TV Reviews : John Doe Showcases Underground Artists

Hosted by the co-founder of the essential Los Angeles punk band X, “The L.A. Thing With John Doe” may not on the surface seem to have much in common with such local TV predecessors as Huell Howser’s “Video Log” clips or, for veteran Angelenos, the great “Ralph Story’s Los Angeles.” With a six-episode run starting tonight at midnight on KCAL-TV Channel 9, this is a showcase for musicians, dancers, poets and performance artists who exist outside of the mainstream and, for the most part, beneath the radar of popular culture.

But, as Story and Howser have made clear, L.A. is a community driven by eccentrics and dreamers, and that’s no less true in the underground performance scene than anywhere else. Doe’s singers and dancers really aren’t that much different from Howser’s tap-dancing grannies and ant harvesters.

Doe, who’s also an actor, most recently appearing in the acclaimed movie “Georgia,” is effectively casual, haunting Union Station by night in the premiere for his introductions of the performance segments. A jump-swing number by the zoot-suited band Royal Crowne Revue comes across fine, but street-corner spoken word by Joel Lipman, contemporary art-song by Kathy Fisher and interpretive dance by Amy Tinkham seem a little flat on screen.

Where “The L.A. Thing” falls shortest of Howser and Story, though, is in failing to demonstrate any sense of community among the artists or with the city itself. We never hear of their backgrounds or philosophies. And Doe is given no opportunity to interact with the performers, save for a charmingly rough closing acoustic duet with “Georgia” co-star Mare Winningham.

* “The L.A. Thing With John Doe” premieres at midnight tonight on KCAL-TV Channel 9.