1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Well, fellow conspiracy realists, thank you, as always so much 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: for joining us. We have a classic episode for you 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: this evening as we're as we're busy gearing up for 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: two thousand and twenty five, they called me Ben Matt. 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: It seems like. 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: It wasn't that long ago, or it seems like it 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: was hundreds of years ago that we had an unexpected 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: guest in the studio. 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, somebody wanted to just come on in through one 10 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 3: of the you know, secret society portholes that exist just 11 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 3: throughout buildings, especially in Atlanta. He just popped in, said hello, 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 3: and then he had to go get back on his dirigible. 13 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: I think, yeah, it was a dirigible and the facts 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: matter here. Yes, it is a true story, or, as 15 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: Emily Dickinson said, it is the truth told slightly slant. 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: There's this guy named John Hodgman who sort of just 17 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: drifted through our studio, you know, like a mysterious anti 18 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: hero in an old Western film, and then said ask 19 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: me anything. 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, and basically I'm on television. Secret societies love. 21 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: Me very specific opinions about regional SODA's and true story 22 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: insider looks at societies we sometimes call secret because they 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: very much are. 24 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 3: Oh yes, let's jump into this delightful episode. 25 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 4: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 26 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 4: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 27 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 4: learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A 28 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 4: production of iHeart Radios How Stuff Works. 29 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the show. My name is Matt, my 30 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 3: name is no. 31 00:01:58,160 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 5: They call me Ben. 32 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: We are joined as always with our super producer Paul 33 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: Michigan control decan in spirit. Because our guest super producer 34 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: Maya Cole is on the ones and Tuesdaday give it 35 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: up for her. Most importantly, you are you, You are here, 36 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: and that makes this stuff they don't want you to know. 37 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 5: So check in. First things first, check in. 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, so this week, you guys, I went to 39 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 3: Chuck E Cheese because my son turned four yesterday. As 40 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 3: as we're recording this and that, uh, that robot casino 41 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 3: was fabulous. 42 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: Hang on, sorry, we're recording, sir, sir, Hello sir, what's 43 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: going on in here? 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 3: Hey wait a second? 45 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 2: Oh is this the uh? 46 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 5: Is this the podcast? 47 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: I feel like, uh yeah, that's adorable. I'm such a fan. 48 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 2: What are wait, I'm I'm sorry, I'm John Hodgman. 49 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: I used to be on television sometimes I thought I 50 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 3: recognized you, inspector. 51 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 5: That's I, Judge John Hodgman, that's it. 52 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: I have a podcast as well. Yeah, were you? You 53 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 2: were the PC. I don't don't know what you were 54 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: talking about. Yeah, No, I was a PC on the 55 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 2: Apple Ads. And you know, I don't know what else 56 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: on my resume. I've traveled all over the world. I've 57 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: been in the upper echelons of fame, and I've been 58 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: granted a lot of exclusive access to a lot of 59 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 2: secret rooms and hidden parties and stuff that you're not 60 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: supposed to know, but I do. You didn't write a 61 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: book about it, did you. Yeah? I did. Actually it's 62 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 2: called Medallion status. But that's not why I'm here. I'm 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: just you know, I was just traveling through the secret 64 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: tunnels on my way to a secret World government event, 65 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: and yeah, I have a secret door right into your 66 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 2: room here, So I thought I was just check in 67 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 2: and say hi, I hear you're talking about secret societies 68 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 2: a little bit. 69 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 5: So yeah, well, I mean thanks thanks for coming. I 70 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 5: always wonder what that door was for. 71 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that just leads to the to the platform for 72 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 2: the Golden funicular that people of my status get to use. 73 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 5: Oh god, this is some real deranged billionaire. 74 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: So yeah, well that is the character that I used 75 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 2: to play on The Daily Show. The guy's just me. 76 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 2: I mean, there is a secret door here, and I'm 77 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 2: on my way to a secret meeting, but it's just me. 78 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 2: John Hodgman, it's. 79 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 3: Hard to tell, friend, the lines are blurring so much 80 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 3: right now. 81 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: Host of the Judge John Hodgmen podcast and author of 82 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: the new book Medallion Status True Stories from Secret Rooms, 83 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: which has a portion in it. This is a This 84 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: is a book that's mostly about my my, my job 85 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: as a famous minor television personality, and what happened after, 86 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 2: how unlikely and unusual it was that I should be 87 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 2: on camera at all, the strange things that happened to 88 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: me while I was there, And then what happened after 89 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 2: I lost that job and panicked and started chasing a 90 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 2: new kind of status as a Diamond Medallion member on 91 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 2: the Delta trying to become Diamond Medallion and the Delta 92 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: Frequent Flyer program. It's I you know, I don't want 93 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 2: I don't want to I don't want to give away 94 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 2: the story of the book, but I got it. I 95 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: got I went diamond, I went diving. 96 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 6: And I appeared on his dear friend Chuck Bryant's movie 97 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 6: podcast earlier today and I I disclosed that I am 98 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 6: approaching silver medallion status and I was told that that 99 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 6: is a trash status. 100 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: What I used, some nonsense words came out of your 101 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: head just then. I'm sorry that it's gonna they say 102 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: on Westworld. I don't That doesn't look like anything to me. 103 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: I don't understand what you're talking about. Aparently silver is 104 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 2: a trash medal. You're hurting my ears. You've got You've 105 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 2: got a silver. 106 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 3: So how does that compare to just like a guy 107 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 3: who just travels coach and doesn't have a medallion at all? 108 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 2: Well, what does the medallion look like? It's an imaginary medallion. 109 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: It is a dumb, imaginary prize that I became obsessed 110 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 2: with when my TV show was canceled and I and 111 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: I had stopped working on the Daily Show and I 112 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 2: wasn't on TV anymore. And as a lot of people 113 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: do when their status starts to slip, whether whether you 114 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 2: are losing a television job or you're you're you're aging 115 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: out of your own job or you're getting older as 116 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 2: a parent and your kids don't think you're a celebrity anymore. 117 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: Or you're a member of the rural white working class 118 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 2: and you feel that the privilege that is due to 119 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 2: you is being taken away, and therefore you vote for 120 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: a particular president. People do irrational things with the status 121 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 2: to political you. 122 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 5: Real silver medallion talk, right, you're going to freak people out. 123 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 2: I don't know. 124 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: I think you hit this universal, this universal key though, 125 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: and I want to I want to hear more because 126 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: I myself, not being a Diamond Medallion member, have moved adjacent. 127 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: I would your name on the you would know everyone. Yeah, 128 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: I would get a little notification, there's a little ceremony. 129 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 2: What I do notice is they actually say I'm not 130 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 2: Diamond Medallion member anymore. I got it and I lost it. 131 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 5: But that's all. 132 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 2: That's the whole point. 133 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, I know. 134 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 2: That's the That's what makes if you qualify for a 135 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: certain medallion level, be it gold, be it platinum, be 136 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: it diamond, those are the only ones. 137 00:06:59,200 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 6: Silver. 138 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: Silver is a garbage medallion because it just is a taunt. 139 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: It reminds you that you're the worst kind of medallion. 140 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: Nothing than to be a silver media. They're all imaginary 141 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 2: prizes that you earn. If you earn a certain amount 142 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: of medallion qualifying miles through travel and credit card spending 143 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 2: by the end of the year, then you're locked in. 144 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 2: But if you don't requalify the next year, then you 145 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: drop down in status. And it's frightening high stake. It's 146 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 2: a game, so it's sake addictive video game. Now, you 147 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: were saying, I interrupted, Oh no, no, it's true though. 148 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: I've moved adjacent in those circles and they do say 149 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: your name when you get on the plane. 150 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: Right, That's what got me started. 151 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 5: We'd like to welcome you know. Oh yeah, it's a 152 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 5: it's a big to do. 153 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: When I had before this TV show that I was on, 154 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: I was the third best friend in this TV comedy 155 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 2: called Married on on FX that ran for two seasons. 156 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 2: Was great, and then like all television, got canceled. But 157 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 2: when it was cooking, I was flying. I was being 158 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 2: across the country over and over and over and over 159 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: again to work, and they were paying for my flight, 160 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 2: and they were contractually oblic to pay me for his class. 161 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: So I was racking up the mqms. The medallion qualifying miles. 162 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: I didn't even know this was happening. I didn't even 163 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 2: care until one day I was boarding a plane to 164 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 2: go home and the gate agent says, as she scanned 165 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 2: in my ticket, thank you, mister Hodgman, whoa no for 166 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 2: being gold? Thank you for being gold? Was so powerful, 167 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 2: like to an only child who exists, you know, who 168 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 2: requires praise and acknowledgment like oxygen, Like to be thanked 169 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: for just for being never mind for being gold. I 170 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 2: mean I always thought it was gold, you know what 171 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 2: I mean. Sure, we all think we're gold, or we 172 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 2: hope we are gold, or we worry that maybe we're 173 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 2: not as gold as we think and that we're just 174 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: tricking people. But then for someone to say, no, your gold, 175 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 2: your gold. 176 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 3: Well John has your gold, and then diamond and then 177 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 3: gold again. Status allowed you in any rooms that most 178 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 3: people would never ever even dare to step or ever 179 00:08:57,800 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 3: be allowed. 180 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 2: Well do you do? 181 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 5: Get? 182 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 2: You do? Get? Membership to the sky clubs is the 183 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: secret the secret societies of the air, you know, And 184 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 2: it's like there's not there's not a lot, there's not 185 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 2: a lot of human sacrifice going on in there. They 186 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 2: have some pretty good soups I have to I have 187 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 2: to say their their tied chicken soup is pretty good. 188 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 2: I had tied chicken soup for lunch today from the 189 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 2: Delta sky Club. No from soup, because you're in Atlanta. 190 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: This is oh yeah, it's good. It was really good. 191 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 2: It's good. See. The thing the problem with the one 192 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,719 Speaker 2: that you had made it less good than the ones 193 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,239 Speaker 2: you get in the Delta sky Club is it was fresh. 194 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: Probably was fresh. You know. I have the best I'm 195 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 2: gonna discuss in the book, The greatest uh Jambalaya that 196 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 2: I've ever eaten, came out of the crock pot at 197 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 2: the at the Sky the Delta sky Club. It's at 198 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 2: Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. The best, the 199 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: best jumble you could get, because all soups and stews 200 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 2: deepen in flavor as they sit for hours, as they 201 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 2: sit at a low temperature for hours and days, it 202 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: just it just got to be so so delicious. So 203 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 2: those are some secrets of the Sky Club. But I 204 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 2: have also gotten into other secret rooms that I think 205 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: might be more interesting to you because I mentioned it earlier, 206 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 2: as it were just a normal thing that someone would 207 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 2: drop by book and Snake one of Yale's senior secret 208 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 2: societies for dinner of an evening. But apparently not everyone 209 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 2: can do. 210 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 3: It, Book and Snake, I'm only familiar with Skull and Bone. 211 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: I have to leave now, goodbye. Oh wait, Judd, No, 212 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 2: I'm not so. I went to Yale, which is an 213 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: accredited four year college in southern Connecticut, and I was 214 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: not a member of Skull and Bones. For people who 215 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 2: don't know there, but anyone who listens to this show 216 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: has to know about the secret societies of Yale. There 217 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 2: are senior societies. Yale was founded before there were frats, 218 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: and so they, the young, the young privileged men of 219 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 2: Yale had to find other kinds forms of associations and 220 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 2: clubs so that they could group off and basically jack 221 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: off together. Before there were frats, you had you had 222 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 2: secret societies at Yale, which are these senior secret societies 223 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 2: where they initiate like fifteen to seventeen senior men to 224 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 2: go into a windowless clubhouse called a tomb and tell 225 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 2: secrets to each other in lion coffins and hang out. 226 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: Or you joined an a cappella group. There's so much acapella. 227 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: It's the per capita amount of acapella New Haven is 228 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 2: greater than anywhere else in the world. But what really 229 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 2: troubles me is no one's doing anything about it. They're 230 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: just letting it happen. There's just hundreds of a cappella 231 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 2: groups running wild, running wild through the New Haven Green. 232 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 3: I'm fascinated by the connective tissue between the two. If 233 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,239 Speaker 3: there's ever any secret acapella groups. 234 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: Well, there probably is a little bit of overlap between 235 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 2: the Skull and Bonesmen and the Whiffan Poofs, the premier 236 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: a cappella group in the collegiate a capella group in 237 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 2: the United States and the world, which I was not 238 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: a member of, but I'm still weirdly proud of that. 239 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 2: But I was fascinated with secret rooms growing up in 240 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 2: high school and secret societies in the Masons and the 241 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: Club thirty three before everyone knew about it, and all 242 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 2: of these rooms. I always wanted to go into these 243 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 2: rooms that you couldn't just walk into unless you were 244 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 2: invited or whatever, or had a golden finnicular who could 245 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 2: take you to a secret panel and jump into podcast 246 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 2: or diamond medallion diamond or diamond medallion, for example, And 247 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 2: it's you know, these arbitrary signs of status that don't 248 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 2: make you a better person, but make you feel suddenly 249 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: like you're loved by an institution or whatever. It's just 250 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 2: it's a sick addiction. Anyway. Basically, the reason I applied 251 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 2: to Yell was that they had secret societies, scallm Bones 252 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 2: being the most famous one, the Scallmnbones being you know, 253 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 2: reputed to be the pipeline to Illuminati superstatus, secret world 254 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 2: government control. 255 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 5: The diamond medallion of conspira. 256 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 2: Diamond medallion of like Yale, scullm Bones, that's the top, 257 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 2: like you know, Oh, I'm sorry, you just went to 258 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 2: the Builderberg group once. No, this is scull and Bones now? 259 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:21,679 Speaker 2: And was that an? 260 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 3: Was that an actual secret society? The Snake what was it? 261 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 2: Snook? Isn't is an actual one? Yep, they're there there 262 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: across the street from the Grove Cemetery in New Haven 263 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: and a giant two and a half story limestone Greek 264 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: Revival architecturally significant edifice that has zero windows. It looks 265 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 2: like a tomb. They're called tombs. All of these secret 266 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 2: societies at Yale were all founded by very wealthy young men. 267 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: They had their dad's architects make them. These clubhouses, they're 268 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: all littered throughout campus. You'll be walking along you're like, 269 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 2: there's a very handsome looking uh and and an important 270 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 2: looking library. Oh why does it have no windows? Because 271 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 2: it's a clubhouse for dumb dums, dumb dubs, clubhouse for 272 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 2: secret weirdos. 273 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 3: So set the. 274 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: Scene where they all robed up. I mean, what was 275 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 2: going on? Well, there's there's a limit to what I 276 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 2: can reveal here. 277 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 3: Yes, wait a second, there's. 278 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 2: Also scrolling key. I just want to tell you the 279 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 2: other ones, Wolf said, scroll and key, Berzellis, manuscript, scullm bones, booking, snake, 280 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 2: those are those are the biggin's. 281 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 5: I like the ones that sound like combos, you know, 282 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 5: skull and bones. 283 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's you know, there was a cross end 284 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 2: key once, or there may be a cross end key now, 285 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 2: But you want to get the big big ones. All 286 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 2: are blank and blanks. 287 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: Really yeah, maybe we should start something like that, right, 288 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: it's twenty nights. 289 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 5: You start the blank and blanks. 290 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 3: The bags and badgers. 291 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 5: Sure. 292 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, But to answer your question, no, they don't wear 293 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 2: they don't wear robes. And I know this because when 294 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 2: I was a fresh person at Yale. I got invited 295 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 2: to a party at Book and Snake, and I was 296 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: very very excited. This was and you like, this is 297 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 2: the reason I had come here and here it is 298 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 2: first semester. And I got so excited that I drank 299 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: a lot before going to the party. And then I 300 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 2: went into the party, and then I I went up 301 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 2: to the top of the stairs, and then I fell 302 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 2: down the stairs. And then I woke up in the hospital. 303 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 2: And I know that all of that happened because it 304 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 2: was told to me that it happened. But my only 305 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 2: memory is walking up to the door. And that's the 306 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 2: last thing I remember. Oh wow, until and so it 307 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 2: gnawed at me for my rest of my life. First 308 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 2: of all, let me give you some advice to college students. 309 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 2: Don't get drunk and fall down the stairs. No, you're 310 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 2: not immortal. I'm very very lucky. I didn't hurt myself. 311 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, like, don't don't do it. 312 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 6: So to be fair, you don't know if they were 313 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 6: robed up or not, because you were unconscious. 314 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: What was what was? But I but I had blacked out, 315 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 2: do you know what I mean? Now, there's there's certain 316 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 2: people who attended Yale and may or may not be 317 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 2: sitting on this court now, who believe that blacking out 318 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 2: is not a thing that happens. 319 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 3: I can think of one. 320 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 5: The FBI did a whole impression of an investigation, and. 321 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: They did, they did, they did, They did the Illuminati 322 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: investigations a great bit. It was nothing to see here, investigation. 323 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 3: Are you one percent positive you didn't get initiated that night? 324 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 3: And that was part of it. 325 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 2: I had no idea. I mean I had friends who 326 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 2: were there, one of whom Jonathan Colton is a musician 327 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: and a dear friend still and a whiffan poof, by 328 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 2: the way, the most prestigious collegiate a cappella group in 329 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: the world. That's right, And friends with a whiffan poof. 330 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 2: You know, I'm bragging? Yeah, is that sort of like hufflepuff? No? Uh, 331 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: it's yeah, I mean it's all it's it isn't so 332 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 2: far as it's all nonsense words. Yeah. Anyway, I uh, 333 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 2: he was there. He knew, he said he saw me 334 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: in there. I knew that I had been in there. 335 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: It's an unnerving thing to have a memory that you 336 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: cannot recall, and especially when you were going into the 337 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: secret society that you wanted to see so badly, and 338 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 2: you realize that those secret sides are pretty powerful. They 339 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 2: know how to erase a mind, like they took that. 340 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 2: They took that memory right out of my head. 341 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 5: And you might be a legend to them. 342 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 1: They might be hanging out and they're like, ah, man, 343 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: you remember Stairs guy, Well, he was wild. 344 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: I don't. I don't know how much they thought about 345 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 2: me for years and years and. 346 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 3: Years until you showed up on TV. 347 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 2: And I don't think they thought about me then either. 348 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 2: I think they started thinking about me once I started 349 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,719 Speaker 2: like telling this story in public and I included it 350 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 2: in a book and I and I and I wrote 351 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 2: about it online and I got a call from I 352 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 2: got an email from CO signed by a man and 353 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 2: a woman, both members of Booking Snake. I won't reveal 354 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 2: their names. We'll call them Booker and Snake. You Oh cool, okay, 355 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 2: And they said sorry that you have I'm sorry this 356 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: has been haunting you for so long. We often we 357 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 2: have a dinner every Thursday. We often invite interesting people 358 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 2: to join us. Do you want to have dinner with us? 359 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 2: And I was like, yeah, I do. And I was 360 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 2: really excited to go back and see see what I 361 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 2: had seen but couldn't remember having seen. And I'll tell 362 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 2: you this much, and there's more in the book. They're 363 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 2: all very nice. No robes, the secrets of the Secret 364 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 2: Society or these. If you're invited to a secret society 365 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 2: at Yale for dinner and you arrived to the dining 366 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 2: room fifteen minutes late, all the spanic capital will be gone. 367 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 2: They serve there was a veal and a fish. The 368 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 2: dining room is in the basement, red leather chairs, all 369 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 2: with an aura boros and a book inscribed on the back. 370 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 2: You get to meet with seventeen bright young people now 371 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 2: men and women not. It's obviously and has been. I 372 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 2: think Book and Snake particularly has been much more diverse 373 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 2: than the other some of the others. There will be 374 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: a chaperone there, an older alum to make sure that 375 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 2: things get don't get out of hand. Secret of the 376 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 2: Secret Society at Yale. Wine and beer only smart, yeah, 377 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 2: you know. And then there are some other some alums 378 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 2: might come and have dinner with you too, some more 379 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 2: recent alums of Book and Snake slash Yale. So there's 380 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 2: a guy named James there who has I think was 381 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 2: in his early thirties, and he had just told me 382 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 2: that he had been named. He works for the city government, 383 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 2: he's the transportations are of New Haven. So I just 384 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 2: want to say to any Alex Jones listeners out there, 385 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 2: if you were worried that the Illuminati and secret societies 386 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 2: might be controlling the bus and train schedules in certain 387 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 2: southern Connecticut towns, You're absolutely right. Secret societies are running 388 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 2: are running the trains in southern Connecticut. Oh my god. 389 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: You know here in Atlanta we would kill for some 390 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: secret society involvement in transit, all right, Oh yeah, please, yea, yeah. 391 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 2: Let me tell, Let me tell James. I think I 392 00:19:54,440 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 2: have his last name somewhere. And then and then the 393 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 2: chaperone will leave because he's got to go home. Oh, 394 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: everyone sings a little song. I don't remember what it goes. 395 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 2: Chaperon leaves, and then the young people say, you want 396 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 2: to hang out some more, and I'm like sure, And 397 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 2: you'll go up to a chill room that looks exactly 398 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 2: like a college sharm room, except no windows. And then 399 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 2: they'll reach over to a little captain's chest in the corner. 400 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,199 Speaker 2: And I don't want to knark on these kids. But 401 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 2: can you guess what was in it? Yep, hard alcohol. 402 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 2: Oh they are hiding it from their own member because 403 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 2: they're still college suit. I know, I was initiated into 404 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 2: a secret, secret society. Within the secret society, Yes, fabulous, 405 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,920 Speaker 2: it was great. But I'll tell you one other thing. 406 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 2: Sorry follow up questions. 407 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: Oh, I was just going to say, are you okay 408 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 1: with disclosing this? 409 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 2: Umm, well obviously I'm doing it. Sure. Why are you? 410 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 2: Are you threatened? Are you threatening and or offering to 411 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 2: murder me? 412 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 3: No? 413 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 5: No, looking out for your personal safety. Quite the opposite. 414 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 2: No, they booking snake and invite. They've been inviting me 415 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 2: into their clubhouse for years, started when I was a 416 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 2: freshman in college. 417 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 5: Embedded. 418 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I mean they're they're chilly, they they and 419 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: in fact, you know, they thought it was they thought 420 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 2: the story was funny. Uh. These secret societies don't control 421 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 2: the universe, you know what I mean. I don't know 422 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 2: what's going on at Skull and Bones. I knew a 423 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 2: guy who was in Skull and Bones, and he was like, 424 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 2: let me set around, you know, we have dinner. He 425 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 2: was he was a member of the class that was 426 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 2: the first to admit women to tap women to join 427 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 2: the next year's class, and the alumni got so furious 428 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: that they were trying to make make Skull and Bones 429 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 2: co educational that the alumni members came and changed the 430 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 2: locks on the tomb to lock them out of their 431 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 2: own clubhouse. Wow. So these are old institutions that are 432 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 2: obviously weird, crusty monuments to a certain kind of privilege. 433 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: But as far as I could tell inside Book and Snake, 434 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 2: it's just young, young, interesting young people who have been 435 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 2: given this opportunity to play in a windowless building for 436 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: a while and be friends. 437 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 3: You know, I don't know how serious we want to 438 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 3: get with this, but there is there is something worth 439 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 3: exploring that we've talked about before on the show where 440 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 3: we had one election where I believe it was George H. No, 441 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 3: George W. Bush and John Carey who were both members 442 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 3: and members of Skull and Duns and and just that concept. 443 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 3: But again, if you break if you really break it down, 444 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 3: it's like there are two members of the same fraternity 445 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 3: running together. But I think the nomenclature, the title of 446 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 3: having it a secret society creates that anxiety within me 447 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 3: a little bit. But you know, the Republic of course. 448 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 2: I mean if you if you don't, if you don't 449 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 2: have diamond medallion and you're not in that sky club, 450 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 2: you're wondering what's going on behind those doors. Something, something 451 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 2: is some freaky is happening people. People are actually being 452 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: treated like human beings in there. Yet. 453 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 5: I think that's a very good point. 454 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 2: But I'll say something else that's true is that, obviously, 455 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 2: if you go to an elite college or institution like 456 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 2: Yale or many others already, you're you know, you're forging 457 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 2: contacts with people who you know statistically are if not 458 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 2: likely that you probably know some people who are pretty powerful, 459 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 2: you know, as you look, I became a literary agent 460 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 2: and a service journalist, and now I'm a carnival jester. 461 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 2: You know, I'm nothing. I don't have any power, but 462 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 2: I definitely know people. You know, I remember people from 463 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 2: college who are now in positions of power. Samantha Power, 464 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 2: for example, the former the former ambassador to the UN 465 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 2: not not not not only powerful, but named Power. It's 466 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 2: her name. She and I are college at the same time. 467 00:23:55,840 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 2: I didn't know her, but sure. But you know, these 468 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 2: institutions do self select into into groupings, and whether or not. 469 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 2: And then if you super select into into something like 470 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 2: a secret society, you know, there is a kind of 471 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: soft conspiracy of acquaintanceship and given people a leg up 472 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 2: if possible. And it happens in networks of any kind, 473 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:28,120 Speaker 2: you know, however, whatever kind of trappings they have church, Yeah, exactly. 474 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 2: But that said, there is a secret retreat that I 475 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:40,160 Speaker 2: attended that I will not name, that is also described 476 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 2: in the book. Is a retreat that I was surprised 477 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 2: to be invited to, hosted by someone who enjoys surrounding 478 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: him or herself with interesting celebrities, business leaders, government officials, 479 00:24:55,080 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 2: former government officials, entertainers, writers, artists. It's a wonderful time. 480 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 2: We all have a great time together. It's all off 481 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 2: the record. People aren't supposed to talk about what happened. 482 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 3: There no weaving spiders allowed. 483 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 2: There, no weaving spiders. 484 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 3: Oh so it wasn't the Bohemian Club. 485 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 2: No, it was not the Lahamian Grove. 486 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 5: No. 487 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 2: That's I would tell you if I gotten that, there's 488 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 2: the thing that I want to go back to. Okay, 489 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 2: And it's total it's totally benign, right, and of an 490 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 2: evening they might invite somewhat gather everyone together for a 491 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 2: performance of a kind. And this performance was a professional 492 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 2: performing pickpocket, an incredibly talented performing pickpocket. Well name because 493 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 2: he's an amazing person. Apollo Robins is his name, Look 494 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 2: him up. He is so skilled. And his bit was 495 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 2: inviting audience members on stage and picking their pockets. And 496 00:25:55,359 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: he would invite famous people, entertainers or whatever up and 497 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 2: and talk to them and said, wed you have ever 498 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 2: breakfast today? And you wouldn't even see him touch them, 499 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden he's holding their wristwatch above 500 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 2: their head, behind them, and they didn't know it was gone, 501 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 2: but the audience sees it, right, and everyone laughs, and 502 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 2: the famous person laughs because it's okay. It's okay to 503 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 2: be humiliated a little bit in public. Right, if you're secure, 504 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter, right. But there is one government official 505 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 2: who would not play. He would not get up on stage. 