Buzz
We conclude our two-part special interview with Trace Beaulieu, previously of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and currently part of Cinematic Titanic.
Check out part one from yesterday here.
Crow T. Robot relishing the newest edition of mental_floss magazine
Bryan, Trace Beaulieu's elder brother, constructed a unique house in 2005. It remains the only one of its type in the entire United States.
Kara Kovalchik: Your brother created an eco-friendly hydrogen-powered house in Arizona. Can you share some details about it?
Trace Beaulieu: I’m not deeply familiar with the technical aspects. It has solar panels, and I believe it was intended to include a hydrogen generator. It’s truly one-of-a-kind. He experimented with various systems in this house, making it a fascinating project. You can find photos of it online. I’ve visited, but I’m not a fan of the desert—I prefer water. Bryan adores that region and spent a lot of time there, growing very attached to it.
KK: Does that mean you prefer Minnesota?
TB: Absolutely. I missed the lakes. I’m heading back there soon. We live in a rural area, about an hour east of Minneapolis, near the Wisconsin/Minnesota border.
TB: Yes! She’s also been tending to our chickens at home. We have around eight of them, all egg-layers. We don’t plan to eat them.
KK: Even though your characters sometimes slip into the classic Minnesota accent, you don’t seem to have one yourself, despite growing up in Minneapolis. How come?
TB: I’m not sure where it went. I might have made an effort to avoid the Minnesota accent. It does sneak in sometimes, though. We definitely use it a lot [for the show].
KK: Have you ever visited the famous giant twine ball?
TB: (laughs) Yes, I have. I even know its exact location.
Beaulieu portraying the eccentric scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester on MST3K.
Cinematic Titanic features several former MST3K cast members: Joel Hodgson (Joel Robinson); Frank Conniff (TV's Frank); J. Elvis Weinstein (Dr. Erhardt, Clayton's assistant, and the original Tom Servo); and Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester). All contributed as both performers and writers on the show.
TB: No, the lines are distributed and assigned to whoever can deliver them best. Sometimes we keep our own lines, and other times we take over others', creating a mix of voices.
KK: The Cinematic Titanic show previously used silhouettes that differed from the classic MST3K ones. Are those still in use?
TB: We’re simply on stage with iPads containing our scripts and a few music stands.
KK: Really? Not even physical scripts?
TB: Now, we can bring every movie we’ve written with us. In some venues, it’s up to the audience to choose, so we might not know which film we’ll perform until just before the show. We no longer need to lug around three-ring binders or a filing cabinet full of scripts. We’ve streamlined everything—our movies are on hard drives, and our scripts are on iPads. We’re fully modernized!
Unlike many 1990s comedy shows like South Park and Beavis & Butthead, which leaned heavily into crude humor, Mystery Science Theater 3000 always stayed just shy of being offensive. This approach, which Cinematic Titanic continues, allows them to appeal to surprisingly young audiences.
KK: In some cities, you perform two different films in early and late shows. Should we expect more risqué humor as the night goes on?
TB: We aim to stay within a PG-13 range, though sometimes we get carried away and cross the line—what hockey fans call "crossing the blue line." The second film, Doomsday Machine, has more mature themes, but we still see young kids attending the shows.
KK: So it’s still suitable for younger audiences?
TB: I’d say it’s up to the parents. If you know your kids well and think they can handle it... A friend once brought his young daughter to our show in Davis, California, and he asked her some thoughtful questions beforehand. She’s a very smart kid. Most kids who enjoy MST are quite bright and surprisingly worldly.
KK: Speaking of kids, on MST3K, I was always amazed by how many fan letters Joel read from little kids who drew the robots in crayon. It seemed like the humor might go over their heads. What was that experience like?
TB: It was incredible. For a show we thought would fade away, to still be around after 20 years and still attract young fans...
KK: That must feel rewarding.
TB: It really does. Not all of us are still earning from those MST episodes, but (pause) our karma bank is in great shape. We’re also fortunate that it doesn’t dominate our lives. We can go about our daily routines, and unless I’m dressed as Lincoln or Dr. Forrester... We’re famous inside the venues we perform in, but once we step outside, we’re just regular people.
