1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: Guess what, mango, what's that? Will? So I was reading 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: this article on Saddam Hussein and all of his body doubles, 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: and supposedly he sent them out to do TV appearances 4 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: or speeches, and you know, sometimes he'd even send them 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: out to meet ambassadors from other countries. So how did 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: people know he was using body doubles? Well, people in 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: a rat could tell because nobody loved his close ups 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: more than Saddam Hussein, and he'd insists that the press 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: with zoom in on his face so that they could 10 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: get his full handsomeness in the frame. But when his 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: body doubles were giving televised speeches, it was always this 12 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: super distant, wide angle shot, no close up. So I mean, 13 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: it's pretty obvious after a while of that, I'm guessing. 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: But then you've also got this first person account from 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: one of the decoys his sons used. So his sons 16 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: were using decoys to yeah, and the job sounded awful. 17 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: So not only did the doubles have to hang out 18 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: with these idiot psychopaths, but one of them said he 19 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: was shot not once, but twenty six times on the job, 20 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: all during these failed assassination attempt But apparently it was 21 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: never bad enough that he couldn't be patched up and 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: sent right back out again. That's horrible, I know. I mean, 23 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: it's got to be the worst job in the world. 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: And so he's a human rights lawyer somewhere in Europe 25 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: and his life is obviously improved since then. But the 26 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: whole thing made me wonder, what are some of the 27 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: other candidates for the world's worst job, and what are 28 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: some other careers you're busy town books never told you 29 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: about as a kid. And that's what today's show is 30 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: all about. Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson 31 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: and as always I'm joined by my good friend Man 32 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: Guesh I Ticketer and the man behind the soundproof glass 33 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: rest like a paper boy from the nineteen twenties is 34 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: our good pal Tristan McNeil. He's always committed. Tristan. We 35 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: don't need a paper We've got phones. Okay, alright, so 36 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: so go I know you and I feel lucky to 37 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,279 Speaker 1: have this weird job that we do where we basically 38 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: get to read things and then talk to each other 39 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: about them. I mean, how weird is it that this 40 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: is our job? Now? I know, it's the best and uh, 41 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: and then we got to spend this whole week on 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: the job just researching other people's terrible jobs is pretty great. Actually, 43 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: I forgot to mention this to you. I I googled 44 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: worst jobs, and one of the first things that came 45 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: up was a list of Steve Jobs being terrible to 46 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: other people, like like him yelling at a Whole Foods 47 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: cashier for supposedly overcharging him by a quarter, or how 48 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: he used to recruit talented people by telling they hadn't 49 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: achieved anything in their life, so you know, maybe they 50 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: should come work for him. Well, maybe we should do 51 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: a worse Steve Jobs episode down the road. But uh, 52 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: but let's get back to regular job. So I I 53 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: was talking to my friend who's this cultural theorist, and 54 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: he was talking about the way Europeans used to think 55 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: about work and the way Americans still think about it, 56 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: and how different those two are. What do you mean 57 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: by that? So, I mean this is all getting blurred 58 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: now with technology and whatever. But he was reading this 59 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: Italian sociologist's book from the nineteen eighties, and the author 60 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: was making this argument that in America, you're supposed to 61 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: get enjoyment out of your job, Like there's this tremendous 62 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: emphasis placed on doing what you love, right, I mean, 63 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: that's that's the ideal, I guess. And and his point is, 64 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: like your life revolves around your work. Your work friends 65 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: are some of your closest friends, and you might hang 66 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: out with them at night. You keep your cell phone 67 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: by your bed in case there's a work emergency. You 68 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: plan your life and your vacations around your work. And 69 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 1: your work, in many ways, is actually your identity. It's 70 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: who you are. Yeah, you know. It's the first thing 71 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: people ask whenever you meet somebody. And as much as 72 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: I tell myself not to do this, I can't help it. 73 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: When I meet somebody, the first thing I asked them 74 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: is like, so what do you do? And I guess 75 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,839 Speaker 1: in reality it's it's often the least interesting thing about 76 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: a person exactly. But his point was that in Germany 77 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: and Italy and these other places, the culture was very 78 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: much like once you leave work, you leave your work 79 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: there and you leave to live your passion. So whether 80 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: that's going out to shows or spending your time woodworking 81 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: or bling in photography or whatever. And your friends aren't 82 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: necessarily your work friends, but your friends from that life. 83 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: It's like the separate hidden life, and the people at 84 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: work might not even know these more colorful aspects of 85 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: who you are. Yeah, And you know it's interesting because 86 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: if your job is something you're just doing to make 87 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 1: good money, you know, maybe being I don't know, say, 88 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: like a whales snot collector isn't such a bad thing. 89 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's what you do to live comfortably, 90 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: but it's not the reason you wake up every single morning, right, 91 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: So I mean, I guess you have to like it 92 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: enough to do it every day, but will it's not 93 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: collecting that sounds like a job No guidance counselor has 94 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 1: ever tried to sell me on, so I want you 95 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: to tell me about it. Well, my mom was a 96 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: guidance counselor and she never mentioned this one to me, 97 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: So you're right about that. But it's not the sort 98 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: of thing most kids grow up dreaming they want to be. 99 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: But it's actually a really important job. So I'm curious 100 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: what you actually do, because I'm guessing it's more intense 101 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: than just holding up this like giant Kleenex in the 102 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: ocean and tickling a whale under their nose. No, that's 103 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: pretty much it. It is a little more involved in that. 104 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: And and here's why it's even a job. So it's 105 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: really hard to collect blood from a whale. Their skin 106 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: is super thick and they're they're not easy to wrangle 107 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: or keep still. I don't know if you've ever tried 108 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: to wrangle whale before. It's pretty difficult. Sometimes scientists have 109 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: used darts for their biopsies, but they can only get 110 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: a few samples a day by doing something like that, 111 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: and that's after a ton of effort. So I'm wondering, like, 112 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: couldn't you just study the blood samples of whales that 113 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: have washed ashore or like those that are in captivity. Yeah, 114 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess so, but it's not a great 115 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: way to understand and monitor the wild population. So Karina 116 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: Asaveta white House, she's the scientist with the Zoological Society 117 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: of London, she came up with a much more effective way. 118 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: You know, since she couldn't get ahold of any blood sample, 119 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: she realized not was the next best thing. I never 120 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: actually thought about whales not before. I don't know if 121 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: you had to just I didn't even know they made it. 122 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: But anyway, so so this is the crazy part. She 123 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: started tying herself to a boat, leaning over whales blowholes 124 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: with a Petri dish and then trying to collect the 125 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: gunk whenever they sneezed it out, which sounds disgusting, but like, 126 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: did that actually work? I mean sort of. So so 127 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: when whale surface, they release this mucus and water and 128 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: gases about thirty feet into the air from their spout, 129 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 1: and you know, but trying to catch the stuff with 130 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: bare hands and a Petri dish while being tied to 131 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: a ship it was a little bit dangerous, I guess. 132 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: So she came up with a different idea and and 133 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: so now she flies remote controlled toy helicopters, you know, 134 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: through these disgusting sneeze clouds, and then just takes the 135 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: whale snot to a laugh, for bacterial and virus analysis, 136 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: which actually sounds way cooler once you explain it. I mean, 137 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: it's still gross, but also kind of awesome, and especially 138 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: they're using toy helicopters for good part. Exactly, it does 139 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: sound pretty cool when you really start to think about it. 140 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: And the toy helicopters quickly morphed into using drones, and 141 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: now there are a lot of whale scientists who have 142 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,559 Speaker 1: these snot bots to help them collect fluids, and instead 143 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: of just being able to collect three or four samples, 144 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: they get close to fifty on a good day, and 145 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: it's really helped to paint a better understanding of whale 146 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: health than the wild. Amazing. So I I really like 147 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: that job, but I think we should try to make 148 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: up some ground rules here. I know we told that 149 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: Saddam Hussein decoy story at the top, but we've kind 150 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: of agreed not to cover anything that feels too exploitative 151 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,119 Speaker 1: or depressing because there are obviously some truly heartbreaking jobs 152 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: out there, and and this is really more about learning 153 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: about curious jobs that people actually want to do. Yeah, 154 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: and you know, I know the whales not thing was 155 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: pretty gross, but I think we should probably agree not 156 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: to cover anything too disgusting. Likes not collecting from giant 157 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: mammal splits more funny than gross to me, exactly. But 158 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: I I don't want to do anything on like portable 159 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: toilet cleaners or sewer divers or or even you know 160 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: about the the guy who has to empty out the 161 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: walk in freezer every week where Boston stashes all of 162 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: their cities roadkill. All their road kill gets stored in 163 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: a giant freezer. Yeah, it's a walk in freezer. I mean, 164 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: the most interesting thing about the job is that someone 165 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: has a business card that reads, quote, uh Final Journeys, 166 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: Animal Aftercare. So they actually have this contract where they 167 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: escort roadkill on their final final journey. But I think 168 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: we should focus our efforts on some things that are 169 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: more surprising and cork here. So but what else do 170 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: you have for me in this funny gross category? I 171 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: like how we agreed we weren't going to talk about 172 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: the guy that stashes all the cities roadkill and then 173 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: you totally talked about it breaking the rules already here. 174 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: But um, let me see, I want look at my 175 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: list here. I was reading about a pet food taste 176 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: and I don't know, I kind of feel like my 177 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: twelve year old self would be impressed with his job. 178 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: So some people actually taste the pet food before it 179 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 1: goes out, all right. So there's this great profile from 180 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: the Daily Mail back in two thousand and eight about 181 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: this guy named Simon Allison and he's the senior food 182 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: technologist for Marx and Spencer and this is in England, 183 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: and you know, no one has asked him to try 184 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,719 Speaker 1: the gourmet pet food. He just tries every variety they 185 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: produced to make sure it's up to snuff. He was 186 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: quoted as saying, no one asked me to taste it, 187 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: but it is what I do. It's just the same 188 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: as if I was working in the ready meals department. 