506 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: He or she, I should say, they would not get 507 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,120 Speaker 2: up on stage. They would not allow themselves to be 508 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 2: pickpocketed or to have their wristwatch taken because they could 509 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 2: not for whatever reason I'd be speculating to guess what 510 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 2: it was. They could not tolerate having their status reduced 511 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 2: because they're between their status and status was the only 512 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 2: thing that stood between them and oblivion. Basically, Wow, and 513 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 2: this person and has become president. This person, No, this 514 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 2: person is a former government official. There's no point in 515 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: trying to figure out who it is. Understood, that's not 516 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 2: the story. This is a parable, you. This is a 517 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 2: parable about someone who had done some very good things 518 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: in public life, and had made a big mistake in 519 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: public life, and could not tolerate even never mind the 520 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 2: mention of that big mistake, but even the faintest slap 521 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 2: of the wrist, of having their wristwatch literally manipulate off 522 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 2: their wrist in public. It would be too humiliating. And 523 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 2: they hid their money in their shoe so that they 524 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 2: wouldn't be they wouldn't have their money their wallet pickpocketing. Wow. 525 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 2: And you know, when people lose their status or perceive 526 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 2: or feel a threat to their status, they will do 527 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 2: irrational things. That's not the moral of this story. The 528 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 2: moral of the story is that this happened to meaning 529 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 2: happened to be held in a Masonic lodge. It was 530 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 2: not a Masonic meeting the Mason's. It's a beautiful lodge 531 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 2: and a grand meeting room and was one of the 532 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 2: nicer rooms in this particular town where you could go 533 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,199 Speaker 2: to have an event like this, And the Masons are 534 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 2: out of money and they needed to rent it to 535 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 2: this But nonetheless I sat there realizing, so here I am. 536 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 2: Here's one of the most famous actors in the world. 537 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 2: Here's this incredible business like the most famous businessman in 538 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 2: the world. Here's this former government official. There's George R. 539 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:30,919 Speaker 2: Martin allowed him to there. There, there's this famous person 540 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 2: and that famous person and this powerful person in this 541 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 2: powerful person, and we're all here. We are literally all 542 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 2: here together, literally meeting in secret, literally in a Masonic lodge. 543 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 2: This is happening right. 544 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 5: Now, watching the art of pickpocketing. 545 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 2: Watching the art of pickpocketing. But you go tell that 546 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 2: to Alex Jones. I mean, his heart's about to explode anyway, 547 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 2: because it's full of brisket juice or whatever. But you 548 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 2: know it's it's the Illuminati is real. The Illuminati is real. 549 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 2: Like secret meetings of world leaders are happening in Masonic lodges. 550 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 2: We're not discussing how you know how how to manipulate 551 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 2: you know, how to manipulate like governments into war to 552 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 2: form of one world government or anything like that. We're 553 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 2: basically just entertaining ourselves. They are to hear first, folks, 554 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 2: the Illuminati is real. And I thought you need terminably. 555 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 2: I thought you needed to know that. 556 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: And the and the conversation by closed doors is more 557 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: like have you tried that jumbalayah at the sky Club? 558 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? 559 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: Because I think it's because they let it sit. 560 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 2: Right well, it's all And the conversation behind doors is 561 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 2: all people just trying to get jobs off of each 562 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 2: other because they're afraid they're they're afraid their status is 563 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 2: slipping too, you know, so youah, I. 564 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 3: Do have one question, just really fast. Were you allowed 565 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 3: in the time that this occurred. Did you have a 566 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 3: cell phone with a camera on it? Because I'm imagining 567 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 3: a room of of you know, with people of that 568 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 3: caliber in secret doing a thing like that at a retreat. 569 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 3: I'm assuming you would put cell phones away. You'd have 570 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 3: to mandatorily put away, you know. 571 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 2: There no rules about I mean, people were like, you know, 572 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 2: don't tweet about this. It was low key. I mean, 573 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 2: I'm hoping it was fairly low key. Because I'm telling 574 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 2: the story, I'm all not revealing details. I'm afraid they'll 575 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 2: be mad at me, but I suspect they won't read my. 576 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 5: Book and a book. Yeah, and you want to go back. 577 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd like to go be abrited again. And it 578 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 2: was fascinating, It was interesting, and. 579 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: The book is fascinating as well. 580 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 2: Thank you. 581 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: John Hodgman Medallion status True Stories from Secret Rooms. It's 582 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: available now wherever you It's available for pre order, I believe, 583 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: and for. 584 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 5: Pre order right. 