The Flaming Lips Revisited

THE FLAMING LIPS


For the first time ever, The Flaming Lips were on Jay Leno. You remember. We have discussed The Flaming Lips before. They're the band that's from "Podunk" towns in Oklahoma. (Ask Bro what "Podunk Town" means, if you don't know.)

Jay had a comic on, and then he had the guy that won The American Idol Award. This guy leaves to get out of New Orleans by taxi. He gets to Monroe, Lo. and buys a plane ticket to some place. The airline people were all booked up, and they said, "Listen, we are so busy now, with all these people flying to other cities, that we will give you a plane ticket to go to Las Vegas. The plane is virtually empty."

"Hmm," he thought. "I've never been to Las Vegas." He was singing at weddings, small bars, ... anywhere he could. So, he goes. And, did I say, broke?

It just so happens that they are having auditions in Vegas for American Idol. What the hay? I'll try out, and the rest is history.

Now, Jay Leno, always has a format. First the monologue, which always disses Bush and pokes fun at politicians in general. The show leaves to go to a commercial, while Kevin Eubanks and his band plays. After the commercial, he is in his seat and says who is going to be on.

"Tonight we have The Flaming Lips, from Podunk, Oklahoma, " he says. "This is the first time we have had The Flaming Lips on. It should be fun."

He then goes over some stuff that really should be named differently. He shows a product, and its name; then he turns it around or pulls off the name and the real name is under it - well, ... his made up name. It's nonsense but it gets laughs.

Then the comic comes out and sits down. The guy has a new HBO Show coming on about 3 comics in a bus, going to their gigs. Jay likes interviewing comics. The comic tells about his worst plane trips.

Then the American Idol comes out, who has gray hair and is singing, "Hound Dog." The winner also has a "chin," so they talk about that and the gray hair, and the man tells how he got to be on Idol. Then it is time for The Lips.

Now generally, Jay and his guests will sit in their chairs and watch the singers on the monitors. NOT!!!!!!!!! They all leave their chairs and go over to watch The Flaming Lips on stage left.

The lead singer, Wayne, comes out with one of these Megaphones and is singing through it. It was hard for anyone to tell what he was singing. Nobody cares what he is singing. PUFFFF! Then 2 puffs of confette flitters into the air, suspended above them and slowly drops to the floor. We are talking two different blasts of air and confette. Then Wayne, turns on the siren that the megaphone, a function built in. He walks every where, with the siren going off, like the police is after them. A bomb warning. Two police chasing a drug dealer! It's Bedlam basketball game at Stillwater. Wayne is having fun, running out into the crowd then over by Jay, who is watching in amazement. He gets over by Jay and the guys, and then he goes into the crowd, again.

A back shot shows the cameras, scurrying to catch what he is doing. He goes back, and sings another verse through the megaphone. The guys on the musical Instruments, God only knows what instruments they were playing, because everyones eyes are focused on the megaphone and all the confette falling down, harmonize in falsetto. You get pulled back, and you see Jay and the guys watching, ... blown away with what is happening. POOFFF!


Another round of confette comes flying up into the air, and the lead singer starts the last verse. It was crazy, wild, and creative. First time, anything like this has ever happened on the Jay Leno Show.

After the show, Jay goes and shakes everbody's hand in the band. "Great job guys. It was great!"

So, there they were; the same band that made the cover of The Oklahoma Today Magazine, and they were all and more than what the world press says about them. I would say the lead singer is in his late 40s, and he is still having fun, playing with confette, megaphones, and other nonsense toys, ... but it works. Big Time!!! How do you spell "Podunk," Bro Cecil? These guys come home and head for The New Apple Store in OKC, and they go to all the other places that is home for them.

No drugs here, just a bunch of guys having fun!!!!!

I think the song they sang was "Peace Power," because he had that running across his megaphone written on paper. My son, Darrin is right; they will spazz you out.

Got an email from Byron Berline, today. More about him, later.