Frank Zappa interview 1986

[@hertzer2000]

"Consider the beauty of the name Ralph."

[@tomryan914]

'Shiloh Pitt', 'Piloh Shitt' !

[@FOWLMUSIC]

She is better than any other tv interviewer in that at least she understands how intelligent Frank is, and doesn't try to play him off as a clown. She got him talking about AIDS and Star Wars in an intelligent manner, I'd say she's light years ahead of anyone else who interviewed Frank for tv.

[@eis904]

Joan was an amaaaazing woman. An excellent talker. Very warm.

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

Zappa’s conspiracy theories about AIDS and “Star Wars” are pretty outlandish-as well as simplistic and easy to contrive. Joan Rivers didn’t do anything in particular to “him talking about” them. She just asked. That doesn’t take any skill.

[@gibsonrickenbacker6317]

She understands bc she understood how her own brain worked

[@gibsonrickenbacker6317]

@@eis904I used to love to see Bette White roast her! Love Mr. Zappa.

[@timomomomo969]

Carson gave Zappa his due and appeared fascinated over the whole censorship battle. Maybe you just haven’t seen many Zappa interviews.

[@fernandogarajalde4066]

One of the rare interviews where Frank is recognized as "a brilliant businessman". Joan Rivers saw that in Frank where many others tended to miss that.

[@ManicMovesDrowsyDreams]

It's making me want to sit around listening to Zappa with Joan Rivers.

[@richardfederico1672]

You have to remember that this was the Tonight Show, late night yes, but very mainstream popular, especially before all the cable and eventual internet culture that exists today. My point is that Joan Rivers takes a huge risk in asking Frank Zappa open ended questions. She was only guest hosting the show, and was not using this opportunity to do self promotion or to get her jokes in. The audience is not responding with laughter on much of this interview, and yet this does not sway Joan to try to lighten things up with silly banter. She really showed respect for Frank and his views on the world whether she fully understood them or not, (but my guess is that she was more informed than most). She was a real person and probably should have inherited the host spot of the Tonight Show after Johnny. Joan obviously had a deeper side underneath all the quick witted humor and Hollywood gossipy fluff she eventually became associated with. I am glad to see that the media, Hollywood, and the public have shown much respect and admiration for her after her passing. She lived her life with no excuses and is a tried and true bonafide icon in my book.

[@dnortonames]

Actually, it was not the Tonight Show. It was The Late Show with Joan Rivers. It was on Fox. But to your point, it was still network/mainstream. There may have been some risk in having Frank as a guest and letting him go free form. But at that time, Fox did not pull the weight of the other big 3 networks. So they were able to get away with a bit more.

[@richardfederico1672]

Ok, thanks for that reminder! I forgot all about her Late Show on Fox, though I should have paid more attention to the backdrop.

[@dovegrey1]

When she left The Late Show, they tried out different hosts and Frank was supposed to try his hand at it, but Fox pulled out at the eleventh hour on the very night he was going to do it....I really was looking forward to that! Very upset. Arsenio Hall hosted one night, and that was that. FZ was on Arsenio twice, I think, but I think he would have made an interesting host since he wanted people who were not usually on "chat shows", like one of the guests he was going to have on, Daniel Schoor. Oh well.

[@jimmyfreeman5714]

Well put.

[@Dont_stay_long_k077]

Left us far too soon , I regret never going a gig. Love ya Frank

[@JamesDeWeaver]

6:24 - 7:00 Frank knows about biological warfare because his father worked @ Edgewood arsenal & Frank grew up there until he was 7.

[@hertzer2000]

He used to play with mercury that his dad brought home, lol.

[@Robconnors7253]

@Genaro Scala it was developed by Sandoz in Switzerland and used by the CIA after WW2 until the 1970s ... MKULTRA Mind-control. .

[@sofiyaschug9482]

Dweezil is a fuggin swell name

[@itkojecockot]

man, I miss both of these LEGENDS........ what a huge loss for both art and entertainment

[@ZAPPAFREAK59]

The government killed both of them

[@robertellison4691]

​@@ZAPPAFREAK59Joan is still alive.

[@DarrenT777]

Chuck Norris was shaking in his boots in the presence of Zappa

[@adobovs271]

Haha !

[@levisalvini4110]

Yep...

[@David-h4z2s]

Doubt it

[@senna01]

OMG! Frank's introductory music is a wicked version of Who Are The Brain Police! I wonder if he was the one who arranged it that way. Sounds awesome :D

[@JeremyAndersonBoise]

senna01 great ear, I was immediately snitten by it. One of the few times meaningful tribute was properly paid to such a musical genius as I am sure you know Frank was. Bravo, commenter!

