1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to 2 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: the show Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always so much 3 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: for tuning in. There's our handsome devil of a super producer, 4 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: mister Max Williams. 5 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 2: Look at that man? Who's that man? 6 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: If you're wondering, I am still technically alive here on Thursday. Okay, 7 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: all right, all right, so we're gonna get We're gonna 8 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: get this done before Max does pass from this place. Yeah, 9 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: he's a perishable quantity. You are Noel Brown, I am 10 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: Ben Bowling, and we are in media arrests would be 11 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: the fancy way to say it. Well, we're halfway through 12 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: an exploration of something that I think means a lot 13 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: to a lot of people. 14 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and it should because it is such a fun 15 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 3: thing to do, to sing badly or goodly if that's 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 3: a word, with your close personal friends, or with strangers, 17 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 3: whatever floats your boat. And we're going to get into 18 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 3: all of those options in this second part of the 19 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: carry ok episode. 20 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: In Oi does get paid for in part of my pronunciation, 21 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: he does get paid for bringing this tape along, and 22 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: he gets paid the same as you would if you 23 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: were a touring percussionist. And this is where they get 24 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: the term carry okay translates from cara, which means empty 25 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: plus okay, which means orchestra. So empty orchestra. 26 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: Oh, it's so fascinating because it almost sounds like a 27 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: diss in a way, but it. 28 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: Just kind of means, like, you know, orchestra without people. 29 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 3: And this is really more a term used for the 30 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 3: concept of like singing along with these types of backing 31 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 3: accompaniment tracks. I don't know that they were necessarily referring 32 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 3: to it certainly wasn't branded as such, but the Juke 33 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 3: eight was the Juke eight. It wasn't the carryoke machine 34 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 3: or carryoke, So I believe the term was really more 35 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 3: referring to kind of the culture surrounding it. But just 36 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 3: to add a little bit of detail around the juke 37 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 3: ate what made it different from the Sparko Box. 38 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 2: It did involve that eight track player. 39 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 3: He actually pulled it for the prototype from a car stereo, 40 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 3: combined it with a microphone and amplifier, just like the 41 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 3: Sparko Box, but like I was talking about at the top, 42 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 3: added a reverb box, which in those days would have 43 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 3: been like a spring with a kind of contact microphone 44 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 3: attached to either end, So when the sound of the 45 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 3: microphone goes into that box with the spring, the spring 46 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 3: reverberates and the echo sound is then passed back into 47 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 3: the mixer, so you hear it as kind of like 48 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 3: an echo, super super interesting. You'll see it in like 49 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 3: guitar amplifiers and things of the time. But this also 50 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 3: the juke eight had a coin slot. This was a 51 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 3: coin operated machine, and the eight track tapes that were 52 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 3: used would have been loaded with like a lot of 53 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: the most requested songs of between nineteen sixty nine and 54 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy and on. But what really created the phenomenon 55 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 3: that would go on to be karaoke was again that 56 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 3: democratization of being able to express oneself musically, no matter 57 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 3: whether you're a good singer or not, and for all 58 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 3: intents and purposes, for that one shining moment or evening 59 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 3: to become a superstar, to kind of become a lead 60 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 3: singer of a band, being able to sort of stand 61 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 3: in for your favorite artist. 62 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: Here's what I love about karaoke as a phenomenon and 63 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: as indeed a cultural event. The number one fear, as 64 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: I said earlier, for a lot of people is public speaking, 65 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: and oftentimes most people feel that they are not heard 66 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: right and they feel like everybody else is continually focused 67 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: on themselves, which is unfortunately often true when I show 68 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: up to these places. I'm there in a public event, 69 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: like in a Western version, because I like clapping, I 70 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: like supporting people. I'm also very good at clapping. 71 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 2: So this is. 72 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: This is a gift, yes with both hands. So that's 73 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: like you know, two different people at this point. But 74 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: this hits again, as I said earlier, a universal appeal. 