With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Joni Mitchell Gives Candid Talk About Fame In 1986 In Animated Video
Joni Mitchell gave an endearing and frank interview in 1986 where she talked about fame and how she longed to just be an ordinary person. And now the interview, which was conducted by music exec Joe Smith, has been made into an animated short courtesy of the folks behind PBS' Blank on Blank series.
The legendary 71-year-old singer-songwriter went into how she wanted to keep her freedom by doing her own grocery shopping. "Some people like it. It makes them feel at ease. It confirms their hopes that you are in fact, similar to them." However, others weren't so keen on her trying to lead a normal lifestyle. Mitchell recalled how she went to a rock concert, and an annoyed man next to her told her she couldn't sit with everyone else because and should be backstage or up in a box.
Despite all of this, she'd still go on solo cross-country trips using fake names and wearing a wig so she could still live her life.
Support for LAist comes from
Mitchell has been in the hospital since March 31 when she collapsed in her Bel Air home. It's still unclear what illness has been keeping her in the hospital, but her attorney said earlier this month that she may be released soon. A judge granted Leslie Morris, Mitchell's close friend of 44 years, a conservatorship over the singer's medical care.
Most recently, Mitchell's had to put her singing career aside because she says she suffers from a mysterious condition called Morgellons. While medical researchers believe that it's more of a psychological rather than medical condition, the people who do have it believe that it causes fibers to come out of the skin and cause tingling sensations and lesions.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist