1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to 2 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: the show Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always so much 3 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: for tuning in. This is part three in a continuing 4 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: series Surprising former careers. Because people have their breakthroughs for 5 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: certain things, and once they have that breakthrough, sometimes that's 6 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: all they're known for. We talked a lot about presidents, 7 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: right that was of a special interest or super producer 8 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: mister Max Williams, But nol as we found they're a 9 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: lot of people who did a lot of things before 10 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: they ever became famous or public figures. Oh, no question 11 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: about it. It's incredibly common. Today we are going to 12 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: talk about several folks that you are definitely familiar with 13 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: from their celebrity days, but perhaps had some more unassuming beginnings. 14 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: Let's first talk about somebody that we all know and love. 15 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: I think Whoopee Goldberg and an occupation that I was 16 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: not aware of existed until this exact moment, The Nights Whisperer. Yes, yeah, 17 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: Whoopee Goldberg, most famous as being the alter ego of 18 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: Guyden in Star Trek, at least to a young Ben 19 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: Bullin turns out, was not always calling herself Whoopie Goldberg 20 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: and was not always a very famous actor. She was 21 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: born Karen Elaine Johnson in nineteen fifty five November thirteenth, 22 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: in New York City, and now she has a huge, 23 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: huge CV of all these different appearances. I remember her 24 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: and sister act. My grandmother liked watching that movie. Yeah, yeah, huge, 25 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: distinctly seeing in the theaters with my mom when I 26 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: was a kid. So wholesome. And she also now I 27 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: think is maybe most known as erstwhile co host of 28 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: the TV talk show The View. She's such a big 29 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: deal in Hollywood. First black woman to win the coveted 30 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: Egott the Emmy Grammy oscar An Tony. We know a 31 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: lot about her background. She was not born with in 32 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: a silver spoon family. She grew up in a housing project, 33 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: moved to California, found her home in the theater, and 34 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: she made a lot of waves. Her Hollywood debut was 35 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 1: in The Color Purple in nineteen eighty five, and it slapped. 36 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: It was a great adaptation of the book. She performed 37 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: a more and more films. But let's fast forward past 38 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: all of that and go to some information we learned 39 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: in a twenty eleven segment from Good Morning America, Nola. 40 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: I love the euphemism night whisperer. That doesn't mean someone 41 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: who goes out in the dark and says some asmr 42 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: things to the moon, does it? Well, maybe not whispering exactly, 43 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: but certainly a particular type of delivery, if you know 44 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: what I mean. On the telephone. This is back in 45 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: the days before the Internet, where if you wanted a little, 46 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: a little some something, you might call a number with 47 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: a nine in it. It's like a nine hundred number, 48 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: or I think there was also like nine one seven. 49 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: There was different ones, but they had a nine in 50 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: them for someone, right, because nine hundred numbers were the 51 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: ones you had to pay for. This segment on Morning 52 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: America by Elizabeth Hasselback talks about a growing number of 53 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: stay at home moms in twenty eleven who are earning 54 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: income on the side as operators of phone sex lines. 55 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: And now, you know, a lot of our fellow ridiculous 56 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: historians listening today may not have seen a payphone, right, 57 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: may have grown up with a smartphone. And back in 58 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: the day when the pursuits of vice were far less evolved, 59 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: people would call these lines, these nine hundred lines, or 60 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: you know, various prefixes, and they would pay crazy amounts 61 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: of money to have blue conversation with a stranger who 62 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: would give them something we would call ASMR today very 63 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: quiet storm until it wasn't. And the mom said, look 64 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: this works for me. I'm making more money for the family, 65 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: I'm able to spend time with my kids more often, 66 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: and I just have to say some weird stuff on 67 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: the phone. This was a big conversation, people like should 68 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:13,799 Speaker 1: this be off limits? And then that's when Whoopi Goldberg retorted, well, 69 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: I was a phone sex operator. And then famously someone 70 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: else on the show said, well, surely that's in your past. 71 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: Whoopi Goldberg said, how do you know? You don't know 72 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,559 Speaker 1: what I do at home. Yeah, it's a good point. 