Available for purchase at the show and on tracebeaulieu.com is one of Beaulieu’s latest projects, a children’s poetry book called Silly Rhymes for Belligerent Children.
TB: It was a lot of fun to create. About half of the poems were already written and tucked away. I reached out to [zombie artist] Len Peralta for the illustrations because I really wanted to collaborate with him. I had another book idea for him, but I thought, "Let’s test the waters first." I completed the other half of the book, and Len created these amazing illustrations. It’s been a fantastic experience.
KK: Will you give us a sneak peek at the Cinematic Titanic show?
TB: Absolutely, I’ll read some on stage. Mary Jo and I have done joint book readings since she also has a book out. It’s been a lot of fun, and copies will be available for sale at the show.
KK: Did you self-publish this?
TB: Yes, it’s a true mom-and-pop publishing effort. I’ve always had a "let’s just go for it" mindset. People would say, "Publishers aren’t interested in that kind of book," and I’d respond, "Well, I just want readers to buy it."
KK: Many are selling millions of copies through self-publishing these days.
TB: Yeah, and I’m selling hundreds! (laughs) It’ll grow eventually, but I’m thrilled with the response so far. It’s received great reviews, and people are discovering it organically, much like how MST grew. We just did it instead of trying to sell the idea to someone. Some concepts are too unconventional to pitch.
Between live performances, set building, raising chickens, and writing books, Beaulieu also creates his own art. He hopes to showcase and sell a collection of found art and sculptures when he finds the time.
KK: So you’re still creating art from found objects?
TB: Yes, I am. I’ve finally got my studio back in working order, so now I need to upload my pieces to my website. I’m not great at that kind of thing. We’re constantly busy with fulfillment. My wife, Katy, is fully occupied with Cinematic Titanic. It’s all-consuming!
KK: Do you create art purely for enjoyment, or is it also a business for you?
TB: I’ve sold some pieces before. I held an art show eight years ago when I lived in Los Angeles. These days, I create for my own satisfaction, and none of it is on display—it’s all packed away. I really need to get it up on my website, though it’s the kind of work people should see in person. Maybe it’ll all be discovered after I’m gone.
KK: Oh, don’t say that.
TB: My work has a very tech-inspired aesthetic, if I can use that term loosely.
KK: I heard your dad once brought you a champagne basket he found on the side of the road.
TB: Yeah, for a long time, people would bring me things they found smashed on the road. My niece still does that. She lives in California now and will say, "Hey, I found this on the ground and thought of you." Maybe this is the push I need to finally get that stuff online, though it’s definitely better experienced in person.
Cinematic Titanic is set to perform in Royal Oak, Michigan (near Detroit), on Saturday, February 25. They’ll screen Astral Factor at 7pm and Doomsday Machine at 10pm. For more information, visit cinematictitanic.com.
KK: Tell us more about the performance.
TB: Dave (Gruber) Allen handles the opening act, and we jump in to add some of our own humor. Depending on who’s available, we sometimes have guest appearances. I don’t think we’ll have any in Michigan, but Dave is fantastic on his own. He really anchors the show. You might recognize him from Freaks & Geeks [as guidance counselor Jeff Rosso].
KK: Do any fun activities take place before or after the shows?
TB: We’ll have merchandise available and will meet fans. There’s a brief meet-and-greet between shows, but the theater staff needs to prepare for the next performance. If you’re attending both shows or just the second one, we encourage you to come to the meet-and-greet after the second show. That way, we can connect with more people. But as long as fans are around, we’ll be there too.
KK: I bet fans would stay all night. Do they throw themselves in front of your tour bus like they do for rock stars?
TB: Our tour bus driver isn’t the best. It’s not that fans are throwing themselves; he’s just not a great driver.
KK: Trace, thank you so much for your time, and best of luck with Cinematic Titanic.
TB: This was a blast! Thank you.