189 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: I love my job, and eating the product is a 190 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: fundamental part. So that's a real commitment. But what kind 191 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: of thing is he? Eating? All the cat and dog 192 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: food that they produce, and so that they make things 193 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: like camp fire jerky bars and Thanksgiving cat food with 194 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: cranberries and turkey, And he claims that cat food has 195 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: to have more of an odor because cats are more particular, 196 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: and that a lot of the stuff he does is 197 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: mostly for humans, so adding chunky vegetables and making the 198 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: food look moist, and the more humans think it looks 199 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: like human food, the more they'll actually pay for it. 200 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: But you know, his primary concern is making sure the 201 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: animals will actually like the stuff, So I can't imagine 202 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: eating pet food voluntarily, which just sounds terrible to me. 203 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: But does he have any tricks to his trade? Well, 204 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: he says that he looks for texture, like he likes 205 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: a little bit of grit, but that he always wants 206 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: something that you can spread on a crusty bread. I 207 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: don't understand that part, but that's you know, that's what 208 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: my how my dog eats so But but he always 209 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: keeps a tall glass of water handy. He says. He 210 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: never swallow is the food. And it's not that he 211 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: seems against it. It's more that he doesn't want to 212 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: put on weight from all this taste testing, which would 213 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: really be a shame if you like, put on a 214 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: ton of weight for eating dog and cat food. But 215 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: he always keeps gum around because there's nothing worse, in 216 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: his opinion than, as he says, dog breath. Well, I mean, 217 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: you've got to applaud that sort of dedication. And I'm 218 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: curious whether he holds the same standards for his employees, 219 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:23,959 Speaker 1: Like if they don't want to snack on puppy chow, 220 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 1: does he think they're phoning it in? But I think 221 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: that's a good amount of gross um. But how about 222 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: you hit us up with one more gross one and 223 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 1: then we'll shift gears a little. I like, how you 224 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: knew I was gonna come with the gross ones that 225 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: I can do that, all right, let me choose one 226 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: more here. So, um, I mean this might border on 227 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: two grows, but there was a pop size story on this. 228 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: They did a list of the worst jobs in science 229 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: and one of their top choices was flattest judge, or 230 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: a job where two brave souls, as they put it, 231 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: were paid by a gas ranentrologist to analyze the odor 232 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: as people broke wind, which sounds straight out of like 233 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: a mel Brooks movie or something. I mean, but the 234 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: funny thing is the way that Minneapolis gas entrologist his 235 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: name is Michael Levitt. So he collected samples and he 236 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: did this by getting volunteers to eat copious quantities of 237 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: pento beams. Again, I know, we said we were going 238 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: to talk about gross things, but the twelve year old 239 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: he just couldn't resist this. But then he used plastic 240 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: tube contraptions to collect the quote, episodes of flatulence before 241 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: analyzing the chemicals and subjecting the people to smells. But 242 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: you know, as he defended that, there's a real purpose 243 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: for this grossness. So think about mouth washed companies, so 244 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: unlike those where sensitive sniffers and odor judges are really 245 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: getting a sense of whether a mouthwash is effectively going 246 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: to cover up bad breath here. Instead, the flattest sniffers 247 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: are analyzing this scent for health reasons. And and Levitt 248 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: believes you might actually be able to detect things like 249 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: all sort of coldis, you know, all from these aroma notes. 250 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: And as the article puts it, quote, he's dedicated his 251 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: career to the study of the myriad fragrances produced by 252 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: the human gut and imprudently ignore by the medical establishment. 253 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: I like that phrase, myrriad fragrances, But flattest judge is 254 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: definitely not a job I want. And I do think 255 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: that's enough grossness. So why don't we break for a 256 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: little quiz, And then I want to talk about a 257 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: post that's been called the hardest job in the world, 258 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 1: the Somalian Minister of Tourism. So back in a minute, Tomanka. 259 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: Who do we have on the line today? So we've 260 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: got my pal Lucas Adams. I watched Lucas intern all 261 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: over the place in New York City, and today he 262 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: has one of the best jobs. He's an amazing cartoonist 263 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: and he's also the founding editor of the New York 264 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: Review of Comics, which is the super prestigious in front 265 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: of the New York Review of Books. It's awesome. But 266 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: before that he was juggling tons of terrible jobs in 267 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 1: New York City and that's what I brought him on 268 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: to talk about. So Lucas, welcome to the show. So 269 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: one of the funniest things I remember from when you 270 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: worked on an ice cream truck was how sticky the 271 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: experience was. And being sticky is the worst. Can can 272 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: you talk to me about the different kinds of sticky 273 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: you get on various jobs? Oh? Oh yeah, definitely. Uh, 274 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: this is something I still think about. Um. And I 275 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:17,839 Speaker 1: would be scooping my arm, hair would get caked in 276 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 1: ice cream. Uh, and like