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IRC Chat with Kevin Murphy and Mary Jo Pehl
July 17, 1997

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<Moderator> Welcome everybody.
<Moderator> You are now in the MST3K moderated auditorium
<Moderator> Some of you may notice that you can no longer speak.
<Moderator> That is natural.
<Moderator> Once Kevin and Mary Jo enter the room, I will post questions from all of you. They will answer.
<Moderator> To ask a question, type "/msg Moderator" followed by your question.
<Moderator> We will begin momentarily. Really.
<Moderator> Mary Jo, can you hear me?

<MaryJo> Yes, thanks.

<Moderator> Et tu, Kevin?

<KevinMurphy> I read you

<Moderator> Ok, Good.

<KevinMurphy> veritas qualitatum

<Moderator> We're ready to begin.
<Moderator> Any opening statements?

<KevinMurphy> Let 'em at me, the scurvy brood
<KevinMurphy> a special welcome to my pal Eli

<Moderator> OK, to ask a question, type "/msg Moderator" folllowed by your question.

<MaryJo> From me? Um, yes. Be sure to internalize your kundalini

<KevinMurphy> Mary Jo is on glue.

<Moderator> to : Good evening, Kevin and Mary Jo. Do you have any new epsiode titles to announce this evening?

<KevinMurphy> Prince of Space, hear about that yet?

<MaryJo> Horror of Party Beach

<KevinMurphy> Last Tango in Paris.
<KevinMurphy> hee hee

<MaryJo> And Rgaing Bull

<Moderator> to : How tightly scripted are the host segs? Example: Servo's "Pankakes!" at the end of the waffle song or Tom's head in the bodyguards sketch in Zombie Nightmare?

<KevinMurphy> That's Aging bull

<MaryJo> Das Boot - we'll be doing it in German

<KevinMurphy> We script tightly enough, but smart ass cracks always get in there.

<MaryJo> Somewhat - usually during shoot days the actors improvise

<Moderator> to : Mary Jo: What do you think of Pearl's expanded role on the show? Have you had much input on how she's been acting?

<KevinMurphy> MJ rules the set.

<MaryJo> No. Not a word of input - I come in on my days off from temping and there's the script.

<KevinMurphy> with an iron fist

<MaryJo> Actually, the writers as a team have really had fun writing for all the characters.

<Moderator> to : Kevin: what do you see when you take a cold, hard look into the soul of an ape?

<MaryJo> Nothing

<KevinMurphy> A lot of mush
<KevinMurphy> a lot of love

<MaryJo> Used bananas

<KevinMurphy> an urge to scratch one's butt

<Moderator> to : How many people can fit in the Widowmaker?? I have a feeling there's gonna be more people, am I right??

<KevinMurphy> 453.

<MaryJo> An urge to scratch everyone's butt.

<KevinMurphy> Lew Alcindor.

<MaryJo> Mebbe... mebbe not. We don't even know!!!

<KevinMurphy> The Beatles.

<Moderator> to : please ask when the action figures will be out and will the bobo have a red butt

<KevinMurphy> Bobo will have a red butt with kung fu grip.

<MaryJo> Pearl is not an action figure - she is a reclining and reading magazines figure

<Moderator> to : who is better Pink Floyd or the Beatles?

<KevinMurphy> sleeping figure.

<MaryJo> THE BEATLES - puhleeeeeeeze!

<KevinMurphy> Little Feat.
<KevinMurphy> The Mothers.
<KevinMurphy> Ornette COleman

<MaryJo> I don't really care for the Pink Floyds that all the kids are listening to.

<Moderator> to : There's a Minnesota Film Festival thing going on at the Mall of America this weekend. Is MST3K represented?

<KevinMurphy> Wesley willis
<KevinMurphy> Pancakes.
<KevinMurphy> Yes it will be there.

<MaryJo> I think I heard there was going to be a snip of it - I could be mental

<KevinMurphy> Right after the Bicycole Theif
<KevinMurphy> sp

<Moderator> to : I tried to make the Tom Servo cooking tip on the web, I got violently sick after trying it. Is that normal?

<MaryJo> Yes.

<KevinMurphy> Don't eat the bone marrow.
<KevinMurphy> Drink the Pernod

<MaryJo> Take Lactaid in the future

<KevinMurphy> just for fun

<Moderator> to : I want more planets blowing up. Will we see anymore this year??

