1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: A teenage girl on the Upper West Side lamented that 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: some boys offered to help carry her looted clothing and radios, 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: but then ended up running off with them, so she 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: was quoted saying, that's just not right. They shouldn't have 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: done that. I love that. 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 2: Never trust a boy on the Upper West Side. 7 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: The looter got looted. There's some weird justice in that. 8 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: I guess. Hello. I'm Ed Helms and this is Snaffoo, 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: the podcast about history's greatest screw ups. My guest today 10 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: is the amazing Desi Lydick, who has been absolutely crushing 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: it on The Daily Show since twenty fifteen with her 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: razor sharp, next level satire and just let's just be honest, 13 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: brilliantly funny, insightful and fearless reporting across the board. You're 14 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: so good at what you do, Desi, and I'm so 15 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: psyched you're here. Welcome to Snafoo. 16 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me on. That is a way too kind, 17 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 3: intro entirely too kind. No, I see your factual, but 18 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 3: I really appreciate it. 19 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: Thank you. 20 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 3: This is very cool to be on with you because 21 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 3: I was a regular, avid watcher of the Daily Show 22 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 3: for many, many years. While you were on, and you're 23 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 3: part of the reason why I wanted to be on 24 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 3: The Daily Show, admiring your work and John's and Steve 25 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 3: and Stephen and every Sam. It's just, yeah, this is 26 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 3: very cool. 27 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: So thank you. 28 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: That is so sweet. Go on. 29 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 3: Yes, well, another thing that I specifically like about your performance? Yes, 30 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,639 Speaker 3: your everyman likability, your razor. 31 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, okay, this is all get edited out, but 32 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: I'm loving it. Yeah, so we do have the Daily 33 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: Show in common. It's been I hate to say this, 34 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: I'm but it's been almost twenty years since I worked there. 35 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: Oh my god, it feels insane to me. But you 36 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: are there now, and you've been there a bunch of 37 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: years and ten. 38 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 3: Almost ten, which is just crazy too, so badass. 39 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: You guys are How is this transition? So when I 40 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,639 Speaker 1: was there, obviously John Stewart was the full time host, 41 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: and I was sort of a part of a cadre 42 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: of correspondence and we did focus mostly on field segments 43 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: and then the studio pieces with John. But now, and 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: that's kind of how you started too, writ with Trevor 45 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: h Yes, definitely, at a certain point you transitioned into 46 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: also part of this rotating host formula, which I just 47 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: think is so cool and I think it's working so well. 48 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: What was that like? What was that transition? 49 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: Like crazy? 50 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 3: There was a period of time where we were kind 51 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 3: of testing out some different ideas and we didn't really 52 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 3: know what was going to happen and who the host 53 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: was going to be. And then it started to open 54 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 3: up a little bit and I kind of threw my 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 3: hat in the ring and put my hand up and said, hey, 56 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 3: put me in coach before I could think about it 57 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,839 Speaker 3: too hard and just by some chance that they would 58 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 3: consider me, And then this format came about and John 59 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 3: came back to the show, and yeah, it was It 60 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 3: was a little terrifying because you know, being a being 61 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,839 Speaker 3: a correspondent, it's not an easy job by any means, 62 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 3: but you're you are, you're in character, you're so I 63 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 3: was very accustomed to being on the show as the 64 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: character of the correspondent, and when you're hosting, you're basically yourself. 65 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 3: So it was a it was a whole other type 66 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 3: of type of work and like requires practice and giving 67 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 3: it a shot, and so I didn't really know if 68 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: I could do it. But the team here is so 69 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 3: incredible it's a well oiled machine. Everyone had our backs 70 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 3: and we all support one another. And we've got John 71 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 3: who could not be a more exceptional leader, and watching 72 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 3: him every Monday is like a master class. So to 73 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 3: get to try something new creatively and something so exciting 74 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: and to get to look to him is it's beyond 75 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 3: a dream come true. 76 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: I think comedians in general are how many people are 77 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: trained or it's almost like an instinct or a reflex 78 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: to look for snaffoos. Yeah, we're always kind of trying 79 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: to look under the surface at kind of what's going wrong, 80 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: and especially at a place like the Daily Show, like 81 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: you're looking for what's going wrong in order to generate satire. 