[@local-teen]

Points to the integrity of the composition. Sounded like a super interesting jazz piece that could easily take on a life as a standard.

[@MrJadePinwheel]

I think Vinnie colaiuta was in the house band at this time,.

[@dvened]

@@MrJadePinwheel u sure?

[@napomania]

you're right.. I didn't hear bacause distracted by Zappa jumping on stage

[@jasondotson]

ZAPPA was a TRUE PATRIOT and a profoundly deep thinker. In his autobiography he elaborates on the concept of secret governmental involvement with diseases and illicit drugs. Just listen to his concept album "thing-fish", which predominantly focuses on the african american's plight in america in the early eighties.

[@Tayloradrift]

Not his best album

[@helpimarock66]

The band plays "Who Are The Brain Police?" in the beginning! So Awesome!

[@kevinharris556]

MAN U SORRY

[@rickytracy8582]

I met Frank in 1974], he was a good man

[@jamesfarrington9030]

Saw FZ at Philly Spectrum fall of 1977. He came out jamming on Hendrixs burnt Strat from Monterey Pop Festival. The next night he was on SNL. The band played for 90 minutes without interuption. Amazing.

[@petergedd9330]

Dear Joan, I loved her honesty and timing, Frank was a very very smart person.

[@ashotinthedarkofnite]

Joan was a such a good interviewer...

[@gibsonrickenbacker6317]

😂😂

[@evansgate]

she actually held a really respectful interview with the UFO abductees the Allagash boys. In a time where everyone would have ridiculed them to easy audience applause she actually asked very good questions and was full of humanity. I love her for that.

[@THEWAY-jf2ny]

She almost got velcroed to his suit. I love Zappa, one of the few! On or off stage, especially off stage.

[@massapower]

Joan is entertaining Frank and Frank is entertaining Joan in the Universe!😎👍

[@Frankincensedjb123]

After filming this show, sad that he was gone in less than a decade

[@Rog5446]

They should add Zappa to the Mount Rushmore images.

[@Wheelock67]

i watched this when it originally aired!! thank you so much for posting it! (wish you had the second part)

[@andraz89]

rasputin of rock i like that

[@napomania]

does she say that? nice...

[@TundieRice]

@@napomaniawithin the first 45 seconds even, lol.

[@croatianguy7073]

I fucking miss Frank Zappa

[@ZappafansAchilles]

Now is the time to review this video Forty-five years ago I was guessing the current situation

[@TBilliards]

Thanks for sharing.

[@TheDoughboy1996]

RIP Joan

[@A-Gut-of-the-Past]

nice "brain police" snippet @ 0:43

[@cflores1889]

If there were at least 2 more Frank's in the world, society would be considerably less insane.

[@kerrybarnes7289]

this guy is smart

[@gz9520]

He had an IQ of 172.

[@massapower]

Imagine what ZAPPA would say in today's Social Media garbage.. It's a thinker !🤔

[@stephencraig2090]

Good question - I can almost hear him commenting, "They call them INFLUENCERS and their job is to INFLUENCE you to buy makeup and not think." He would probably parody it mostly, but might engage in the political side.

[@AChadWardenProduction]

Frank’s body is currently laying near the internal outer coating of Earth’s core from all the turning in his grave Turned so much in his grave from all the exponential bullshit happening constantly that he dug himself deeper in his grave hole

[@InceyWincey]

Well he already wrote Bobby Brown.

[@danender5555]

@@stephencraig2090 Any random attention loving yoyo who is presenting a vegan food or makeup consider him/her self as "an influencer"... Frank Zappa was a voice of the rational thinking... a light years away from any "influence" donors or acceptors.

[@astraluna6is9]

Rick Zappa!!! Kiddin me? It’s perfect!

[@petermaxwell2965]

Frank Zappa and Joan Rivers ???? This guy had some of the best groups ever, and the only thing they ask about is his kids name ?

[@howardcohen4845]

Cool 😎

[@akirk1573]

The Rusputin of Rock

[@SW-fn7cl]

Joan's so awesome, great to see her speak to Frank

[@babbarr77]

Her wig almost came off when he hugged her

[@jamesfarrington9030]

Cool to see Norris on enjoying himself. I think FZ was cracking him up. RIP Frank. Please come back sometime to pay us a visit. We d like that.

[@DuncanHarrist]

Is that Chuck Norris?

[@verve92]

I was wondering the same thing- looks like him and looks like he is a Zappa fan.

[@andresfernandez-su4wy]

Duncan Harrist fuck...i was asking my self the same thing. Fuck..is he o his he not?

