1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: You guys like Disneyland, right, You know I'm into Disneyland 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: since I was a little little kid. 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 2: But I do love disney World. 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 3: It's a land all its own, and you would never 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 3: want to be banned. 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: Oh neverland. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: No, that's rhymes too, but I'll tell you. During the 8 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: height of the Cold War, a series of debates held 9 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: in a weirdly like model kitchen in Moscow led the 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: premiere of Russia, Nikita Khrushchev, to come to the US 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,319 Speaker 1: on a whirlwind, you know, public tour, publicity tour, and 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: ended up at Disneyland, where things did not go particularly well. 13 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 3: Yes, Ridiculous Historians, please join us in today's classic episode, 14 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 3: where we explore Khrushev's doomed quest to meet Mickey Mouse. 15 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: Indeed, let's roll it. 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 3: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeart Welcome to the show, 17 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 3: Ridiculous Historians. Thank you for tuning in. We hope that 18 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: you brought a fluffy coat or a nice heavy blanket 19 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:40,479 Speaker 3: because this episode is going to be cold Cold War esque. Look, 20 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 3: not all the intros are going to be winners. 21 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 2: Hi, I'm Ben. You've never seen the space blankets that 22 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: they give the refugee children. I have one in my car. 23 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I really took a dark turn there, but 24 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: they look like the things you'd put in your window 25 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: to keep the sun from heating up your tight leather seats. Yeah. 26 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 3: Those emergency blankets are incredible, and if you are someone 27 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 3: who routinely drives long distances, I highly recommend putting one 28 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 3: in your go bag. 29 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: And also one of those things you can use to 30 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: break the glass from the inside in case you ever 31 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 2: go off a cliff or into the ocean or a 32 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: lake somebody of water. 33 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 3: And make sure you get the kind that will let 34 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 3: you cut the seatbelt. 35 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 2: It's like an extra attachment, a little. 36 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: Razor almost right behind the hammer. But why are we 37 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 3: talking about being prepared? Why are we talking about cold 38 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 3: war stuff? 39 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: Hey? Your nol? 40 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 4: Right? 41 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, still me? 42 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: And who is that handsome devil just outside the booth 43 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 3: on the ones and twos? 44 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: Are that good boy out there? Our boy Casey Pegram, Yes, 45 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: super producer Casey Pegram m hm. Hey remember that song 46 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: by Da Da called I'm Going to Disneyland? Yeah? Actually yeah, 47 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 2: it's like this is a part where it says, hitched 48 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 2: a rat on a monkey's back, headed west didn't the 49 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: black I'm going to Disneyland. Bandang dang to dang dang dang. 50 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: You know he's not going to Disneyland. Nikitakrushev. Yep. 51 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 3: We were going to tease it out a little bit 52 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 3: with the history of Disneyland, but let's let's just get 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 3: right to the heart. 54 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: Of the matter. 55 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 3: Disneyland is an iconic American thing, right, It's one of 56 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: the world's most famous amusement parks, and people from across 57 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 3: the planet associated with the American dream, the iconic image 58 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 3: of what Americans do for fun. 59 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 4: Right. 60 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: You've You've probably met some people from abroad who just 61 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 3: assume you've been to Disneyland. 62 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: What do you do at Disneyland, Ben. 63 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: Well, let's see you can watch the fireworks for free that. 64 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: You I've seen that. I've been to Anaheim and I 65 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: did not go to Disneyland. But those fireworks they probably 66 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: get real dull to the people that live there, and 67 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: they're just like, oh. 68 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 3: Look, now you recall I saw them. I saw them too, 69 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 3: because I was in the same car driving us back. 70 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: From the beach. You're right, Ben, I have a short 71 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: memory when it comes to beach related things. So with 72 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 2: this in mind. 73 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 3: We also have to look at the context of the 74 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 3: Cold War, and when we talk about the Cold War, 75 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 3: we must mention and explore the life and times of 76 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 3: the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, or as he's called in 77 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 3: one of those press releases of the time. 78 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, they give this a newsreel. Well, let's just 79 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 2: hear it, Sylvia. At Premier Khrushchov meets the masters of 80 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: movie them at a studio luncheon on the twentieth century 81 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 2: Fox lot in Hollywood, a meeting at which mister k 82 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 2: gives himself quite a build up. Yeah. I don't know 83 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: if this guy is like smarter than us and all 84 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 2: the rest of the people I've ever heard pronounce his name, 85 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: But he says it a little funny. 86 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I wonder Truv. Yeah, and I wonder too, 87 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 3: if this is a matter of the the vestiges of 88 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 3: Transatlantic accent that was used commonly back in the day 89 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 3: for broadcast and radio. 90 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 2: Maybe it's secretly like a dig they're mispronouncing his name 91 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: on purpose. 92 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe it's some nefariest attempted propagandistic demeaning. 93 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: Because here's the thing, this clip that we just heard, 94 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 2: obviously was from Khrushchev's tour of the United States in 95 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 2: nineteen fifty nine, and you know, he does the kind 96 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 2: of touristy things you think you might do. He went 97 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: to New York City, You went to Los Angeles and 98 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 2: Des Moines. What he went to Des Moines. It's a 99 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 2: weird choice. It's a very popular, very popular city. What's 100 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 2: in des Moines? Americans? Man, it's very okay. So he 101 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 2: was touring the American dream, so he had to see 102 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 2: what it's like in the big cities, and then he 103 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 2: had to see what it's like in Des Moines, which 104 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 2: I'm sure is lovely. By the way. 105 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, it's the capital and most populous city in Iowa. 106 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 3: It's the it's the big tent of Iowa. 107 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: I think that's where Slipknot the band is from. I 108 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: believe you're right, it's definitely Iowa. 109 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 3: Right and off air, while we were prepping for this episode, 110 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 3: Casey brought up a fantastic parallel that nicely compliments our 111 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 3: Khrushchev Khrushev question, Casey, maybe could you explain it for us? 112 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 2: Is just Casey on the case? Yeah? 113 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 5: I was thinking if maybe when they first started reporting 114 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 5: on this guy, they didn't have the pronunciation quite down yet, 115 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 5: which is kind of seems to have happened much more 116 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 5: recently in the news with Robert Muller, or as he 117 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 5: was initially known, Robert Mueller. And it's kind of strange, 118 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 5: how like all the news coverage sort of shifted to 119 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 5: that updated pronunciation. Just something I kind of picked up on. 120 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 3: And that's been Casey on the case. I love that segment. 121 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: I love that guy, Yes, unreservedly. Someone who was a 122 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 3: little bit tougher to love, of course, was Kita Khrushchev. 123 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 3: What do you say, No, we want to talk a 124 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 3: little bit about his life and times to power pre 125 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 3: us tour. 126 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 2: Have you seen The Death of Stalin? The movie watched 127 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: on a place. It's great, so good. If anyone hasn't 128 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: seen it, I highly recommend it to get a little 129 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: info on what led to Khrushchev gaining power. He was 130 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: born in April fifteenth of eighteen ninety four in a 131 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 2: Russian village called Kilinovka, and he ended up joining the Bolsheviks, 132 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 2: the Communist Bolsheviks, and rising in the ranks quite quickly 133 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 2: found his way into the inner circle of our man 134 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: Joseph Stalin, who ruled Soviet Russia with an iron fist. 135 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: I was a platinum. 136 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 3: This was a neutron star of a fist massive pressure. 137 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 3: In fact, the death of Stalin the historical occurrence, not 138 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: just the film, could be its own episode because it 139 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 3: is tragically ridiculous. 140 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: Oh tragically, and the movie really leans on that. It's 141 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: this incredible director, satirist, Armando Yanucci, who was responsible for 142 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: the show Veep, and he also did another show that 143 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: was similarly satirical and political called The Thick of It 144 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 2: that aired on British television. But this film Death of Stalin, 145 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 2: it uses the absurdity that you might see in something 146 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: like Curb Your Enthusiasm. This kind of like slapstick, almost 147 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: just cartoonish buffoonery of the jockeyings of these various members 148 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 2: of Stalin's inner circle to one up each other and 149 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 2: get the upper hand after the leader dies, and in 150 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 2: the end Khrushchev who's played by Steve Bushemi, who doesn't 151 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: put on a Russian accent. That's part of the joy 152 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: of the movie too, as they all use their own voices. 153 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 3: And your first question whenever you're contemplating scene a film 154 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 3: is is Steve it is this has the Seal of 155 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 3: a and. 156 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: He plays Krushchev and it's he plays it. So I 157 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 2: don't know what the word is. It's like he's he's 158 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 2: got that. He's got that Steve bushmi skittering nervous energy, 159 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 2: just like you'd think he's not Peter very much. So yeah, yeah, yeah, 160 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: Peter Lauri like who does well he did all those 161 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 2: months movies right, like yeah, anyways, got that look with 162 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: those those chemi eyes. Yeah yeah, dreamy, slash, sunken and large. 163 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,959 Speaker 2: You know what else has that look? Is the protagonist 164 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 2: in oh what's that? Uh mister Robot. Yeah yeah yeah, 165 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 2: Romey Mallick, Yeah, playing plane. Freddy Mercury and the New 166 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: Queen biopic it looks okay. 167 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was supposed to be Sasha Baron Cohen, but 168 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 3: they left over creative differences, which is a shame. 169 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 2: I'd love to see that film. Well, I wouldn't be 170 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: surprised that those creative differences remain, and they wash over 171 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 2: some of the more controversial parts of Freddy mrcury store. 172 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 2: But we're not talking about Freddy Mercury. 173 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 4: Yeah. 174 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: So before before we get to Khrushchev. Let's let's step 175 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 3: back to the death of Stalin and right before his life, 176 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 3: because we say that he ruled with a with a 177 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 3: massive heavy hand, and we hear that often about different 178 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 3: political leaders, but in Stalin's case, this, uh, this is 179 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 3: not an exaggeration, and that is a very unfortunate truth. 180 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 3: He was legendary for not just killing people, but removing 181 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 3: them from history, having them scrubbed out of photographs. He 182 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 3: was brutal, ruthless, relentless, had no friends, only interest, and 183 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 3: was also known to regularly replace members of his inner circle, 184 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 3: not because they had done anything or even tried to 185 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 3: do anything, but because he did not want someone consistently 186 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 3: being there, because he saw that as just a longer 187 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 3: length of time for them to undermine him, yes, or 188 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 3: try to grab powers. 189 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 2: He's that kind of paranoid that everyone will eventually betray me. 190 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: And that's why the way that it's depicted in this 191 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,839 Speaker 2: movie is so cool, because it's just this, no one 192 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 2: trusts anybody, because that's the precedent that's been set, and 193 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: that's the attitude that kind of purveyed throughout the whole thing. 194 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 3: We're going to talk a little bit about his death. 195 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 3: He died, as I said, March in nineteen fifty three, 196 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 3: on the first of March. A few days beforehand, his 197 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:02,559 Speaker 3: staff found him semi conscious on the bedroom floor. He 198 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 3: had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. And even now after this 199 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 3: very terrible, difficult death, people still suspect that he may 200 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 3: have been murdered. So keep this in mind when we 201 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 3: talk about Khrushev, who, as we established, does win this 202 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 3: power struggle, Khrushev remains a possible murder suspect. 203 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 2: Everyone was a suspect, right, like that was. I mean, 204 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 2: there's this as soon as someone realizes that he is dead, 205 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 2: there's this immediate rush to point fingers anywhere else but 206 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 2: at oneself in his inner circle. Right. 207 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 3: And one of the things that I think inspires or 208 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 3: informs the film The Death of Stalin is just how 209 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 3: terrified people were to disturb him while he's dead. They 210 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 3: thought that he might still be alive and that they 211 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 3: would encounter the death penalty for waking him from his 212 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 3: slumber that you know, turned out to be an eternal slumber. 213 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 3: And Khrushchev Ushchev, who did succeed and become the ruler 214 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 3: in this chaotic. 215 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: What'd you call it? Charad? 216 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 3: Sure, this chaotic charad. And Khrushev becomes the first Secretary 217 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 3: of the Communist Party there in the USSR on the 218 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 3: fourteenth of September in nineteen fifty three, and then by 219 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 3: nineteen fifty eight March he moves up to become the 220 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 3: chairman of the Council of Ministers. 221 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 2: And I believe he was already the head of the 222 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 2: Communist Party, the highest ranking official, only six months after 223 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 2: the death of Stalin, and then it was governed. The 224 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: USSR was governed by a collective many for several years, 225 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 2: and then he became premier after George Malankov. That's right. 226 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 2: Malankov was a guy that was played by Jeffrey Tambor 227 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 2: in the movie, and he's sort of a patsy, right. 228 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 2: The way he's portrayed in the movie is like he 229 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 2: gets the top job, but no one likes him, and 230 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: he's kind of everyone thinks he's sort of a buffoon. 231 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 2: He likes to be the one that's sort of the 232 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 2: smiling face of the party, but behind the scenes he's 233 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 2: portrayed as kind of an idiot. 234 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 3: Right, And there's a huge geopolitical context to this as well, 235 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,359 Speaker 3: because you'll notice we mentioned different dates. In the fifties, 236 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 3: the Cold War is in full swing between the USSR 237 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 3: and the United States, or I mean most particularly through them. 238 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 3: But then that also factors in some forces they're friendly 239 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 3: with the USSR, some forces that are historically friendly with 240 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 3: the US. In this time, both leaders of these countries 241 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 3: are attempting to minimize the possibility of a catastrophic atomic 242 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 3: war ultimately, right, And that's when we see things like 243 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 3: the concept of mutually assured destruction, of the idea that 244 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 3: the only way to prevent nuclear weapons being deployed is 245 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 3: if your enemies can also retaliate, you know, and they. 246 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 2: Know you can. 247 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 3: So there's a lot of propaganda that goes on. Khrushev 248 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 3: is to this day the recipient of some misquotes. You 249 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 3: know that history is kind of exaggerated. 250 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,359 Speaker 2: What was the bigie you mentioned earlier, Ben. 251 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 3: What's called the shoe banging incident? You remember this one, right, Yeah. 252 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 2: It's like when Bush got the shoe thrown at him, 253 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 2: but kind of in reverse. 254 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 3: Oh, here's an episode idea, Pitch, tell us what you 255 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 3: think of this, Folks, History's most important shoes there you go, 256 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 3: it could be like a new version of weird people 257 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 3: who built weird things. 258 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 2: Yeay, I like the shoes that built a nation or 259 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 2: crushed one tore it down. Yeah. 260 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 3: So in nineteen this is just an outside of chronology example. 261 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:50,239 Speaker 3: And in nineteen sixty at the United Nations General Assembly 262 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 3: in October, Khrushchev pounded his shoe in public protesting a 263 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 3: speech by a delegate from the Philippines, and then the 264 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 3: story spread in a propagandistic way and multiple versions proliferated. 265 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 3: But this all goes to show these were intense times. 266 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 3: And regardless of how you feel about Khrushev and Nixon, 267 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 3: when we go back to the fifties, the fact of 268 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 3: the matter is that they were trying to, at least 269 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 3: on some levels, they were trying to prevent a civilization 270 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 3: leveling war, and they engaged in something that ended up 271 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 3: being called the kitchen debate. They sat down with them 272 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 3: and their interpreters and had what corporate America today would 273 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 3: call a healthy conversation about their differing viewpoints. 274 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 2: It wasn't about like interior design. 275 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 3: It was not about it was not about the advantages 276 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 3: of an island kitchen layout, nor was it about whether 277 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 3: or not to have a trash compactor in the World House. Instead, 278 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 3: it was it was about their vastly different views of 279 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 3: which economic system was superior, capitalism and this representative democracy idea, 280 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 3: or communism and a more centralized economy. Khrushev, like Nixon, 281 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 3: being a man with a temper, had impassioned arguments, and 282 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 3: it was Actually it did take place in a kitchen. 283 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 3: It was in a model kitchen at the American National 284 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 3: Exhibition in Moscow. 285 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 2: So it's like you and me getting in a fight 286 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 2: at an Ikea. That's not too much of a stretch man. 287 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: Every time I go into an Ikea, I feel like 288 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: I go a little bit insane, the way they trap 289 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 2: you in those hedge mazes of tiny furniture and accessories. 290 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: You gotta know the short cut. I know the shortcuts, man, 291 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 2: but it still doesn't just it's so it did. It 292 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 2: hurts my brain and I always find myself like this 293 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 2: close to flying off the handle. I love it, man, 294 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 2: I love Ikia flying off the time any Swedish ergonomic handle. 295 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: There we go, There we go. 296 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 3: There was a guy I can't remember where it was, 297 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 3: it was definitely in the States who while his apartment 298 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 3: was being fixed, cracked a deal with his local Ikea 299 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 3: to live there. 