different flavors or worst chocolate 277 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: was the absolute worst. Um. But yeah, you would just 278 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: sort of have to like hide different customers like through 279 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,440 Speaker 1: the day. Uh, get kind of everything we get stuck on. 280 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: It was it was really ideal. Uh. And then I 281 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: a couple of other trucks that worked, and I worked 282 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: on the lobster truck that was run by a TV 283 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: show host daughter. Uh, and that was always like you 284 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: just came out selling like a seafood restaurant like every time. Um. 285 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,559 Speaker 1: And then uh, and my first truck job that was 286 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: on a dumpling truck, and that was like sort of 287 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: the worst smell you have this like Doughey, sort of 288 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: like dumpling smell. You've burned your hands when you worked 289 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 1: the dumpling steamer. You kind of lose the feelings and 290 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 1: the finger tips of your fingers. But because you're basically 291 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: getting a steam bath all day from the dumpling steamer, 292 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: it was a clear skin I've ever had in my life. 293 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: Compliment like how glowing I look through the day. It 294 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: was really ideal. And you've lost all your arm hair 295 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: and the ice cream, so you're just really shiny arms exactly, 296 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: and a real beauty routine buried in there. Yeah. Yeah, 297 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: And I hear sometimes you you didn't have a work 298 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: permit to be working these trucks. Is this is this true? Oh? Yeah, 299 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: that was. That was my first job because I moved 300 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: to New York in and you you're supposed to get 301 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: a permit, and it was good faith with trucks. You're 302 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: gonna like do two steps and go through it. But 303 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: I put it off for a really long time, and 304 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: there was always the threat that the Health inspector might 305 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: come and like scare you or whatever. And then it 306 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: actually happened to me where I was like, Hi, can 307 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: I take your order? And a guy just like flashes 308 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: a badge and I have to go. I gotta like 309 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: go immediately to see my mom and just like put 310 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: on my jacket and just run off the truck and 311 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: had to hide out like five or six blocks away 312 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: for the rest of my shop. So that was very professional. 313 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: So I know, I watched you work your tail off, 314 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: and I heard these horrible stories that people talking down 315 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: to you and treating you miserably, But there were some 316 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: positive experiences you had, right, Can you talk about some 317 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: of those? Yeah, definitely. You need uh a lot of 318 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: good customers to everything. But I met a ton of 319 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: really great people. When Hurricane Sandy hit and when I 320 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: was in the ice cream truck. New York City, UH 321 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: commission a bunch of food trucks, like gave money, UH 322 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: two different food trucks, and we were one of them 323 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: to go out to the Rockaways at the Breezy Point, 324 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: all these places that had been really hard hit because 325 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: the city didn't really have any mobile food kitchens. UM, 326 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: so we would be parts like next to like uh 327 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: some neighborhoods that were with that power, and we'd be 328 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: serving coffee and cookies, no ice cream, just cossies and cookies. 329 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: But it was this really wild environment where everybody was 330 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: just so excited to be there. Um I had like 331 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: doctors offering to give us like free flu shots our 332 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: battery day. At one point in this powered trucks from 333 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: Wisconsin returned shirt battery and we like tried to give 334 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: them cookies and they were like, no, save that for 335 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: everybody who needs them. And everybody was just so grateful, 336 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: and it was like it's still probably the best work 337 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: I've ever done, just because it felt so immediate and 338 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: it felt so good to be there to help, and 339 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: it's really like direct the media way. Yeah, that's that's 340 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: really really cool. All right, Well, we wanted to throw 341 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: a little quiz at you, Lucas, So, so Mango, what 342 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: quiz are we playing today? It's called odd Jobs and 343 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: it's actually a multiple choice. All right, that's right, So 344 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna describe an odd job from your and then 345 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: ask Lucas what's the job title? So you're ready to play, Lucas, absolutely, alright? 346 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: Question number one in British towns where there was a 347 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: mill or a mine. These people were responsible for going 348 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: house the house to wake workers up in the mornings. 349 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: What were they called? Were they a COCKA doodlers or 350 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: be knocker ups? I'm gonna go with B. Yeah, that's right. 351 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: So the title came from the sound they made on windows. 352 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: Usually they carried a long pole so that they could 353 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: tap from the street level. I kind of wish I 354 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: had a knock at I guess they're called kids, So 355 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: all right, question number two. This street profession consisted of 356 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 1: shuffling a p among three thimbles and taking bets on 357 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: which thimble the p was under. What were these early 358 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: hustlers called a thimble riggers or B P podsters. I'm 359 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: gonna go with A, but I wish it was be. 360 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: You're right, So thimble riggers were popular in the late 361 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,719 Speaker 1: seventeen hundreds, and shell games date back to ancient Greece. 362 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: All right, Lucas two, So far he's halfway there. Number three. 363 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: This used to be the common name for a wandering 364 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: egg merchant. Is that an a eggler or B an 365 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:53,160 Speaker 1: eggmund ohn B sounds more formal. Let's try that. Oh, 366 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: we finally stumped him didn't we mango. So it's an 367 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: eggler and you can guess how these folks got their names. 368 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: Sometimes an egg it could also be a higgler or 369 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: a door to door salesman, although to be clear, not 370 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: all hitlers were egglers. If there's one thing we want 371 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: people to take away from this episode, it's that not 372 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: all higglers were egglers. Right, Okay, last question, still a 373 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: chance for the big prize. Here we go, question number four. 374 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: These oddly named textile mill workers had the job of 375 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: wandering through the mill and changing any bobbins where they 376 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: yarn or thread was spinning imperfectly. What were they called? 377 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: Were they a mc fluffins or be slubbard offers? Um, 378 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: let's try be Yeah, that's right, so any imperfections in 379 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: the yarn were called slubs, so the doffer was responsible 380 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: for fixing them. Gosh, we got higglers and nigglers and 381 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: dufflers and thimble riggers. This is this is pretty great? 382 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: All right? Well, I think Lucas did pretty well. How 383 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: do you do, Mango? Yeah, Lucas went an amazing three 384 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: for four, So we're gonna send him a copy of 385 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: this important book called Poets. Ranked by Beardwight. Uh. Congrats, Lucas. 386 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: For those of you listening at home, be sure to 387 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: check out the New York Review of Comics. It's truly wonderful. 388 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining us, Lucas, thanks for having me. 389 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to part time genius Domego. We're talking about 390 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: terrible jobs today, but before we dive back into those, 391 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: why do we cover some of the best job titles 392 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: we've seen. When we were at Mental Flaws, I remember 393 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: your job title was something like it wasn't like VP 394 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: of Important Things. Yeah, so my initial title was actually 395 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: product development, just because that was the job that Tom 396 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: Hanks had in the movie Big, But then I changed 397 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: it to sound even less like a job. All right, Well, 398 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: I've jotted down a list here of some other enviable 399 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: job titles. One of my favorites was bacon critic, and 400 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: that's actually a real job at Time Magazines Extra Crispy site. 401 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: So it's a site dedicated just to breakfast, and apparently 402 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: they have the critic working pretty hard. I mean that 403 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: the person who filled the job has eaten thirty one 404 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: animals in the span of a month, and I'm guessing 405 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: those aren't full animals. But just the bacon visin. So 406 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: what are some of the other great titles. Let's see, 407 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: Yahoo has a head of cybersecurity that's called the Paranoid 408 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: in Chief, and it makes the job sound a little 409 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: bit more fun, and of course it makes sense because 410 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: the entire cybersecurity division they're they're called the paranoids. So 411 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,640 Speaker 1: I actually have a few of these giant down as well. Um, 412 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: Pizza Hut employs a Dean of pizza and I would 413 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: love to have that title. And there's this company called 414 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: Matrix Group, which is a digital agency, and they've got 415 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 1: a Chief Troublemaker on staff, and that's another job title. 416 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: I like a little mischief and troublemaking is always something 417 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: I'm fond of, and a little bit of nonsense and 418 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: there too, that also makes sense art, speaking of which, 419 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: Microsoft used to have a job for the Galactic Viceroy 420 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: of Research Excel. What's that mean exactly? I mean, I 421 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: think it's some sort of cloud computing gig. I don't 422 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: really know. And then I saw another from a pal Tune, 423 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: which is a software company to help animated explainers and presentations, 424 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: has a chief executive Unicorn. Well, those are definitely very 425 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: dreamy job titles. But here's one that isn't a dream job. 426 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: In fact, in two thousand four, the Economist magazine called 427 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: it the hardest job in the world. It is the 428 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: director of tourism in Somalia. Yeah, I mean, I'm definitely 429 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: interested to hear what you're gonna say about the gig, 430 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: but I do think it gets into tricky territory. You know, 431 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 1: obviously Somalia has been ravaged by civil war for decades now, 432 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: so you know, it's not as that we're making light 433 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,400 Speaker 1: of any situation there. That's true, and it is sad 434 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: because the country is truly beautiful. Like Mogadishu was once 435 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: referred to as the white Pearl of the Indian Ocean. 436 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: The coastline is completely stunning. There's really interesting cuisine from 437 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,360 Speaker 1: the Italian influence that was there, like people eat pastas 438 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: for lunch with all these various spices, and and from 439 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: its previous life as a trading poor through all these 440 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: other spices that are imported as well. They're these cave paintings, 441 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 1: and and there's this medieval walled city that supposedly contains 442 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: like ninety moss. Yeah, there's a lot of rich history, 443 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: but I think there are two main types of terrible jobs. 444 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: They're like the gross ones, and then they're the ones 445 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: where you're just bored out of your mind because you 446 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 1: can't accomplish anything and you have nothing to show for 447 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: your work. They're kind of this like sysiphus like job. Yeah, 448 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: I was telling you about that that piece I read 449 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 1: and Esquire a while back, and I think these two 450 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: dudes in Hollywood, you know, from the outside, they looked 451 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: pretty successful, and they have these fancy houses, drove sporty cars. 452 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: They made a few hundred thousand bucks a year, definitely 453 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 1: enough to eat and vacation well. And they were really 454 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: unhappy though, because their job was to do rewrites on 455 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: the fifth and sixth version of Terrible Scripts. And so 456 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: they worked on the Fletch reboot or Angela's Ashes Too, 457 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: or whatever horrible movie idea studio has, and they get 458 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: paid good money to try to save these movies. So 459 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 1: they work really hard. But the article said, in something 460 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: like fifteen years in Hollywood, neither of them had ever 461 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,719 Speaker 1: had a real film credit to their names exactly. So 462 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: there's like a futility in those jobs that's remarkable. And 463 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: it's the same thing with this Somali tourism director. So here, 464 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna read you a little bit from this Economist article, 465 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: which is actually from two thousand four. So Abdi Jamali 466 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:24,399 Speaker 1: Osman is Somalia's Minister of Tourism. His inbox is always empty, 467 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: given that his homeland has not had a single officially 468 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 1: acknowledged tourists in fourteen years. Somalia is not without its attractions, 469 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 1: and so it goes on to say, like while the 470 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 1: lobster and views from hotels are exquisite, one of the hotels, 471 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: the charmo, advises guests to hire at least ten armed 472 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,360 Speaker 1: guards to escort them from the airport. Since civil war 473 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: broke out in Somalia has been divided into some two 474 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: dozen warring fiefs, but Mr Jamale is undaunted. Later in 475 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: the article, it says, I'm sure tourists would leave Somalia alive, 476 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: and I'm hopeful they wouldn't be kidnapped. He says, at 477 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: least we would try to make sure they were not kidnapped, 478 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: although it can happen. I mean, I mean, he sounds 479 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: so sweet and like kind of optimistic that people will 480 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: actually come. Yeah, but I don't know, it's not very 481 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: reassuring though. Kaef Andy shows after work every single day, 482 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: and just for the record, Somali Land, which is this 483 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: politically stable and a breakaway territory on the northern coast 484 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: that actually does have more to see. You can go 485 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: snorkeling there and see some of the art we talked 486 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: about earlier, and it's pretty safe. But Somalia itself is 487 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: still pretty rough. There's no US embassy, and Osmana said 488 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: that while you can come for the animals, most of 489 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: them have been eaten. But what's interesting is that occasionally 490 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: people do come. So In fact, Time had this amazing 491 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: story from two thousand and ten about this forty one 492 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: year old Canadian guy. His name was Mike Spencer Brown, 493 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: and he's somehow caught a plane to Mogadishu. He's one 494 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: of these guys who's been to like a hundred fifty 495 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,160 Speaker 1: plus countries and just wanted to put Somalia on his list. 496 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: But when he showed up, officials were in such disbelief 497 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 1: that they tried four different times to put him back 498 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: on them and send him home, and Brown admitted he 499 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: had to shout and play tricks until the plane left 500 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: without him. But his trip wasn't actually that fun, Like 501 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: he couldn't actually leave his hotel room. I mean, I 502 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: guess as hard as a job like tourism director there 503 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: sounds like, I mean, the positive is you can only 504 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 1: go up. I mean this this this guy had his 505 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:20,679 Speaker 1: job for fourteen years, got zero tourists every single one 506 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: of those years, and then he gets one Canadian. So 507 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: like I would imagine he's got to get a bonus 508 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: for that, right, Yeah, I guess that's a better way 509 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: to look at it. But what if I'm fascinating about 510 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: Osman and some of the other people I've researched in 511 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: these really futile jobs, is what pride they take in 512 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 1: their work. Like have you ever heard of Bruce the 513 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 1: mouse Trouse? You're talking about the boxer, right, yeah, I have, 514 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: but you you should definitely talk a little bit about him. Yeah. 515 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: So one of the things that's crazy to me is 516 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: that there's this whole world of like professional losers out there, 517 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: and sometimes they're called peluccas or tomato cans, but they're 518 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: the undercard opponents who keep fighting because they still love 519 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: the fight. I mean that does sound pretty terrible to 520 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: maybe I mean too, but Bruce's story is particularly odd 521 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: because he might be the best loser in history, both 522 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: as a good sport but also as a talent. So apparently, 523 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 1: at age sixteen, he got knocked out by a stray 524 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: shot put and when he woke up he only had 525 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 1: this slight headache, but to him it was this like 526 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 1: total revelation that he could get in a ring and 527 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: not really be worried about getting knocked out. And according 528 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: to the Sports Illustrated article on him, his goal has 529 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: been to become the best opponent of all time. He's 530 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 1: lost over eighty times under his own name, fifty or 531 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 1: sixty times under aliases. He's been knocked out three times 532 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: in a week, twice in a night. And he even 533 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: has these like special weighted shorts or trick trunks as 534 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: he calls them, and they're made so he can box 535 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 1: at a hundred eighty pounds even though he's a hundred 536 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,479 Speaker 1: fifty five pounds. And the weirdest thing is that he 537 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: loves what he does. Like that's the crazy part to me. 538 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: I don't understand why he wants to box in a 539 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: higher way, so like he likes losing and then really 540 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 1: just wants to get hit by an even bigger person. 541 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,200 Speaker 1: But if he's known for losing, why do people still 542 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: put him in fights? Because he doesn't just lose, Like 543 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: he goes nine or ten rounds with people and then 544 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: actually gives them a really good fight. I mean, as 545 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: much as I don't understand wanting to put yourself in 546 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 1: that situation, you know, losing night after night, there is 547 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: something fascinating about it, and I guess you kind of 548 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,879 Speaker 1: have to tip your hat to the person. Yeah. I 549 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: was actually reading this article on Red Clots, who owned 550 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,520 Speaker 1: and coached and actually also played for the Washington Generals. 