[@edwarddorville309]

It sure is, before Walker Texas Ranger.

[@666kinski]

I asked the same?..ive met Chuck as waiter ...hardcore conservative. .Nice man.

[@pretorious700]

Frank almost yanked Joan's wig off

[@setboy1]

@Wheelock67 You are welcome! I wish I had the other part too! Maybe someday it will turn up

[@donh4529]

Chuck Norris is a cooler guy than he gets credit for... wrote books about zen meditation, hung out with Bruce Lee... seems thoroughly amused by FZ's "who's plooking the monkey's theory"

[@richardgates7479]

Frank sometimes misses the obvious, like the fact that some people eat monkeys, but the public confusion is that someone had sex with one.

[@alanbrown1]

7 years later..but ..with Monkey in mind, at end of interview I hear the band starting to play " Everybody's got something to hide, except for me and my monkey"

[@klarakrok]

Zappa...forever a Giant in Witt

[@hmol1955]

Wauoow - and not a word about that fine arrangement of 'Who Needs the Brain Police!?' in the beginning!

[@senna01]

I did mention it in the comments 6 years ago, when I watched this for the first time. So awesome!!

[@senna01]

Whoever arranged it did a brilliant job.

[@santiagobonetti16]

I think george orwell talks about "Brain police" in his book 1984. but I can't remember exactly.

[@hmol1955]

Sure, but I am talking about the music - 'Who Needs the Brain Police' is an early Zappa title (also).

[@santiagobonetti16]

Kepler Sorry I didn't finish the comment, I was drunk. what I meant to say is that I found cool that zappa made a reference to that book hahah

[@jonashermes]

He rocked her wig with the hug? Hahahaha

[@ManicMovesDrowsyDreams]

Holt shit, the band picked a great song. Who are the brain police? Must've had a Zappa fan in there somewhere.

[@7karlheinz]

I agree with senna01, the intro arrangement is incredible.

[@JoeRivermanSongwriter]

Moon is a great name. I wonder if he was inspired by Keith in 200 Motels. 😜

[@JoeRivermanSongwriter]

It’s ok folks don’t write in. Moon was born before 200 Motels. Wiki.

[@alexjbrodie]

Wonder if Vinnie Colaiuta was in the band that night...

[@AtacamaHumanoid]

+Alex Brodie I love that he immortalized Vinne Colaiuta and Warren Cuccurullo in Catholic Girls.

[@Themplayahz]

Would love to have heard that conversation between those two if so.

[@sealisa1398]

Jimmy Cricket....I love that when Dale Bozzio sings Warren Cuccurullo and Vinnie Colaiuto in Catholic Girls. Italian Catholic Girls with tinny little moustache... he got that right.

[@mariobuttino6095]

I remember seeing this episode,Zappa really gave it to that seal.

[@jt95124]

" Somebody is going to invent a pill to let you do it again and make a lot of money."

[@AA-sn9lz]

Can someone explain about what he said about Star Wars? Like the umbrella device, germs, nuclear warheads and real estate?

[@InceyWincey]

Last I heard of it was about 10 years ago but from what I recall it was a series of military radar installations and satellites that would detect the launch of an ICBM and track its trajectory so that it could be shot down before it reached its target. I don’t know whether they ever got round to sending laser weapons into space but I think that was supposed to be part of the plan. I’m pretty sure it was shut down a while ago because I think they realised that nobody but them was ever going to ever be foolish enough to launch a nuclear warhead at anyone. Also it was horrendously expensive and didn’t work properly. It may have been repurposed, but I couldn’t say for certain. What he means about nuclear weapons and real estate is quite simple. If you nuke a country you can’t profit from the irradiated wasteland that you leave behind, so what would be the point?

[@WaterShowsProd]

Another reason the project was halted was that other countries didn't trust the idea of The U.S. having missile platforms obiting the planet. While The Reagan Administration called it "Star Wars Defense Plan" it could easily have been repurposed as a 2001: A Space Odyssey Seige Plan, whereby The U.S. would have the whole world under armed and ready missiles that could strike within moments.

[@antoniotendeiro2631]

Still applicable what Frank said back then

[@moproducer]

Wish I'd had the TV on in '86. Zappa trying to make sense to Joan Rivers in front of Chuck Norris. This could be a parody on SNL or MadTV. The planet has never seen more intelligence before or since Zappa, nor two more intellectually-bankrupt than Joan and Chuck. All airhead Joan can say is, "Duh, you're smart!". And you have to wonder what Right-Wing Chuck is processing in his equally-sized brain ("Do I have to listen to this hippie, or do I just roundhouse-kick his skinny Italian ass?")

