And why did we love public access again?

Classic Manhattan public access is sorely underrepresented on YouTube, but occasionally some clips show up that remind us of the reasons that access was such an addictive pleasure back in the day (“the day” being the 1970s through the 1990s). You can find such pleasures in the great postings of Coca Crystal, but also here in this edited-down rendition of an episode of Richard H. Roffman and Friends.

The Roffman show seemed like a motlier version of Joe Franklin. The reason for this was that Roffman charged the guests on his local radio and cable-access shows (so much for the “friends” idea). The result was that you got a whole-hearted plug, but also had a short (very short) segment on the air, and then that was it. Here you have everyone from a local fashion designer (Roffman urging her “let’s go, c’mon!”) to vanity-press authors to a jello wrestler and the president of a Bing Crosby fan club. The uniquely talented Jim Grasso steals the show, however (hear the stifled laughter).

This condensation of the episode makes yer head spin, in several ways. There are few shows like this on TV anymore (and the remaining ones are all on access). Dig the vintage opening disclaimer from a wary Manhattan Cable:

We welcome Socialisme: a new missive from Uncle Jean

At this point when the cinema seems bankrupt of ideas and, more importantly, of reflection, it is a true joy to announce that one of the greatest film poets ever is still hangin’ around amongst us, and his powers haven’t diminished. The trailer for Godard’s latest feature, Socialisme, plays like his beautiful video essays and “later” features (some reaching back as far as the early Eighties) in which he developed a style that is the closest thing to pure cinema outside of the underground. He is an Old Master by virtue of his age, but retains a fresh approach to the medium. His rhythms are his own, and when I watch his work, I feel like most of the other folks wielding film and video cameras are just fuckin’ around....

The image above has a caption that reads, "What's changed these days is that the bastards are sincere."