thursday, novcmber 8, 1979
P3 10
daily ncbrerkzn
KZUM plans weeken
rogram
d marathon p
By Brian McManus
From Nov. 9 to 1 8, KZUM radio station will ignore its
usual program schedule and have a special marathon
program. It will play continuous programs 24 hours a day
for the week.
"We are trying to raise money for the station," said
station manager Julie Williams. "Except for my salary,
which is funded by CETA (Comprehensive Employment
Training Act), the station exists solely through volunteers
and donations.
The money will be used ta pay bills (heat, light, tower
and studio rent, insurance, copyright fees and loans), and
to help KZUM expand its public affairs programming.
One plan for the money is to subscribe to the Pacifica
News Service. Williams said that this service covers recent
controversial issues and would be an interesting addition
to their programming.
SOME MONEY also will be used for a short wave
receiver to be attached to their antenna. This will pick up
the BBC and other foreign news services.
"We have received permission from the BBC and
Stations in Moscow, the Netherlands and South Africa to
broadcast their news programs. We feel this will give an
interesting perspective to international affairs, Williams
said.
Finally, the money also will be applied to the "Buy A
Watt' campaign. KZUM is trying to raise money for a
power increase to 3000 watts. Currently it is broadcasting
at 10 watts.
'Three thousand watts would be enough to get good
coverage of the city,! Williams said. "Of course, we can't
proceed on this until we get permission from the FCC.
We'll need about $15,000 for the power increase. We
don't expect to get much from this Marathon for the
cause, but hopefully, it will get us started.'
The Marathon will feature a wide variety of
programming-everything from a recording of Richard
Nixon's. "Checkers" speech, to a program called Hard
Rain, a critical look at pesticide use in American
agriculture. Musically, KZUM will be playing features on
Leo Kottke, Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, and a set of
Irish Music called Dublin's Finest. There also will be a
program called "Crock of Schlock" featuring the very
worst of promotional albums they have been given.
Williams said that the station will give these away to any
contributor who is interested.
KZUM ALSO WILL AIR features on such issues as
women's topics, nuclear energy and prison reform.
"Although a small group of us decided on most ofthe
format for the Marathon, we always give our volunteers
free rein on their, programming," Williams said. 'This
allows for a lot more creativity. You hear a lot of things
on our station that. you wouldn't hear anywhere else."
Williams could not give a prediction on the amount of
money the station is hoping to collect from the Marathon,
but said that KZUM is in desperate need-of support.
'There are a tremendous amount of costs in running
even a very small station like this, she said.
Presently, the office doesn't have any heat. The
volunteer dress in coats, mufflers and mittens while
working.
"Actually, weve managed very well with what weve
got, Williams said. "But there is a potential for so much
more if we had more public support. I think that the
community -based radio station is a great idea. It supplies
people with programs that they couldn't get from
commercial sources."
Roller-disco fantasy portrays 'delusions, not r
eality
By Pete Schmitz
. . . And I saw Satan laughing with delight,
the day the music died. . .
-Don McLean
Well, music has not died. At least not
yet, and neither have movies, but one
would believe otherwise from watching the
latest disco fck-Skatetown (7.51 A, a film
which tries to enhance the stature of vulgarity.
CGUC31T
In realizing new lows for crass cinema
commercialism, this vehicle for trashy
music makes its 50s counterpart, Grease,
look like a thoughtful and intelligent
effort.
Its weak and trite story is about a teen
age disco hangout owned by a white, aging
female-chasing midget and his footloose
wife (played by Flip Wilson, who also plays
their son Harvey). It is Saturday night, and
there is lots of flesh to be seen on the night
of the singles and doubles roller skating
disco contest.
Like Star Wars, there are good and bad
guys, and like Saturday Night Fever, there
are women pawing all over the guys.
It is easy to tell who is going to win,
because Stanley, a nice, white, blond, blue
eyed boy, wants to take the championship
away from Ace, the leader of the Westside
Wheelers, a menacing gang dressed in black
and purple. Of course, Stanley dresses in
red and white.
Stan's sister Susan nearly foils his
chances for recognition, but thanks to Ace's
sister Allison, he can become the great
white hero that everyone wants him to be.