585 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 2: Look, I don't know when this is coming out, so 586 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 2: let's just talk to the time travelers. Time travelers. If 587 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 2: you have arrived in this timeline before October nineteenth, twenty nineteen, 588 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 2: you may pre order my book at bit dot lee 589 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,959 Speaker 2: slash medallion status bit dot l y slash medallion status 590 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 2: all one word, all capital letters. If you have materialized 591 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 2: after October fifteenth, twenty nineteen, it's not too late. Go 592 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 2: to a bookstore and buy it, or come see me 593 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 2: on my book tour. I'm on tour on October and November, 594 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 2: and all the details are there John Hodgman dot com 595 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,479 Speaker 2: slash tour and I'll be in Atlanta in November along 596 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 2: with my judge John Hodgman podcast in November too. At 597 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: the variety. So I hope to see you guys again. 598 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 3: Who will Do you have a bailiff for that show? 599 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, Jesse Thorne, my regular bailiff is going to be there, 600 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 2: so awesome, and I will I will be selling books there. 601 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 2: And you know, I because I don't I don't want 602 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 2: to punish people who pre order who then come to 603 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 2: the book events because some of the book events you 604 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 2: have to buy a book to get in. Some of them, 605 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 2: you know, they might leave the book at home and 606 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 2: buy another one. I don't want to, you know, I 607 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 2: really hope that people will pre order the book because 608 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 2: that's the best way to ensure a best launch for 609 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,479 Speaker 2: the book personally for me. But in order to reward 610 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 2: people who do pre order and then come to the 611 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 2: book event, anyone who comes into the signing line, whether 612 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 2: it's a Judge John Hodgen show or a regular medallions 613 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 2: sized book event and they have two copies of the 614 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 2: book that could be a hardcover and an audiobook or 615 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,160 Speaker 2: a hardcover and an ebook because they've pre ordered for 616 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 2: whatever reason, I have a special loyalty program reward for them. 617 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, you get you you. You may notice that 618 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 2: on the cover of the book there is a picture 619 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 2: of two famous corkies of Instagram Linus the Corky and 620 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 2: Chompers of the corky. They're very important in the book. 621 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, we're looking at a pamphlet here. Yeah, it's wonderful. 622 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a whole book coming right now. 623 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 3: That's well, this part's great. 624 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 2: So everyone who comes to a book event and buys 625 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: a copy of the book gets a enamel pin featuring 626 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: one of those Corki's designed by Aaron drapland designer of 627 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 2: that of the cover. He's a famous and great awesome 628 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 2: dude designer. And that that is a famous corky pin. 629 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: Everyone gets one of those just for showing up and 630 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 2: buying a book. If you buy two books because maybe 631 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 2: you pre ordered one before coming to the event, or 632 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 2: you buy two books on site, or you bought an audiobook, 633 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 2: and now you get in the prentition whatever it is. 634 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 2: You got two books on the sign line, you get upgraded. 635 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: You get a double corky pin. Whoa three or more books? 636 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 2: Yeah or other or other? Uh uh, over the top 637 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 2: commitments to the cause you're gonna I'll upgrade you discretionarily 638 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: to triple Corky Elite status for three Corky's one pin. 639 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: So since we're on an audio podcast, uh, listeners need 640 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: to know that. When John said that, we the three 641 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: of us had I think a fairly dramatic double take. 642 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 5: Yeah. 643 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, and what are they there? Pins? They're pins like 644 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 2: you get from an airplane pilot for going on a plane, 645 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 2: for being a kid. They're nothing, but they're elite. 646 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: And as an adult, if you ask the pilots for 647 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: the pins, they'll still. 648 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 2: Give it to you. Really really, yeah, that's wonderful. 649 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: You just have to ask nicely and clearly not have 650 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: that much respect for yourself. 651 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 5: That's what I did. 652 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 3: Even if I'm silver, I'm getting out silver yet. 653 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 2: Stop Shop. 654 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 3: Was going so well. My eyes. 655 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 2: Gosh, just so bad about John Hodgman. 656 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 5: That really happened. He's really we have a door. 657 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 2: He disappeared down in the tunnel kind of Yeah. 658 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 5: I think that went well. 659 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 3: I think that was incredible. I want to say, I 660 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 3: think he knows more than he's letting on. But he 661 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 3: was a very nice guy. 662 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 4: That's true. 663 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 3: Stuff they don't want you to know. Is a production 664 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 3: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 665 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,200 Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows,