The Wiz - a podcast by Ellen Brooks

On Episode 3 of "Sing It, Sister!" Clare and Ellen discuss the 1978 film, The Wiz. And somehow go the whole episode without talking at all about Richard Pryor, besides mentioning him in the set-up. 

 

Show Notes:

According to IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, The Wiz is actually rated G, not PG. Again, keep in mind this is a 1978 G-rating.

"The Wiz was Ken Harper's brainchild. He was the program affairs director at WPIX Radio in the early 1970s and hit upon the idea of an all-black version of The Wizard of Oz. He soon left his job and devoted all of his time to seeing his dream become a reality. He convinced executives at 20th Century Fox to put up the entire backing in exchange for film rights." from TheWizTheMusical.com which appears to be VERY new and very exciting! 

These People Complaining About "The Wiz" Seem To Have Forgotten That "The Wizard Of Oz" Exists from Buzzfeed.com

People Complaining That The Wiz Has An All-Black Cast Know Nothing About Musical Theatre from TheMarySue.com. Written by Maddy Myers, this piece discusses the backlash to The Wiz live having and all-black cast and her thoughts on all-white productions of The Wiz.

15 Things About ‘The Wiz’ You Probably Never Knew from SheKnows.com

Ellen’s recommendation for a podcast listen that delves into the problematic art and person of Michael Jackson: Still Processing from the New York Times, March 7, 2019.

Further episodes of Sing It, Sister!

Further podcasts by Ellen Brooks

Website of Ellen Brooks