551 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: So we're talking about that team that lost to the 552 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 1: Harlem Globetrotters night after night. Yeah exactly. Did you ever 553 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 1: go see them as a kid? I watched him on TV? 554 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,640 Speaker 1: Yeah it was. It was always such an entertaining show. 555 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: But there's this really wonderful profile on him by Joe Poznanski, 556 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: and it's fascinating. I mean, just reading the rules that 557 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: the General's had for playing the Harlem Globe Trotters is 558 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: pretty crazy. And you think about the makeup of the Generals, 559 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: they're they're actually really good players. These are guys that 560 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: all play Division one basketball and Clots himself hates losing. 561 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: But here's some of the rules. So the Generals are 562 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: supposed to play hard on offense and actually try to 563 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: score every time down on the court. That was something 564 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: I didn't know. And when the Globetrotters aren't doing a skit, 565 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 1: which is I don't know, maybe like fort of the 566 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 1: time or so, the Generals are supposed to play defense 567 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 1: and really make them work for every point. But then 568 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: when it's skit time, they're just supposed to stand there 569 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: and act embarrassed, and and they have to let the Globetrotters, 570 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: you know, like pull their pants down, stuff the ball 571 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 1: in the back of their shirts, all the kind of 572 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: nonsense that they're up to, and just stand there and 573 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: act humiliated. But I mean, I guess they've signed up 574 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: for the gig and and it's kind of like performing 575 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: a play. Yeah, And what's interesting about the pieces that 576 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: it goes into the one time Clots and his team 577 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 1: beat the globe Trotters actually didn't know that they had 578 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: ever beaten them, and this is like decades ago. But 579 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: the Globetrotters were playing lazy and they didn't go into 580 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: skit mode, and they kind of weren't paying attention. But 581 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: Clots and his team just kept hitting these shots. And 582 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: this is actually the only game the Washington Generals have 583 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: ever won. And when they did, the crowd went totally silent. 584 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: As he put it, was like killing Santa Claus. And 585 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: the truth is, the Generals are not actually paid to 586 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: lose to the Globetrotters. They're paid to be really good opponents. 587 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 1: So when this strange victory happened in a completely dry 588 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: town in the South, the team took Clots into the 589 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: shower and sprayed him in orange soda instead of champagne. Yeah, 590 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: but I'm sure they didn't see it coming. Like who 591 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: could have expected that win? I don't know. But but 592 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: what I love most about the pieces that Clots really 593 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: doesn't see himself as a loser. He sees, you know, 594 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: quote giving your fight, you're all as winning and and 595 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: for a good part of his life he was a winner. 596 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: So it was just five ft seven and he led 597 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: his high school team to the city championships in Philadelphia. 598 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 1: He then went on to play at Villanova, so obviously 599 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: a good basketball school, and then for the Baltimore Bullets, 600 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: where he actually won a championship. This was before he 601 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: started playing for the Generals, so he won an NBA championship. 602 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: Well that this was proto NBA, but it was essentially that. 603 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:50,719 Speaker 1: I mean, he he was in the Guinness Book as 604 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: the shortest player on record to have been on a 605 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: championship basketball team. But his desk at home was apparently 606 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 1: cluttered with notions on reframing the idea of losing. He 607 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: has himself in a frame with a picture of Al Gore, 608 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: Charlie Brown, and Thomas Dewey. He kept this confucious quote 609 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: around him that says, uh, our greatest glory isn't falling, 610 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: but in rising every time we fall. I mean, the 611 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: man lost over twenty hundred games in a row, so 612 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: he had to come to terms with it somehow. But 613 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: the way Poznanski ends the pieces is actually kind of 614 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 1: beautiful though. It's about the game after the epic win. 615 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: So the Globe Trotters were ticked off, they'd been yelled at, 616 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: and they came out to play. I mean, they just 617 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 1: destroyed the General's in the next game, but clots His 618 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: memory of the night isn't that they lost, or how 619 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: many times he was pants or anything like that, but 620 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: how they gave it their all how they made the 621 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: Globetrotters look really great that night, and how at the 622 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: end of the game, when he looked at the fans 623 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: smiling and feeling like they had the best night out, 624 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: his contribution to that made him feel like he'd won. Oh, 625 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: I love that. So can we talk just for a 626 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: second about one other aspect that can make a job terrible? 627 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: What's that? Uh? Your boss? So it's no surprise that 628 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: a good boss can make you want to stay in 629 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: a job for longer, and a terrible boss can give 630 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: you anxiety and make your life miserable. But there was 631 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: this interesting study from the Harvard Business Review that found 632 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: people are happier at work when their boss can do 633 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: their job. So what does that mean exactly? So, if 634 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: your boss is trained in your position and has this 635 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: deep expertise and understanding of what you do, you're more 636 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: likely to enjoy working with them and and supposedly perform better. 