Samo on TV Party

httpv://youtu.be/f-Yv7j2cGAs

In 1979, a nineteen-year-old Jean-Michel Basquiat appeared on Glenn O’Brien’s infamous TV Party public access show.  Basquiat was brought on because his growing street notoriety as “SAMO” – his graffiti alter-ego – and his coolness is clearly contagious.  A few years later, the two collaborated on a film called New York Beat, which O’Brien wrote and Basquiat starred in.  However, the film wasn’t released until 2000 and under a different title, “Downtown 81.”

O’Brien’s public access show was a pretty amazing project in itself.   Amos Poe directed and they had a guest list ranging from Debbie Harry to David Byrne to Mick Jones.

“Which of the following political symbols in omnipresent:

A) Television

B) The Church

C) Samo”

via Creatures of Comfort