Title: INTERNATIONAL KATHY
Collection Number:
Span Dates: 1978-1991
Creator: Kathy Frasca
Extent: zines and digital scans
Links: International Kathy Online Collection
Subject(s): Kathy Frasca ; Richard Frasca ; Eric Blum ; Fanzine ; Devo ; Music ; Artwork ; Photography
Notes:
The International Kathy collection contains some physical zines in the archive and digital scan online of all of the issues she put out between 1978 and 1991. Basically Kathy created a farce on fame modeled after the teen magazines of the time such as Tiger Beat. In the 1970’s this was met with interest and confusion and possibly some, “Who does she think she is?” negativity, but if one thinks about it in the modern social media landscape she was really ahead of her time. She shared her life with strangers in 1978 through a fanzine, and in many ways was one of the first “influencers” when you realize that today everyone shares their life online to strangers through facebook, twitter, etc. USC now teaches classes on social influencing and if anyone was to write a history they should include Kathy. As for the magazine itself, once you get past what are fairly typical “fan” articles such as “Kathy gets glasses” the zines themselves contain much of the same artistic montage as the punk music zines of the 1970’s and there is even some great photography and paintings throughout. Kathy was a guest on many different TV shows of the day talking about her project which are currently not part of the collection, however there is some video made by Jackie Sharp while she was a UCLA film student.
Citation: International Kathy Collection, HMH Foundation Moving Image Archive, University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
Location: USC HMH Foundation Moving Image Archive
Access: Available online