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Frank Zappa satirized political and corporate doublespeak in his music, and it's clear from the footage in the documentary "Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words" that he could throw the same doublespeak back in the face of any reporter or talk-show host who would dare use it on him.
Director Thorsten Schotte has compiled a wealth of interview and performance footage from talk shows and sit-down interviews, starting with Zappa's early appearance on Steve Allen's "Tonight Show," playing a bicycle with a violin bow. Some of the interviews are illuminating — coming from the days of Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas, when shows would book interesting guests). And some clips — like an appearance on the game show "What's My Line?"— are downright bizarre.
Speaking of bizarre, there's also plenty of time given to Zappa's congressional testimony in his battle over censorship with Tipper Gore. The clips show Zappa's prickly demeanor on full display, and Schütte lets some of the segments run their course, revealing that what Zappa doesn't say was sometimes as illuminating as what he did.
'Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words'
Opening Friday, Aug. 5, at the Broadway Centre Cinemas; rated R for language, some sexual references and brief nudity; 93 minutes.