1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio. Hey, welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind. 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Listener mail. This is Robert Lamb and this is Joe McCormick, 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: and today we are reading back some of the messages 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: that you've sent in over the past week or two. So, Robbi, 6 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: if you're ready, I think I'll jump right into one 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: of these messages about our episodes on tears. Right. Okay, 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: So this one comes from a listener who did share 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: her name, but I think I'm gonna keep this one 10 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: anonymous just in case because it gets into some potentially 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: dicey territory. But but this was a good one. So 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: this listener says, Hey, I wanted to share a funny 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: story about crocodile tears. My husband and I had only 14 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: been dating for a few weeks when he accompanied me 15 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: to a pawn shop. I needed money and decided to 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: sell my engagement ring from my ex fiance. While haggling 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: with the pawn shop employee, who was, of course trying 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: to give me as little as possible, I started crying 19 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: and giving a sob story about how sad I was 20 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: to part with it, and so on. My husband's jaw 21 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: hit the floor, and he was quietly fuming. He hated 22 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: my ex and had thought I did too. He certainly 23 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: didn't think I cared a spit about this sad little ring. 24 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: I managed to get a few more dollars from the 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: pawn shop guy, and when we walked outside, my husband 26 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: turned to me, probably ready to break things off, and 27 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: with my cheeks still wet with tears, I just started laughing. 28 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: He stared at me, dumbfounded. You're not upset, he asked me, God, No, 29 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: why would I be. I just needed as much as 30 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: I could possibly get. I told him, have you ever 31 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: done that to me? He asked, not yet? I told him, 32 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: and we both had a good laugh. He still loves 33 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: to tell that story because he totally fell for it 34 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: as we stood in the pawn shop. Well, that that's 35 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: that sounds like a scene from a movie. I feel 36 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: like I would see that on a like a drama 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: TV show. Yeah, totally, But I have more questions. I 38 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: feel like I'm one to know, like did you plan 39 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: to do this or did it just kind of happen spontaneously? 40 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: Like what what's the approach on that? I I think 41 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: I can honestly say I have never uh as an 42 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: adult at least used tears in an intentionally persuasive manner. Uh. 43 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: And I don't know if I would be able to 44 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 1: do so if I tried. Yeah, I mean, of course, 45 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: I mean we all do things with our delivery and 46 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: our our body language at times to try and influence 47 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: these sorts of encounters. I mean, we've all I think 48 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: read about, you know, the supposed benefits, and occasionally I 49 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: think I've seen some criticism of this idea too, of 50 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: of taking on the like the humble brontosaurus pose. Uh 51 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: when say, dealing with uh with a with a person 52 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: of sort of bureaucratic authority, or even if you've been like, 53 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: you know, pulled over that sort of thing. What is 54 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: the humble brontos source pose. It's sort of a I 55 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: forget the details of, but it's like, imagine you are 56 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: a Saara pod uh and one that is humble and 57 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 1: not threatening. It's sort of like taking on this sort 58 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: of uh, this this humble body language approach to not 59 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: so much too direct conflict, I think, but sort of 60 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: these these milder forms of interaction where you could potentially 61 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: be shut down by somebody and you you maybe want 62 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: like a little bit more help, uh than than they 63 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: definitely have to give you. But like I said, if 64 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: if memory serves, I think there's been some back and 65 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: forth on that, and it's certainly it certainly is not 66 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: something that's gonna be applicable to to every scenario. Okay, 67 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: I just looked it up. I think the phrase you've 68 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: used for this before is the kindly browntosaurus. Okay, kind 69 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: of not humble. Yeah yeah, well maybe humble, maybe not, 70 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: but it's sort of, uh, sort of the the head 71 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: is bent down a little bit and then the front 72 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: arms are sort of clasped, the hands are clasped together 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: in front of you. Uh, it looks very it looks 74 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: very humble and supplicant. Yeah. Yeah, So I mean, not 75 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: so much to really back up the pros and cons 76 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: of that specifically, but just in general, of course, we 77 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: all do things that are maybe not quite at the 78 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: level of a summoning, uh you know, the orchestrated tears 79 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: of some form or another, but doing things to lean 80 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: into creating a certain emotional ambiance that we want someone 81 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: else to pick up on. Like what happens Joe if 82 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: you have to go into a hardware store in a 83 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: let's say, a small southern town. Do you find things 84 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: happen to your voice? Oh that's a good question. Uh, 85 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: that may indeed be true. I don't know. I've never 86 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: consciously monitored myself for that, but I suspect I may 87 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: shift back into my East Tennessee roots a little bit 88 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 1: more depending on the context. Yeah. I think I have 89 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: at times caught myself becoming like a little folks here 90 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: in interactions like that. So so basically, what I'm trying 91 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: to say is, though even though quote unquote fake tears 92 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: may seem like an extreme manipulation I mean to to some, 93 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: I don't think it's really that extreme when you take 94 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: into account all the various other ways that we augment 95 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: our emotional ambiance for others. Yeah, yeah, totally. Okay, So 96 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: if we do this next message from Matthew, I just 97 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: wanted to preface this by saying this touches on some 98 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: of the same Dune content mentioned by a previous listener, 99 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: but kind of expands on the idea. So, rob do 100 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: you want to do this one? Sure? Uh, they write, Hey, 101 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: Robert and Joe. One interesting example of cultural meaning of 102 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: tears can be found in the Dune series I guess 103 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: at some point during his initial stay at the taveris 104 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: speech or seeched. I never know how to say this. 105 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: There's so many words and phrases and dune that they 106 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: kind of just ricochet through through my brain and I'm 107 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: not necessarily using them in everyday conversation anyway. Paul weeps 108 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,559 Speaker 1: for the man whom he has recently killed than a duel. 109 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: The Fremen are deeply touched by his tears. In the 110 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: harsh desert environment of Aracus, wasting vital bodily fluid for 111 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: someone or somebody can be seen as an honest signal 112 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: of commitment and emotional investment. I was surprised that you 113 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: hadn't mentioned it, since I know both of you are 114 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: big fans of Doone. Yeah, so this expands. Another listener 115 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: wrote in about the scene and Done, where where Paul 116 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 1: cries after he has has killed one of the firm 117 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: in a in a duel um. But Yeah, I like 118 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: the idea that the stakes of the water content of 119 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:39,799 Speaker 1: someone's body being so high in the environment of Done 120 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: makes the tear signal especially important, and you could view 121 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: it as consequently honest, like an honest signal to a 122 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: much greater extent because water is so precious in this environment. Uh. 123 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: And and this does kind of relate to the idea 124 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 1: I I pondered in one of the Tier episodes. Again, 125 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: this is not something that I know of any direct 126 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: evidence for. Is just something I was kind of wondering 127 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: out loud about, which was, what if adult tears could 128 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: in part be an adaptation, uh to the complexity of 129 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: the human capacity for deceit. So because humans can lie 130 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: not only about external matters of fact, but about internal 131 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: subjective states. So for example, you can claim to care 132 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: about someone when in fact you don't. Tears being difficult 133 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: to fake could help serve as an honest signal of 134 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: an internal emotional states that could help bonding and trust 135 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: between humans. And I remember when I was researching tears. 136 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: One one way this occurred to me, I think, was 137 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: I was reading several stories of someone who said they 138 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,239 Speaker 1: had been planning to break up with a romantic partner 139 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: and you know, thinking that that partner didn't really care 140 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: about them until that partner began to cry during the 141 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: breakup conversation they were having, and then they changed their mind. 142 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: They changed their mind and decided they wanted to stay 143 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: with that person. Uh and you know, you could all 144 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: argue that there could be all kinds of reasons for that, 145 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,559 Speaker 1: But one could be that something about the crying makes 146 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: it look like their emotional commitment to you is more real, 147 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: you can trust it more m hmm. Interesting, they continue. Also, 148 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: one could argue in favor of the view of the 149 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: function of emotional tears as making us seem more childlike 150 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: on the basis that we are already a highly neotenic 151 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: species compared to our closest relatives like chimpanzees or even 152 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: more archaic subspecies of the genus Homo. We retain many 153 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: juvenile characteristics into adulthood. Shedding emotional tears could be just 154 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: one more such factor, maybe even making a case for 155 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: humans being uniquely high on on the otany in the 156 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: entire animal kingdom. And then they close up by saying also, 157 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: the expression crocodile tears is also very common in Polish, 158 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: but I had no idea what it meant until I 159 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: listened to your episode. Best regards, Matthew. All right, well, 160 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: thank you, matt f you. Um let's see, I'm gonna 161 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: move on to a message about nail biting from a 162 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: listener another Matthew. This one's named Matt uh. And this 163 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: is funny because this is Matt responding to a third listener, 164 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: also named Matt. So the Matt we have, Mats have 165 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: plenty of cornucopia of Matt's here in the in the 166 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: Stuff to Blow your Mind verse. But Matt says Robert 167 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 1: and Joe, Hello, my name is Matt, and I'm writing 168 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: in response to another person named Matt. He had written 169 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: to tell you how he randomly quit biting his nails. 170 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: I also was a nail biter for the first twenty 171 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: five years of my life, but I quit. I can 172 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: point to naval boot camp as the catalyst of my quitting. 173 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: In boot camp, the drill instructors are always yelling at 174 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: people for touching their faces. This makes a lot of 175 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: sense because of the large numbers of people living in 176 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: close proximity to one another. They don't want to spreading disease. 177 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: So anyway, we were issued nail clippers, and I was 178 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: motivated to use them to keep my nails too short 179 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: for me to bite them. I love you guys in 180 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: the show. You've got me into watching old horror movies 181 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: and enjoying them much more than I ever thought I would. 182 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: Science is awesome, and so are you. It was very, 183 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: very very sweet, Matt. Thank you. All right, let's jump 184 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: ahead of some weird house cinema feedback here. This one 185 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: comes to us from Susan. Hey, guys, I just wanted 186 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,959 Speaker 1: to write in about Time after Time. I almost didn't 187 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: listen to this episode because I remember seeing the movie 188 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: at the cinema with my parents when I was about 189 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: eight years old. I had nightmares for months. The scene 190 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: that got me was when Wells goes into an apartment 191 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: and it's a complete blood bath. Now, more than forty 192 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: years later, I can picture that severed arm and it 193 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: still gives me chills. Of course, after that introduction to horror, 194 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: I spent the nineteen eighties watching all the now classic 195 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: flasher films. Thanks for a fun travel through time to 196 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: the early days of scary movies. Funny, I don't remember 197 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: the love part of that movie, just the blood. No love, 198 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: only blood. Yeah. I mean, it is kind of a 199 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: shocking scene when you get that, because there hasn't really 200 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: been much blood in the film at that point, I 201 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: mean a little here and there, but but then suddenly, yes, 202 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 1: severed arm. Uh. I could see where that would definitely 203 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: be a lot of you were eight years old. Yeah, yeah, 204 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: well I think we mentioned this in the Time Aftertime episode, 205 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: But it's kind of amazing what could get a PG 206 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: in nineteen nine. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a it's a 207 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: it's a it's in late seventies PG. So it's certainly 208 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: anybody looking to pick that up to think about it. 209 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: But I guess it follows a trend that you know, 210 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: has been widely observed for a long time that for 211 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 1: some reason, the people who issue ratings classifications for movies 212 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: tend to be far more motivated to kick up ratings 213 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: in response to, say, harsh language or sexuality than they 214 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: do in response to violence. So you can get away 215 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: with a big, bloody dismemberment as long as people aren't 216 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,719 Speaker 1: saying the bad words. Yeah. I'm always I'm always fascinated 217 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: when people share their stories about what was like the 218 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: first or one of the first scary movies to really 219 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: kind of you know, get to them when they were kids, 220 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: Because for me, it was it was almost certainly Toby 221 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: Hooper's poulter Geist. I remember seeing part of that when 222 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: I was a kid, and uh bathroom mirror scene who 223 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: uh I don't know if it was that's and I 224 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 1: don't even know how I was watching it per se um, 225 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: but there was I don't know, just stuff. Some of 226 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: it was probably not even like the really grizzly stuff, 227 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: but just like scenes of children being afraid in dark rooms. 228 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: You know, like some of that can really get to 229 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: you at a at a young age. I mean, it's 230 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: it's surprising, how you know, how scary certain concepts and 231 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: ideas can be to young children. I was trying to 232 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: tell my son about the duck that said that there 233 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: were recordings of the duck speaking and saying you bloody fool, 234 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: and he was like, that's too much. He I got 235 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: upset that I was telling him this before bed, and 236 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 1: I was like, wow, I didn't think about the speaking 237 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: ducks saying you bloody fool would be nightmare material. But 238 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: I don't know. Maybe so, I mean, who am I 239 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: to argue with this reaction here? What about Billy Bass? 240 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: He'd probably be amused by Billy bass um, but I 241 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: have not introduced him to that technology either. Billy Bass 242 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: will haunt your dreams. It's funny what you're talking about. 243 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: It makes me remember one movie that I got very 244 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: freaked out by as a kid. I remember was the 245 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: movie Cat's I in which there it's a sort of 246 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: horror anthology film or I don't know if it's all horror. 247 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: At least one of the segments is horror and features 248 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: this little weird, creepy gremlin running around in a bedroom 249 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: that does battle with a cat. Uh. And I remember 250 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: that gremlin really creeped me out. Yeah they had it 251 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: was a great design on that critter. Okay, This next 252 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: weird house cinema response comes from Simon. This is a 253 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: very long email, so I'm doing some regiments in editing. 254 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: So Simon says, hey, fellas, welcome from the royal town 255 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: of Sutton Coalfield, West Midland's UK birthplace of ken Gt, 256 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: forty miles uh from I guess this is somebody from 257 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: Ford versus Ferrati, which which I haven't seen. Um. But 258 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: Simon says it's also mentioned in Shakespeare when fall Staff says, 259 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: Bardolf get thee before to Coventry, fill me a bottle 260 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: of sack. Our soldiers shall march through wheel to Sutton 261 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: coal Field tonight. And then finally Simon says it is 262 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: the location of a shower of Frogs in nineteen fifty four. 263 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: I think to look that one up, but Simon says, 264 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: apologies in advance for the long email. I guess an 265 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: epic podcast deserves epic feedback. I love stuff to blow 266 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: your mind and the content that you provide. I store 267 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: up episodes to play while I undertake my artwork at home. 268 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: Weird how cinema is especially my favorite as a long 269 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: term cinephile myself. Beloved movies that I have collected include 270 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 1: ref Madness from nineteen thirty six, The Outlaw from nineteen 271 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: forty three, the movie for which Howard Hughes designed the 272 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: cantilever bra and Carry On Up the Kaiber from sixty eight, 273 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: the ninety nine greatest British movie of all time and 274 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: one of the funniest. I think. Actually the only one 275 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: of those I've seen is read for Madness, But Simon says, 276 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: I'm mainly writing a response to your reference to the 277 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: TV movie The Day After in your Weird House Cinema 278 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: episode on Time after Time. Remember that was the another 279 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: film that was made by Nicholas Meyer, the writer and 280 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: director of Time after Time, which was a television film 281 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: about what would happen in the aftermath of a nuclear 282 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Simon 283 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: goes on, you reference the cultural impact of the Day After, 284 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: but I guess that you're already aware of the UK 285 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: film that it is constantly compared to Threads from nineteen 286 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: eighty four, the UK BBC DOCU drama about the horrific 287 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: of effects of and after a nuclear war. Scariest movie 288 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: ever made by a country mile directed by the man 289 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: who would later direct The Bodyguard. Um massively well researched, 290 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: with input by Carl Sagan. Interesting in its comparison to 291 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: the U S movie The Day After, which, although had 292 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: a higher budget, has nowhere near the nightmare depicted by Threads. 293 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: Plus the latter does tend to eschew drama for information. 294 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: Not an easy watch, perhaps undermined a little by use 295 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: of stock footage and televisual feel, but utterly essential viewing. 296 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: I own both movies, but only Threads keeps me awake 297 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: at night, uh per and then uh Simon includes a 298 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: quote from The New York Times. The film is not 299 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: a balanced discussion about the pros and cons of nuclear armaments. 300 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: It is a candidly biased warning, and it is as calculated, 301 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: unsettlingly powerful. I like the New York Times warning you 302 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: that it that it does not reveal the prose of 303 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: nuclear war um. The director of this, Mike I'm sorry, 304 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: Mick Jackson, not a guy I'm that familiar with. But 305 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: he also directed Volcano in and uh The Temple Grand 306 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: and Bio that came out in two thousand ten starring 307 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,680 Speaker 1: Claire Danes. Oh. Okay, well, anyway, Simon goes on to say, obviously, 308 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: the input of Carl Sagan and the almost documentary feel 309 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: of the film make this irrelevant subject for consideration by 310 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: you chaps. Science the Cold War psychology of fear, paranoia, 311 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: and mutually sure destruction. The final scene of the birth 312 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: of a child born of rape and fallout is beyond 313 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: terrifying and is reminiscent of the effects of depleted uranium 314 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: ordinance on unborn children in recent wars. On a personal note, 315 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: my grandfather was part of the Allied occupation of Japan 316 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: in nineteen forty five and experienced firsthand what was left 317 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: of Hiroshima. It happened to be the forty anniversary five 318 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: that he began to describe it to me The same year. 319 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: I leave that Threads was shown on TV. It took 320 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: me from age fourteen to forty five to summon the 321 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: courage to watch it, and that thirty one years of 322 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 1: preparation was essential, as I was by now a father's stuff. 323 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: Yes it is. But from here the message gets lighter. 324 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: Simon goes onto list and suggest a bunch of movies 325 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: that he thinks we would be interested in. For weird House, 326 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: I'm not going to go through the whole list here, 327 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: but I'll read one of them that's on the lighter 328 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 1: side of the nuclear cinema uh catalog, he says. On 329 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: a connected theme, can I suggest the fantastic Protect and 330 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 1: Survive UK information films? They are terrifying and hilarious in 331 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: their naivety. Don't forget to brush the fallout from your jacket. 332 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: It's pure public service nostalgia for Cold War addicts, and 333 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: he includes some some links for us to view. I've 334 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: watched at least one of these clips and and the 335 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: one of the parts that stuck out to me is 336 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: this very dry British radio voice saying, uh, if someone 337 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: has died, move their body to another room. Cover it 338 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: in poly eurythene I, I seem to recall that there 339 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 1: was a parody of this on The Young Ones back 340 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: in the day. Oh yeah, I think in fact, even um, 341 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: I think Simon may mention that later in his email. Okay, sorry, Simon, 342 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: that is still in your thunder here. But I think 343 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: I think that's all we're doing from Okay, alright, so 344 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: well I'm not stealing your thunder then well I'm completely 345 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: stealing it, I guess, because then we're not even reading 346 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 1: where you mentioned that. But um, telepathically you're robbing him 347 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: at any rate. Yes, it is my understanding, uh, and 348 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: my faint memory that it is lampooned on The Young Ones. 349 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: All right, the fantasy Bomba Deal casting continues. We heard 350 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,959 Speaker 1: from Casey. Casey right right, wrote in and says hello, 351 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: I've been listening to you guys since around the time 352 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: of the Bicameral Mind episodes that have been a regular 353 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: listener ever since. I often think about writing in, but 354 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: usually dissuade myself from it. However, in light of the 355 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: ongoing Bomba Deal debate, I decided I had better speak up. 356 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,199 Speaker 1: In general, I think adaptations are a bad idea. The 357 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: particular impact of a story is often bound up with 358 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: the specific medium it's told in and something always gets 359 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: lost in translation, no matter how well executed. Because bomba 360 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: Deal is one of my favorite parts of the books, 361 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: I'm glad he hasn't been realized on the screen. All 362 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: the same, if I had to pick a human bomba Deal, 363 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: one could do worse than the wayfaring stranger himself. Burl Ives. 364 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: He's jovial, plump and sings in a friendly, folksy style. Anyway, 365 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: thanks for continuing to deliver interesting, engaging, and eclectic content, 366 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: Casey burl Ives, Okay, interesting option, Yeah, yeah, I mean 367 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: when he's he's in that uh the Rudolph Um animated 368 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 1: Um show, as I recall, he's the narrator in that 369 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: and plays the what the Snowman, So he's already we 370 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: already know that he can play a musical elemental force. 371 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,679 Speaker 1: This sort of stands outside of the story, so it 372 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: makes sense. I would say, you want to make sure 373 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: that he's not in cat on a hot tin roof mode, 374 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: because although bomba Deal maybe a sort of god or elemental, 375 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: he is no big Daddy. We'll tell me this, Joe, 376 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: I know you're a big Jim Steinman fan. If Jim 377 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: Steinman had adapted The Fellowship of the Ring. Uh do 378 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: you think you could have seen meat Loaf as bomba 379 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 1: Deal without a word? Oh that's the sweet spot. Yeah, 380 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: I could see that kind of a rock Obomba Deal. 381 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: Hey don Mary do? Oh? Yeah? R I p Jim Steinman. 382 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: He passed away just earlier this year. The world is 383 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: a less melodramatic place without him. All right, how about 384 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: I read this one from Hannah also about Bomba Dill's subject, 385 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 1: and keep it coming right Bomba dil opinions. I like 386 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: how this is the new subgenre of listener mail, Hi, 387 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: Robert and Joe. If I could pluck any actor from 388 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: any point in their career to play Bomba Deal, I'd 389 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 1: pick top All exactly as he was in Fiddle around 390 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: the Roof ninety one. I've always pictured Tom Bomba Dill 391 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: with a similar playfulness and warmth to his character. Uh. 392 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 1: That's a great idea, Hannah, But then she goes on 393 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 1: along that train of thought. But considering the annoying limitations 394 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: of the passage of time or whatever, I went looking 395 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: for some actors who are still currently working and have 396 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 1: tavy on their resumes and came up with two interesting 397 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: but very different possibilities. Alfred Molina and Harvey Firestein thoughts 398 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: all the best, Hannah. Uh yeah, both great, both great choices, 399 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: great actors in their own regard. You know, Harvey Fierstein, 400 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: uh did a voice of one of the Skexis on 401 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:53,199 Speaker 1: the The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance and I loved it. 402 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 1: That's right, Yes, he was great in that. Yeah, yeah, 403 00:22:56,119 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: I've yeah, I like both of those actors. Uh so, yeah, 404 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: I could see them now. I'm not sure if if 405 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: Harvey Fierstein is maybe getting a bit of I don't know, 406 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: he's I mean, how old we're Christopher Lee and Ian 407 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: McKellan when they made uh, you know, the Fellowship of 408 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: the Ring. So I don't know. He seems fine. Let 409 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: him do it. We're just talking here anyway. Let him 410 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: do it. I'm not going to stand in the way 411 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: of this fantasy casting. Let them bomba dil Alright, Well, 412 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: it looks like we're already out of time here. I 413 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,120 Speaker 1: really don't know where the time went on this episode 414 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: of feel like we we just started it, but here 415 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: we are. We'll have to get to the other bits 416 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:38,239 Speaker 1: of listener mail next time around. In the meantime, if 417 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: you would like to listen to other episodes of Stuff 418 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: to Blow Your Mind. Listener mail what airs every Monday. 419 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: We got our core episodes on Tuesdays, and Thursday's Artifact 420 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: on Wednesday, Weird How Cinema on Friday. That's our time 421 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: to set aside most of the science and deeper concerns 422 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: and discuss a weird movie. And then over the weekend 423 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: we have a vault episode, which is just a fancy 424 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: way of saying we do a rerun. You just thinks. 425 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: As always to our wonderful audio producer Seth Nicholas Johnson. 426 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: If you would like to get in touch with us 427 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: with feedback on this episode or any other, to suggest 428 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: a topic for the future, or just to say hello, 429 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 1: you can email us at contact at stuff to Blow 430 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: your Mind dot com. Stuff to Blow Your Mind is 431 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts for 432 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 433 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.