<KevinMurphy> Well the world ends at the millenium, hell that should hold ya.

<MaryJo> We really haven't thought that far into the future yet - we'll be lucky if we get in more movies!

<KevinMurphy> TheBeatles.

<Moderator> to : Have you heard lately from Joel or Trace? What are they up to?

<KevinMurphy> Saw Joel earlier this year. He says hi.
<KevinMurphy> Trace is tanning.

<MaryJo> Trace was in Mpls this past weekend and we talked - he's been auditioning, talking to people about projects, that LA sort of thing

<Moderator> to : Will there be a turkey day this year?

<KevinMurphy> Yes, but not for MST.
<KevinMurphy> sorry

<MaryJo> Yes, at my house, I can seat 4 people at my table
<MaryJo> Bring a dish to pass

<KevinMurphy> we do have a new season coming
<KevinMurphy> isn't that enough?
<KevinMurphy> what do we have to do?!?
<KevinMurphy> Whaaaaa!!!
<KevinMurphy> snif. sorry

<MaryJo> THere there Kevin

<KevinMurphy> The Beatles.

<Moderator> I've heard that an SFC Turkey Day marathon is coming...

<Moderator> to : I remember reading that you guys went through some pretty tough years before you got a fan base. Were there ever any times when you close to giving up?

<KevinMurphy> Goody!

<MaryJo> From who? What? Why? Who are you? How do you know?

<KevinMurphy> Yes, when Mary Jo was hired.
<KevinMurphy> wink
<KevinMurphy> wink
<KevinMurphy> tee hee

<MaryJo> Hardee har har that's so funny I fergot to laugh

<KevinMurphy> zing

<Moderator> to : Any possibility of doing a MST3K review of some cheesy TV shows (for example The Six Million Dollar Man or the Incredible Hulk)?

<KevinMurphy> We'd love to do the Hulk. or a $6,000,000 man movie.

<MaryJo> We did look at some Incredible Hulk TV movies but the Sci-Fi channel stills shows them in their normal state so we couldn't get the rights!

<Moderator> to : Servo, Lawgiver----what all will be covered in "The Making of MST3K"?

<MaryJo> ME
<MaryJo> My makeup tips.

<KevinMurphy> our sexual preferences
<KevinMurphy> and a lot of little details

<MaryJo> Our wacky hijinks

<KevinMurphy> we shot some of it ourselves
<KevinMurphy> on 8mm video

<MaryJo> Paul and I fighting - him begging me to wrestle

<Moderator> to : You haven't done any shorts this season, will you be doing them in the future?

<KevinMurphy> I am wearing mine.
<KevinMurphy> ha.
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> Um, no plans yet, sorry.

<Moderator> to : is it difficult getting rights to movies?

<KevinMurphy> Yes, it is, but we have a hero at Sci Fi!

<MaryJo> It always seems the most hard for the ones we want the most.

<KevinMurphy> His name is Tom.
<KevinMurphy> He is a champ and a movie monster

<MaryJo> We have been getting a lot of great screeners from Sci Fi channel - bless 'em

<Moderator> to : Are there any deep secrets buried in either of your pasts?

<KevinMurphy> I am a Basset Hound.
<KevinMurphy> A gay Basset Hound.

<MaryJo> I won a twist contest once. Once I put a bad word in a memo I had to type when I was a secretary. Got fired.

<KevinMurphy> imaine how hard that is.
<KevinMurphy> sp

<Moderator> to : Kevin, just how uncomfortable is the Bobo costume??

<KevinMurphy> V-E-R-Y.

<MaryJo> Well, its very uncomfortable for the rest of us on the set

<KevinMurphy> lots of snot and drool collect..
<KevinMurphy> mingle with the sweat...
<KevinMurphy> and head for my mouth.

<Moderator> to : How do you fit into that tiny puppet? Seems like a tight squeeze...

<KevinMurphy> ycch.

<MaryJo> He smells like a monkey too
<MaryJo> Try taking direction from a monkey

<KevinMurphy> Funny, stick to moderating.

<MaryJo> Har dee har har

<Moderator> to : Did either of you pick up on hidden communist propaganda in Jack Frost? (ex: False Cripple = the greedy ones that mooch off everyone else)

<KevinMurphy> And the girl is the western Infidel.

