| Rachel Lichtman | |
| Birth Date: | December 1, 1973 |
| Occupation: | Visual artist, Comedy writer, Filmmaker |
| Known For: | Creating the independent channel Network 77 and later Programme 4. Directing music videos for various artists. |
| Notable Works: | Network 77, Programme 4, Easy AM 66, Starpop, Musique, Yesterday, Today and TAMAR, Something Cool podcast, Ode to Bobbie Gentry: Celebrating a Living Legend, The Guys Who Wrote 'Em |
Rachel Lichtman (born December 1, 1973) is an American visual artist, comedy writer, and filmmaker, who created the independent, retro-futuristic channel Network 77[1] in 2017. Network 77 evolved into Programme 4, an audio/visual channel in the analog aesthetic of television and radio of the 60s and 70s, “broadcasting” from the fictional town of Golden Sands. Her work features a variety of comedy and music programming, and has been described as "funny as classic SCTV and as retro-accurate as Documentary Now![2] " Lichtman's style is defined by its deeply referenced pop culture humor and vintage design.
In addition to television “programming blocks” of the variety/sketch series, she created two episodes of the scripted comedy audio series Easy AM 66, a satirical beautiful music format radio broadcast also set in Golden Sands. She also produced, directed and edited full-length music programs such as Starpop, Musique, and Ted Leo Presents in a vintage Euro-television style.
Lichtman has directed music videos for Ted Leo, Juliana Hatfield, Buffalo Tom, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, Local H, Laura Jane Grace, The Haden Triplets and others.[3] [4] [5]
Lichtman is also the co-writer and director of Yesterday, Today and TAMAR an ongoing NYC cabaret show starring Tammy Faye Starlite as fictional Israeli sensation Tamar, a character Lichtman and Starlite developed through invented European television and commercial appearances.[6] [7]
In 2015, Lichtman and Sarah Thyre created the Something Cool podcast, covering underappreciated female artists and comedians.[8] As an outgrowth of her work on that podcast, she co-produced a tribute concert called Ode to Bobbie Gentry: Celebrating a Living Legend in 2018 with Tara Murtha.[9] [10] She also directed the unreleased documentary The Guys Who Wrote 'Em, a look into Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart who created the sound of The Monkees.[11] Lichtman did the visual design for The Monkees' tours in 2011 and 2012 after contributing to the liner notes for the Head reissue in 2010.