[@NothingYouHaventReadBefore]

moproducer I wasn't around then (I'm 18), but I think she wasn't that dumb. She didn't try to interrupt him too much, and actually listened to him. Just speculating.

[@holmeed]

@Isaac Baranoff he loathed the gop

[@itsahellofaname]

"The planet has never seen more intelligence before or since Zappa". Good god, you need to get out more. What a bankrupt statement.

[@moproducer]

@@itsahellofaname which one are you, Joan or Chuck?

[@itsahellofaname]

@@moproducer It's okay...if Frank Zappa is genuinely your measure of intelligence, you can just go ahead and roll with that.

[@garyberuck5636]

Frank like always tells ot like it is here. Intrellegent , odd , but geniues , this interview prove it.

[@fohnjrusciante]

is chuck norris on the couch?

[@Youtubeissokewl]

I love frank zappa

[@Gangularis]

ok, but he wasn't wrong about anything. He posted theories.. possibilities.. and he explicitly stated that. Also, the theories he stated were WELL before any of the knowledge about AIDS you just mentioned were even known. That said, nothing he said was "COMPLETELY wrong", to quote you. None of his posited theories on where aids came from is negated by your notation of how difficult it is to combat. Really, your comment makes no sense.

[@JCfromDC2]

@thebeardedjohn No matter how outrageous this guy was, he was one of my heros. Had never a qualm about saying what was on his mind

[@setboy1]

Well said.

[@Romany1111]

Joan: "I can't look at my child and know whether or not she's talented." I can, Joan. She's not. Frank's kids certainly are, and proved it.

[@dressedtosmellgood]

not really, only dweezil. although you have to wonder what kidn of person would want to make a living covering his dads music instead of writing his own.

[@OthO67]

+Mark Yates-White Nope, I don't agree with this ludicrous statement.

[@VI-rt7sh]

@@OthO67 It isn't a ludicrous statement. There are merits to what ZPZ offers, but it isn't original. Frank Zappa was a prolific songwriter, as well as a virtuoso guitarist. Dweezil is an extremely talented guitarist, but not a creative musician. He replicates his father's work. Mimicry isn't creativity, it's the polar opposite. There are countless guitarists on KZbin who can replicate the greats note for note, they're extremely talented guitarists on a technical level, but they aren't creative musicians. If they were, they'd be creating their own legacy rather than Xeroxing someone else's.

[@OthO67]

@@VI-rt7sh Two years later, but hey, you’re entitled to an opinion. Oh yeah, to say Dweez isn’t a creative musician is, in my opinion, ludicrous. 🤣

[@reidwhitton6248]

Not true. Dweezil has released several albums of original material. But let's face it. In today's world only a tiny few can make money from recordings. You have to tour. And why not play Frank's music? He was a great composer and this type of show brings people to the theater. The same reason Steve Hackett has been touring 70s Genesis music for many years. He has released loads of records under his own name but without the Genesis brand he was relegated to playing clubs.

[@squanto2]

mee too bravo musicjew!!!!

[@georgecaraballo]

Joan was SOOOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL.......

[@bondjamesiv]

I remember watching this when it first aired. I had false memories about it being a painfully uncomfortable interview to watch. Perhaps it was just that giant swamp rat of a wig that gave me PTSD.

[@JonStewart-w2v]

Frank looked great in a suit.

[@AndieZ4U2]

Mr. Sneaky .... 😁

[@TheSWolfe]

I still miss this man. Ha! Frank swept Joan off her feet and right out of her headgear! 1986: yr our offspring manifest in L.A. Evening-born, my nurse was still bugging to declare name for newfound bundle of wonder by next morn (they wanted to be rid of us). I refused until Pops returned (we'd still not reached agreement, and he needed nap after watching me work so hard). He wanted to name babe after Bon Scott and Sid Vicious. I loved their music, but loathed untimely demises and feared jinxing newborn, so named after Daddy w/a Pistols twist. Rock/Rest in Peace and Blessed Be, Mr. Lousy, Ms. Rivers and Maestro Zappa.

[@nhenriksen777]

Joan, we need you now more then ever. Joan and Zappa..what could better?..nothing! 🥰

[@eis904]

“Do not mock my children’s names” Joan: goes on to pester him about his children

[@siggylloyd3566]

Any yet She does anything but mock Dweezil and Moon's names. Were you listening carefully?

[@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533]

She’s a comedian that does insult jokes. He was just giving her a heads up request. I think they both played well together

[@adobovs271]

I miss Joan. 🙏

[@dinolisi9812]

I saw that live ….

[@5jerry1]

~ I remember seeing it when it aired too.

