AmDocs: Something to Entertain You

Where Art, Love and Magic Meet

What can I tell you about this artful documentary I just saw at the Palm Springs Cultural Centre? On the city’s largest screen, I attended the world premiere of Something to Entertain You, part of AmDocs – the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, one of the largest and most respected documentary festivals in the country, featuring independent films and Academy Award-qualifying screenings.

The film celebrates the life and work of Karen and Tony Barone, two unforgettable creative forces here in the Coachella Valley. Their whimsical, larger‑than‑life sculptures are scattered along Hwy 111, on El Paseo (Palm Desert’s answer to Rodeo Drive), outside private homes, and even at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. Even if you don’t know their names, you’ve seen their art. And once you meet them, you never forget them.

Filmmakers Jon and Mary Orlin spent years getting to know the Barones, and their documentary captures the couple’s world with so much heart. They reveal just enough of the mystery while still preserving the magic – a rare balance.

Mary & Jon Orlin outside the PS Cultural Center (used to be called The Camelot). I don’t know who took this pic.

I’ve been lucky to meet Karen and Tony several times over the years. I remember spotting them at Tropicale or at the Modernism Week Opening Party, long before I knew who they were. Karen, in particular, is impossible to ignore – a living work of art, effortlessly so.

The premiere exceeded every expectation. The theatre was packed with friends, fans, and familiar faces, and the film delivered more than a few surprises. I had no idea they once designed restaurants or created a one‑of‑a‑kind makeup line so unique that when Oprah walked into their SoHo store, she bought one of everything. Or that Andy Warhol invited them to lunch and couldn’t stop photographing Karen. To be honest, most people want to photograph her.

This was taken at the after-party at Il Corso – Palm Springs.

And then there’s Tony’s love for Karen – one of the most beautiful parts of the film. His admiration for her is deep, steady, and unwavering. He’s an extraordinary artist in his own right, yet he lets her shine without hesitation. It’s rare to witness a partnership like theirs.

Their life has been eclectic, bold, and endlessly creative…and it still is.

Something to Entertain You captures that spirit perfectly. The film just had a second screening here in the desert, and I can’t wait to see where it plays next. If you get the chance to watch it, don’t miss it. It’s absolutely worth seeing.