1 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: Tiger, tiger burning bright in the forest of the night, 2 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: what immortal hand or I could frame thy fearful symmetry? 3 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: That is an excerpt of a poem called The Tiger 4 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: by William Blake. Hi. I'm Ben, Ben, it is I Noel, 5 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: and I have a query to pose to you. What 6 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: does this poem snippet have to do with today's episode? 7 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: I am so glad you asked, Noel. H Oh, before 8 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: we go any further, let's have a big hand. Uh, 9 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: everybody listening, just go ahead and clap by yourself for 10 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: our super producer, Casey Pegrum. It's okay if you don't 11 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: want to clap, yeah, you know, just you can snap. 12 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: Just give him props mentally, props in such a way 13 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: as you feel moved to provide. But Ben, yes, props. 14 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: Aside Um, we're talking about tigers today. We are in 15 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: a way. We are in a way. We are talking 16 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: about the Haunsien Tigers, which is a sports team. We're 17 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 1: also talking about urban legends. Were also talking about a 18 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: somewhat romanticized view of the American South, which you know, 19 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: you and I both love a big old accent. And uh, 20 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: we're talking about Japan and we're talking about a cursonal. Yeah, 21 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: the curse of the colonel. And that's not just any colonel. 22 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: That is the standard bearer of greasy chicken legs the 23 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: world over. As it turns out, Colonel uh Sanders. Does 24 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: he have a proper name, Yes, Colonel Harland David Sanders 25 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: born in eighteen nine. I think you mean halland David 26 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: sounds h Do you mean Colonel halland David Julip Sandals. 27 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: Don't you try to out southern me? Bembolan? Oh, I 28 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: could chew this act. You know, day a sweet. People 29 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: will tune out, people will not have it. We want 30 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: to hear, by the way, your best uh Southern accent impression. 31 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: If you record yourself, write us a letter and include that. 32 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: We'd love to hear it. Absolutely. But yeah, so we 33 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: that we were mashing No, this is a mash up episode. 34 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: This is a ridiculous history of the mash up episode 35 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: wherein we mashed together quite a few themes. You mentioned curses, 36 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: we're talking about chicken, we're talking about the South, we're 37 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: talking about Japan. Where do we start. Let's start in 38 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,839 Speaker 1: nineteen five. How about that. It was a very good year. 39 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: It was a very good year, especially for the Hansen Tigers. 40 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: They're a baseball team in Japan. You see. They went 41 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: on to win the Japan Championship Series, which is the 42 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: equivalent of the World Series in Major League Baseball, and 43 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: the fans went crazy. And I know, maybe correct me 44 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: if I'm wrong then, but I feel like there's sort 45 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: of a stereotype out there, the Japanese being very reserved people. Um, 46 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: they know how to keep it together and not get 47 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: carried away. Shall we say? But this is a great 48 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: example of of of a of a stereotype buster, and 49 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: that these Japanese sports fans got quite carried away. And 50 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: there was alcohol involved to right, Ben, Yes, yes, this 51 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: is another episode where we find a group of people 52 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: uh misbehaving, perhaps in part due to alcohol, perhaps just 53 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: due to passions running high sports fever. Yes, yes, these 54 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: drunken revelers took to a bridge in Osaka, the Abisubashi, 55 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: Uh we should bridge. We should also note that Noel 56 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: and I are not native Japanese speakers. Is true, a 57 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: fact that will become increasingly apparent if it has not 58 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: already been clear from the jump. I'll throw my hat 59 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: into the mispronunciation ring um and saying that the eb 60 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: Subashi Bridge is a bridge overlooking the Doton Bori River, 61 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: which is notoriously polluted. I'm not sure today if that's 62 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: still the case, but back not a very clean body 63 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: of water. But that aside, these drunken revelers dove in 64 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: kind of or jumped in off the bridge. I'm trying 65 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: to picture. Yeah, how how far a jump are we 66 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: talking here? Then they jumped. It was a safe enough distance. 67 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: It wasn't like jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't 68 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: do it for kicks, by the way, because you will 69 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: break your legs and easily. This was not going to 70 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: be a lethal jump. Still, you're not supposed to do it. 