300 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 2: Did you hear about that? 301 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 4: Yeah? 302 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 2: I wonder if you could pull that kind of scenario 303 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: off in an ikea. I feel like you could hide 304 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 2: under one of those little hideaway beds and yeah, you know, 305 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 2: kind of stow away in the ikea. 306 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 3: They have a lot of cameras though in surprising places. 307 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 3: But I guess all that has to do with today's 308 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 3: episode is mass surveillance. Right, So what's the outcome of 309 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 3: this debate? They were just verbally abusing each other. It 310 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 3: did not come to fisticuffs, and it appeared to have 311 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 3: a good result. 312 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 2: Oh thank god. What kind of result was that they 313 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 2: agreed that. 314 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 3: Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, would visit the US. 315 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 2: Mister Khrushchev comes to Washington. 316 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 3: Right, And this comes about so to be clear, Richard 317 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 3: Nixon vice president at this time, when he was visiting Moscow. 318 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 3: It's not as if the president of the time visited Russia. 319 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 3: That would be Dwight Eisenhower. So President Eisenhower decided to 320 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 3: invite Khrushchev kind of inspired by this kitchen debate talk 321 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 3: and also buy some concerns about Berlin. 322 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, because it was also Khrushev. I believe that, okayed, 323 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: the building of the Berlin won't. 324 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, tensions are high, big time. 325 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 2: So what do you do with a diplomatic tour like this, Benjamin. 326 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 3: Well, Nolgamen, you are immediately confronted by a ton of considerations. Yeah, 327 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 3: first what we call today the optics, right, and then 328 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 3: both sides probably have competing opinions about what should be depicted. 329 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 2: Because it's go for show. I mean, let's be real, 330 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 2: what else is there to accomplish? 331 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 4: You know? 332 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 2: I even read like he came back at the end 333 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 2: for some very unproductive which I'm sure ultimately, these kitchen 334 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 2: debates didn't exactly set the world on fire in terms 335 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 2: of like, oh communism is good or oh capitalism is good. 336 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 2: It's like maybe we just should hang out and not 337 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 2: shoot missiles at each other. 338 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, which is an excellent starting point. 339 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 2: You know, Ben, when you put it like that, that 340 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 2: add is a pretty good outcome. I don't know what 341 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 2: I was saying, but Ben considerations. 342 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 3: Well, first off, wouldn't it have been amazing? Wouldn't the 343 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 3: world be such a different place if either of them 344 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 3: have persuaded the other one. I just I'm interested in 345 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 3: your idea because can you imagine Nixon coming back to 346 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 3: the US and saying, guys, I gotten an argument in 347 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 3: this model kitchen, and I'm convinced we should be Communists. 348 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 3: That would be amazing. He probably wouldn't have been president. 349 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,679 Speaker 2: No, something that would have gone over too well with 350 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: these small business owners of America. 351 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 3: So we found this great article on the Smithsonian Nikita 352 00:19:55,359 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 3: Krushev goes to Hollywood that examines some of the timeline 353 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 3: and some of the factors playing into this famous visit. 354 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 3: And we mentioned optics. But another huge, huge concern is security, 355 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:11,160 Speaker 3: right hmm. 356 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean they had like parades in Washington, and 357 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 2: I think it was some of the biggest attendants of 358 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 2: any foreign dignitary centric parade, right, because people wanted to 359 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 2: get a load of this guy, right, I mean, this 360 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 2: was like he loomed large in the consciousness of the 361 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 2: American public being you know, this big, bad kind of 362 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 2: you know that was like pointing missiles at us. Yeah, 363 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 2: and he fucking covering all that, right, Yeah. 364 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 3: And he was such a ham when he initially showed 365 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 3: up there. Eisenhower read a welcoming speech when Khrushev landed 366 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 3: in September fifteenth, nineteen fifty nine, and during the whole 367 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 3: time Khrushev was mugging, was like doing it. 368 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 2: You mean, he was like he like was perse snatching. 369 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what he was doing from the stage, which 370 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 3: was really weird. 371 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: People just kept walking up. That's tough, man. 372 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 3: He was doing a Luckily he's doing a much friendlier 373 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 3: version of that. He was like, picture him. 374 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 2: Oh he's a goofy looking dude. Yeah, oh yeah, he's 375 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 2: got a big old gap tooth and this like kind 376 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 2: of funny double chin and just like a odd shaped 377 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 2: face and shad shaved head, just very clownish kind of look. 378 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: And I'm not that's not passing judgment. Look at the guy. 379 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 2: He's got an odd vibe. 380 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 3: And he uh, he embraced it, at least at this 381 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 3: part because while wild Eyes now I was talking, he 382 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 3: was like waving his hat at people. 383 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 2: He winked at a little girl. Uh. 384 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 3: He clearly wasn't paying too much attention because remember he 385 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 3: was he hears English through interpreters, right, So he saw 386 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 3: a butterfly go by and just had to turn and 387 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 3: like see yes, yes, crucive in America, one reporter. One 388 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 3: reporter said he stole the show with the studied nonchalance 389 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 3: of an old vaudeville trooper. 390 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 2: That you know, that's funny. I'm looking at this picture too, 391 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 2: from that news clip we played earlier, and it's it's 392 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 2: him posing next to Ike and I believe Eisenhower's wife, 393 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 2: and Eisenhower is just stony faced with his arms crossed 394 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 2: in front of him, and Krushchev is just goofully grinning 395 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 2: from ear to ear. Because he got to think, man, 396 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: he was probably being cocky about it, right. It's like, 397 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 2: I mean, we welcome him with open arms, you know, 398 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: gave him a parade. He sort of probably felt like 399 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 2: he had he got one over on old Ike. Yeah. 400 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 3: And then he also he felt like this was an opportunity. 