Desperation Boulevard (DVD Review) - B+
By Kage Alan

Joan Sweenie (comedienne and major gay rights supporter Judy Tenuta) was the little girl everybody loved from the extremely popular TV sitcom “Daddy’s Little Angel”, only she’s all grown up now and very few people remember her. You see, Joan is suffering from the same childhood actor syndrome that is often fodder for the tabloids and MTV/VH1 specials. In fact, after a disastrous used car lot appearance and seeing an autographed picture of herself unceremoniously marked down in a Hollywood memorabilia store, she’s soon bemoaning her situation to fellow actors Burt Ward, Erin Moran, Ken Osmond and Dana Plato.

Joan’s agent, Manny Green, figures she needs to do something spectacular that will get her face in the papers and back into the minds of Hollywood producers and directors. After hiring a stalker and then getting caught by the police for it, faking coming out as a lesbian and then having a Christian television station drop reruns of her old show because of it, waiting for The National Enquirer and being kidnapped by black market organ stealers and finally robbing a liquor store only to have her thunder stolen by Moran, Joan figures nothing else can possibly go wrong. She’s mistaken, but will old love interest Rod be able to help get her life straightened back out?

“Desperation Boulevard” is Hollywood satire at its cruelest and funniest. From infomercials and 900 number endorsements to cheesy slasher films like “Girl Scout: Badge of Terror” and having to engage in sex with another woman to maintain her cover as a lesbian all keep her career afloat, Joan tries everything humanly possible to keep from being forgotten. Usually hyper kinetic in person and on the screen, Judy Tenuta plays her role with such control and sensitivity that it’s impossible not to feel for her plight. She’s in excellent form here and it doesn’t hurt that the film also features cameo appearances by Emo Philips, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic and Downtown Julie Brown. “Desperation Boulevard” is great fun!