82 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: I actually found that I loved it and it was 83 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: like very invigorating. I felt like I was part of 84 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: a meaningful satirical voice at the show. But it kind 85 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: of took a toll on me over a long period 86 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: of time, focusing entirely on a little bit of the 87 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,799 Speaker 1: darker side of things. And I wonder if you've ever 88 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: felt that or felt a sense of exasperation. Yeah, it 89 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: can sort of like eat you a little bit. That's 90 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:51,559 Speaker 1: what I found. 91 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, well, Ed, I'm dead inside. So I feel 92 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 3: nothing anymore. It is gone lost all sense of humanity. No, 93 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 3: it is. It is taxing, It really is, and I 94 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 3: think for me, I've kind of gone up and down 95 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 3: on it. It's a bit of an emotional roller coaster, 96 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: a mental roller coaster, because you're right, there's no escaping it. 97 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 3: You can't just bury your head in the sand and 98 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 3: be like, well, I'm just going to not pay attention 99 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 3: to the news today. But I will say I think 100 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 3: some kind of action, even for us, even if it's 101 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 3: just finding the comedy in it, even if it's just 102 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 3: creative action, it feels good to do something and just 103 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 3: talk about it, admit that it's happening in a room 104 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 3: full of people who can kind of provide catharsis and 105 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 3: support and we can talk it out with each other. 106 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 3: And then also being forced to find the humor in 107 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 3: it somewhere is my therapy. It is redeeming it really 108 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 3: and especially this year. 109 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, so the Daily Show is your therapist, is what 110 00:05:58,400 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: you're saying? 111 00:05:59,040 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 2: It totally? 112 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: Is it? Totally? Is? 113 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 2: They should be billing me. 114 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 3: I'm sure I'll get an invoice in the mail I 115 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 3: pay them to do the show. 116 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: Before we dive into today's snapho. What is a major 117 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: snafo from your life? 118 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 3: Oh god, I have too many to choose from. I 119 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 3: feel like I'm a snafu a day kind of person. 120 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: Sure. 121 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 3: We were just chatting right before we started here about 122 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 3: old VHS tapes and it brought up this like humiliation, 123 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 3: the snaffhoo that happened. When I was a kid. I 124 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 3: was obsessed with Madonna. Like many young girls, I wanted 125 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 3: to be Madonna. And I think I was maybe somewhere 126 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 3: around eight. I probably wasn't allowed to watch MTV, but 127 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: I was snaking it and Madonna had this performance. It 128 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 3: was her MTV Video Music Awards. I think I must 129 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 3: have been a rerun because I was like trying to 130 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 3: think of what the timeline was. But she performed like 131 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 3: a virgin Oh yeah on stage, you remember, yeah, And 132 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 3: she humped like humped the floor, crawled around, gyrated on 133 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 3: the floor, and I was just I didn't know what 134 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 3: any of it meant, but I was so mesmerized, and 135 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 3: I knew that she was about to come on, and 136 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 3: I grabbed a VHS tape and put it in the recorder. 137 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 3: By the way, your young listeners are going to be like, 138 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 3: what's the VHS? 139 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: What is she talking about? 140 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: So I throw a VHS in the machine and I 141 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: hit record just really quickly. Oh no. And months later, 142 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 3: my relatives come over and they go, oh, we should 143 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: watch Tracy's graduation video. Oh yeah, you never got to 144 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: see that, nanny, we should put that on. And it's 145 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 3: Christmas time, and the whole family gathers around. There's like 146 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 3: eighteen of us and we're down in the basement. We 147 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 3: huddle around the TV and we grabbed my cousin Tracy's 148 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: graduation video and put it in and it's Madonna humping 149 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,679 Speaker 3: a floor and everyone looks to me like jazzy. 150 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: So I felt so terrible. 151 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: I'm imagining that like the It's like, right as the 152 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: president of the school is announcing your cousin's name and 153 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: they're about to walk up on stage, and then it's 154 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: just like cut to. 155 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 2: Just the worst for Donna, just all hip thrust. 156 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: And the whole family's gathered around. 157 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 2: It was so humiliating. 158 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 3: I'm sure I got grounded for not only taping over 159 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 3: my cousin's graduation but also watching something that was highly 160 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 3: inappropriate for me at that time. 161 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: Today's snaffo is also kind of tech related. I want 162 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: to take you into a truly insane historical snaffoo. It's 163 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: a story that gets very dark, very fast. And I 164 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: mean that in every sense literally, figuratively, socio, politically, and 165 00:08:55,200 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: possibly even spiritually. Are you ready? Yes, it's July nineteen 166 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: seventy seven in the big appital Baby. That's right, disco 167 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: punk and rent you could actually afford. But it wasn't 168 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: all Studio fifty four and Skyline dreams. The city was 169 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: a bit of a mess. Unemployment was at twelve percent. 170 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: Subway fares had just doubled from twenty five cents to 171 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: a whopping fifty cents. What is it now, it's like 172 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 1: three dollars? Yeah, and thanks to budget cuts, city services 173 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: were pretty much in the toilet. Libraries, schools, sanitation, even 174 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: the NYPD had all taken major hits. Oh and just 175 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: to spice things up, the Son of Sam was still 176 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: on the loose. You're aware of that, all guy? Yeah, guy, 177 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: that all creep. The serial killer who claimed a demon 178 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: was speaking to him through a barking dog. So yeah, 179 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: it was a hell of a time in New York City. DESI, 180 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: this was New York at one of its most sort 181 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: of chaotic and volatile moments. But let's be real, the 182 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: city's always pretty intense. Do you thrive on that intensity? 183 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: Do you kind of find your own calm and the chaos? 184 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: Like what kind of New Yorker are you? 185 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I've had to kind of thrive. I've had to 186 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 3: adapt to it, that's for sure. But you know, if 187 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 3: you watch Fox News, they will tell you that it 188 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 3: is this sort of nineteen seventy seven version all day 189 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 3: just a city of hell. It's just a walking nightmare. 190 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 1: I don't know. 191 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 3: Yes, it's intense and it's chaotic, but I love it. Yes, 192 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 3: you have to be out in the middle of it. 193 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 3: You have to interact with other people, good or bad. 194 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 3: I was walking down the street with my dog the 195 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 3: other day and I look over and there was just 196 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 3: a guy selling my little ponies with a light bulb 197 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: coming out the top, just thirty of them on the street. 198 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 3: I thought, God, only in New York do you have 199 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 3: this kind of quirkiness out out And he was making 200 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 3: a killing. 201 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 2: People were buying him. 202 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: That's so funny because my only in New York story 203 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: is like seeing people like defecating in the middle of 204 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: Fifth Avenue. 205 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, well there's that too. I'm sorry about that, by 206 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 3: the way, I really had to go. 207 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: No, But I agree with you. I agree. I think 208 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: there's there's like something super special about the intensity of 209 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: New York and it kind of, I don't know, it 210 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: makes me feel creative, inspired, and also just knowing the 211 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: density of cultural history that has happened and transpired, like 212 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: all of the incredible people that have lived and thrived 213 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: in New York. It's just I just yeah, I love it. 214 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 3: I really miss it a magical place, even among all 215 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 3: the defication and masturbation on the subway, it's really it's 216 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 3: so special. 217 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: It is in spite of all that. Anyone who's ever 218 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: been to New York City during the dead of summer 219 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: knows that it is a particularly brutal time. But in 220 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy seven, it was next level brutal. The city 221 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: was in the grip of a record heat wave, with 222 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: temperatures hitting ninety seven degrees for nine straight days. So yeah, 223 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: the concrete jungle is basically like a concrete oven. Now, 224 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: I'm from Georgia, you're from Kentucky. We know a thing 225 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: or two about heat. But there's something uniquely punishing about 226 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 1: New York City summer. Right, as much as we love 227 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: New York like, it gets hard. 228 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 3: It's brutal because it's humid. It gets humid more so 229 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 3: than you think, and the buildings really trap it all in, 230 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 3: so you're just stuck in it and you can't escape 231 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 3: into your air conditioned car very easily because you don't 232 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 3: really drive in New York. 233 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: So can we talk about the smell? Can we talk 234 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: a little bit about the smell. It's like the trash 235 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: is just baking. It's like the trash cans are these 236 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: little ovens that bake everything. And then of course anything 237 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: any street runoff is like just cooking on the hot 238 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 1: asphalt and rising into the humidity. 239 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 2: Cooking up a stew. A city. 240 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's you're in there's even here where we film 241 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 3: at The Daily Show in Lovely Hell's Kitchen. We're in 242 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 3: between a subway restaurant which has the lovely aroma of 243 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,559 Speaker 3: baked bread, and on the other side are the horse stables, 244 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 3: so it's just horse shit and a little bit of 245 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 3: baked bread and then garbage, and you'reine smell from the 246 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 3: dom park across the street. Summer over here gets real, real, 247 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: interesting real quick. 248 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,319 Speaker 1: It's funny how consistent that smell is, Like every summer, 249 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: it's just the like, you know, like that's hot city 250 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: smell and it's not good, but weirdly, I'm just gonna 251 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: say it, it's kind of nostalgic. Now, it's like it's comforting. 252 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: It's like fresh cut grass, like it brings back memories. 253 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 3: Maybe we should start in Aroma company, Like we should 254 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 3: make a candle that has that New York summer smell, 255 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 3: and we could. We could go out with it. 256 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: You would sell city summer funk. 257 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: The fun, City summer funk, the city. 258 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 2: Sun, City summer fun. 259 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: I think it would sell. I'm not gonna say like 260 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: hot cakes. 261 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 2: I'm just throwing it out there. 262 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: I'll take it. Picture yourself in the middle of this 263 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: heat wave throughout the Five Burrows. It's the summer seventy seven. 264 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,359 Speaker 1: And remember in the seventies people wore a lot of polyester, 265 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: which is not exactly breathable or moisture wicking. So at 266 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: this point you might be saying, wow, this is like 267 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: pretty bleak already, and you'd be right. But we're just 268 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: sitting the stage here. We haven't even gotten to the snaffo. 269 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 3: Yet I'm sweating a little bit, can you tell? Can 270 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 3: you see I'm sweating? 271 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: Drink some water, stay hydrated, because here we go. Now 272 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: it's July thirteenth, nineteen seventy seven. To quote the Love 273 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: and Spoonful, it's hot time, summer in the city. And 274 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: as the sun goes down, the sky starts to churn, thick, 275 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: ominous clouds rolling in like they've got unfinished business. Storm's 276 00:14:55,800 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: a bruin, and not just any storm, a monster electrical storm. 277 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: At eight thirty seven PM, a massive bolt of lightning 278 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: strikes the Buchanan South substation in Westchester County, tripping two 279 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: critical circuit breakers. This lightning strike, combined with a loose 280 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: locking nut, and of course some delayed maintenance, prevented the 281 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: breakers from resetting, cutting off a major power source. Minutes later, 282 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: at eight fifty five pm, another lightning bolt strikes the 283 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: sprain Brook substation in Yonkers, knocking out two more vital 284 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: transmission lines. The system, already strained, begins to falter. Operators 285 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: at con Edison, the city's power provider, attempt to bring 286 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: additional generators online, but some were actually unmanned, like there 287 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: was nobody there and the others just failed to start remotely, 288 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: So by nine to twenty four pm, the situation had 289 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: deteriorated rapidly. The remaining power lines were overloaded, and the 290 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: city's largest generator, Ravenswood Unit number three, nicknamed Big Alice, 291 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: show down to protect itself from damage. Minutes later, nine 292 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: thirty six pm, the entire Coneedison system collapsed, plunging New 293 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: York City into darkness, and thus began what would become 294 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: known as the seventy seven Night of Terror. 295 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 3: What a perfect storm of a snaffoo, Just a series 296 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 3: of mishaps, one right after the next. 297 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: There's always in these snaffoos, there's always a lot of 298 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: human error. I mean these these obviously, like the lightning 299 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: is insane. This was like a really exceptional electrical storm. 300 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: But yeah, like there's always like somebody messing up. Not 301 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: enough maintenance was done. There was a loose nut somewhere. 302 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: Did you as a kid, did you like in the 303 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: South were familiar with big lightning storms? Oh yeah, did 304 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: you like a lightning storm? Oh it was kind of fun. 305 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 3: I mean I never liked having to come in from 306 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 3: being outside playing because back in those days we played outside. 307 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 2: Kids played outside. 308 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 1: I don't even know what you're talking about. 309 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 3: Yes, the younger the younger generation doesn't get it. 310 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: We played outside the rainstorms, like even through like electrical storms. 311 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: We didn't even we didn't care. 312 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 3: Our parents also so because in the South, a thunderstorm 313 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 3: would last sometimes like three and a half minutes and 314 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 3: then it would clear up. 315 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 1: You know. 316 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 2: We also had tornadoes. Did you have tornadoes? 317 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: We had very rare tornadoes. Did you did you like 318 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 1: when the power went out? 319 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 3: I remember I was in I was actually in New 320 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 3: York during Sandy, which was that was probably the closest 321 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 3: to like the seventy seven blackout, but similar, I mean, yeah, 322 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 3: And that was kind of that was terrifying. That was 323 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 3: such an eerie feeling to look outside and for sure 324 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 3: see darkness all the way down Bowery. 325 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 2: It was crazy. 326 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: Things were getting real spooky. Traffic lights stopped working all 327 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: over the city, Subway trains stopped moving, streets and stores 328 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 1: were pitch black all over town. At Shay Stadium, the 329 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,479 Speaker 1: Mets were losing two to one against the Cubs when 330 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: the lights went out in the bottom of the sixth inning. 331 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: Mets third basement Lenny Randall was up to bat and 332 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 1: later said, I thought to myself, this is my last 333 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: at bat. God is coming for me. Can you imagine, 334 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 1: like those lights are so bright right in those ballpark 335 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: stadiums and they just a yeah, like blackout, that would 336 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: be that must be jarring, terrifying. Yeah, there was a 337 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: pretty big problem right away responding to the power routage. 338 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: Many of the emergency personnel first responders, police officers, and 339 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: firefighters lived outside of the city in New Jersey, and 340 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: because of the blackout, they were unable to get into 341 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: the city. So things are about to go seriously off 342 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: the rails here. But for the record, I was in 343 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: NYC for the blackout of two thousand and three. No, 344 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 1: that's not true. I was not actually in the city. 345 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 1: I was on a daily show field Shute in two 346 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: thousand and three. I was in Birmingham, Alabama, on a 347 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: field shoot, and I was getting word that, like all 348 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: my friends were in this blackout in New York City. 349 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: Was funny because all I heard were these great stories 350 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: of like, oh, I met the love of my life, 351 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 1: or I had this incredible one night stand, like I 352 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: went I went out and had like, you know, some 353 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: potato chips on my stoop and met these traveling musicians 354 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: and we we traped around the city the serenading like 355 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: that sounded like such a wonderful blackout. This this is 356 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: about to go so so dark. Do you think New 357 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 1: York City is a good place or a bad place 358 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: for a disaster? 359 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 3: It's all the things, I think it really Yeah, I 360 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 3: think there's capacity for all of it, because there's just 361 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 3: so many different people in New York City and so 362 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 3: many but like the state of the world certainly plays 363 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 3: into that. 364 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: Definitely. That's huge, and that's gonna You're exactly right. The 365 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: state of the world is a major factor. So this 366 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: blackout happens, and at first the city holds its breath 367 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: in the darkness. But around ten PM, just a half 368 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: an hour after the lights went out, New Yorkers began 369 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 1: to emerge, and it didn't take long for things to 370 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: go from a sort of mild curiosity to completely spiraling 371 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:21,199 Speaker 1: out of control. Looting erupted across the city in neighborhoods 372 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: already strained by unemployment and economic hardship. To your point, 373 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: the blackout was a catalyst for unrest. Over the next 374 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: twenty five hours, more than sixteen hundred stores were damaged 375 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: or destroyed. Arsonists set over one thousand fires, overwhelming the 376 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: city's fire departments. Mostly it was a very dark time, 377 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: no pun intended. But there are a few anecdotes that 378 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: I dug up that revealed some dark irony. Here's what 379 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: I found in Time magazine. A teenage girl on the 380 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: Upper West Side lamented that some boys offered to help 381 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 1: carry her looted clothing and radios, but then ended up 382 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: running off with them. So she was quoted saying, that's 383 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: just not right. They shouldn't have done that. I love that. 384 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 2: Never trust a boy on the Upper West. 385 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: Side with your looted belongings, No, they will like the 386 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: looter got looted. There's some weird justice in that, I guess. 387 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: Does it freak you out how quickly like we just 388 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 1: as a society we can just unravel in something like that. 389 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 3: Really, it is like it's just just the second some 390 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 3: people have that opening. It's like now's my time, now's 391 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 3: my time. 392 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 2: Yeah. 393 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: It goes from yeah, you're like lighting candles one minute 394 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: and then it's just like full on purge vibes. Yeah. 395 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 3: I think if you're on the verge enough, if your 396 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 3: needs aren't being met, for whatever reason, Like you know, 397 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 3: if I was in a particular headspace, I might see 398 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 3: an opening. 