about as much sense as any in the show's decade-long history. Shannen also had a fanatical following, maybe because she always seemed consistently annoyed with her costars, her character, and the entire Beverly Hills 90210 universe itself--the only emotion that made sense in that environment.
So anyway, here's the gang (except for Brenda--never to be seen again, by the way), all hanging out as usual, waiting to find out who the "mystery act" will be.
OMG! Did you see that coming? But wait, they weren't through with us yet. Some years later, the three witches of Charmed (once again, minus Shannen's character Pru, who was killed off--do I sense a pattern here?) would also enjoy an appearance by the Lips. No Wayne Coyne in a ball, unfortunately, but it is entertaining to watch the cast try to act with only their eyebrows.
I can only speculate that Coyne needed extra money for costly ongoing creative activities. I find myself liking the band more now--I like when disparate worlds collide. Do you think the 30-year-old undergrads of Squaresville 90210 really couldn't wait to rock the house with Lipitude? Let the record show: no.
And yet, I'm sure it was a fun time for all: craft services, no Shannen Doherty annoyance-factor to deal with, and decent paychecks at the end of the month. Aaron Spelling, we miss you and your wacky, entertaining television worlds.
David Silver dances courtesy of fschalk.
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