<Moderator> to : Can we get Mike and Bridget in a love scene?

<MaryJo> Sure. I also thought the ugly daughter equals selfish and unappealing was funny. Attractive equals good.
<MaryJo> We already have many times at work. Its really upsetting.
<MaryJo> Kevin is reconnecting please stand by

<Moderator> to : What is the worst movie you ever saw?
<Moderator> Mary Jo, care to take some questions on alone?

<MaryJo> That's gonna take a minute... um, I hate Q&A, I hate the Cook the Theif, etc.
<MaryJo> Yes, but I'm scared

<Moderator> to : Everyone asks you about the worst movies. What's the best movie you've done?

<MaryJo> My favorites have been two of the Coleman Francis trilogy and Manos and I really liked another one who's name escapes me. They all run together after a while
<MaryJo> Kevin is coming - hang on

<Moderator> to : Do you ever get tired of making fun of movies?

<MaryJo> The process itself can be tiring. Some movies just sit on your head and smother you. But the actual job? No.

<Moderator> Remember, to ask a question, type "/msg Moderator" followed by your question.

<MaryJo> I mean really, what's to hate?

<Moderator> to : Any chance you guys could drag Barb Tebbins, Jim Mallon or Beez McKeever in front of the camera more often?

<Moderator> ...don't forget Paul Chaplin either...

<MaryJo> We did write a sketch with Barb and our accountant guy Tim, but that was our backup sketch in case the first didn't work. The first worked though.

<Moderator> to : what happened to +kevinmurphy, is he an AOL customer?

<MaryJo> It wasn't me, says he, across the desk, trying desperately to reconnect.

<Moderator> Send him our best...
<Moderator> to : I recently moved to an area that doesn't have Sci-Fi and I can't afford satellite yet..what do I do for MST3K withdrawals?

<MaryJo> He'll be back. He's working feverishly
<MaryJo> Call your CABLE OPERATOR!! THOSE LOSERS!

<Moderator> to : Are there MST Support Groups?

<MaryJo> I've heard of some, but they involve invoking the words 'feelings' 'issues' and 'processing'

<Moderator> to : MJ- any pets at home? (and any that can take on Kev's dog?)

<MaryJo> I have wanted a dog for years, as everyone here at Best Brains will tell you - however, I live in an apartment and I'm rarely home so I don't think it would be fair to bring a dog into the world at this time

<Moderator> to : What is Mike's deal with the whole Adam Duritz hatred thing?

<shred> I've got Kevin on the phone.

<MaryJo> He hates Adam Duritz, thinks he's a poseur. Mike doesn't like Hanson either so consider the source

<shred> I'm typing for Kevin unitl he gets back...
<shred> Kevin: Well, doesn't everybody deal with that?
<shred> Kevin: Plus, he hates hair extensions.

<Moderator> to : what are Servo and Pearl's political persuasions?

<shred> Kevin: Servo is a member of the Green Party, but he's thinking of converting to Judaism.

<MaryJo> Pearl is a radical leftist militant Republican Libertarian feminist

<Moderator> to : Hi! Greets from sunny Russia.Um..Jack Frost just called on his cellular and asked if you were planning on riffing some more russian (finnish) movies in Season 9?

<shred> Kevin: And a great dancer.
<shred> Kevin: We would love to, but I think we've done them all.

<MaryJo> We're hoping - those are always really fun to do - they are so queer!

<Moderator> to : Who would win, Torgo or Ortega? Oh, any chance of Torgo popping up?

<MaryJo> Torgo. Its possible.

<shred> Kevin: Ortega will CRAWL you, but Torgo has the KNEES!

<Moderator> to : Have you ever thought of moving the show out of Minnesota to a warmer clime?

<shred> Kevin is on his way to try another PC...

<MaryJo> No. We like it here. We hate the winters, sure, but its our duty as Minnesotans. We really would hate to be a part of the show biz scene in LA.
<MaryJo> I would consider Jamaica, however

<Moderator> to : try one of mike pcs
<Moderator> to : 5 Do you guys have any deep rooted agressions against Comedy Central?

<MaryJo> No, we'ver worked them out in therapy. We used those fake padded bats and pretended a pillow was Comedy Central. No, wait, we pretended Paul was Comedy Central.

<KevinMurphy> let me back in, folks.