401 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 3: We're speculating here, but he also had to feel like, 402 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 3: this is an opportunity to show the people of the 403 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 3: US that I'm not this scary, monstrous entity. But he's 404 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 3: You can find these great anecdotes of different parts of 405 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 3: his visit, but we also have to miss it. A 406 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 3: lot of this was calculated, right, It had to be 407 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 3: oh yeah, and there's this story where he went to 408 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 3: a farm in Maryland and he quote petted a pig 409 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 3: and complained that it was too fat, then grabbed a 410 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 3: turkey and griped that it was too small. So he's 411 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 3: just like doing live comedy book. 412 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 2: Oh I saw a thing about the turkey. He said, Oh, 413 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 2: in Russia, we only like fat turkeys. Just like, what 414 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 2: kind of thing you say is that? And you know, 415 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 2: all seems to be going to plan. I still want 416 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 2: to know what he did in des Moines, probably visited. 417 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 2: I get he was doing like the Heartland kind of situation, right, yeah, Yeah. 418 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 3: The Soviet embassy in the days leading up to the 419 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 3: visit and the week's leading up to the visit, they 420 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 3: received hundreds of letters from small and large towns in 421 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:54,919 Speaker 3: the US that were inviting Khrushev and the Soviet delegation. 422 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 3: They were saying, like, come to our county fair. It's 423 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 3: happening while you're in the country. You can you know, 424 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 3: you can enter afloat, said the chairman of the Minnesota 425 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 3: Apple Festival. 426 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 2: If you have an idea, let us know. I gotta go. 427 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 2: And I found a picture of him on his visit 428 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 2: to Des Moines, where there's quite a rotund fellow in 429 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 2: front of him. We're wearing some overalls, and you see 430 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 2: Khrutschev patting his belly and the quote next to the 431 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 2: picture is, now that is it a real American? Is 432 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: that okay? You're gonna do the Russian accent? I think so. 433 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 2: I think it's in good fun. It's in good fun 434 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 2: and in good faith, good faith. 435 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, sure so so he uh, he had all these 436 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 3: these strange, amazing dog. 437 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 2: And pony show moments. 438 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, hilarious encounters, I would say. And what I always 439 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 3: think is missing from this story and what I would 440 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 3: love to learn more about is what that interpreter went through, 441 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 3: because you know, he had to basically be Khrushchev's shadow, yeah, 442 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 3: and translate whatever wild kakammy stuff this guy was spouting 443 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 3: off with into something that sounded reasonable. 444 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 2: Yes, that's true. I always wondered about that, dude. Do 445 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: uh interpreters ever editorialized? Do you think they're ever given 446 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 2: like special instructions from like higher ups where it's like, look, 447 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 2: don't translate exactly what this crazy dude says. Try to 448 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 2: soften the blow a little bit, you know. 449 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 3: You know, there are some pretty hard and fast rules 450 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 3: about that. Yeah, depending on what type of interpretation or 451 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 3: what kind of sphere it occurs in. But one of 452 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 3: the weird things about these different languages is that in 453 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 3: some languages you can say things in a way that 454 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 3: you cannot in other languages. Right, Yeah, So you might 455 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 3: say tell them I want to make the deal, but 456 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 3: it's no walk in the park. And if they say 457 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 3: that in the other language, that doesn't make any sense. 458 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 3: That's so they have to say something else. 459 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 2: It might be something like that's no butter on the blanket, right, 460 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:58,679 Speaker 2: I don't know. And you know what it makes me 461 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 2: think of, too, is there's people that do some language 462 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: and rap concerts. Surely they're taking some liberties as well. 463 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 2: That's just you know, a lot of information going by. 464 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 3: I'm interested. I'm very interested in that. You know, it 465 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 3: may surprise some people to learn that signing the signing 466 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 3: languages also differ by language. There's like we know asl 467 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 3: here in the US, we know of it rather but 468 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 3: if someone who is who can sign travels to China 469 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 3: or more appropriately Russia for this. 470 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 2: Episode, they might be entirely adrift. Yeah. See, we haven't 471 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 2: lost the plot. We're still talking about Russia. Yeah, we 472 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 2: got there. So let's let's get to the heart of 473 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 2: the matter. 474 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 3: Everything's everything at least umpt Yeah, he's having a great time. 475 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 3: He goes to Hollywood and people are super excited to 476 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 3: see him. I believe that the he made a deal 477 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 3: with twentieth century Fox to watch the filming of a 478 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:57,479 Speaker 3: Broadway musical. 479 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think he did a studio tour, right, and 480 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 2: the president of twentieth century Fox at the time, a 481 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 2: man named Spiro Scuras, introduced him at a special luncheon 482 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 2: at Los Angeles' town Hall. And this is actually where 483 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 2: a little static got into the mix. That's kind of 484 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 2: when things started going south. Scorus made a bit of 485 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 2: a joke about referencing this line that Khrushev had said 486 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 2: in the past that the Soviet Union would bury capitalism, 487 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 2: and he said something to the effect of, in la 488 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 2: we were not interested in burying anyone, but we would 489 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 2: meet any challenge. And then Khrushev, very mythed responds, if 490 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 2: you want to go on with the arms race, very well, 491 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 2: we accept that challenge. As for the output of rockets, 492 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 2: well they are on the assembly line. This is a 493 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 2: most serious question. It is one of life or death. 494 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 2: Leaders and gentlemen, one of war and peace. Oh yeah, 495 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 2: that little Dog and Pony show took a took a turn. 496 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, those dogs started Biden, but this and those ponies 497 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 3: started kicking. 498 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 2: I feel like as they do, just to complete that reference. 