Jane Wiedlin, the co-founder, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the Go-Go's, is set to open the eighth season of Palm Springs Speaks on December 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road. She'll discuss her new memoir, perform a limited number of songs, and sign books afterward.
According to MyNewsLA.com, Wiedlin will sit down with entertainment journalist Bruce Fessier to talk about her book, TMI: Memoirs of a Go-Go, before closing out the evening with a short acoustic set and a meet-and-greet signing session. The outlet reports that additional guest speakers for the season will be announced later at palmspringsspeaks.org, and that tickets can be purchased online.
Wiedlin is a singer-songwriter, actress and author best known for helping found the Go-Go's, the American all-female rock band that emerged from the punk and new wave scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The group is credited by Da Capo Press as the first all-woman rock act to reach number one on the Billboard charts while playing their own instruments and writing their own songs, a run that produced hits like We Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed and Vacation before the band's 2021 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A Memoir Built on Hard Truths
TMI: Memoirs of a Go-Go is scheduled for publication on November 10, roughly a month before Wiedlin's Palm Springs appearance. Per Hachette Book Group, the book traces Wiedlin's childhood tragedy, mental health struggles, shattered relationships and her years in the band, alongside what the publisher calls her own relentless reinvention.
Da Capo describes the memoir as a vivid account of rock excess and Hollywood drama, according to the same publisher's listing. The book also details Wiedlin's solo career, during which she released six albums and scored the global hit Rush Hour, the publisher notes.
A Series With Deep Local Roots
Palm Springs Speaks has built its reputation on marquee names willing to talk candidly with local audiences. Season seven, announced in November 2025, brought Rob Reiner, Cheech Marin, author Wade Rouse in conversation with Steven Rowley, and genetic genealogist CeCe Moore to the newly restored Plaza Theatre downtown, with the Friends of the Palm Springs Library and the City of Palm Springs among the series' sponsors.
Earlier seasons featured Temple Grandin, Dave Barry and former U.S. Senator Al Franken, part of a run of relaunches and lineups the Friends of the Palm Springs Library have announced since 2023. Tickets for those past programs were sold through Ticketmaster via the Plaza Theatre website, though the eighth season's opening night has moved to the Cultural Center for Wiedlin's appearance.
The December 8 event also carries a community cause: Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies is expected to attend and has asked guests to bring a donation of pet food, a request that lines up with what organizers describe as Wiedlin's own devotion to dogs and animal welfare.