<MaryJo> HI!!!!

<KevinMurphy> how do

<Moderator> to : What did you guys do before you watched bad movies for a living?

<KevinMurphy> read bad books.

<Moderator> You're back, Kevin, no problem.

<MaryJo> I was a temp - Employee of the Month, March 1990 and I got fired from 7-10 jobs.

<Moderator> to : I have a theory that Servo represents the young, brash Kevin Murphy and Bobo represents a cranky, middle-aged Kevin Murphy. Your thoughts?

<KevinMurphy> i'm getting flooded

<MaryJo> I wish I had air conditioning

<Moderator> Sorry Kevin, better now?

<KevinMurphy> I think I represent a feline, French Kevin Murphy, and Bobo represents a nunnish Kevin Murphy.
<KevinMurphy> yes sean.
<KevinMurphy> thanks,

<Moderator> to : Kevin, how was the whole MST3K concept made up??

<KevinMurphy> In one of Joel's brain lobes.
<KevinMurphy> it blew up..
<KevinMurphy> and out came MST
<KevinMurphy> ta daaa!

<Moderator> to : Will there be more than 5 videos released of the old MST episodes?

<KevinMurphy>
<KevinMurphy> Maybe, if we can clear them.
<KevinMurphy> and if you're nice.
<KevinMurphy>

<Moderator> to : How do you and Jim differ in your directing styles?

<KevinMurphy> I try to direct like me, and he doesn't.

<MaryJo> Kevin is usually an ape when he directs. Jim has the courtesy to be human

<KevinMurphy> I am more confused, but hide it better.
<KevinMurphy> and I yell like a drunk.

<Moderator> to : Kevin, a friend of mine almost literally worships Tom Servo. Do you see anything wrong with that?

<KevinMurphy> PEHL! get your ass in gear!" like that.

<MaryJo> Kevin's rarely on the set when he directs so its usually a more laid back atmosphere
<MaryJo> I do, if that counts for anything.

<KevinMurphy> Worship Tom Servo, but do it at the church of your choise.

<Moderator> to : Kevin, I see you've lost the "Associate" title off your Producer role recently. Have you enjoyed this promotion, or is it just a placebo like when Sam gave Woody a title on Cheers?

<KevinMurphy> "c"

<Moderator> to : Mary Jo and Kevin: Do you think the Moderator is Biased??

<KevinMurphy> I gave me a surge of power and glory, but actually it turned out to be gas.
<KevinMurphy> I am better now.

<MaryJo> I don't know - everything seems biased to me.

<KevinMurphy> The Moderator, or "putz" is very biased, and cranky.
<KevinMurphy> Kidding.
<KevinMurphy> putz.
<KevinMurphy> kidding again.

<Moderator> to : How did you guys talk Mike Nelson into taking his shirt off for that Xuxa sketch? *shudder*

<MaryJo> Wait, he works for Sci fi right? NO, HE IS NOT BIASED

<KevinMurphy> We never have to talk mike into nudity of any kind.

<MaryJo> No talking him into it - he volunteer... all too quickly

<KevinMurphy> Mike is generally nude.

<MaryJo> Its casual day every day for him

<KevinMurphy> we have to talk him into putting clothes on.

<Moderator> to : Have you guys ever said something in the heat of the moment on the show you later had to edit out?

<MaryJo> Yes. I think we said 'pants' once - oh, and 'car'

<KevinMurphy> Bill said about Jim stafford, "f**ling Cracker."
<KevinMurphy> That's "f**king cracker."

<Moderator> to : MaryJo: Are those picts of you posted in alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.puppets for =REAL=??

<KevinMurphy> I thought Picts were from Scotland.

<MaryJo> Hey, hey hey hey! Um, if I look like Courteney Cox, yes, that's me

<KevinMurphy> "picts," get it?
<KevinMurphy> hmm?

<Moderator> to : I have voices in my head. One of them sounds like Mary. Is it really you?

<KevinMurphy> ...see, you wrote "picts"...
<KevinMurphy> What do you think, Mar?

<MaryJo> MARY!!!!!! It's Mary Joseph, mister!

<KevinMurphy> Does the other voice sound like Jo?

<MaryJo> Then that's me!