73 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: And another good point is that you know today her 74 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: voice would be so recognized you she'd never get away 75 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: with it. But there's a movie called I think it's 76 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: called Girls six or something like that. There was a 77 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 1: Spike Lee joint about phone sex operators. It's actually pretty 78 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: cool if I don't remember correctly, but yeah, what an 79 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: interesting subculture. And you know, today a SMR is probably 80 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: the most modern equivalent, Like you said, Ben, but you know, 81 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: back back in those days. I think phone sex lines 82 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: probably still exist some niche kind of technological backlash, ludite 83 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: kind of way um, but you know, back then they 84 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: were big money makers too, because you got charged by 85 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: the minute, and I'm gonna go ahead and cop to it. 86 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: You could call the number and without actually speaking to 87 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: a person, some kind of sultry interlude from a pre 88 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: recorded lady. And we kept trying to do that when 89 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: in boy Scouts we would sometimes walk I guess you 90 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: could say trek for miles and miles to the center 91 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: where there was a pay phone and probably whomever's parents 92 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: had the worst relationship that kid would have the magazine 93 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: that had the dirty numbers, and we would trying to 94 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: call it see if we could talk to someone. And 95 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: now that's you know, knowing that we obviously never got 96 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: through and just heard those selacious interludes where somebody going, 97 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 1: oh no, it seems like a strange, wholesome moment and 98 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: a coming of age story. But it's really it's really 99 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: weird that we were doing that. And also there are 100 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: still a lot of a lot of people who do 101 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: this as a part or full time job, and I 102 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: think that does that can count as sex work, and 103 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: that's real work. So to be clear, we're absolutely not 104 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: at all diminishing what people are doing here. Yeah, and 105 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: it takes a lot of creativity when you think about it. 106 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: You got to be able to act, you have to 107 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: be able to improvise, you have to be able to 108 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: kind of paint a scene with nothing but your voice. Really, 109 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,679 Speaker 1: if you think about it, you could say podcasting owes 110 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: a little a little bit of these phone operators, baby, yeah, 111 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: because I mean a lot of people talk about podcasts 112 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: being a way of kind of keeping them company. You're 113 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: having a little bit of a companionship or sort of 114 00:07:58,280 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: like a stand in for a friend. And you know, 115 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: there certainly were people who maybe were shut ends who 116 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: would use these phone sex lines to just just a 117 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: little bit of a talk human contacts, you know. Yeah, 118 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: and that's a that's again, that's a very human point. 119 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: This was not this was the former career would be Goldberg, 120 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: We're not sure for how long, but it was not 121 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: the former career of politician Justin Trudeau. That would have 122 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: been a little bit more of a story, I think 123 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: if he was a former phone sex operator. But Justin 124 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: Pierre James Trudeau board in nineteen seventy one in Ontario, Canada. 125 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: Is a Canadian politician. He's all right being a politician, 126 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: you could say, because he is the Prime Minister of Canada. 127 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: He is the leader of the Liberal Party. He's a 128 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: bit of a you know, people don't like the term, 129 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 1: but he has been a bidding from name recognition, if 130 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: not nepotism, because he's the son of former four time 131 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: prime minister Pierre Trudeau, and so he was always viewed 132 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 1: as having these, you know, frankly unfair advantages because of 133 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: his childhood and because of the family came from. But 134 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: he didn't do a straight shot, you know, like from 135 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: college to politics. He actually had a kind of rough 136 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: childhood because his parents divorced when he was just six. 137 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: That's right. Margaret, who was twenty nine years younger than 138 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: Trudeau's father, was the daughter of Liberal MP James Sinclair 139 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: and was kind of a fixation of tabloids who accused 140 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: her of having dolliances, let's say, with rock stars and 141 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: other celebrities. Finally, I guess this proved to be too 142 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: much for the couple to take and she moved out. 143 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: So Trudeau has two of your brothers were raised by 144 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: their father, who Maine in politics for fifteen years. M Yeah. 145 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: And after studying at a private French language Jesuit school 146 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: in Montreal, the same when his father went to Justin, 147 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: Trudeaux earned a degree in English from McGill University, and 148 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: instead of going straight into politics, he worked as a 149 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: snowboard instructor. Uh. Yeah, he was. He was one of 150 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: those guys. He was a snowbro. And I'm sure was 151 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: he like one of the bad boy kind of bully 152 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: snowboarders that messed with the nerds and the ski lodge 153 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: and we're always looking up with the hot ski bunnies, 154 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: you know. I hope, you know, I hope not. I 155 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: hope he was more wholesome. But I am certain his 156 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,119 Speaker 1: pants were too large and had a ton of pockets, 157 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: you know, like maybe he had some Jinkos when he 158 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: was not bording. Let's see, this would have been the nineties, right, 159 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: wasn't that Jico territory? Yeah? Yeah, okay, so he and 160 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: let's hope maybe you have one of those lives and 161 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 1: the longest of chain wallet, the longest chain wallet you 162 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: can stay. And he did this while he was getting 163 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,559 Speaker 1: a degree in education for the University of British Columbia, 164 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: and then for a while he taught high school French 165 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: and elementary school math, which makes you wonder, right, and 166 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: things change. In two thousand, he's still very young, he's 167 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: twenty eight years old, and he is at his father's 168 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: funeral and the eulogy he delivers puts him back in 169 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: the national spotlight, and this opens the door for him 170 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: to enter politics. And a lot of people love his father, 171 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: and given the tragedy, they're saying no, Like even the 172 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: Prime Minister at the time says, there is a place 173 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: for you justin in the Liberal Party, which is not 174 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: not what the average person gets. The average person doesn't 175 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: get the prime minister or president of their country reaching 176 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: out and saying, hey, you're twenty eight you want to 177 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: go into politics with us, especially after being a snowboarder, 178 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: teaching math and French. Yeah, why don't you grind the 179 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: powder of policy justin? You know, nothing like that. It's 180 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: kind of weird, right, But he doesn't enter politics for 181 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: eight years. I think no, But presumably he's kind of 182 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: being groomed during this time, right, Yeah, that's a good call. 183 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: Is this before or after that embarrassing photo of him 184 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 1: was taken where he was dressed in blackface. I got 185 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: a picture. It was around this time, because that seems 186 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: like the kind of move that a snowboard bully would pull, 187 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: thinking that was real clever at one of those fancy 188 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: Aspen parties. I'm guessing before I'm guessing this is one. 189 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 1: It was in colleges. It was in two thousand and one. 190 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: Oh so right now the story right now, in this story, 191 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: and but this is after. This is after he was 192 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: no longer teaching snowboarding. So now, man, you could take 193 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: the bully off the slopes. You can't take the slopes 194 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: out of the bully. Okay, Yeah, that's all right, dude. 195 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: I have to taking it through. I'm thinking it through. 196 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: So so so he does this black face photo, very 197 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: very bone headed and offensive thing to do. He goes 198 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: back to Quebec in two thousand and two. He starts 199 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: studying to be an engineer and he abandons it. And 200 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: then he starts studying environmental geography and does not complete it. 201 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: And while he's doing all of that, he's working at 202 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: a radio station in Montreal. He covers the two thousand 203 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: and four Olympic Games. He gets a gig in a 204 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: TV miniseries The Great War. He becomes a spokesperson for 205 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society unpaid, and then he serves 206 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: as the chairman of the board of directors at a 207 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: volunteer organization his father established. He did a lot before 208 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: he became Prime Minister and entered politics. I think the 209 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: press appreciates that he's pretty open about his past jobs. 210 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: He did a interview with Laura Logan in sixty Minutes 211 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: where he listed even more jobs, and we have the 212 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: quote for you here. Some of the other ones might 213 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: surprise you, folks. Indeed. Well, I was a snowboard instructor. 