Showman, author and humorist, Charles Phoenix is the Ambassador of Americana! Celebrating classic and kitsch pop culture, he is known for his retro slide show performances, school bus field trip tours, roller skating variety shows, test kitchen creations, coffee table books and Slide of the Week emails. He offers a hip and highly original take on American life and style. Fans from coast to coast enjoy his infectious enthusiasm and keen eye for finding humor and delight in the details. He provides commentary and serves as a recurring correspondent for NPR and The Martha Stewart Show.
CLICK HERE TO SEE CHARLES ON THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW AND HEAR HIM ON NPR AND OTHER PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS.
Southern California Native
In the 60s and 70s while growing up in Ontario, Calif., Charles “studied” design at the “Disneyland School of Style” and became interested in 50s and 60s cars, spending Saturdays on his dad’s used car lots. As a teen he discovered thrift shops as museums of merchandise and the perfect place to study the underbelly of our mass consumerism culture.
In 1982, Charles moved to Los Angeles and began a career as a fashion designer. Because he kept getting fired from every design job, he started collecting and trading vintage American cars. During that time, he stumbled across a box of old Kodachrome slides in a thrift shop. That discovery changed the course of his life. Soon collecting other peoples old slides became an addiction that inspired his first retro slide show performance in 1998.
Retro Slide Showman
Charles’ passion for American culture, combined with his massive collection of vintage slides, soon evoloved into live slide show performances nationwide at civic theaters, museums, universities and corporate events. Often, he embellishes his shows by showcasing hula hoopers, ballerinas, marionettes, roller skaters and even a pink poodle. He also enjoys honoring local legends and has been known to make ambrosia on stage and serve it at intermission.
At the 2003 New York Fringe Theatre Festival, his RETRO VACATION SLIDE SHOW TOUR OF THE USA was awarded “Most Unique Theatrical Performance.” LA WEEKLY chose Charles for the cover of its 2008 people issue, calling him the “Kodachrome King.” In 2009 He was the Grand Marshall of Pasadena’s Doo Dah Parade.
Tourguide
Charles’ fun-filled school bus field trip tours are attitude-altering experiences! The “Disneyland” Tour of Downtown Los Angeles proves the heart and soul of the city is just like a big theme park. Touring Old Chinatown, Olvera Street, Clifton’s Cafeteria and Bob Baker Marionette Theater he proves Southern California doesn’t have one Disneyland, it has two!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DISNEYLAND TOUR OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES VIDEO on YOUTUBE
The seasonal Holiday Hometown Tour of his native Ontario, Calif., features the “World’s Largest Candy Cane” as well as the city’s most charming landmarks all decked out for the holidays. The Up With Downey Tour highlights the “world’s greatest space age surburban city.”
Test Kitchen
Charles loves to rattle them pots and pans in his Test Kitchen. He’s reinvented the appetizer into the ultimate savory centerpiece, married three pies with three cakes, Polynesianizesd the classic turkey dinner and served up enchiladas and lasagna together as one at last! What will he concoct next?
The Test Kitchen was born when Charles discovered an old slide picturing a intriguing holiday appetizer centerpiece that was begging to be reincarnated. It was a foil-wrapped Styrofoam cone studded with multi-colored toothpicks finished with a cocktail weenie or savory bite-size treat. This image inspired Charles to create the spectacular Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree, followed up by the “Tiki” Turkey Dinner, unbelievable pie and cake combo desert called the Cherpumple and the ultimate potluck main course, the Inchezonya.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ASTRO WEENIE CHRISTMAS TREE, TIKI TURKEY DINNER and the CHERPUMPLE YOUTUBE VIDEOS.
Test Kitchen enthusiasts are encouraged but not expected to share their Test Kitchen creations with Charles on his site and Facebook page.
Author
Charles Phoenix is the author of several colorful coffee table books celebrating mid-century Southern California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, road trips and his native Pomona Valley. Americana the Beautiful: Mid-Century Culture in Kodachrome is his latest book.