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: Still you're dangerous. It's very much hold my beer situation 72 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: is what we would call it today. But they were 73 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 1: jumping in a pattern because the crowd was screaming out 74 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: the name of the players on the Tigers, and every 75 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: time they yelled the name of one of the players, 76 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: someone who looked like that player or was perceived to 77 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: look like the player. How do you think this idea 78 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: came to the forefront? I just still missed the five 79 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: man like, how did they just think of the level 80 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: of sophistication. This game must have you know, how did 81 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: this happen organically? Yeah, We're not anywhere near this level 82 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: of revelry. No, and this is a very specific form 83 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: of revelry, almost kind of a ritual that they just 84 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: invented out of whole cloth. I'm guessing I've not seen 85 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: evidence of this type of thing anywhere else. But yeah, 86 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: like you're saying, so every time they I'm guessing the 87 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: they were hearing the announcement from the stadium or was 88 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: it on a televised broadcast. It was after the games, 89 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: so so it sounds like it was people in the crowd. 90 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: So the crowd would yell out, you know, third Baseman 91 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: Casey Pegram, and every like whoa. And then somebody just 92 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: like I look kind of like third Basement Casey Pegram. 93 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: They it's my turn to jump off the bridge. So 94 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,799 Speaker 1: you had to kind of like take it upon yourself 95 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: to go forth when that name was called, would hope so, 96 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: because the alternative is that someone else points at a 97 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: random person in the crowd and says, hey, he looks 98 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: like third Basement Casey Pegram, and then they grab him 99 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: and throw him off the bridge. But it appeared to 100 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: be um all in good fun until they called the 101 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: name of first baseman Randy Bass. Wait, man, that doesn't 102 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: sound like a Japanese name. What gives? I'm so glad 103 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: you asked, because you and I did a little bit 104 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: of research based on that name. It turns out Randy 105 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: Bass was an American on the team. Interesting. How did 106 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: he find himself playing for a Japanese team? Uh? He 107 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: had spent six seasons in Major League Baseball with five 108 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: different teams, and then his contract expired, so he expanded 109 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: his horizons and they made him an offer he could 110 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: not refuse, I imagine, and then he decided to take 111 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: up his glove, his mit. He was a baseman, take 112 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: up a mit, I guess for the Tigers. He committed 113 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: to the Tigers. And we're committing to the bit. Yes, yes, 114 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: we really are. But yeah, so here's the issue right immediately, 115 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: if if they're going for this, uh, this gag or 116 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: this bit that they're committing to, which they were committing 117 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: quite hard of having to look like the player in 118 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: question whose name is being called. That sort of threw 119 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: a wrench into the works there when they called Mr 120 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,239 Speaker 1: Bass's name, because you know, there was nobody in the crowd. 121 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: I'm guessing from the story at least it seems to 122 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: be the case that looked like a big six foot 123 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:41,119 Speaker 1: something American first baseman. And this was a snag for sure, 124 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: because you see, when Randy joined Japanese baseball, he became 125 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: one of the most powerful hitters in the history of 126 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: the game in that country. So with him on their side, 127 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: the Tigers shot through the championship. This guy was a 128 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: big deal. He was crucial to the game. Yes, so 129 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: of course, in this very specific, ritualized revelry, he needed 130 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: to be represented, right, someone needed to be thrown off 131 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: the bridge in his honor or to jump themselves. Yeah, um, 132 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: so what what? What? What is it? What is a 133 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: drunken pack of sports fans to do? Ben? I propose 134 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: that before we follow the rest of the story, we 135 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: bring in an outside factor, a tangent, if you will, 136 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: I love it, A tangy, crispy, crunchy tangent. How many 137 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 1: herbs and spices does this tangent contain? Is it eleven? 138 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: It's a secret. It is a secret. The number may 139 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: not be a secret, but the specificity, yes, spice wise 140 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: is one of those things where they probably have two 141 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: executives that carry half of the secret each and they 142 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: never let them be on the same plane. Like Coca Cola. Yeah, 143 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: we're talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken, by the way, We're 144 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC as it is 145 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: known today, the iconic and white bucket, the vaguely creepy 146 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: plantation owner. I feel like the representation got creepy now 147 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: big time. You know, they had Darryl Hammond, they had 148 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: Norm McDonald do commercials. I think KFC advertising is sort 149 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: of going down that same path that Burger King did 150 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: years ago with their super creepy king with the you know, 151 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: expressionless