499 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 3: But this is just the beginning. As Billy Mays was 500 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:15,439 Speaker 3: wont to say, wait, there's more. Khrushev, who again I 501 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 3: think we said earlier, had a notorious temper. His anger 502 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 3: went through the roof when he learned that not only 503 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 3: was Spiroscorross part of what he saw as a campaign 504 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 3: to heckle him. Did you see that part? He thought 505 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 3: there was a campaign to heckle. 506 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 2: Him throughout the US, trying to make a fool of me. 507 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 3: I know, I am the one who makes a fool 508 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 3: of me. 509 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 2: Oh is that a butterfly? And right? 510 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 3: And he became even more incensed when he learned that 511 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 3: of all the places he was going, of all the 512 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 3: places he had planned to visit, one was off limits 513 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 3: to him now, and that was Disneyland. 514 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 2: It's only the happiest place on Earth. 515 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 3: Fireworks every night, guys, I'm telling you. So we could 516 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 3: reasonably assume that maybe he was being punished by not 517 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 3: being led in to Disneyland, like, hey, if you start 518 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 3: threatening people, including everyone in our country, with this idea 519 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 3: of rockets bombarding citizens, then you can't go to our 520 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 3: funnest place. 521 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 2: Well, now, you know, That's that's what I thought. I 522 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 2: figured it was like someone saying, na, man, we don't 523 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 2: want you here. Disney himself even right, who, who, as 524 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 2: we know, was no fan of communism. He's a you know, 525 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 2: tried and true capitalist all the way. But it turns 526 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 2: out it was as much more likely that the security 527 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 2: you were talking about. Ben those considerations. It was just 528 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 2: too much to handle for a guy like that to 529 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 2: be able to go and have a nice fun day 530 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 2: at Disneyland without like shutting the whole park down and 531 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 2: devoting devoting the whole thing to him. And you know, man, 532 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 2: it's not gonna happen. Yeah, who you are? You know, 533 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 2: no one gets Disneyland for a day, right, not even Walt, 534 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 2: Not even Walt. 535 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 3: And we have a we have a short clip here 536 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 3: of Walt Disney actually speaking about Khrushev. 537 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 4: Kruschev was a guest of the government, So, I mean, 538 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 4: we were ready to receive Khrushchev, but it so happened 539 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 4: that the security problem here in Los Angeles because actually 540 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 4: Disneyland is in another county, and the chief of police. 541 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 4: We can't blame him. He had quite a chore there 542 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 4: to carry out. 543 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 2: He just was a little worried. 544 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 4: About somebody maybe walking in Disneyland with a shopping bag 545 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:30,959 Speaker 4: and what they might have in it. You'd never know, 546 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 4: you know exactly. We were ready for him, The press 547 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 4: was ready. Both the State Department security and the Soviet 548 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 4: security had come in case Disneyland and they were all set. 549 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 4: I was already. In fact, we've had a lot of 550 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 4: dignitaries down there, and he was one that Missus Disney 551 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 4: wanted to go down and meet with Krushev. 552 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 2: She was disappointed he didn't come. 553 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 4: Well, it's certainly not ever an empty place, so I 554 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 4: can understand the security manner I had. We had different 555 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 4: shops places where we take pictures with khruse Chef, and 556 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 4: I had one of my favorite where I lined up 557 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 4: in front of my eight submarines and I'll it'll be nice. 558 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 4: I've been pointing to mister Khrushchev, say well, mister kruse Chef, 559 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 4: here's my Disneyland submarine fleet. It's the eighth larger submarine 560 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 4: fleet in the world. 561 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 5: Is it right? 562 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 3: So, despite the fact that you know there's clearly a 563 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 3: lot of tension here, the stated official concern is that 564 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 3: it would be, as we said, so difficult to protect 565 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 3: him in these crowds. 566 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 2: Right. They said they could not guarantee his safety. It's 567 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 2: even the wording of that, taking the wrong way through 568 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 2: a translator, perhaps by a particularly cantankerous man who's used 569 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 2: to getting his way, almost sounds like a bit of 570 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 2: a threat. Yeah, and we can't guarantee your safety. 571 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 3: And he exploded when he found out we have the quote, 572 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 3: And I say, I would very much like to go 573 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:02,320 Speaker 3: and see Disneyland, but then we cannot guarantee your security. 574 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 3: They say, then, what must I do? Commit suicide? 575 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 2: What is it? 576 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 3: Is there an epidemic of cholera there or something, or 577 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 3: if Gangster's taken hold of the place, that can destroy me. 578 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 3: He left Los Angeles the next morning. 579 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 2: In a huff, no doubt. Oh sure, did you read 580 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 2: who we can kind of blame for planting this idea 581 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 2: in his head? Who wasn't Bob Hope? Apparently at that 582 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 2: luncheon at town Hall where the comment was made by 583 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,239 Speaker 2: the twenty century Fox President Bob Hope said that it 584 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 2: was a lovely place and then he really should check 585 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,959 Speaker 2: it out. Come on, Bob Hope, causing diplomatic incidents with 586 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 2: your congeniality. And then when Khrushchev erup did this was 587 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 2: he was surrounded by these celebrities and Frank Sinatra apparently 588 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,720 Speaker 2: this sounds comical, apparently leaned over to David Niven, and 589 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 2: a lot of us was centered around to Khrushev's wife 590 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 2: wanted to r more the thing and his child. Sinatra 591 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: leans over to David Niven and says, tell the old broad, 592 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 2: you and I will take him down there this afternoon. 593 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 3: And so you know, this is also one of those 594 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 3: things where the guy feels like his social reputations on 595 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 3: the line. If you're married, don't you want your spouse 596 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 3: and your kid to be happy? 