[@dinolisi9812]

@@5jerry1 We're old but experienced the greatest music EVER !!!

[@FZmustacheFZ]

LOL Joan starts losing her wig :P

[@reliableNference]

this is it folks. it.

[@seanbrennan5192]

The man

[@lisadavie5282]

❤ Frank Zappa ❤ Do you miss the day of human revolution...?

[@JCfromDC2]

@pretorious700 Dom Delouise, maybe?

[@setboy1]

Are you saying that the gov't got pissed off at him and gave him cancer?

[@christineadams1284]

𝕐𝔼𝕊

[@brianjansen3103]

I wanna see Zappa plays Zappa

[@ST-pf9qz]

فرانك زابا 1993💔

[@PrinceZappa]

Beatles music played before commercial

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

/watch?v=LhlsAgjhDTo Actually, I think it was Cedars Sinai and not Kaiser.

[@drfreakspaddedcell]

it sure is who are the brain police

[@djhoneylove5710]

"Truck driver divorce it's very, very, sad..."

[@lapinchetele]

Zappa was absolutely right!

[@justinnardine8564]

Call me Rick

[@kaoseast1]

Its the last name the Government owns that one Francis knows

[@MrPlooky]

well, he was right about star wars

[@Unsung_Earth]

6:05 - 6:41 is what a lot of people are thinking now with this latest plandemic !!!!!

[@setboy1]

Yeah, and just like Frank, they have no evidence for their claims and look like uneducated buffoons on that topic

[@samizdat7258]

@@setboy1 So what? It's an opinion and a smart opinion. People don't need always evidence for express their opinions. And Zappa himself said: it's a possibility. Sorry for the errors English is not my first language

[@samizdat7258]

@Raphael Ryan yeah I think so. Since I don't hurt anybody else I can express my opinion. It's called critical thought. Zappa said his point of view and I think he didn't hurt anybody doing it. People at least in the past were still able to laugh. Nowadays we have to live with the always fear to hurt or offend someone only because maybe we have a different point of view

[@InceyWincey]

@Raphael Ryan well that depends on whether the evidence is reliable. A lot of things touted as evidence for some phenomenon or other these days wouldn’t pass the bar for a shampoo advert.

[@RB-jq6gh]

Did Frank get Zapped?.

[@Hands2HealNow]

@taichi86 Check your thinking about the aids thing...he wasn't so wrong!

[@sjoormen1]

@Isaac Baranoff At that time was everybody else.

[@resttrashhorse]

So... it didn't just appear one day? Or, you mean, it came from outer space?

[@hazzaskates]

CHUCK NORRIS!!?!?!??

[@setboy1]

How so?

[@klarakrok]

Can y imagine him Today? All Right

[@broadcastmyass4u]

perhaps ?

[@melomaniakjm]

As much as I like Zappa's ideas in general that conspiracy theory about AIDS is just as bad as the covid theory of today.

[@setboy1]

Agreed. It shows his ignorance on the topic. He had a lot of great ideas, but that was not one of them

[@Giovanni1980-f2k]

Yea sure keep trusting the gov u ducking moron

[@VI-rt7sh]

I agree with the 'lab leak' theory, the most logical explanation of the origins of Covid. Where did AIDS come from? I don't know. I haven't been convinced by the state approved narrative.

[@fretboardmaster70]

@@VI-rt7sh Search Uncut news and research a German Doctor and Virologist called Dr Köhnlein. He was one of the first German Doctors to research HIV in Heidelberg in the early 80s. It makes for interesting reading and certainly has something to say for Covid. Keep an open mind. Try to watch his videos before they are taken down.

[@WaterShowsProd]

In his autobiography he talked about why he wouldn't give up smoking. Nobody can be right all the time. However, I also used to wonder at that time about how Green Monkey Disease had crossed over and asked the same question he did about who did what with a monkey?

[@Steve-cm2ys]

That nickel awhol genuis. Like. i is.

[@Wildrover82]

explain mcdonalds popularity

[@TheKirkYates]

Star Wars? The movies?

[@MrPlooky]

Ronald Reagan's phony missile defense system..

[@christineadams1284]

@@MrPlooky 𝕐𝕖𝕤 5𝔾 𝔻𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝔼𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕪 𝕎𝕖𝕒𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕒 & 𝔸𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕒. 𝕎𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕄𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

[@snottydyck]

@CaptainLibertarian haha....funny and true! but joan is okay.

[@jasondotson]

@stevevaizorz Hey, I'm one of the biggest Zappa fans out there, but I'm afraid Chuck wouldn't be able to be "shaking in his boots", as a result of anyone!