face kind of looks like a serial killer mask 152 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: kind of. Um. The KFC is doing that too with 153 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: the colonel. They're sort of doubling down on his creepy 154 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 1: factor because it's it's it's just like, you know, it works, 155 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: I guess for like a memorable weird commercial as opposed 156 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 1: to back in the day, where I think it was 157 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: sort of like, um, I feel like they shied away 158 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: from it, even getting rid of Kentucky in the name. 159 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: KFC kind of replaced it because I think they were 160 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,559 Speaker 1: shying away from that image, right, because it was a 161 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: little problematic. Yeah, like the Learning Channel became TLC when 162 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 1: they said, what are people actually learning on this thing? Right? 163 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: That's a little shade, But yes, so KFC. There's probably 164 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: one in a town near you if you live in 165 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: the United States, right somewhere. It turns out KFC is 166 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: phenomenally extraordinarily popular in Japan. The first KFC opened in 167 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy in Japan, and shortly after it opened, the 168 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: guy who was the manager of this, Takeishi Okawara, woke 169 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: up at midnight and he had a dream that he 170 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: had to write down and make into reality. He said, 171 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: let's sell a party barrel. A party barrel, you say, 172 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: every Christmas? Yes, you can read this. You can read 173 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: the full story of this in a great article by 174 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: the BBC called Why Japan Celebrates Christmas with KFC by 175 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: Eric Barton. Here's the rub Every Christmas and estimated three 176 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: point six million Japanese families treat themselves to Kentucky Fried 177 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: Chicken for Christmas. It's true, and we're gonna get into 178 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,719 Speaker 1: more of these amazing Japanese is phonetic uh kind of 179 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: pronunciations for things. I'm just a huge fan of these, 180 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: so they created that this became kind of a local 181 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: tradition for this original KFC joint. But then the company 182 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: realized this was a super smart move to sell Kentucky 183 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: Fried Chicken in Japan, So they created this marketing plan 184 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: and they called it Kurisamassu niwa Kentucky or Kentucky for Christmas. 185 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: I just love kurisa masu. That's fantastic. And these are 186 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: spelled phonetically, yes, exactly, um And the idea being that 187 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: it's creating a new tradition out of nothing, because even 188 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: though there are quite a large number of Christians in Japan, 189 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: Christmas is not a nationally celebrated holiday and there's really 190 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: no national tradition around it. So these folks at KFC 191 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: kind of saw a niche and they filled the crap 192 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: out of it, didn't They been, Yes, yes, there was 193 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: absolutely no tradition, somewhat of a void a niche, as 194 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: you said, Noel, And they they morphed it into more 195 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: than just a single bucket of chicken. It didn't include 196 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: just the breast and thighs. Now they came with these, uh, 197 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: they came with Christmas cakes. They included wine, they had 198 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: sides you could You could get the entry box for 199 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: around thirty seven hundred yen that's about thirty two bucks, 200 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: up to the premium one, which is about hundred yen. 201 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: And according to KFC, these Christmas packages alone make up 202 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: about a third of the chains yearly sales in Japan, 203 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: saying it's phenomenal and you have to like reserve your 204 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: package weeks in advance or risk having to stand in 205 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: massive lines to get this um. And you know it's interesting. 206 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: In this article, they actually talked to a local Atlanta chef. Yes, 207 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: I know the guy, Kevin Gillespie. Kevin Gillespie. I've never 208 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: been to any of his shawns, but I looked him 209 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: up and he seems like really tasty stuff. What's one 210 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: of his spots called Revival, that's like a really hot 211 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: brunch place, right, Yeah. Yeah, he's a James Beard Award 212 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: winning chef and they consulted him for this BBC article 213 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: and he had a couple of good quotes. He said, 214 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: if you brought a bucket of fried chicken to Christmas dinner, honestly, 215 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: I'd be mad at you. Um. And this is interesting 216 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:27,199 Speaker 1: because this is a very American perspective, specifically surrounding Christmas, 217 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 1: because it's all about family, it's all about homemade, uh 218 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: comfort food. But in Japan, since there's no official holiday 219 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: a k A. Time off work, surrounding Christmas probably about 220 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: the best you can do to reserve that KFC party barrel. Right, 221 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: And this is not you know, this isn't too crazy 222 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,839 Speaker 1: because there's a huge tradition of eating Chinese food from 223 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: Christmas here in these states. Right. For example, within the 224 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 1: Jewish