Episode 30 — “Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping”
Episode 30 (Season 2) is a profile of the legendary activist collective The Church of Stop Shopping, led by Reverend Billy (William Talen) and Savitri D. Beginning with anticonsumerist actions in New York’s Times Square in the 1990s, the church grew into a powerful performing force, with infectious gospel grooves, dozens of voices in harmony, with Reverend Billy’s heartfelt, eloquent anticonsumption message delivered in true prophetic voice.
Warren Senders’ interview with Reverend Billy and Director Savitri D is interspersed with video of the Church’s music-filled activism and activism-filled music, and supplemented with historical and cultural context. Play the episode.
Music and Video
“I Am Not The Only One”
The Stop Shopping Choir
from “The Sun Is A Star That Keeps Me Warm”
Richard Nixon, Lloyd Shopping Center
Portland, Oregon, September 13, 1960
KGW Vault, Portland
George W. Bush / CNN, December 2006
“On The Road!”
Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping
“Bye, Bye Buying”
Reverend Billy, December, 2013
Billy Graham Crusade
Film recorded 1957
Billy Sunday Warns America
Film recorded 1926
“It’s The End of the World”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
Joe’s Pub, Public Theater, New York
Sep 18, 2014
“Can We Be Strange Enough to Change Enough?”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
Nov 22, 2025
“Paradise Now” — The Living Theater
Berlin Sports Palast, January 10, 1970
from “Signals Through The Flames” (Mystic Fire Video)
Augusto Boal clip
Centro de Teatro do Oprimido
“Money Makes The World Go Around”
Bread & Puppet Theater, Glover, VT, September, 2019
(Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
“Reverend Billy Exorcises BP At Tate Museum”
London, UK, Jul 19, 2011
“Love Earth”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA, Nov 22, 2025
“The Fabulous Unknown”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
from “The Sun Is A Star That Keeps Me Warm”
“Monsanto’s Deadly Secret in Central Park”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
New York City, Apr 1, 2016
“Fabulous Bad Weather”
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir
Lyrics by William Talen & Savitri Durkee
From “The Earth Wants You”
Brooklyn, Apr 7, 2016
Interview with William Talen & Savitri D
November 17, 2025
The complete interview is available at the Cool Tunes YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@cooltunes4ahotplanet
To learn more, go to revbilly.com.
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