214 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: I was a bouncer in a nightclub. I was a 215 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: Whitewater river guide. Hey, that's in the other eighties movie 216 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: where he's the Whitewater river guide bully. I worked as 217 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: a teacher. Okay, okay. I made no apologies for a 218 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: very varied set of life experiences. Right on, man, I 219 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: appreciate that. Don't make an apologies, though, maybe apologize for 220 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: the black face thing he did. He didn't just he did. 221 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: He did a pretty good job. He didn't just apologize 222 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: for the two thousand and one brown face he also 223 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: apologized for the black face he wore in high school. 224 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: That's right, he did it more than once. And his 225 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: one of his statements that will will end it here 226 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: is this. The fact of the matter is that I've always, 227 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: and you'll know this, been more enthusiastic about costumes than 228 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: is sometimes appropriate. I don't love it. Do you guys 229 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: know about his special skill he has? Oh? What is it? 230 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: I don't like the son? Yeah, you did for everybody it. 231 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: Max did some air quotes. Well. I learned about this 232 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: because when he was first running to be prime minister, 233 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: John Oliver did a segment about him and the other 234 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: person who's running for prime minister, and uh, the way 235 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: he talks about you know, was he's like he's a 236 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: little he's a little aloof and he has this skill, 237 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: his party trick he does where he falls down the 238 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: flights of stairs. He's sort of like a fletched type figure. Yeah, 239 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: sort of a Chevy Chase. Is it? Is it really 240 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: a trick like he is purposely doing Pratt falls? Yep, yeah, 241 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: yeah he does. He doesn't for the person doing the interview, 242 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: like they had a clip of him just falling down 243 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: a flight of stairs to get Stuffing's like, I'm fine, 244 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: I love that, I would I do that. That sounds 245 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: like fun, but he also real facts he did. He 246 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: did also profusely apologize he was able to save his 247 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: political career. But speaking of saving things, we have saved 248 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: the best for the last. In this episode of Surprising 249 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: Former Careers, it's the man, the myth, the legend, the Eyes, 250 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: Peter lore Eyes, one of our favorite most distinctively faced actors. 251 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: You know him from what Khan Air? Probably Reservoir Dogs, 252 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: Cohn Air, Yeah, stealing, maybe that matters. Also caught airy 253 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: Steve Steve Bushey, who seems like a really good dude 254 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: off screen, right, he totally does. And I think I 255 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: think this one some folks might know about this one. Um, 256 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna give you a little more detail. Steve BUSHEMI 257 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: actually was kind of a real life hero. He was 258 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: a firefighter before becoming the quirky, amazing character actor that 259 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: we know and love today. He was a New York 260 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:55,679 Speaker 1: City firefighter and then actually came back and volunteered as 261 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 1: a firefighter again after September eleventh to how you know, 262 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: his former brethren, you know and the NYFD, Yes exactly, 263 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: And he talks about this. He says, my dad was 264 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: a sanitation worker for New York City. His message to 265 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: me and my brothers was, when you turn eighteen, take 266 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: whatever civil service test is available. Lucky for me it 267 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: was the fire departments. I didn't yet know what I 268 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: wanted to do for a career, but at Engine fifty 269 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 1: five and Lower Manhattan I found something even better. Brotherhood. 270 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: Steve Bushemi was not born into wealth and aristocracy. He 271 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: was born to working class parents in Brooklyn in nineteen 272 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: fifty seven. They eventually moved out to Long Island, and 273 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: this guy was, you know, your average kid. He was 274 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: good at wrestling, soccer, he liked doing theater, but he 275 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: wasn't confident enough. I think at this time maybe he 276 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 1: didn't see it as an attainable job. So he takes 277 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: his civil service exam and he goes on a couple 278 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: of years of odd jobs while he's waiting to get 279 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: a chance to work at the Fire Department of New York. 280 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: He he is a gas station attendant. He drives an 281 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: ice cream truck, which now seems really creepy for Steve 282 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: Brushemi given some of his other roles. That's a really 283 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 1: good point. I mean, look, the man is a legend. 284 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,199 Speaker 1: He is absolutely uh and one of my favorite actors 285 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: I think of all time. He's got a look that 286 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: he does a bit of a crypt keepery type vibe 287 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: and in a in a in a you know, in 288 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 1: those ice cream man whites rolling around beckoning young children 289 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: come hither. That's a little on the creepy side. I 290 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: mean he doesn't he doesn't have a trust me to 291 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: sell ice cream face, you know what I mean? Like 292 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 1: if I if I saw him roll and we should 293 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: do a thing a history of ice cream trucks too, 294 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: because that gets sketchy pretty quickly. Uh. Yeah. So while 295 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: he's doing this, he's feeling somenwie. It's kind of aimless existence. 296 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: We've all been there when life feels a little too 297 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: much like a waiting room. He spends these what are 298 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: called empty nights at a local bar. This becomes the 299 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: basis for a film he makes in nineteen ninety seven 300 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 1: called Trees Lounge. And before all that happens years before, 301 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 1: he finally summons up the nerve to go into an 302 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: acting class at the Lee Strasbourg Institute in Manhattan, and 303 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: we can go into depth about all the stuff he 304 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 1: was trying to do. He didn't have an easy time 305 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: coming around to it, but eventually he gets involved. He 306 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: starts doing stand up comedy, He starts making some inroads 307 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 1: in the somewhat insular downtown theater communities. In nineteen eighty 308 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: he gets the top of the New York Fire Department list, 309 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: and so that's when he signs up to work at 310 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: Engine number fifty five in Soho. And originally he's just 311 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: treating this like a job, you know what I mean 312 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: That acting, the performing stuff, that's a hobby. He thinks 313 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: of himself professionally as a firefighter, But when he goes 314 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: to parties with his co workers, he starts doing some 315 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 1: stand up for his fellow firefighters. I hope it's very 316 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: firefighter specific comedy too, Like how Fred Armison did that 317 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: stand up for drummers? Do you guys remember that? Oh? Yeah, no, no, 318 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: it's super cool. I haven't seen them live, but I've 319 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: definitely seen some clips from it. And that guy's genuine 320 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,959 Speaker 1: incredible musician and has a lot of history with excellent bands, 321 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,479 Speaker 1: like he's friends with Carry Brownstein because he was actually 322 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: in bands that played with Lear Kenney and a lot 323 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: of those you know, legendary Seattle bands from the nineties. Yeah, 324 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: and so Steve eventually is thinking, you know, I want 325 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: to focus more and more on acting, and so he 326 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: starts to doing more and more comedy, and over the 327 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: next eight years he performs with a comedy duo they 328 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: call himself Stephen Mark him and a guy named Mark 329 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: Boone Junior, and they get love from The New York Times. 330 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: They start producing entirely new shows every week, which has 331 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: a lot of work, and now the guys starting to 332 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: feel sort of torn between two worlds. Am I an actor? 333 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: Am I a firefighter? Yeah? And I mean he was 334 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,479 Speaker 1: look this all this speaks to this Steve Bishiming having 335 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: an absolute heart of gold because he was able to 336 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: kind of answer that question, and I think he's both, 337 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,479 Speaker 1: you know, the firefighter kind of spirit never really left him, 338 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 1: and he was able to truly lend a hand, not 339 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: just with his select pretty but an actual hand, you know, 340 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: helping clear debris and do all kinds of things of 341 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: the you know, I mean of all of the mean. 342 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 1: I know, the NYPD was hugely helpful as well, but 343 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: it was really the fire Department that kind of came 344 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: out as the true Heroes of nine to eleven. Yeah, 345 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 1: so he had he was one of them. Yeah, he 346 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,919 Speaker 1: had left the fire department. He told himself, you know, 347 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 1: I'm not quitting my job. I'm taking a leave of 348 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:28,640 Speaker 1: absence and I'll be back when I'm done with this 349 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: movie and this play I'm working on. But when he leaves, 350 