Inside the weird world of Austin public access

Channel surfing in Austin can quickly become a surreal experience thanks to the eclectic and unusual programming of Austin's public access channels.  Whether it is Alex Jones's conspiracies, the Cola Sisters Cookin' Good show or a random person in a gorilla suit running across the screen, public access is always original.

Now known as channelAustin, public access TV encompasses channels 10, 11 and 16. Shows vary in degrees from the very abstract to more focused, political, artistic and spiritual programs on air.

Sol Waters is a producer for Sacre Bleu! Live, which he describes as a multicultural variety show for experimental art, improv and bohemian culture. One of his inspirations for the show was the legendary local comedian Bill Hicks.

"[Hick's] last TV interview was done in the live studio where I started Sacre Bleu.  I felt the energy of great men and women before me while I was doing my shows," Waters said.
"Knowing that thousands can be potentially watching you it became apparent that I needed to keep the content and quality of my show high.  It had become important to seek out Austin's talent," Waters said.

Waters is also an employee of channelAustin and notes that the channel has been a platform for Austin musicians to get exposure over the last thirty-seven years that public access programming has aired.

"I felt like part of my character and nature is to be a talent scout and this became part of my need to shine the light on people that deserve it."

Sacre Bleu! Live has stopped producing new episodes, but the existing ones are still showing alongside the new programs currently being produced.

One of these is Everything In Heaven Is TV, a show produced by Amanda Joy that combines costumes, ‘80s techno music, dancing and colorful cinematography.  The show's shotgun approach is an acid fried ode to lo-fidelity culture where anything goes, and there is never a dull moment.

Equally unusual but a tad more subtle is the Cola Sisters' Cookin' Good, a cooking show hosted by the wild personalities of Arcie and Shasta Cola. In addition to their more standard cooking show, the sisters have created a series of videos called "Toning for the Tribulations," where they  demonstrate useful exercises for surviving the imminent apocalypse.

A bizarre parody of traditional exercise videos, the workout involves building muscles in preparation for forced ditch digging and working on footwork that could help people dodge bullets after going AWOL from the army.

Austin is known for its music scene and so, naturally, channelAustin has plenty of music-based programming. Aaron Mason is the producer for 512 Jams, a show that plays hip-hop music videos and features attractive women in skirts and spaghetti strap tops every Thursday.  The breakdancing lessons on Tyson Tv, produced by Tyson Austin Eberly are in a similar vein

"My show is about teaching and inspiring people to create through dance, specifically the art of popping, tangible, workable solutions to root sources of social problems," said Eberly.
Tyson Tv is a combination of breakdancing culture and consciousness expansion.  One episode, called "King Tutting and the Law Of Attraction," featured a breakdancing battle between dancers Pac Man and Press Play.

There is also a part of the show for viewers to call in as well where Eberly once ended up counseling a caller through a break up with his girlfriend.  It was unexpected Tyson said, but watchers of public access TV know to expect the unexpected.