So what is this MST3K thing (and why did 2500 freaks like us fly over 1,000 miles to go to some place called Eden Prairie)?

by Amy Baranoski bots that he built: son one and was re- have been many about ten people Crow, , placed first by ÒTVÕs changes, the plot re- who make up Best On the weekend of cess channel. Creat- and Gypsy. FrankÓ (Frank mains the same. The Brains, Inc, the August 30, Jeff ed in 1988 by Joel While Cambot films Coniff) and then by poor human is still MST3K production Carter, SPOC Presi- Hodgson, local prop the action, Crow and Dr. ForresterÕs moth- stuck up in space company which is lo- dent Brendan Shee- comedian and all Tom Servo join Joel er (played by writer watching horribly cated in neighboring han, WheatBread Edi- around cutie, the in the theater to help ). Tom cheesy movies with Eden Prairie. tor Randy Mack, and premise is that Joel heckle the bad Servo got a new only his trusty Ôbots People all over the I attended the second was sent up into movies. (Gypsy has voice (writer Kevin as companions. United States and Mystery Science The- space by evil scien- to stay outside, since Murphy). Joel left WhatÕs truly around the world fol- ater 3000 convention tists Dr. Clayton For- she controls the high- the show and writer amazing is the popu- low the show reli- in Minneapolis, Min- rester (Trace er functions of the stepped larity MST3K has giously. The first nesota. These arti- Beaulieu) and Dr. ship.) in as the madsÕ new gained throughout ConventioCon Ex- cles are about the ex- Larry Erhardt (Josh The following year test case. Finally, seven seasons and a poFest-A-Rama two perience, and require Weinstein). the show was picked Trace decided to big screen movie. years ago brought more than a little ex- The ÒmadsÓ force up by Comedy Cen- leave and no one re- The show has always over 2000 people planationÉ Joel to watch cheesy tral (then called ally knows how he been, and always from all over, and The television movies as part of an Comedy Channel). will be replaced will be, an extremely this yearÕs Labor Day show Mystery Science evil experiment. In the seven seasons when the show goes low budget, Òcow- weekend Conventio- Theater 3000 JoelÕs only compan- since then, the show into its eighth sea- town puppet showÓ Con ExpoFest-A- (MST3K) has its ions as he orbits the has gone through a son, now on the Sci- (in the words of Mike Rama 2: Electric humble roots at a earth in the Satellite lot of changes. Dr. Fi Channel. Nelson), run by a Boogaloo, brought Minneapolis local ac- of Love are the ro- Erhardt left after sea- Although there close-knit group of over 2500 people. ¥

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