75 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: It helps people learn about themselves, and I would say 76 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: it helps people support each other. Now, sing alongs in 77 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 1: some version, as the research Earli or established, have existed 78 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: across civilizations. They were a way of encoding history for 79 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: quite some time. But now we're in the era of capitalism. Right, 80 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: people have to make money. They have a profit motive, 81 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: and this maybe max if we could get a bit 82 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: of a sad music, not a wompwomp, but just like 83 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: a bittersweet thing. H perfect and know we Unfortunately, like Nigishi, 84 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: made almost no money from his innovation, but larger companies 85 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: were listening. 86 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: The streets were watching. 87 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, the streets were a buzz all at Twitter. 88 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 2: He only owned a single patent for. 89 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 3: A time relating to karaoke, which would have been these 90 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 3: like binders, kind of these plastic covered song books, which, 91 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 3: based on our discussions Ben and Max of patents, that's 92 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 3: not particularly novel or unique, Like I'm kind of intrigued 93 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 3: as to how one could patent a bound plastic book 94 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 3: of songs. 95 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: It was a different time. 96 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: I guess it was a different time. 97 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 3: The funniest thing though, is I don't know that there 98 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 3: was a patent for this, but he did make some 99 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 3: money from kind of I guess a pesticide that he created. 100 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, he became an ad guy. He became an ass 101 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: scene on TV kind of dude, like, hey, you know 102 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: me from earlier. I love two things, you know, singing 103 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: with other people's music and killing vermin And that's that's 104 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: what he was marketing. Like the way they framed it was, 105 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: I have created the carry okay box, and I'm super 106 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:09,119 Speaker 1: mad at roaches and rats because they mess with the wires. Yeah, 107 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: the the vermin or the natural enemy of the carryok 108 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: And then he gets to he gets to this increasingly 109 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: this is weird because it's more modern culture thing. But 110 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: he gets to this increasingly halcyon position of niche celebrity. 111 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: A television channel based out of Singapore finds him and 112 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: platforms him in nineteen ninety six, which has just past 113 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: the cutoff of Ridiculous History, and he is now now 114 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: he's on this TV channel. And guys, if you haven't 115 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: seen if you haven't seen TV in Singapore, you must 116 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: go to YouTube. I'm sure you can find it somewhere. 117 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: This channel was all Krarryok. It was all people doing karaoke, 118 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: often in costume as Western icons of old. 119 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 3: One hundred percent. And I love that you mentioned Ben, 120 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 3: that he was sort of rediscovered. I guess in nineteen 121 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 3: ninety six, well after karaoke had been fully established as 122 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 3: a phenomenon, you know, a cultural kind of thing. And 123 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 3: in this piece for Time Asia, the writer interviews in 124 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 3: Oa and he gives this delightful quote of his legacy. 125 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 3: I guess we're pretending to karaoke. He says, I am 126 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 3: its natural parent, but having given birth to Carryok, I 127 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 3: abandoned it. 128 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: And here in the Ridiculous History cinematic universe picture a 129 00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 1: zoom out, a nice fade, we settle upon the escape 130 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: of Japan, not Tokyo, you know, not Osaka, not necessarily Kyoto, 131 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: just a smaller town where you have folks getting together 132 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: for little parties. On the weekend, someone gets married, there's 133 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: another social event, and what do they do when they 134 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: all hang out? They try to enjoy something together. And 135 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:30,599 Speaker 1: that is where Carrie Okay finds its first modern audience, 136 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: because you know, people again, public speaking being a very 137 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: real fear for a lot of folks. You've got like imagine, 138 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: you know, you're the you're the father of the bride, 139 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: you're the father of the groom or whatever. And one 140 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: time when your kid, who is now an adult, one 141 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: time when that kid was six years old, you did 142 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: an absolutely bonkers version of the bird is the word. 143 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: And now it's now you have to do it in 144 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 1: front of your old and your new family. So there's 145 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: this accessibility, there's a I would say, there is a 146 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: unifying affection involved, and so there is with this in mind, 147 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: there is no surprise that Annoy's idea or multiple people's 148 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: ideas spread throughout Japan and then across the world because 149 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: it's a fun thing. Like imagine, you know, in the 150 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: days before social media and streaming video and God saved 151 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: me for saying it. Before podcast people would hang out 152 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: and try to figure out fun stuff to do with 153 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: each other, like playing cards and carry okay, fulfills that need. 154 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 3: Oh man, Ben, you brought Matt Frederick and I am 155 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 3: att our co host on that stuff that I want 156 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 3: you to know back from your travels, some of the original, 157 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 3: like I guess, replicas of the original product that Nintendo created, 158 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 3: which was playing cards. It's just interesting, you know, at 159 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 3: one point the idea of like playing cards or a 160 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 3: game like that is a spiritual successor to technology or 161 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 3: is I guess technology. 