597 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: Well, But the thing is, the State Department did give 598 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 2: the thumbs up for his wife and daughter to go 599 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 2: to Disneyland, but he couldn't do it. And the way 600 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 2: he's portrayed in these stories, he sounds like a big 601 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 2: man baby where it's like I want to go to Disneyland, 602 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 2: and if I can't go, you can't go, you know, 603 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 2: like he would deny his wife and child the joys 604 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 2: of the happiest place on earth. What a monster? 605 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 3: Right, is what we call, in today's common parlance, not 606 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 3: a good look. That's an early two thousands turner phrase. 607 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 2: I guess. 608 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 3: So when they say they can not guarantee his safety 609 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 3: and therefore he cannot go, even though other members of 610 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 3: his entourage, including his family can, we have to understand there's, 611 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 3: if not a credible threat to security, the consequences of 612 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 3: the Soviet. 613 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 2: Premiere dying in the US are huge. Well, nobody dies 614 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 2: at Disneyland, ben. 615 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,360 Speaker 3: Right, I think let's get into an episode on that 616 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 3: a while back. 617 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,839 Speaker 2: Maybe we could do it on this show. Sure, but uh, 618 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 2: you know what I'm talking about. It was like that 619 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 2: early It's like a myth. I guess it's. 620 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 3: A common US it's a common Internet rumor. 621 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 2: Yes, that's right. 622 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 3: But the thing is, if Khrushev did somehow die, even 623 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:42,719 Speaker 3: if it was a complete accident, even if he was 624 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 3: just walking down the street and had a heart attack. 625 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 2: Even if he got decapitated on Space Mountain, we. 626 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:53,319 Speaker 3: Would, as a country, dare I say, as a species, 627 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 3: be much much closer to some sort of international arms exchange. 628 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a very tenuous situation. And that's why it's 629 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 2: like it's weird because with politics like this, on the 630 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: one hand, you're like, it's all for show, but on 631 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,120 Speaker 2: the other hand, it's life and death, whining and dining 632 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 2: these leaders and you know, having successful meetings in a 633 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 2: sense that they are being respected and you know, given 634 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 2: the five star treatment or whatever. And so even this 635 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:23,399 Speaker 2: idea of him being denied entry into Disneyland and him 636 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 2: having a hissy fit that could have set off an 637 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 2: international incident. 638 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 3: Right, yeah, right, And they were already playing fast and 639 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 3: loose because that musical they mentioned. Apparently Khrushev was not 640 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 3: a fan of that. Later he denounced it as pornographic exploitation. 641 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 2: Didn't you meet Shirley McLain, wasn't she in it? 642 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:42,439 Speaker 4: Yeah? 643 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,320 Speaker 3: Because in the in the musical, he saw Shirley McClain 644 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 3: playing a dancer and Sinatra plays a French lawyer who 645 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 3: falls in love with McClain's character. But the the crazy 646 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 3: thing is just to give you the way the US 647 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:01,319 Speaker 3: later saw this. Wiley Team bu can in the State 648 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 3: Department's Chief of Protocol later described the choice of showing 649 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:11,479 Speaker 3: him this musical as quote, the worst choice imaginable. Ah, yes, 650 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:15,799 Speaker 3: the least good thing we could have done. First of all, 651 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 3: I cannot even begin to imagine Sinatra playing a French person. 652 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 3: It's like a did you ever see that John Wayne 653 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 3: film where he tries to play Genghis Khan? 654 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, Oh that's real. It's a real oof moment. 655 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 2: Oh goodness, gracious. 656 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:41,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was in The Conqueror and yeah, they did 657 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 3: that thing and it it didn't seem that great when 658 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 3: it came out, even in nineteen fifty. 659 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 2: Six, and spoiler alert, it did not age. Well. Well, 660 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 2: let's see what the musical with Shirley maclain and Sinatra 661 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 2: was called, right can Can? Ah? Yes? Can Can. I 662 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:01,839 Speaker 2: have not seen it, but I mean I'm interested now 663 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 2: that I know that I get to see Frank Sinatra 664 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:07,480 Speaker 2: playing a Frenchman. It's also got Maurice Chevalier in. 665 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 3: It, but no Steve Buscemi Alas, So, what happens after 666 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:21,920 Speaker 3: he has denied entry into this American paradise on Earth? 667 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:23,759 Speaker 2: He kind of goes, he kind of gets over it. 668 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:26,319 Speaker 2: He eventually does get over it, and in the same 669 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 2: trip he makes his way continues the rest of his 670 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 2: itinerary and ends up back in Washington, whereas I said, 671 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 2: they had some very unproductive talks. They had some unproductive talks. 672 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 3: The US and the Soviet relationship would continue to be 673 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 3: very tense, chili fraught, Yeah, Chili. 674 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:46,800 Speaker 2: Bring your space blanket, a bit frigid. 675 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 3: And fraught with problems, especially in the nineteen sixty and 676 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 3: sixty one U two planes, the spy aircraft, not planes 677 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 3: flown by Bono in the edge. They become the subject 678 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 3: of an international healthy conversation, and the Cold War would continue. 679 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:13,399 Speaker 3: In October of nineteen sixty four, Khrushev retired from his 680 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:19,359 Speaker 3: office due officially to advanced age and ill health. Notice here, 681 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 3: friends and neighbors, that I say officially, because you see 682 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 3: his request to retire was not voluntary, not entirely voluntary 683 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 3: on his part. 684 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Apparently he was on vacation in Georgia, not in 685 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:39,000 Speaker 2: our Georgia, the other Georgia, Sovietunda, the Jeda Sovia Publico Georgia. 686 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 2: And he was called back and they made him resign 687 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,879 Speaker 2: as not only as the premier but also that illustrious 688 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:51,920 Speaker 2: post as the head of the of the Communist Party. 689 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:54,720 Speaker 2: And he lived out the remainder of his life working 690 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 2: on a memoir, and he ultimately died of a heart. 691 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,759 Speaker 3: Attack in a deep depression. He had a pension of 692 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,160 Speaker 3: five hundred roubles. A month later they cut it the 693 00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 3: four hundred. 694 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:09,400 Speaker 2: Oh Man insults injury. Yeah, and it is a dogg 695 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:12,960 Speaker 2: eat dog world over there in Soviet Russia at the 696 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 2: Heights of Power, right. 