community, especially in New York, this came up a 225 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: lot during our Chinese Food episode about Chop Suey Houses 226 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: in New York. It became a huge tradition for Jewish 227 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: families to have a Chinese dinner out on Christmas. Also 228 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: because not a lot of other stuff is open. True, 229 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: So we do see an analog here. And you may 230 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: be asking yourself, uh, Bennels super producer Casey Peckrum, why 231 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: why did you guys just start telling me about this granted, 232 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: fascinating story of chicken in Japan. We are going somewhere 233 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: with this, folks, we promise back to Randy Bass, Okay, 234 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: so we're gonna join, We're gonna rejoin our original story 235 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: already in progress. It's all coming together, all coming together. 236 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: So Randy Bass's name is called Um. These drunken tigers 237 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: fans are looking around. They're looking for someone. They don't 238 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: see anybody that even remotely resembles this hulking American man 239 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: um any living any living person but nearby. This is 240 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: not something you see typically in the States, or at 241 00:14:57,840 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: least I have not. Oh that's a good point. Yes, 242 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: outside of Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC joints in Japan, 243 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: you're gonna find a kind of, I think a little 244 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: bit maccabre statue of Colonel Sanders himself leering at the 245 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: passers by, daring them to accept the challenge of chicken, 246 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: exactly the chicken challenge. And they saw one of those nearby. 247 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: It was it was as though it were written in 248 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: the stars. They saw one of these nearby, and they goes, 249 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: that guy kind of looks vaguely American. And in Randy's defense, 250 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: he does not look like Colonel Sanders at this time, right, 251 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: there is a little profiling going. He's just also American. 252 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: Um did not have a little, uh little little Colonel Beard. 253 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: In fact, in the article from How Stuff Works, Ridiculous History, 254 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: the Curse of the Colonel. There's a fantastic side by 255 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: side comparison. They did both have mustaches, though um not. 256 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: You know, Randy's was not pure white and did not 257 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: have the accompanying little pointed goatee nor the little what 258 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: do you call that a cravat. We have a little 259 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: kind of a bow tie thing around. String tie, string 260 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: tie exactly. But yeah, so they they uprooted this thing, right, 261 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: They just ripped it out of the ground, and then 262 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: they carried it to the bridge and they threw it 263 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: into the river, and everybody presumably with yeah, and then 264 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: I'm guessing there was a current and it just got 265 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: carried away, because if these folks were hanging out in 266 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: the river themselves and not just up to their necks 267 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: in water, I don't think the statue would have sunk 268 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: right away. It probably got carried away in the current 269 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: of the river downstream and then they lost it. It did. Yeah, 270 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: it did apparently go under quickly. That might be due 271 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: to current. It's also it's got to be due to 272 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: the weight of the statue as well. Probably weighed more 273 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: than a person. You think, so I would have I 274 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: would ticket sure it just being hollow I don't think 275 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: they would have been able to rip it out of 276 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: the ground unless it was just kind of a hollow, 277 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: plastic shell. That's a good point. You know what, we 278 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: need to take an extra credit segment, go to Japan, 279 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: get some chicken and investigate. I don't think that's in 280 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: the budget, Ben, but we we can talk to management 281 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: about it. We'll see. Let's write to the Tigers, because 282 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,719 Speaker 1: we're telling a story that they feel needs to be told. 283 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: You see, after they threw the statue in and everyone 284 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: went yeay, Tigers forever world champions decades and decades went by, 285 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: and to date they have never won a championship again. 286 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: And the Tigers fans will tell you that this is 287 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: not simply a matter of being outplayed or having bad 288 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: luck on the field. No, they believe there's something supernatural 289 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: at work. They believe there is a curse. Yes, um 290 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: and as so what they referred to as I only 291 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,479 Speaker 1: saw this printed one place, but it definitely translates correctly 292 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: as Kanaru sanda su no no roy or the curse 293 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: of Colonel Sanders. Yes, the curse of Colonel Sanders. I 294 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: saw that as well. They they believe that by committing 295 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: this disrespect will act the entity the the non corporeal 296 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: Colonel Sanders in the sky, the demigod of chicken all 297 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 1: Chicken fried has uh has decreed that they will be 298 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: punished for this disrespect. And you know, you have to 299 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: wonder how much of this is just a joke, right, 300 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: and how much people really believe it? Oh well, I mean, 301 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: well it falls in line with some other pretty serious 302 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: superstitions that the that exists in Japanese culture, which we'll 303 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: get to it a little bit. And sports are sports 304 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 1: themselves are very rich soil for superstitions. But after such 305 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: a strong showing, I mean, you know, the Colonel definitely 306 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 1: brought down the hammer on them. The Tigers, they just 307 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: barely won anything at all. Their best finish was third 308 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: in eight six and they finished last a whopping eight times, right, 309 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: so it was exceptionally bad. Not just not winning, no, no, 310 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: it was it was demoralize. The fans were utterly humiliated, 311 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: and they concocted I guess among themselves. How does something 312 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: like this spread just by word of mouth? These people 313 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 1: in the fan community, their message boards, what are we talking? 314 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: These people are great at improv man, How did they 315 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 1: figure out this ritual so quickly, and then how did 316 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: they say? Oh, okay, well, here's the explanation. It also 317 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: reminds me one of those things where it's like, I 318 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: know what you did last summer kind of scenario where 319 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: you and a close group of friends commit a horrible 320 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: atrocity and then you are punished for it later and 321 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: then you have to figure out how to make it right. 322 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: I hope someone feels like they saw the Colonel exactly. 323 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: Can't you picture this though? Is this? This should be 324 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 1: a movie and they should This should be a kind 325 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: of ring Goo or like the Grudge kind of movie 326 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: based around uh conor us Sandy Sue. No, no, that 327 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: could be the name of the movie. Yeah, and then 328 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: we'll just translate to the Curse of the Colonel for 329 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:55,360 Speaker 1: the American audience. Because they banded together to make this right. Yes, 330 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: they said, just like we would imagine a Colonel sand 331 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: esque figure. They said, Wilson, justice shall not stand and 332 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: into what they You know, they didn't say it with 333 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: this othern accent. You don't know, or they did. Maybe 334 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,959 Speaker 1: they did. Maybe they were cosplaying as well. So, uh, 335 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: they went to search for the statue. They went to 336 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: the bottom of the river and attempted to recover it, 337 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: and in two thousand and nine they found a piece 338 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: of it. I actually read two band that in one 339 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: of these attempts, a twenty four year old fan named 340 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: Masaya Shita Baba actually drowned. M I read that as well. Yeah, So, 341 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: I mean this was no joke. They were they were 342 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: this was not a lark. They were out to break 343 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: this curse, right, and as you were saying, then they 344 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: did find some success. Yeah, and in a way, in 345 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: a very strange way, know, this death lead to the 346 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: discovery because after the death, the community announced plans to 347 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 1: build a new bridge that would make it more difficult 348 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: to jump into the river from and then they began 349 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: constructing this in two thousand and four. But while they 350 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 1: were constructing a walkway in two thousand nine related to 351 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: this new bridge, that's where they found the They didn't 352 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: find all of the statue ites like the torso in 353 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: the head and the arms, but not the hands. There 354 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 1: was no mistaking that rictus grin of our pal Colonel Sanders, 355 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: even with the decay, that was definitely him. So you know, 356 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: they were reasonably overjoyed and decided they needed to find 357 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: some of the other pieces. Yes, because what if I 358 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: love this horror movie that you just pitched to me. 359 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: What if they haven't appeased the angry spirit of the 360 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: statue until they assemble it all. You know, they find 361 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:53,959 Speaker 1: the hands, they find the glasses. Uh. Some fans were 362 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: worried that until the statue was made whole again, the 363 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: Tigers would never win another series. And you know, superstition 364 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: and sports in general are super common, even right here 365 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: in the States. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I think you 366 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: might be referring to another famous curse, my friend, one 367 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: that affects Boston Red Sox fans. The Curse of the Bambino. Yes, yes, 368 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: the Curse of the Vambino, where the Red Sox fans 369 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: believe that their team was cursed for almost a century 370 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 1: eighty years for trading away legendary player Babe Ruth. Yeah, 371 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: they probably just you know, Babe Ruth was really good 372 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,640 Speaker 1: and they would have done better if they'd had him. 373 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: I but I love them. I love the high dramatic 374 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: steaks from a storytelling perspective of a curse. I feel 375 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: like I have never encountered a curse. Uh, nor have 376 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: I laid a curse upon someone because I'm you know, 377 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: I'm actually a really kind person. But I would love 378 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: to just be involved in like a curse type situation, 379 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: like solving a curse. Would you cur like someone who 380 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: really had it coming? Maybe some maybe one of an enemy, 381 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 1: I guess so, but I don't really have enemies really. Yeah, 382 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: that's cool and I don't either. I wish you all 383 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: could see. No slight eye roll there, but yeah, I 384 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: would like to solve a curse, and a lot of 385 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: sports fans, of course, would like to do the same. 386 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: We had an interesting quotation here and observation from a 387 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: sports columnist named Dick Harmon for writing for The Desert News, 388 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: who described athletes and superstition this way. Athletes, says Mr Harmon, 389 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: by their very nature tend to be superstitious, especially when 390 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 1: it comes to preparing for events. I've seen players wear 391 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: the same socks beneath their actual game socks, listen to 392 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: the same song or music, eat the same food, hit 393 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: the bathroom at the same time before going out on 394 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: the court or field. I don't think this is hatched 395 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: out of fear, but of comfort, not of jinxing themselves, 396 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: but of setting their mine straight. Agreed, Yeah, ritual to me, 397 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 1: is all about getting in kind of a zen state, 398 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: you know, where you feel in control of your surroundings 399 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: just by virtue of doing something the same way. I 400 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: personally am a creature of habit I typically get the 401 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: same things to eat at restaurants, and uh, you know, 402 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: take the same routes home, even if there's a quicker 403 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: route that my map is telling me, I'll typically go 404 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: the way that I'm super comfortable with. And to me, 405 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: that's a way of kind of doing all I can 406 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: in the little way that I can to control my 407 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 1: environment and my chaotic life. Right the vast incomprehensible universe 408 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: that cares not which way this great world spins, we 409 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: must exercise some control over our existence. Uh. With podcasting, 410 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: for instance, you know, I've been doing this a while. 411 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: I've got rituals, and we as a cohort collectively a 412 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: house of works. A lot of our podcasters have their 413 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: own rituals. Chuck used to do a thing, remember with 414 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: his cheeks. I didn't know about that one. Now I know. 415 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: Robert Lamb has a little squishy dinosaur that he brings 416 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: in when the podcasts. Robert Lamb from stuff to blow 417 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: your mind, and I personally have been wearing the same 418 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: pair of me and he's the entire time we've been podcasting. Yeah, 419 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: and I respect you for that. You know, I think 420 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: you've you've gone past the area of diminishing returns to 421 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: you were cleaning up now, you know. I do watch 422 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 1: them occasionally, I've I've heard that, Yeah, I've heard. I 423 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: can't remember why I heard that or how it came 424 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: up in conversation, but I do remember hearing that. You're 425 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,959 Speaker 1: a very attentive listener, Ben, Thank you, Thank you, And likewise, 426 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: my friend, we thought this was fascinating because it's still 427 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: in play. Like the Tigers fans will tell you. Did 428 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: their fortunes turn around? Though, Ben, that's the that's the 429 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 1: kicker here. Well, we do know we can't predict what 430 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: will happen by the end of none can, but we 431 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: do know that things weren't completely bleak and dire for 432 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: the Tigers, and act we had some good news in 433 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: the early two thousand's, that's right. They they returned to 434 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: the Japan Series after eighteen years away, and they had 435 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: the best record in the Central League. And many of 436 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 1: these KFC outlets as sort of a precaution, I guess 437 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: in the area and Kobe and Osaka, they personally uprooted 438 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: their Colonel Sanders statues and moved them inside until the 439 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: series was over, you know, to guard them against any 440 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: potential desecration by over zealous Tigers fans. This is one 441 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: of my favorite parts of the story. Now, though, let's 442 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: say that you are in uh Let's say that you 443 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: are in the area and you want to eat at 444 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 1: this iconic KFC. You can't because it's closed. But let's 445 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: say you travel to the KFC headquarters in Yokohama. There, 446 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 1: if you have permission from KFC management, or if you're 447 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: a v I P Special guest or you are an 448 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: honored employee, you may be allowed to see the rescued Colonel. 