TV Party Tonight

Why wouldn't Henry Rollins have a show on IFC? It's a silly question. The second episode of the new season is tonight, and my Tivo is fired UP. If you missed the first one- here's a recap. (Disclaimer: I like Henry Rollins and his work, even though his post-Black Flag output ranged from raw and honest to we-get-the-fucking-point-already, so I'm not making too much fun of him here. Honest.)

The show had four segments. First, a sit-down with Oliver Stone. Not much to mention here, except for Henry's posture. He's at the edge of his seat, back straight, in case this gap-toothed slob violates the punk ethos and Henry has to throw the fuck down.





Next, my favorite. It's a mildly amusing open letter to Laura Bush. Far, far more amusing is the setting. Henry writes from a bombed-out squatter's mansion while in the bathtub. On a Powerbook. It's so goddamned bleak, Henry has to eat salt.




In fact, he's so far off the square, workaday, running-water and wallpapered grid, Henry dries his hands on one of those moebius strip hand towels you'll find in finer NASCAR-themed tavern bathrooms. If that doesn't scream hard core, you're just not listening anymore.



After that, it went downhill. How could it not, though? Approaching that level of self-parody really takes it out of a host. Sleater-Kinney, who I just plain don't fucking get, performed. Henry paid sarcastic tribute to the Blackberry. Then he gave props to a filmmaker who worked with gay themes far before Brokeback Mountain. This may have been the most real Rollins moment- calling out a popular culture touchstone by reminding everyone that underground filmmakers and musicians have been doing shit waaaay more innovative long before it bubbles up, watered-down and blessed by US weekly. Like I said, I'm looking forward to tonight's episode. Chuck D is on. He's a smart guy and may get Rollins to loosen up more than Stone did.