399 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 2: Go you know what I'm gonna Let's put these candles down, 400 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 2: Let's go rob a bank. 401 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. It's like I have had trouble making ends meet 402 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: and getting enough groceries for my family for months. Now 403 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: I'm going to the grocery store to just get as 404 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: much as I can. 405 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,439 Speaker 2: Like, now's my chance. Everyone else is doing it? 406 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: Sure well, So we were talking about other blackouts. Just 407 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: twelve years before this blackout in nineteen sixty five, there 408 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: was another one that was much bigger, affected twenty five 409 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: million people compared to the one in seventy seven that 410 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: only affected only affected nine million only. But during that 411 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: sixty five blackout, City was totally calm, and historians think 412 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: this is because NYC was simply more stable economically and socially. 413 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixty five, people treated that blackout like like 414 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: it was just a weird snow day. But in nineteen 415 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: seventy seven the city was in full blown crisis, already 416 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 1: high unemployment, crime, budget cuts, all of that, and of 417 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: course the son of Sam just walking around. It's like, 418 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: you don't know, sir Sam could be like, in a blackout, 419 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: he could be right behind you. 420 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, totally, totally, that guy was everywhere. Fear is a 421 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 3: how full motivator? It really is. It can cause you 422 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 3: to do some crazy things. Not that we would know 423 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 3: anything about that today. 424 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: In any content. Politically, Yeah, I feel I thought that 425 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: you were about to just sort of like unravel the 426 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: tapestry of modern politics. 427 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 3: I'm like, are we in a metaphorical blackout now? Can 428 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 3: we not see what's right in front of us? Or 429 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 3: is that what's happening to us right now at this moment? 430 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: Do we feel like a metaphorical son of Sam is 431 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: stalking all of us right now? How do you think 432 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 1: New Yorkers today would would handle a blackout? 433 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 3: I was here during the pandemic the entire time. It 434 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 3: was such a scary time, in such an awful time, 435 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 3: and I vividly remember we open up our windows every 436 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 3: night at seven pm and people stuck their pots and 437 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 3: pans and banged on them to cheer on our healthcare 438 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 3: workers and to have that moment just once a day, 439 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 3: to hear New Yorkers come together and show some gratitude 440 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 3: and appreciation for the real. 441 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 2: Heroes doing the hard work. 442 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:16,639 Speaker 3: I mean, I like to think that New Yorkers, you know, 443 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 3: would would do the right thing and come together. Yeah, 444 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 3: but then they're the masturbators on the subway. 445 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 2: So I don't know. It could go either way. 446 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's but you're speaking to sort of the resilient 447 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: spirit of the city, which I also kind of appreciate 448 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: and I think is always under there somewhere, and it's 449 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: it's kind of worth rooting for that always. Anyway, twenty 450 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 1: five hours later, when the lights finally flickered back on, 451 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: the damage was staggering. Around forty five hundred arrests had 452 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: been made, and the estimated cost of the blackout was 453 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: three hundred and fifty million dollars, which is nearly two 454 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: billion dollars today. 455 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 3: Oh my god, think of all the sub subway rides 456 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 3: you could get with that. 457 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: I know, the lights may have only gone out for 458 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: twenty five hours, but the blackout had a big effect 459 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: on New York. That night brought national attention to some 460 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: of the systemic issues plaguing NYC, economic and otherwise. Many 461 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: citizens felt abandoned by their institutions with an absent and 462 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 1: rundown police force, but the blackout also reinforced the wider 463 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: narrative that New York was a declining city. It took 464 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: businesses a while to recover, and voters were ready for change. 465 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: So in November of nineteen seventy seven, New York voters 466 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: elected Ed Kotch as their new mayor. I think we 467 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: have a photo of old Ed Kotch. 468 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 2: There he is. 469 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 1: He looks. I don't know where that when that photo 470 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: was taken, like in his tenure as mayor or even 471 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: as a candidate, But man, he looks just he looks 472 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: worn out. 473 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: It's not going well, No, not going I mean that, 474 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 2: is there. 475 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: Any harder job than mayor of New York City. 476 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 3: It's got to be the hardest job and the most 477 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 3: I feel like the only job that is less appreciated 478 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 3: is the job of being a mother. It's just, oh, 479 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,439 Speaker 3: no one, no one ever likes the mayor, no one 480 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 3: everyone complains about the mayor. 481 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 2: The mayor is never doing It's just a thankless job. 482 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: But I would even say that just to compare the 483 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: epic heroism of motherhood to any job is doing a 484 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 1: disservice to mothers everywhere, especially especially to compare it. 485 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 2: To Ed Cotch. Just thankless, thankless. 486 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,360 Speaker 1: Kotch had already served in Congress for five terms, and 487 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: many people said he made them feel optimistic while the 488 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: city was still reeling, lifting New York out of that 489 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 1: seventies slump. Others say he balanced the city's budget, but 490 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,400 Speaker 1: mostly at the expense of low income communities. He began 491 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: a moreprehensive public housing system, put over a billion dollars 492 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 1: towards parks projects, and took Times Square from sleezy Central 493 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: Plaza to a tourist mecca that is still bustling today. 494 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 2: To a sleezy tourist mecca exactly. 495 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 1: I don't think Kotch totally unsleezed it. 496 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 2: No, still some sleez on that old Times Square. 497 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,959 Speaker 3: If I can never go to Times Square again, I 498 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 3: am I am a happy woman. I will go anywhere 499 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 3: else in New York. I have no interest in time. 500 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 3: Just the just the bodies, just all the especially in 501 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 3: the summertime, just the hot, hot bodies. 502 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: No. Also, the people walking around Times Square. They don't 503 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: know how to do New York. They don't know how 504 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: to walk fast and get out of the way. They 505 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: don't know how to j walk properly, you know, lab bag. 506 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 3: They're stopping and going and then you have all the 507 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 3: bright lights. Now it's all the screens, so people get distracted. 508 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 3: It's very blatant, runner stimulating. It's too much. 509 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: The vultures descended on kan Ed and the aftermath of 510 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 1: this blackout, looking for someone to blame for the night's chaos. 511 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy eight, the lawsuit Cotch versus con Edison 512 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: was filed. Though the case would drag out until nineteen 513 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 1: eighty two, a court eventually ruled that con Ed's gross 514 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: negligence was responsible for the big blackout. The Federal Power 515 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: Commission also accused the company of not employing emergency measures 516 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: efficiently after the lightning strike. Con Ed's president bit back, 517 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: saying that the events were quote so extraordinary that they 518 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: went beyond the design and capability of the system, and 519 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: that really nothing could have been done, But I'll leave 520 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: that up to you to decide. Uh fun fact Ed 521 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: Koch also made a cameo in Muppets Take Manhattan. 522 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 2: I loved that movie, right, That. 523 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: Was one of the gore. That's the one where Kermit 524 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: the Frog was riding a bicycle in Central Park and 525 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: you could see his frog legs peddling the bicycle and 526 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: I'm still like had like how they do in this 527 00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: age of like crazy cinematic, you know, like crazy animation, Like, 528 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: how the hell did they do that? 529 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 2: Oh my god? Oh that was such a good movie. 530 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 2: I think that was my intro to New York City. 531 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 2: Joan Rivers was in that movie. Oh what a great movie. 532 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: Amen. If you became mayor of New York City, does 533 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: he like itch, what would you do? What's the first 534 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: thing you would change? 535 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 3: I think I would make everyone who comes into New 536 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 3: York City learn how to walk on the street. That's 537 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 3: what I would do, a masterclass in walking. 538 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: It's sort of like to like there's a citizenship test, 539 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: but for New York City, there's like a tourist test, 540 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: Like you have to pass all these rules of etiquette 541 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 1: of New York City etiquette, which is so different from 542 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: like the rest of the world. 543 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 2: That's right. You got to keep your pace. 544 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 3: You have to have a healthy, healthy sense of boundaries 545 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 3: between you and other people. If you're going to stop 546 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 3: and look at your phone, you peel off, peel off 547 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 3: to the side, off to the shoulder of the sidewalk. 548 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: If you breach New York City like pedestrian etiquette, you 549 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: will get screamed at, and you better, you better just 550 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: roll with it, because. 551 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 3: That's how ridicule, that's how it works. You take it, 552 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 3: that's you take it. You get roasted to your face, 553 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,719 Speaker 3: and if you can't handle it, go to Jersey, Go 554 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 3: to the Jersey. Go to Jersey. 555 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: You get yelled at New York City, you are you 556 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: are legally required to forget about it. Forget about it, right. Sorry. 557 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 2: I think we could see we could fix New York. 558 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 3: I think we get we got we could have handled 559 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 3: this black We'd be a. 560 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: Good team in that in that Mayor's office for sure. 561 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 2: Totally, totally Daisy light. 562 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: That is that is the blackout of seventy seven, the 563 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: Night of terror. Any like macro takeaways here, reflections, ideas thoughts. 564 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 3: I think it's possible that we are having our own 565 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 3: blackout moment right now metaph forally, not literally. But we're 566 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 3: just not seeing anything right in front of us. That's 567 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 3: what That's that's been my big AHA moment, like, oh, 568 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 3: this is happening right now? 569 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 2: Where we what are facts? 570 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 3: What's even we're blind to what what's actually happening out 571 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 3: in the world? What is what is reality? 572 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 2: Right now? It's I took an. 573 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 3: Edible before I started hearing it, So I'm no, no. 574 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: But I actually think that's really keen and savvy. This 575 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: particular blackout happened at a time of unusual desperation among 576 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: New Yorkers, and that led to some pretty terrible outcomes 577 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: during the blackout. And I and I think it's a 578 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: it's a really clean metaphor for this moment of like 579 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: information overload and conspiracy theories, which are effectively a kind 580 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: of blackout because they're blurring what's maybe like a real 581 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: take a take on reality, like what's what's really happening? 582 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 3: You have fear as a huge motivator exactly, kind of 583 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 3: clouding your vision. Yeah, and when people's needs aren't being met, 584 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 3: that's when that's when people act out of desperation and 585 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 3: bad things happen. And when you don't feel like you 586 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 3: can trust your leaders to take care of you, or 587 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 3: your government, or the economy is failing, you can't put 588 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 3: food food. 589 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 2: On the table. 590 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's it can be a scary time. Well, 591 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 3: hopefully we aren't on the brink of that right now, 592 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 3: but I don't know, we'll see maybe something like. 593 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: Any it's literally like any minute now. Yeah, any that's 594 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 1: just like full Lord of the Flies. 595 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 2: I don't disagree. 596 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: I do think that there's just to kind of spin 597 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: it back around. On the positive note, the you know, 598 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: the city did emerge from this blackout, and as difficult 599 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: of a chapter as it was, it is also a 600 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: testament to the resilience of the city. And I kind 601 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 1: of feel like to your point about the broader metaphor 602 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 1: this moment that we're in nationally, I hope is something 603 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: that can as we sort of like push through the 604 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: darkness and the sort of siloed information bubbles that we're 605 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 1: all in, that that there is a kind of new 606 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: cohesion that rises out of it, a new sense of community, 607 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: like national community and national sort of how much we're 608 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: just interwoven and interdependent on one another. That that becomes 609 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: that that becomes like a point of pride instead of 610 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: like something to sort of shame and ridicule. I believe 611 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: in New York City. I'm just I'm such a believer 612 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: in the spirit of that city, and I'm a believer 613 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,239 Speaker 1: in our country. I'm still like this weird I'm just 614 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 1: like this dorky patriot. I just love love our country, 615 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 1: and I think we can. I think we can bring 616 00:33:58,440 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: it around. 617 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 2: I do too. I do too. 618 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 3: I'm hopeful. I'm right there with you, amen. And I 619 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 3: think it starts with our campaign for mayor of for 620 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:08,839 Speaker 3: co mayor. 621 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,280 Speaker 1: You and me, baby and me, Hey, we go forget 622 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: about it. That's our campaign's logan. Forget about it. You 623 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,799 Speaker 1: got troubles, forget about it, get about Bezie and Eddie 624 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,279 Speaker 1: are here all right, Besie Man, Thank you so so much. 625 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: This was an absolute blast. Keep crushing it. You're doing great. 626 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: Snafu is a production of iHeart Podcasts and Snaffo Media, 627 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: a partnership between Film Nation Entertainment and Pacific Electric Picture Company. 628 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: Our post production studio is Gilded Audio. Our executive producers 629 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 1: are me Ed Helms, Mike Falbo, Glenn Basner, Andy Kim Whitney, Donaldson, 630 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 1: and Dylan Fagan. This episode was produced by Alyssa Martino 631 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: and Tory Smith. Our video editor is Jared Smith. Technical 632 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:00,120 Speaker 1: direction and engineering from Nick Dooley. Our creative executive it 633 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 1: is Brett Harris. Logo and branding by the Collected Works. 634 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 1: Legal review from Dan Welsh, Meghan Halson and Caroline Johnson. 635 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: Special thanks to Isaac Dunham, Adam Horn, Lane Klein, and 636 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:16,280 Speaker 1: everyone at iHeart Podcasts, but especially Will Pearson, Kerry Lieberman, 637 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: Nikki Etoor, Nathan O'towski, and Alex Corral. While I have you, 638 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: don't forget to pick up a copy of my book, Snaffoo, 639 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 1: The Definitive Guide to History's Greatest screw Ups. It's available 640 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 1: now from any book retailer. Just go to Snaffoo dashbook 641 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks for listening, and see you next week.