449 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: And they found most of his parts, right, they found 450 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: a lot of them, But you can't. It's not viewable 451 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 1: by the public. That's what's strange to me. Like you can, 452 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: you can go in and see the origin of the curse, 453 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: but only if you have special permission. Well, I propose 454 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: that we pitch our Curse of the Colonel horror movie 455 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: too KFC Japan and they could sponsor and it could 456 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: just be like a really elaborate commercial for KFC and 457 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: maybe we can actually get some some of those chicken 458 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: dollars to to make this thing really hit. Also, also, 459 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: here's what we'll sell them on it. Well, I'm telling 460 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: you it'll be cross brand promotion if they make special 461 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 1: meals that are related to the tigers or to the curse. Yes, 462 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: you know with ghost pepper chicken just off the top 463 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: of the dome. Why not? Why not? You know what 464 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,479 Speaker 1: I've got to say, Man, thank you for this one. 465 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,719 Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed today's episode. I did too. And we're 466 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: gonna wrap up just with a couple of of of 467 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: interesting Japanese superstitions because we mentioned it earlier in the 468 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: show that this is a thing and they all have 469 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: these amazing names. Um. So, for example, one of them 470 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: is it's apparently considered bad luck to cut your nails 471 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 1: at night, and this tradition or superstition is known as 472 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: yoru ntsume wakite wak nine um. And apparently this is 473 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: tied to the fact that in the olden days, um 474 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: there were no lights at night due to lack of electricity, 475 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: and people believed that evil spirits would come around to 476 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: your home at night, and that when you cut your nails, 477 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: because they imbue cutting tools of any kind with a 478 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: lot of um power. And that when you cut your nails, 479 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: you're creating a sort of a window between worlds. This 480 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: comes up time and time again a lot of these superstitions, 481 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: and that if you do it at night, you're opening 482 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,479 Speaker 1: that window, and one of these evil spirits or accur 483 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: you could exit the nether world through that or possess you. 484 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 1: There's there's also the one that happens if a funeral 485 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: hearst drives past, you have to hide your thumbs in 486 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: a fist. And that's because the word for thumb translates 487 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: to parent fingers. So it's symbolically hiding your parents from death. 488 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: And if you don't, similar to the way, there's the 489 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: old superstition, step on a crack like your mom's back. 490 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: This is uh. This is one where you hide your 491 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: parents symbolically from death, and if you don't do it, 492 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 1: your parents will die, it's right. And this one is 493 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: known as raca yusha kara. Oh yeah, you be will 494 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: kakusu um. And then there's one that I think you'll 495 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: like ben where you shouldn't whistle at night. Yes, yes, yes, 496 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: you shouldn't whistle at night. You're no fui subecky day night. 497 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 1: And this one is more tied to a fun actional thing, 498 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: right like like not necessarily supernatural, although it may there 499 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,239 Speaker 1: may be some crossover. Yeah, So back in the day 500 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: in Japan, whistling was a sign used by burglars and 501 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: other ne'er do wells, uh the other good old fashioned 502 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: nocturnal scumbags to communicate with each other. So whistling is 503 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: associated with intruders, thieves. It's sort of like that urban 504 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: legend of like flashing your brights or something and how 505 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: that's a sign for gangs or something, or like putting 506 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: on your shoes in the power lines or I don't know, 507 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 1: I'm reaching here. There are a lot of unlucky numbers too, 508 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: which is fascinating, especially we're we're uh did we ever 509 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: talk about this off air? I think there are a 510 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: lot of buildings that don't have a fourth floor, Is 511 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: that correct? I don't know about that for sure, but 512 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: I know in the States there's no thirteenth floor, right, yes, yeah, yeah, 513 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: I know that four is an unlucky number because the 514 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: word for for ship closely resembles the word for death. 515 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: I got you. So, what's a let's what's a good one? 516 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: What's an up one? Like a silly one? Yeah, I 517 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: don't know. I mean it's silly on the on the surface, 518 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: but then it's also kind of morbid. Um. You know, 519 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: you're apparently when it's bad weather, when there's lightning and thunder, um, 520 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: you are supposed to hide your children's midsections belly buttons specifically. Yeah. Yeah, 521 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: that checks out as a as a former meteorologist. And 522 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 1: that's because the god of thunder, ry Jin supposedly would 523 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: eat children's entire abdomens or their their midsections. And he 524 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: also had a little running buddy named ry Jew, who 525 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: would nest himself supposedly in the belly buttons of children 526 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 1: while they sleep, and this could lead to these kids 527 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: being struck by lightning. That's right, because ry Gin, in 528 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: order to jostle his little familiar, I guess from this 529 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:51,479 Speaker 1: little nest, would shoot him with a bolt of lightning. Right, naturally, right, 530 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: this checks out, And then I assume eat the midsection, 531 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: So do take care in storms. But as you know, 532 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: we are all about self empowerment, not just for ourselves 533 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: but for you dear listeners. So you might be asking, Hey, 534 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: this curse thing sounds cool. How can I get in 535 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: on this? How can I make a wish or make 536 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: a curse. We'd like to introduce you to ohyakudo myri. Yeah, 537 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: there's a ceremony even called ushi no kuku myri, where 538 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: when you visit a shrine during a particular hour, sort 539 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: of the Japanese equivalent of the witching hour I'm guessing, 540 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:29,480 Speaker 1: called the hour of the Ox, which is between one 541 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: and three am. Um, you can start your very own curse, right, Yes. 542 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: All you'll need to do is visit during the hour 543 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: of the Ox, bring a straw doll with you, representing 544 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: the person who will receive the curse, and use a 545 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: long nail to nail the doll to the shrines holy tree. 546 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: That's for cursey. That's not for a wish. If you're 547 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: trying to wish someone's success, don't don't do that. But 548 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 1: there's a kicker ben because if you are nest making 549 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: the curse, then that curse will visit itself on you tenfold. 550 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: I added the tenfold part. But you know it doesn't 551 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: sound good. No, no, it doesn't. So this these shrines 552 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: are powerful symbolically. Maybe we should end on how you 553 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: make a wish. So we talked about making a curse, 554 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 1: but we also mentioned making a wish. So to make 555 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: a wish in a shrine, you must walk from a 556 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: shrines gate to its altar or from the gate to 557 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: a main hall one hundred times while praying for your 558 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: wish to come true. If you want to increase your odds, 559 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: walk barefoot. A little life pro tip there, little life hack. Alternatively, 560 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: you can visit the shrine and make one prayer for 561 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,200 Speaker 1: your wish to come true each day for one hundred days. 562 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: That's the long game. This is only scratching the surface 563 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: of some of the fascinating Japanese superstitions we found, and 564 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: and granted there are a lot of fascinating US or 565 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: Western superstitions as well, But at this point we do 566 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: not have a curse associated with Colonel Sanders now. But 567 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: you know that could change. Yeah, you know the future. 568 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: The future stretches before us, vast and endless, and it's 569 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: beautiful possibilities. What are some of your favorite Japanese curses? 570 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: Can you think of any that could potentially be as 571 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 1: outrageous and absurd as the Curse of the Colonel. We'd 572 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 1: like to know. You can write to us at Ridiculous 573 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,480 Speaker 1: and how Stuff Works dot com. You can hit us 574 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: up on social media where we are Ridiculous History on Facebook, Instagram, 575 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: and I believe Twitter. And thank you so much for 576 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:35,320 Speaker 1: journeying with us as we stumbled through Japanese phrases. I 577 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: feel like we should also thank Casey for this. As always, Casey, 578 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: don't go change it. You're amazing. Thanks for being on 579 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 1: the show. He keeps us honest and I didn't. I 580 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 1: didn't notice him wincing super hard during any of those pronunciations. Um, 581 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,440 Speaker 1: but sometimes it's hard to I think it might have 582 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:55,759 Speaker 1: been a baseball related wins rather than cases into sports connunciation. 583 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: Well maybe not American baseball fair enough anyway. Also, thank 584 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: you to Alex Williams for composing our soundtrack YEP, and 585 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: most importantly, thank you to you for listening to the show. Um. 586 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:09,239 Speaker 1: We hope you'll join us for our next episode where 587 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: we get kind of grisly with it. Yes, we are 588 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: exploring gold in one of its most dangerous applications. What 589 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: will it be? Tune in to find out in the 590 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: meantime on a personal request. Do you guys have any 591 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:27,879 Speaker 1: great chicken recipes or you will want to just send 592 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: us pictures of chicken. Please do it now.