Howdy folks,
It is my pleasure to share that our guest for the Oct 17, 2023 episode of Redneck Gone Green will be William Talen, better known as Reverend Billy. He is the co-creator of The Church of Stop Shopping & the Stop Shopping Choir, a combination of political activism and performance art that entertains and educates.
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Onward to the world we deserve,
David Cobb (he/him)
Why I put my pronouns in my email signature
Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir: A Message for a Consumer-Driven World
In a world consumed by consumerism, Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping present a compelling and unconventional challenge to the status quo. Reverend Billy is a performance artist and activist known for his charismatic and satirical sermons against mindless consumerism. Through his Church of Stop Shopping, awakens us to the consequences of our unchecked consumer-driven lifestyles and inspires us to dream bigger that mindless acquisition.
Reverend Billy’s sermons are delivered with both fervor and flair, and are a hilarious, effective and very unique form of activism. He has been a relentless advocate for the environment, workers' rights, and social and racial justice. His unconventional approach takes the form of a revivalist preacher, as he fervently urges people to "stop shopping" and rethink their priorities. By employing humor, theatricality, and passion, he captures the attention of audiences, making them reflect on their choices and the impact they have on the planet.
The Church of Stop Shopping's message is simple yet powerful: that we must reevaluate our priorities and break free from the cycle of endless consumption. In an age where rampant consumerism often leads to environmental degradation, exploitation of workers, and overwhelming debt, Reverend Billy's message strikes a chord with those seeking a more conscious and sustainable way of living.
Reverend Billy's activism extends beyond the stage. He and his church have engaged in various acts of civil disobedience, protesting against corporations that exploit workers and harm the environment. Their efforts to shed light on these issues have led to increased awareness and action on important social and environmental matters.
One of the most striking aspects of Reverend Billy's work is his ability to bridge the gap between art and activism. By using satire, humor, and performance, he captures the attention of diverse audiences that might not otherwise be receptive to traditional activist messages. His unconventional approach has been a breath of fresh air in the often rigid world of social and environmental activism.
Reverend Billy's impact is not just limited to his performances. His calls for ethical consumerism and environmental responsibility have resonated with countless individuals, leading to real change in the way people view and participate in consumer culture. He encourages people to support local businesses, choose sustainable products, and question the true cost of their purchases. In 2009 Billy ran for Mayor of New York City on the Green Party ticket.
Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping combine performance art with activism, effectively raising awareness about the consequences of unchecked consumerism. By inspiring individuals to reassess their priorities and make more responsible choices, Reverend Billy reminds us that we can choose to "stop shopping" and start living more consciously and sustainably.
About Reverend Billy
The character of Reverend Billy was developed in the mid 1990s by actor and playwright, William Talen. Talen grew up in small towns throughout Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. He left home at 16, moving east with Charles and Patricia Gaines, a writer and painter who encouraged him as an artist. Talen began to perform his poems and stories, hitch-hiking from Philadelphia to New York to San Francisco.
Talen’s chief collaborator in developing the Reverend Billy character was the Reverend Sidney Lanier, vicar of St. Clement’s in the 1960s, an Episcopal Church in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. In an effort to increase attendance at St. Clement’s, Lanier had torn out the altar and pews, inviting actors to perform scenes from plays by his cousin Tennessee Williams and Terrence McNally, and founding the American Place Theater. Lanier described Talen as “more of a preacher with a gift for social prophecy than an actor.” In the early 1990s Talen moved with Lanier to New York City from the San Francisco Bay Area, branding his act as a “new kind of American preacher.”
The Reverend Billy character debuted on the sidewalk at Times Square in 1998, outside the Disney Store, where he proclaimed Mickey Mouse to be the anti-Christ. He was arrested multiple times outside the Disney Store, where he duct-tapped Mickey Mouse to a cross. Reverend Billy’s sermons decried the evils of consumerism and the racism of sweatshop labor, and what Talen saw as the loss of neighborhood spirit in Rudolph Giuliani‘s New York.
The Reverend Billy character isn’t so much a parody of a preacher, as a preacher motif used to blur the lines between performance and religious experience. “It’s definitely a church service,” Talen explained but, he added, it’s “a political rally, it’s theater, it’s all three, it’s none of them.” Alisa Solomon, the theater critic at the Village Voice, said of Reverend Billy’s persona, “The collar is fake, the calling is real.” Along with the Church of Stop Shopping, they have been referred to by academics as “performance activism,” “carnivalesque protest,” and “artivists”