697 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, he was a victim of a conspiracy and he 698 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 3: never got to Disneyland. 699 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:25,759 Speaker 2: Sad, but you can. You can, yeah, if you got 700 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:27,319 Speaker 2: about five hundred dollars. 701 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 3: To blow and the free time in the travel. But again, 702 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 3: one of my favorite things about it is you just 703 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:37,360 Speaker 3: have to be in town to see those beautiful fireworks. 704 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:37,560 Speaker 4: Yeah. 705 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:39,400 Speaker 2: I haveted not to go because I was looking at 706 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 2: the rides and stuff and I'm like, these are all 707 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,760 Speaker 2: like kid rides. But then I guess it's all about 708 00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 2: the design and the experience. And I'm also not a 709 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 2: fan of waiting in lines if I can avoided all. 710 00:39:49,719 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 2: I don't think anyone's a fan of waiting in line, 711 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 2: It's true, but there's a there's a cost versus reward 712 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:57,759 Speaker 2: suasion for me where it's like, all right, what's the 713 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:00,360 Speaker 2: line for how much do I want it? How along 714 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 2: the line am I willing to wait? In Disneyland, it 715 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 2: seems like a series of lines. 716 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 3: For me, roller coasters are a tough cell. There's also 717 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 3: a lot of corruption in Disney World and Disneyland. There 718 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:13,600 Speaker 3: was recently with the use of different sorts of passes. 719 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:17,360 Speaker 2: Oh, you mean like bootlegging fast passes or just like like. 720 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:23,800 Speaker 3: Legging fast passes, traveling with someone who has a physical disability, right, 721 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:25,720 Speaker 3: so that you can jump in the line. 722 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:27,240 Speaker 2: For me, there's line mule. 723 00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 4: Yeah. 724 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:32,359 Speaker 3: For me, there's a huge cost benefit analysis that makes 725 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 3: roller coasters a tough sell, especially on crowded day, because 726 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:37,640 Speaker 3: it's not just that you're waiting for forty five minutes 727 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:40,000 Speaker 3: or an hour, it's that you're waiting for something that 728 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 3: takes three minutes. 729 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:44,760 Speaker 2: Oh, totally a really good point. I have season passes 730 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 2: to six flags here in Georgia, and I will only 731 00:40:49,560 --> 00:40:52,040 Speaker 2: go during the down season because I went, like on 732 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:53,959 Speaker 2: the first day of summer with my kid. We waited 733 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:55,800 Speaker 2: in line for an hour and a half, got to 734 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:57,920 Speaker 2: the front of the line, and the ride broke and 735 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:01,280 Speaker 2: we broke us. Mentally, we're like going home. But thankfully 736 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 2: we have season basses. It wasn't like we traveled, you know, 737 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:07,200 Speaker 2: across the country here right this roller question speaking. 738 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 3: Of things across the country and even across the world. 739 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 3: It's a shame that Krushev never got to go to Disneyland. 740 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:16,840 Speaker 3: But I think it leads us to an inspiring question. 741 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:21,240 Speaker 3: What's your favorite amusement park in your part of the world, 742 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,160 Speaker 3: one that a lot of people might not know? Up 743 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 3: for us here in Atlanta, it's Six Flags over Georgia. 744 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:29,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, And what's the next step for us diplomatically as 745 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:31,320 Speaker 2: far as amusement parks are concerned? Is it going to 746 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:34,960 Speaker 2: be Kim Jong Lunn goes to Magic Mountain? Yeah? Can 747 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 2: you tell me? 748 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:39,360 Speaker 3: Is Vladimir Putin gonna make it to Universal Studios? 749 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:42,840 Speaker 2: Finally see that Harry Potter Land I keep hearing so 750 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:43,359 Speaker 2: much about. 751 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 3: Let us know on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where you 752 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 3: can find us as Ridiculous History. Also, as we always 753 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:54,640 Speaker 3: like to say, check out our community page, Ridiculous Historians. 754 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, we got some fun conversations there and little extra 755 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:00,799 Speaker 2: bits and bobs that, you know, help give you a 756 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:05,560 Speaker 2: richer Ridiculous history experience. And oh my goodness, last episode 757 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 2: we totally neglected to do credits, So we're gonna do 758 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 2: credits for two episodes because last episode it's very important, 759 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 2: very important, because last episode the one about election rigging 760 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:20,240 Speaker 2: and drunken debauchery at the polls. 761 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, it came to us courtesy of our researcher, Eve's 762 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:25,719 Speaker 3: Jeff Code. 763 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:28,839 Speaker 2: Eves Jeff Code. It was her first submission helping us 764 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 2: along on that one, and we wanted to. We were 765 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:34,400 Speaker 2: remiss in not thinking her during the actual episodes, so 766 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,160 Speaker 2: we're trying to make up for that now. 767 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,640 Speaker 3: I'd also like to point out that Eves is a 768 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 3: co host on two other fantastic house stuff work shows, 769 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 3: Stuff Mom Never Told You and Afro Punk Solution Sessions, 770 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:50,760 Speaker 3: which Casey I actually worked on in the very early days. 771 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 2: Oh and you too were that I did. Yeah, that 772 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 2: was a fun one. So check both of those out 773 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:58,480 Speaker 2: on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, and 774 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 2: be sure to drop us a nice review if you 775 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:02,640 Speaker 2: don't mind, just to you know. It makes us feel 776 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 2: good in our hearts, and it also supposedly helps the 777 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:08,240 Speaker 2: iTunes algorithm shove our show into people's ears. 778 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:12,240 Speaker 3: And thanks to super producer Casey Pegrin, thanks to Alex 779 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,720 Speaker 3: Williams for composing the track. Thanks to our research assistant 780 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:19,920 Speaker 3: Christopher Hasiotis, who tipped us through this strange story of 781 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:22,440 Speaker 3: the Cold War, and Walt Disney, and. 782 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:25,719 Speaker 2: Please join us next time when we go into the 783 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:31,320 Speaker 2: interesting and potentially sordid past of the song Louie Louie 784 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 2: by the Kingsman. It's going to be a rollicking good 785 00:43:34,239 --> 00:43:37,440 Speaker 2: time full of music, and might just have a special 786 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 2: guest up with. We'll do our best to have intelligible 787 00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 2: lyrics that's true. See then. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 788 00:43:49,800 --> 00:43:53,040 Speaker 2: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 789 00:43:53,080 --> 00:43:54,120 Speaker 2: to your favorite shows.