Betty Aberlin - Yours, Anne

[earnhardtfan4life]

This is a powerful show in which you can download the soundtrack on Itunes.  Type in Betty Aberlin on itunes to find it.  It's neat to be able to find other shows, music that neighbors of MRN have done.

Mike

[bka]

this next is when worlds collide/intersect....WARNING: there is a high barbed-wire fence of strong scatological language in the ads preceding this interview, (purposefully shocking) followed by an interview. It my be more information than you wanted to have about the person who began to animate an idealized always-constant kindly character (who appropriated her last name) named Lady Aberlin. I apologize in advance.  There are an awful lot of "um's". And for those of you who don't know Kevin Smith, he discovered pot very recently, and likes to smoke it.

http://smodcast.com/channels/sminterview/

yrs. truly,

bka

[OperaLover]

I listened to the interview in its entirety and loved every bit of it.
I think Kevin Smith should write a screenplay on you, Betty.

[earnhardtfan4life]

I listened to most of the interview too.  A very analytical, insightful interview.  It makes you wonder how people like Roscoe Orman (man who played Gordon from Sesame Street) didn't get his butt fried when he starred in Willie Dynamite in 1974.  Go to youtube and type in Willie Dynamite and you will see some hilarious clips of Gordon in this movie. 

Mike

[OperaLover]

Funny you mention Roscoe Orman.
I have a fuzzy poloroid picture of my now 33 year old daughter sitting on his lap.
He was in live show at our local mall in 1980.
I wish I had a picture of her sitting on Lady Aberlin's lap but clearly that wasn't part of the mission.

[earnhardtfan4life]

I met Roscoe too in fact I still have his autograph.  I think I met him in 1986 or 1987 he was doing a children's meet and greet at our local PBS station.

Mike

[Degeneration X The Owl]

Finished listening to the interview (and don't worry about the cussing, I say a generous portion myself, just not on here.  lol).  But anywho, at the end of the podcast, you made mention about the Creation song you did with Daniel.  Tim made mention of this in his own podcast as to why you sang "and she made the land" and was wondering about that. 

You should do an autobiography cuz you got more than enough material for it.  We'll call it "Correct As Usual, Lady Aberlin".  And I personally envision a cover, for sense of humor purposes (and if offended I apologize in advance), having you curtseying wearing a mu mu in a ghetto alley with a bottle of Jack in hand. 

Great interview and tell Kevin to get a movie started for the Ultraverse series (comic books).

[Lawrence Martin]

Great Interview by you Betty it was great and we will all help you with the math ha ha as Lady Elaine Fairchild Rogers would say in make-believe you are a great person in life thanks for sharing even tho it was a hard interview to do love every min of it thanks again also was this podcast done with in the last year or two must have been recent thanks for being a caring soul and neighbor here on our message board
your neighbor
Lawrence

[bka]

thanks all for going to the trouble of listening. my fantasy book title is :Little Old Lady Aberlin.

Michael Horton (voiced Betty Okanuck Templeton & James Earl Jones & Old Goat = talk about being muzzled! - like Francois in the dolphin costume straitjacketted in Bubbleland - who sang Reardon's love, the Starfish in Grandparents' Day Opera) is maybe writing about those years. I don't care to revisit them, except maybe here. Like so many gifted Neighbors, he struggles to make ends meet. He createdthese characters, and could not use them Out in the World, even if there were a forum for him.

[OperaLover]

It was not trouble for me to listen to it at all.
I found it an easy-listen because of your honest authenticity.
You have a way with words on paper, even virtual, and in voice.
To hear that many of the neighbors are struggling, is painful to me and so incredibly sad.
That you mention Francois being straight-jacketed into that dolphin costume strikes a chord with me because when it first aired, I remember being astounded that a man with such incredible gifts as he, had the willingness to be put in that awkward costume and still sing so beautifully.
I saw through that costume all they way to the man inside and fought the notion that it was beneath him in some ways because truly nothing is beneath any of us, and the music and voice was always so tremendous, but still I knew how hard it must have been.

[bka]

the great consolation and beauty is having been part of something so precious. the program was the duck sailing serenely on the water, and if the little orange feet were pedaling like crazy, and if I vent my obstacles and "should've's" here, that's just the underside of the dream....as when King Friday XIII sang: propel, propel, propel your craft,
        gently down liquid solution
        ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically ecstatically
        Existance is But an Illusion!

so much of the indignation is that Fred is no longer "here" in the flesh. The nerve of him! Leaving us!  And then the frustration about not having the means and will to bring some of his best creations to light for a new generation, to make the Neighborhood actual, in neighborhoods, to be a force for good outside of the television.....and other than in cartoons.  that's the sphere of make-believe, after all - in imagination, in books, in theater....in a story told by a child to a grownup & vice versa.

[dan88990]

Bka, I just listened to you on the Kevin Smith SModcast... I grew up watching you on Mister Rogers during my formative years, but as an adult had never before heard you speak just naturally.  Your use of language is like none I've ever heard, and your voice is so beautiful.  Your insight and commentary and point of view and perspective brought me such humor and peace tonight.  And those are the two greatest gifts one can give.  

Has anyone ever approached you about doing talk radio?  Or a podcast where you would just give your thoughts on life?  You are so very natural and comforting to hear.  

I would be remiss if I also didn't give props to Kevin Smith for performing a most refreshing skill in this hyped-up age of information overload, and merely letting you speak, and giving us a chance to hear you.  :)

[bka]

Lawrence? It was done about a year ago in California.  Dan? Kevin approached me about the possibility of doing one of his podcasts, but my response was a bit incredulous, as his fan base is very young.  Even on Twitter, I have few "followers", and don't think of myself so much as center stage.  Every now and then I have an inspiration, and like to share it, but the air is full of talk, and I didn't want to add to the flow, unless I actually had something of use to say.  thanks for your kind words! 

[dan88990]

bka, whether your listener is old or young, your vibe is timeless!  :-)

[Lawrence Martin]

BKA, I was just being funny I don't know what I was saying when I wrote that sometime ago hope you have a Merry Christmas :)