But the story really is not important to
the director. What he really wants to do is
to show that in the disco world one can be
anything he or she wants to be. The trip to
the disco ballroom is not supposed to be
taken seriously -r-it is to be looked upon as
a fantasy and illusion. But all of it strikes
me as being more like a delusion .
In discoland, or Skatetown in the iilm,
everything is supposed to seem simple,
glittery and funny. But that's not all. There
is the promise of flesh. Thus, the viewer is
bombarded by closeups of biceps, breasts,
and posteriors. There are also interesting
shots of restroom doors, which are still
separate, but labled curves and muscles
instead of girls and boys. Need I say any
thing more on the shoddy sexual politics in
this film?
Besides skin and disco, there is an
attempt at humor. Some of the brunts of
the jokes are an air-brained blond female
ticket-taker, a drunk, the house doctor
who is a Vietnam veteran, and an assort
ment of stereotypical prudes.
If you feel badly because you are too
old to be admitted to Illusions, Lincoln's
newest disco club for teens, then see
Skatetown U.S.A. and find out what you
are not missing.
For those who think that the movie will
offer insight despite itself on disco culture,
don't go. Wait for Saturday Night Fever ox
Looking for Mr. Goodbar to come back.
Although those two features have their
problems, the directors are at least in
better command of their subject matter.
Love affair overcomes friends, family and premium gas
By Peg Sheldrick
His name was Ralph I met him last summer and from
the first moment I saw him, I knew I wanted him in a way
I'd never wanted anything else. You see, he was my first.
I'd never owned a car before.
Oh, he was something to see that first day, glistening
beneath the summer sun. He was so tan and so classy. I
tried not to look interested, but one glance into those
headlights of his and I knew I was lost. I had to have him.
Of course, I always was a sucker for a nice chassis.
Mm
I knew he was available-and I also knew he'd had
others before me, others who hadn't treated him well. But
that just made me want him more. I mean, he needed me,
or someone like me, who could really appreciate his finer
qualities. (Not everyone has the sensitivity to value a
really first-rate rear window defogser.) I wanted to help
him get over his past. . .
I knew he was way out of my league, sporty little
import that, he was, but I decided to try for him anyway.
And wonder of wonders, before I even knew it, he was
mine-all mine. I thought this would be the start of a
beautiful relationship, that Ralph and I would live happily
ever after-but I was wrong.
THE PROBLEMS STARTED when I told my parents
about him.
. "You did what?1 exclaimed my father.
"I-I bought a used Audi." -
Mother sank weakly into a chair, murmuring, "Oh dear
heavens, our own daughter. And it's used.
"Didn't we want you about those foreign cars? Father
shouted. "Didn't we tell you that all they ever want to do
is get into your pockets?"
"Father!
"Don't try to stop me, Mother. I'm going to tell our
little girl exactly what she's gotten herself into. This-this-car
of yours-it takes premium, doesnt it?!
"Well, yes. But what of it?"
" ."Young lady, do you have any idea what premium
costs these days? Just wait til the first time you go to fill
that tank. Youll sing a different tune then.
"I've already filled his tank." , ' .
"Before i; was legally yours?" .
"Yes, yes, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."
"What kind of daughter have we raised that would go
out and buy gas for a car that isn't even hers yet?" Father
covered his face with his hands. - .
MOTHER SPOKE UP quietly. "It's not just the gas,
dear. It'swell, it's just that-nice girls don't drive used
cars."
"I'm not a girl anymore, Mother. And I don't care
what you two say. I think you're both being terribly pro
vincial. Ralph is my car now, I intend to drive him. You
had better get used to it!"
"Alright, Miss Used Foreign Car, go ahead drive the
little junk heap!" my father shouted as I ran away in
tears. "But don't come crying to me when no decent
American garage will do your maintenance!"
It was a nightmare. But I tried to put it out of my
mind. Of course my friends weren't any help-they kept
bringing up the age difference.
"He's a 72," they'd say. "And this is 79. How much
longer do you think he can last?"
I just stopped listening to them. As if age or make
made any difference to us! Ralph was mine and that was
all that mattered. Nobody had any right or reason to cri
ticize him. Or so I thought. Continued on Page 1 1