Bob Mackie

Episode notes

Photo: Daniel Speer / Maximum Fun

This week on Bullseye, we talk to Bob Mackie in his own spectacular home!

Also known as the “Sultan of Sequins” or the “Baron of Beads”, Bob Mackie has made a career out of dressing big personalities in kinetic, sparkling garb. Performers like Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Elton John, Lucile Ball, Carol Burnett, and Barbie – literally, the Barbie doll – have all been complimented by an iconic Bob Mackie outfit. He’s done it as a designer in the real world and an award winning costume artist for stage and screen.

Maybe you watch Ru Paul’s Drag Race? He was the very first guest judge on the show, and the first person to receive the Drag Race “Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Mackie’s life and career were profiled in an incredible documentary late last year. Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion covers the era-defining design work he did and the extraordinary life he’s lived.

Mackie talks to Bullseye about his early affinity for performance outfits, marrying costumes and comedy, and getting started in the business working with old Hollywood legends.

In this episode...

Jesse Thorn

Host

Kevin Ferguson

Senior Producer

Jesus Ambrosio

Producer

Richard Robey

Maximum Fun Producer

Daniel Arón Speer

Video Editor

Hannah Moroz

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Guests

Bob Mackie

About the show

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney’s, which called it “the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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