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: it takes like seventeen years pass. He is in Miller's Crossing, 351 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: Barton Fink, Fargo, Big Lebowski, pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and 352 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: of course, most famously, the seminal work, the cinema work 353 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: of cinema call a Air. Yes, yes, right, I mean, 354 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: look at the very least it generated one of the 355 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,400 Speaker 1: most incredible gifts of all time, which is just Nicholas 356 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 1: Cage with his fake flowing locks, just like Fabio blowing 357 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,199 Speaker 1: in the wind. You know. Oh yeah, that was That 358 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: was a crazy time for film too. You know The 359 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: Rock was right around that time as well, with Sean Connery. Anyway, 360 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: do you know The Rock has a Criterion Collection edition? Yes, yeah, 361 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 1: I don't don't think Khair does. But The Rock for 362 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: some reason was worthy of that of to be included 363 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: in the Cannon. You know, well, I mean Kahn Air 364 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: is on the level of Jeff Goldbloom and Cindy Lauper's vibes, 365 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like it's Criterion has to 366 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: earn enough prestige to be able to issue a collection 367 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: with those or an addition with those, and you know, 368 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: maybe they'll get there one day, because Steve Bushemy became 369 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: a world class actor, so maybe one day Criterion can 370 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: afford the rights to Khanair. Oh. You know what I'm 371 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 1: realizing again this is I love Steve Bishemy and he 372 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,640 Speaker 1: his look as a person is not the issue here. 373 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,959 Speaker 1: I think what's happening is I'm remembering his character in Khane, Right, 374 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,640 Speaker 1: that's what does a child molester, you know, just right? 375 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: Or a serial killer, not a child serial killer, but 376 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: also potential child There's there's serious MOLESTI vibes where there's 377 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: like a girl in a in an empty swimming pool 378 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: or something and he's just kind of really leering and this, 379 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 1: you know, like I'm not letting go of vibes. You know, 380 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: I really think Criterion Channel should consider it. I completely agree. 381 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: Vibes has vibes for days. Yes, yeah, yeah, an old 382 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: bloomiest gold Bloom performance you'll ever see very much so, 383 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, good luck to you criterion. So 384 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: Boushimi does like you said, No, this is a heart 385 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:43,640 Speaker 1: of gold moment. Bushiman does return to service as a firefighter. 386 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: He wins an a list actor because he says the following. 387 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: One of the strongest sensations that flooded over me on 388 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,479 Speaker 1: September eleven, two thousand and one was that feeling of 389 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: connection referring to that firefighter brotherhood. The next morning, I 390 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: grabbed my old gear, got a lift to the site, 391 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 1: found a place on a bucket brigade. Instead of water 392 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: going up, it was rubbled coming down. Once in a while, 393 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: a body bag was passed, though none weighed much at all, 394 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 1: was disturbing the dust. It was more of a nuisance. 395 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: Pulverized concrete and who knows what the clogged to face 396 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 1: mask so fast you worked better without one. Somebody'd say 397 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: this is probably going to kill us in twenty years. 398 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: It actually felt good to be there. I was on 399 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: the site for less than a week, but it wasn't 400 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: until I got home the magnitude of it all caught 401 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: up with me. I was already seeing a therapist and 402 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: thought it was almost impossible to process the enormity of 403 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 1: what had happened. Just having someone with whom to sit 404 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 1: with all the feelings was a consolation, not something first 405 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: responders usually get. Announcing vulnerability is a hard thing for anyone, 406 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: but especially for people whose primary identity is as a protector. 407 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 1: And that's where we're going to pause today. This is 408 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: not the end of Former Careers, which seems like one 409 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: long episode, but we do hope you enjoyed it. And 410 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: as always, the moral of this story, if moral there be, 411 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: is that people contain multitudes, and some of your favorite 412 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: or most hated prominent historical and public figures have been 413 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: a lot of other things before the spotlight ever turned 414 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 1: to them. And you know who knows, looking back through 415 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:29,880 Speaker 1: the decades or the centuries, maybe one day future historians 416 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: will say, funny thing about those guys is they used 417 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 1: to host a podcast. Indeed, Also, I just want to ask, 418 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 1: what is y'all's most ridiculous former career. I don't think 419 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,959 Speaker 1: we've done this before on these Oh yeah, I think 420 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: I know, Maybe I know yours, bem. You might always 421 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:51,919 Speaker 1: surprised me. Mine would probably be I worked at a 422 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 1: science center doing like science shows for kids, school groups, 423 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,479 Speaker 1: things where you like, you know, rub the boon on 424 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,360 Speaker 1: your hair and make static and we had like one 425 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: of those plasma balls and things like that. It was 426 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: pretty cool. It actually honestly was a It prepared me 427 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: for you know, public speaking and this kind of stuff. 428 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: It was kind of fun. Ben. I think I might 429 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: know ears, but but give it to us. What's what 430 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: would you say yourars might be. I'm trying to I'm 431 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 1: trying to think through it. No, Um, I would need 432 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: to defer. Max. You can you vamp some stage time 433 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: for me? What about you? But unless you can guess 434 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: because I'm having a hard time thinking which one was 435 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: the weirdest? I know you wrote for a golf magazine, 436 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: which is kind of just so out of character for 437 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: you that I just always will remember that as long 438 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: as I live. That was That was one. I don't 439 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: know if it's the strangest, but yeah, thank you. I 440 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: totally forgot about that. He brought it up. It was 441 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: a weird drift, all right, you, mister Williams. Yeah, so 442 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't selling Windows store at or but that was 443 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: pretty bad and weird one. It was working this place 444 00:28:56,040 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: called Zamba fun Land, which was um the way we 445 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: described it was if Chuck E Cheese kind of fell 446 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: on a hard time, this is the place he would have. Yeah, 447 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: and I mean Chucky Cheese already feels like if Chuck 448 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 1: e Cheese fell in a hard time. Yeah, Chucky Geese 449 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: harder is like hanging on by the fingernails of life. Right. Wait, 450 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: So Zamba Zamba Zamba fun. It was a privately owned 451 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: play area in Dunwoody. I was like nineteen freshman in 452 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: college and I was that technician, so I had to 453 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: fix the animatronics. They did not know unfortunately now, but 454 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: they did have you know, ski ball, and they have 455 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 1: that one of the light spins around the time it right, 456 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: and you know, kids are coming up shoving tokens in it. 457 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: It was a very strange place I found out. Eventually, 458 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: my friend Ryland got me the job there so he 459 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 1: could have someone else work with him, so he could 460 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: just go outside and get high. Oh yeah, no, I 461 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 1: always assumed that a lot of people. How else would 462 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: you get through the day working in some of those things? Uh? 463 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: Surprising former careers. Indeed, I'm still trying to think what 464 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: the weirdest legal job I had was. Uh, well, this 465 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: is a story for maybe another day. But uh, but no, 466 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: I do have to reply like you are right. I did. 467 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: I did write some stuff for golf magazines and the 468 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 1: person who hired me said that I didn't have to 469 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: visit the courses and they were they were fine with 470 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: being not a knowing much about golf or be being 471 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: interested in it. So that's so read Golf Magazines with 472 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: the grain assault. In the meantime, we can't wait for 473 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: you to join us for some future episodes. Folks. We 474 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: got a lot of cool stuff on the way. We're 475 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: gonna call it a day here. Thanks as always to 476 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: our superproducer mister Max Williams, Thanks to Zamba fun Land, 477 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: thanks to the Science Museum Noel that you worked at, 478 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: Thanks to Alex Williams who composed this track, and thanks 479 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: to everybody who's had a really weird job in the past. 480 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 1: I think they're formative for people's character, you know what 481 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: I mean? Completely agree and thanks again. It's a super 482 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: producer and research associates, Max Williams for rolling out another 483 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: banger of a research brief. This is a fun one. 484 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: I look forward to continuing this occasional ongoing series. Yes, yes, yes, 485 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: and here's two continuing our surprising current career. We'll see 486 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: you next time, folks. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 487 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 488 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.