162 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: For all intents and purposes? 163 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 3: I mean to me, the predecessor to carry okay and 164 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 3: this craze would be the old days of singing along 165 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 3: with the radio, gathered around the family den, you know, 166 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 3: or a fixture in every home you know, in the past, 167 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 3: like in the you know, seventeen eighteen hundreds and before 168 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 3: even was a piano, and most everybody would have been 169 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 3: expected to learn how to play the piano. And there 170 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 3: were all of these songbooks that were marketed specifically for 171 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 3: having sing alongs at home. But I don't know, Bend, 172 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 3: do you see what I mean when I'm talking about 173 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 3: that kind of the very short leap from Nintendo making 174 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 3: card games to making technology based games video games. 175 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: Sure, yeah, because again they have the infrastructure, and that 176 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: that's what Nagishi and Anue are pursuing right There also is, 177 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: to an even earlier point, the idea of singing in 178 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: terms of a motive expression and communication. We have to 179 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: remember that for many cultures, in ancient ancient days, way 180 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: before ridiculous history, for many cultures, singing was a way 181 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: to encode oral history. So you are moving somehow beyond time. 182 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 1: It's like when you read a good book, there is 183 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: a dead person communicating with you directly. It's the author. 184 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: It's nuts that no one thinks about that, But I 185 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: would say it's also nuts that Annoe did not receive 186 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: his right recompense for his invention. But he did, and 187 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: you found this He did in two two thousand and 188 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: four get a a kind of award. 189 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 2: Kind of yeah. 190 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 3: I think we've talked about this on the show before, 191 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 3: and certainly I think my first time I remember hearing 192 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:12,839 Speaker 3: about it was on Stuff to Blow your Mind, a 193 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 3: podcast that you work with closely, Ben. The Ignobel Prize Award, 194 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 3: which I guess Ignoble it's sort of a spin on 195 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 3: the Nobel Prize, a parody of that very important prize 196 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 3: given to you know, great thinkers and peacemakers and when 197 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 3: what have you influential people. But this is usually given 198 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 3: to people who invented something like that's considered really. 199 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:39,479 Speaker 2: Stupid, which I think is unfair in this context. 200 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 3: But it what did recognize him to quote the ceremony 201 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 3: for his contributions to making quote people first laugh and 202 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 3: then think. 203 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: And to be clear, the Ignoble Awards, they started in 204 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one, and we would call them satire. There 205 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,599 Speaker 1: are Sracle Award, you know, they're they're kind of a 206 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: pinch on the cheek an at a boy at the 207 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: the fancy pants over from the Nobel crew. Also, the 208 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: Nobel Prize is entirely made because a guy felt guilty 209 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: about inventing dynamite. Forget the Ignoble Prize. Of what I 210 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: would say, and I love that you included the quote 211 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: there about laughing and then thinking, Uh, all good satire 212 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: comes from a place of deep affection, you know. So 213 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: the so just to be clear, the Ignoble folks aren't 214 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: really pooping on this guy. They're they're having fun. It's 215 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: like if uh, you know what it's like when John 216 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 1: Stewart on The Daily Show used to shout out Arby's 217 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: in the most hilarious, really mean, satirical way. It was 218 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: one of the best things that happened to Arby's, you know. 219 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 2: And now sure great free marketing. Yeah, they have the meats, 220 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: they do have the meats. 221 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 3: I guess one connection that I would make could be 222 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 3: sort of like what the Razzies are to the Oscars. 223 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: The Ignoble Prize is to the Nobel Prize. 224 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 3: But also the Razzies, while sometimes more mean spirit than others, 225 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 3: also does come from a bit of a place of affection, 226 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 3: I would argue. So there's actually another name we haven't mentioned, 227 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 3: this guy named Kisoboru Takiji, who was the director of 228 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 3: a company in Japan that was one of the first 229 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 3: big distributors of jukeboxes. Also, again, in an example historically 230 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 3: prevalent example of parallel thinking, combined his jukeboxes with a microphone, 231 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 3: eight track and what's called a magnetophone, which I think 232 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 3: is just a type of speaker. But since we're talking 233 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 3: about technology, you know, there was of course going to 234 00:15:55,680 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 3: be evolution in the technology of karaoke. That further democratized 235 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 3: it in terms of like who had access to this stuff. 236 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and a magnetophone does not have the E at 237 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: the end. It's M A G N E t OPHO 238 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: N no E at the end. It's the first real 239 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: tape recorder. 240 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 2: Okay, got it? So not a speaker. The speaker was 241 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: its own thing. 242 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 3: So instead of using eight track, it was using kind 243 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 3: of like magnetic tape. That makes sense, And that was early, 244 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 3: So that is already an evolution of the technology of karaoke, 245 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 3: going from these sort of more rudimentary eight tracks to 246 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 3: something a little bit more adaptable. 247 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 2: I mean, a tracks is magnetic tape too. But we 248 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 2: really started to. 249 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 3: See from the nineteen seventies on with the success of 250 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 3: the kind of original juke eight machines. Between nineteen seventy 251 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 3: six and seventy seven, we started to see big companies 252 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 3: that you've probably heard of, record labels, even companies like 253 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 3: Tashiba and labels like Columbia and Polydor starting to mass 254 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 3: produce karaoke stuff. And then in the eighties further democratized 255 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 3: it with the advent of video cassettes and VCRs and 256 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 3: then CDs of course from Sony and other Japanese company. 257 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,360 Speaker 3: You started to see people being able to do their 258 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 3: own karaoke setups at home and not having to go 259 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 3: to bars. 260 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: It democratizes, it democratizes access to the technology for the public. 261 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: But it, I would say, does not democratize access to 262 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: opportunity for the inventors, because the big boys stepped in 263 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: and they did the right thing. When you know, when 264 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: Pioneer and Sony and Toshiba and Colombia and you know, 265 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: all the hits, when those guys stepped in, they provided 266 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: something I've been talking about since the beginning of this series, 267 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: the infrastructure which always bedeviled these inventors. We also see, 268 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 1: who pointed out earlier knowl with this the emergence of 269 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: themed hangout spots like not not just a cafe that 270 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,479 Speaker 1: might occasionally have karaoke, not a not a grocery store 271 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: where someone is moved by the spirit and needs you 272 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: to hear their interpretation of, you know, nightmare before Christmas. 273 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: But we see we see venues specifically created for the 274 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: purpose of engaging in karaoke. 275 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that really is I think the what we 276 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 3: see here in the States in terms of like karaoke 277 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:43,679 Speaker 3: bars are largely modeling after the style and aesthetic and 278 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 3: sort of function of the ones that were originally created 279 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 3: in Asia, which are much more these private room things. 280 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 3: It's not just a bar like the local where they 281 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 3: do karaoke on Wednesday nights on a stage that they 282 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 3: use for other stuff, you know, or they'll have DJs 283 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: and stuff. This is a specialized venue or restaurant slash 284 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 3: bar that has private rooms that often have things like 285 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 3: soundproofing and individual systems with wireless microphones. Now, not to mention, 286 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 3: and we haven't even talked about this, but in Asian 287 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 3: karaoke again again which is largely translated over to the 288 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 3: way things are done here, amazing background videos often in 289 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 3: these songs, where it'll be like it looks like a 290 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 3: pharmaceutical ad. Sometimes it'll be just like a happy couple 291 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 3: frolicking through a Wizard of Oz level poppy field kind 292 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 3: of with like psychedelic things happening in the sun. Might 293 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 3: be like a baby like in the Teletubbies or whatever. 294 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 3: So that's another aspect of the culture of karaokes, all 295 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 3: of these crazy cool background videos that are filmed, you know, 296 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 3: to have something visual to look at. 297 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 2: Behind the flashing lyrics. 298 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 3: I guess we didn't really even mention that because originally 299 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 3: there was no visual component to these machines. Tech just 300 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 3: wasn't there. So what became the true democratizer of carryok 301 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 3: was having that sink sound video component like the bouncing ball. 302 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: Yes, nice book in there. We also see what we 303 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: call a trend in the zeitgeist because people want to 304 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: hang out and do fun stuff together. People want to 305 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: feel that they have overcome a fear of public performance 306 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: or speaking and get some agilation. That's a very human 307 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: thing to do. It becomes mainstreamed, especially in the US 308 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: in the nineteen nineties, when we see things like carry 309 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: okay fund centers, and then when you go to mass media, 310 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: you see a show that I'm gonna be honest, fellow 311 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: ridiculous historians. I absolutely loved the first season of Glee. 312 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 1: I liked how they would just burst into song. 313 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 2: I most I thought it was a delightful show. 314 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 3: So yeah, but the things like that that infiltrated the 315 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 3: zeit Guy's kind of made singing cool again in a way, 316 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 3: and not that you know, outside of like being a 317 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 3: pop star, because let's be honest, I mean karaoke has 318 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 3: not always had the greatest rap in terms of like 319 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 3: it's it's kind of been poo pooed a little bit 320 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 3: in the past in terms of being sort of like 321 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 3: dorky or something, you know, or like some kind of 322 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 3: lame activity that only like untalented people participate in. But 323 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 3: because of things like Glee TV musical shows, it kind 324 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 3: of became cool again in a way, So I think 325 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 3: there's a lot to be said for that. Companies and 326 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 3: platforms on the internet as well spring up a lot 327 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 3: of the places here in Atlanta that do karaoke. 328 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 2: They just do it off of YouTube. 329 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 3: If you google any song karaoke version, you can find 330 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 3: it and you can totally do that at home. And 331 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 3: if you have a setup where you just have like 332 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 3: a little microphone and a speaker and a projector or 333 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 3: a tea, you can run your own karaoke right from 334 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 3: your living room. Karaoke bars also evolved into these kind 335 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 3: of cultural institutions where we started to see competitions emerged. 336 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 3: There is a company called Karaoke World Championship that is 337 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 3: the biggest and most prestigious. This is from their website 338 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 3: directly Global Talent Competition and singing event that brings together 339 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 3: singers from all over the world and as an opportunity 340 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 3: for aspiring singers to show their amazing talents to the 341 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,959 Speaker 3: world and to give the crowd an unforgettable experience. 342 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: Unforgettable can also mean a lot of things. 343 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 2: Sure can't. 344 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: It's like saying appreciate, but you know what I love 345 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: And I may be on my own here. I am 346 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: so proud of people when they cross that rubicon, right, 347 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: when they bridge that gap and overcome their fear and 348 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: have a good time singing right. Perfect is the enemy, 349 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: the nemesis of good, right or workful, and so I 350 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: love you know honestly, fellow ridiculous historians. The one thing that. 351 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 4: I would caution you on is please, please, please please 352 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 4: please be very careful and mindful if you think about 353 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 4: performing hip hop as as Carrie. 354 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 1: Okay, just be very careful which words were not saying not. 355 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 1: I'm not here to clip creative wings. I believe in you, 356 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: you specifically you, I got your back, I got your 357 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: six Just think through it, you know what I mean, 358 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: Because not a good look. 359 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 3: Especially when people are videoing you and then you're kind 360 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 3: of Karen saying the N word and Kendrick Lamar video 361 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 3: surfaces on the internet. 362 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: You know, I didn't think. I didn't even think about 363 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: that part until you brought it up. I'm thinking more 364 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:08,640 Speaker 1: about the the tricky cagence, well, the fact that it's 365 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 1: lyrics first. But I see what you're saying. 366 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 2: There, tread lightly in that respect. 367 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 3: But man, you know, of course, the early days of 368 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 3: karaoke were much more japan centric and Asia centric, but 369 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 3: it did of course spread globally, and now we've got 370 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 3: things like this global competition and apps and all of 371 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 3: the stuff that you can use to do all this 372 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 3: stuff right from your living room. Today, karaoke is a 373 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 3: ten billion dollar industry, with still just a pretty small percentage, 374 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 3: about ten percent of that coming from the United States, 375 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 3: and modern karaoke has seen a big old resurgence again 376 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 3: thanks to some of the kind of singing shows and 377 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 3: apps and all that further democratization through technology and really 378 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:58,400 Speaker 3: has evolved into a genuine global phenomenon. There are, though 379 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 3: challenges a little bit about this off air, Ben, I've 380 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 3: always thought, why isn't there a karaoke reality show, a 381 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 3: karaoke competition TV show? And I guess you could argue 382 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 3: that's kind of what American idol is. But it's really 383 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 3: it sort of is because I guess the you know, 384 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 3: early tryouts are you. 385 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 2: Know, usually a little more entertaining in a kind of 386 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 2: bad way. Uh. 387 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 3: But there are copyright issues to contend with. It's very 388 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 3: expensive to clear all this music. And if I'm not mistaken, 389 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 3: you do have to technically have a license agreement with 390 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 3: the major publishers. 391 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, to broadcast it, that's the that's the bedeviling thing. 392 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 3: Well, even to play it in your bar though, like 393 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 3: like venue owners, there is a separate agreement that has 394 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 3: to be filed in order to even play popular music 395 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 3: in a bar. 396 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, karaoke is serious business. Before we close, I want 397 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: to I want to mention on one crazy story. This 398 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 1: is a warning for anybody going to the Philippines. Be 399 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: careful with your Sinatra because people will murder you if 400 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: you sing Frank Sinatra wrong. 401 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: Philippines because they just love him so much. 402 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's difficult to figure out. I'd like 403 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: to for anybody wants to learn more. I'd like to 404 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 1: shout out our pal Henri Ichimura, who wrote a great 405 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: article on this for Esquire. How Frank Sinatra's song my 406 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: Way triggered Filipino carry okay killings. What we see is 407 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: that my way. Of course, everybody knows my way. Max 408 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: is always humming my way, right, I. 409 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,360 Speaker 2: Did it my way that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 410 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,239 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna do it now, So you don't have 411 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 1: the rights on air. But but I can bang with 412 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: that one. So the problem is that people in the 413 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: Philippines got I think, un fairly profiled. Like look, the 414 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: Philippines loves carryok. Everybody kind of loves carryok. But uh, 415 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: they got profiled as folks who were very sensitive about 416 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: Sinatra because in two thousand and seven, the security guard 417 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: at a carryoke bar shot a guy for singing my 418 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 1: Way off key. 419 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 2: Uh. 420 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 1: He told him to stop singing. The guy didn't stop singing, 421 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: and then the security guard shot him. And this is 422 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: just one of multiple, uh, multiple instances of Sinatra associated 423 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:43,719 Speaker 1: carryok murders. 424 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 3: I had no idea, Ben, that's pretty wild. I will 425 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,879 Speaker 3: definitely keep that, keep that in mind. 426 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 2: Just go with you, go with your earlier. 427 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 1: They don't for meat loaf, that will They'll be amazing. Yeah, 428 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 1: they'll think you're just freestyling that one. 429 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 3: You know, you know, what it would be like, though, honestly, 430 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 3: it's sort of like when you eat the like fugu fish, 431 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 3: you're really rolling the dice there as to whether or 432 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 3: not you're gonna get poisoned. This would be like, you 433 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 3: know what, maybe I'm good enough to sing my way 434 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 3: in the pips in. 435 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: The challenge, just give it a go. 436 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 1: Also fugu, I'll say it. 437 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 2: It's food. It's not that great. It's like numb you 438 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 2: up a little bit, is it really? 439 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 3: Is it largely exaggerated the idea that it will kill 440 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,199 Speaker 3: you dead if you eat the wrong piece it. 441 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: The fish itself can kill people. It is dangerous. But 442 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 1: now in twenty twenty four, if a chef is making 443 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: it for you, it's fine. Yeah, you're just you're paying 444 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: a lot for you know, the flex for sure caveat gig. 445 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: But speaking of flexes, no, this is one thing. We've 446 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: been working on this one for a while and this 447 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: is one thing that really stood out to me. I 448 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: can't remember whether or not I texted you on the 449 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 1: day of, but while we were all kind of cooking 450 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: in the lab on the idea of Carrie OK, our 451 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: buddy Nagishi, the dude who just wanted to prove to 452 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: his colleague that he could sing. He passed away and 453 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: he was one hundred years old. 454 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 2: Dude, what a boss. 455 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 3: Didn't Jimmy Carter just turn one hundred and he's like 456 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 3: the first president to live to one hundred. 457 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: As of October of this year, you know, knock on wood, 458 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: et cetera, James Carter will be one hundred years old. 459 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: We can only hope that happens. I'll tell you one 460 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 1: of my favorite quotes about this guy, and Max can agree. 461 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 1: As a presidential history nerd, Jimmy Carter was maybe not 462 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: the best president, we always say, but he was one 463 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: of the best men to ever be president. 464 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 3: Great guy, great philanthropy, habitat for humanity. 465 00:29:59,000 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: Still guy. 466 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, sorry, we're not talking about Jimmy Carter. 467 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 3: We're talking about Shaigaichi Nigishi, who was that original electronics 468 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 3: factory entrepreneur who, to your point, Ben, decided to create 469 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 3: a device to make it okay for people to sing badly, 470 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 3: to make it Carrie Okay. 471 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 2: Hey, Carrie like Gary a tune? Okay, I love it both. 472 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: We're bringing it all back together. 473 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 3: Nigishi did die of natural causes on January twenty sixth 474 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 3: of this year twenty twenty four. We've been thinking about 475 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 3: this one for a hot minute, and today Japan alone 476 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 3: has more than eight thousand different karaoke facilities and thousands 477 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 3: of bars, snack bars, you know, pubs, restaurants that provide 478 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 3: customers with the opportunity to live out Nigishi's dream. 479 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: Of talking trash dear co workers and say it just 480 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: let me get a percussion track on the back here. 481 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 3: Well, you know, I mean, it takes all kinds. 482 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: I love it. 483 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 2: I love it. 484 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: Also if you've never been to there are different, you 485 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: know genres of carryok establishments and venues. A lot of 486 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: them here in the West are going to be you know, 487 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: some other business that has a carryoka night, so there's 488 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: a big public atmosphere. 489 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 4: Uh. 490 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: There are dedicated uh carryok centered venues where you go 491 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: and you rent a room by the hour, and the 492 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: cool ones give you snacks the longer you stay. That's 493 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: just a little a little pro tip there, and the 494 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 1: uh the other ones. You know, you'll have live bands 495 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: that have a repertoire of songs. 496 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 2: There's one here in Atlanta called Mettlesome. 497 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: Mill Monday right right, And those things are also amazing uh, 498 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: we hope that you check it out there. This this 499 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: reminds me so I rewatched Breaking and one of my 500 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: favorite things about Breaking Bad is a chemist named Gail. 501 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: This is not a spoiler, al Betteker he had absolutely, 502 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: absolutely is awesome at Carryok has got all these songs. 503 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 1: It's a it's a bright point in a dark time, 504 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: and maybe that's what draws people to Carryok. Oh, well 505 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: said Bet. And the way the way it's depicted in 506 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: Breaking Bad. If I'm not mistaken, it. 507 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 3: Does have some of those wacky video backgrounds, and I 508 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 3: think he's doing that song Earth be Low the sort 509 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 3: of answer to Major Tom, ground control to Major Tom. 510 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 2: Such a fun song. 511 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 3: But man Ben, speaking of a fun song, I guess 512 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 3: this this has been a fun ridiculous history song. 513 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 2: I don't know. I'm grasping a straws here. Help me out, 514 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 2: all right? 515 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: Well, thanks as always to our super producer mister Max Williams. Thinks, 516 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: of course, to Alex Williams who compose this slap and bop. 517 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: Might be nice to write a song with this as 518 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: a backing track. What would our lyrics be? 519 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 2: Let us know. 520 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,080 Speaker 1: You can find us on Facebook at Ridiculous historians. I 521 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: don't know if it's a good idea to say that, 522 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 1: but you know, let's see what people come up with. 523 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 3: Crowdstores did maybe you know, please give us your creations 524 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,479 Speaker 3: and just one last little tiny thing before you go. 525 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 3: Is one positive aspect of AI and all of this 526 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 3: is it is much easier now more than ever, to 527 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 3: remove vocals from a recording using apps that are out 528 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 3: there that use machine learning, and it's pretty wild. It 529 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 3: used to be completely impossible and now it is something 530 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 3: that you can do. So you can kind of take 531 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 3: any of your favorite songs and make a karaoke version 532 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 3: out of it. You just just google whatever the top 533 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 3: apps are that do that. I think the good ones 534 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 3: cost maybe a couple bucks, but they're wildly effective. 535 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: And thanks of course to Rachel Big Spinach Lands, the 536 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: world expert on underwater explosion. Thanks to our pal aj 537 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: Bahamas Jacobs. Thanks to Actually I gotta I gotta reach 538 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:09,800 Speaker 1: out to him about this. Thanks to our pal Jonathan 539 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: Strickland aka the quizter. Who o God, I have seen 540 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,280 Speaker 1: I feel like I've seen the man murder some karaoke. 541 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, he's a great singer, big musical theater guy, 542 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 3: We'll see you next time, folks. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 543 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 3: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 544 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 3: to your favorite shows.