<KevinMurphy> in stereo

<Moderator> to : how many more seasons are you going for

<MaryJo> 87

<KevinMurphy> Bridget wants us to hit ten

<Moderator> to : why did you wait until 12 episodes into the season to make the show in stereo?

<KevinMurphy> Because my Sansui was at the shop.

<MaryJo> We finally got a decent record player from Wards

<Moderator> to : What is Professor Bobo's degree in?

<KevinMurphy> Ph.D: Pile it higher and deeper.
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> ha
<KevinMurphy> ooohhhh....

<Moderator> to : Why haven't any of the female writers directed an episode yet?

<KevinMurphy> Mike is.

<MaryJo> Good question - Kevin?!?!?!?

<KevinMurphy> We'll see about this
<KevinMurphy> I'll ask the producer.
<KevinMurphy> I ask me, and turned me down.

<MaryJo> Actually, we're too delicate and fragile. We get easily overwhelmed and are usually shopping or talking about boys.\

<KevinMurphy> I yelled at me.
<KevinMurphy> I just fired myself.

<Moderator> to : Has the fan population, mail, and so on increased since you joined Scifi?

<MaryJo> I think so, yes. We're getting upwards of three letters a week now

<KevinMurphy> Oh heck yes! The web site brings in scads of new members
<KevinMurphy> And that web site address, moderator?

<Moderator> good old : http://www.scifi.com/mst3000/
<Moderator> also try www.mst3k.com

<KevinMurphy> suburbs call collect.

<Moderator> and have a whack at www.mst3000.com

<KevinMurphy> and try basic nudes.

<Moderator> to : Any chance of you reading mail on the show again?

<KevinMurphy> we might, but we've had too many good sketch ideas.
<KevinMurphy> we used to do that when we ranout.

<MaryJo> We kind of let that slip, didn't we? We had so much to cover with the beginning of this season that we let it go and no-one really misses it

<Moderator> to : Any chance that the Nanites could appear more frequently in the future?

<MaryJo> We try to use them sparingly.

<KevinMurphy> The answer is yes.
<KevinMurphy> i mean no.

<MaryJo> Okay, yes
<MaryJo> Sorry no

<KevinMurphy> Okay yes,
<KevinMurphy> um, no.

<Moderator> to : Will magic voice be making anymore apearances on the show?

<KevinMurphy> MAYBE

<MaryJo> I mean of course
<MaryJo> Sure

<Moderator> to : Kevin and Mary Jo: Have you been noticing a lot of these questions are coming from the same people? Do you think some other people should be giving it a try?

<KevinMurphy> Magic voice will be around.

<MaryJo> Yes, although there is a new magic voice
<MaryJo> Sorry, I haven't noticed, its all I can do to keep my typewriter on line

<KevinMurphy> agent j, go get em!

<Moderator> to : Do you guys ever make fun of movies at the theatre, even to yourself?

<KevinMurphy> I made fun of Batman to myself, inside me. It hurt too much.

<MaryJo> Yes, unfortunately. Sometimes a movie makes me so mad or irritated I can't even go along for the ride.

<KevinMurphy> I screamed at the end of Billy Madison.

<MaryJo> I wept after Batman and Robin

<Moderator> to : Could you bring back the button? Push the button Bobo.

<MaryJo> Sure, just for you

<KevinMurphy> How 'bout "push the butt, Bobo." HA!
<KevinMurphy> sorry.

<MaryJo> I don't know who'd do the honors not me

<Moderator> to : Any chance we'll see some more Rubbersuit monster movies like Gamera?

<MaryJo> PLEASE NO!!!!!! These movies make me die a little

<KevinMurphy> Well, small ones.
<KevinMurphy> in the Horror at Party Beach.
<KevinMurphy> We have Prince of SPace, just as bad.

<Moderator> to : In the future do you plan on changing the current characters and are you planning on adding new characters?

<KevinMurphy> We will Kill MJ as soon as possible.
<KevinMurphy> but we'll keep pearl stuffed in the corner.

<MaryJo> Then I will come back as Kathryn Harrold

<KevinMurphy> whooo!

<Moderator> to : Will Mike ever blow up another planet?

<KevinMurphy> You first.

<MaryJo> How many planets do you want blown up? You are insatiable!

<Moderator> to : I represent the Spider Council Of America (SCOA), and I would like to commend you for having the courage to mock 'The Giant Spider Invasion'.