637 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: It's a departure from this idea that you just need 638 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: a great manager and delegator in the position. And apparently 639 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: the results bear out not just in happiness but in results. 640 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,479 Speaker 1: According to the report, formula one teams do better if 641 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: led by successful former racing drivers, and universities do better 642 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: when led by top researchers rather than talented administrators, which 643 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 1: is kind of fascinating. That is interesting. Yeah, I've not 644 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: heard that before, all right, But so so let's talk 645 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: about the actual worst job we each read about. So 646 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: what would you say as yours? Well, this is only 647 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: because I now get claustrophobia, which is a fun new 648 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: skill of a chuired to my thirties, but being in 649 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: a crowded or small space for too long kind of 650 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: creased me out, which is why I've chosen isolation chamber 651 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: testing at NASA for my nominee for worst job. That 652 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: does sound awful. Yeah, so, according to POPSI quote, engineers 653 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: responsible for life support systems signed up to spend a 654 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: few months in cramped captivity to test their equipment for 655 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: no additional pay. In one day test at NASA, the 656 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 1: crew recycled their urine into drinking water thirteen times. But 657 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: the true hell is other people. So apparently, like fistfights 658 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: and uncomfortable encounters happen all the time, and the worst 659 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: part is that whild people volunteer for this duty to 660 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 1: beef up their resumes. According to the article, quote. None 661 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: of NASA's recent chamber testers has actually made the Astronaut Corps. 662 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: It does sound brutal. I I probably would put that 663 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: in my top two or three worst jobs to all right, 664 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: So mine comes after reading a profile on this guy, 665 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 1: Bill hast He's a ninety seven year old guy and 666 00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: he is a snake milker. He's been bitten over a 667 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 1: hundred and seventy two times by various venomous snakes and 668 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: he used to put on shows at his serpentarium in Miami, 669 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: and it was one of the most diverse collections of 670 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: venomous snakes in the world. But the whole reason he 671 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: do this is to save lives. So he was routinely 672 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: flown around the world to provide anti venom for various 673 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 1: snake bites, and he saved so many different lives. In fact, 674 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: when his anti venom bank briefly closed, the number of 675 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 1: deaths from exotic snake bites went up, and since it 676 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: reopened in it's actually saved over a thousand people. You know. 677 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: And while that's all very heroic, the idea of actually 678 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: holding a snake and milking it for venom is something 679 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: that I don't know. Strangely, I just can't get into 680 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: some reason. Yeah, I mean either, but you know what 681 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: does it feel to me? I do the PTG fact off? 682 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: All right, And because of today's theme, we both agreed 683 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: going into this one that we're going to concentrate on 684 00:33:52,040 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 1: some terrible jobs that no longer exist. Let's do it. 685 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: So here's a job I definitely don't want. Leech collector. Obviously, 686 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: leeches were commonly used in medicine at one point, but 687 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: the way leeches were collected was horrible. Basically, you just 688 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: waded through water and let as many leeches latch onto 689 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: your legs as you could. And also the job wasn't 690 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,319 Speaker 1: paid well, which makes the job even worse. Oh man, 691 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:27,359 Speaker 1: all right, Well, here's a dumb one whipping boy. So 692 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: as a companion to a Renaissance prince, you got to 693 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 1: play with the young royal and perhaps taste some of 694 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: his food. But the real job was whenever the prince 695 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: got in trouble, you'd have to supply your backside for 696 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: whatever spankings or physical punishment the prince was supposed to 697 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: get for all of his naughty That sounds terrible. So 698 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 1: have you heard of a resurrectionists? Apparently in the early 699 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 1: nineteenth century med schools had a hard time getting ahold 700 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: of cadavers, so they used to pay these grave robbers 701 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:57,240 Speaker 1: to find them fresh bodies, and according to mental flaws, 702 00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,879 Speaker 1: the quote problem became so severe that family members took 703 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 1: to guarding the graves of the recently diseased to prevent 704 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: resurrectionists from sneaking in and unearthing their dearly departed. Wow, 705 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 1: I mean, grave robbing does seem horrible, but you know, 706 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: just stealing the jewelry seems a little more innocent, right there. 707 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: At least not taking the bodies. That does sound like 708 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: a terrible job to getting wrong. All right, So here's 709 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: another gross one. The groom of the stools. You know. So, 710 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 1: while the name sounds repulsive, the position didn't actually involve 711 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 1: any wiping. According to Historic UK, the groom of the 712 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: stool watched the king's diet and organized the king's day 713 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 1: around his predicted movements. But because the position was somewhat 714 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,200 Speaker 1: intimate and needed to be someone the king trusted, it 715 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: was actually a path to power. In fact, it was 716 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,279 Speaker 1: a position held exclusively by nobleman and John Stewart, who 717 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: was one of King George the Third's grooms went on 718 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 1: to be Prime Minister of England. That's so crazy. So 719 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: I was going to talk about a different job that 720 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: no longer exists, being a Gallagher copycat act. Gallagher of 721 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 1: the community. I'm sure we really need one more watermelon 722 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: smash and comedian. Why why would we need two of these? 723 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: So I was thinking the same thing, but a friendly 724 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 1: Gallagher's younger brother, Ron Gallagher, decided to copy is act 725 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 1: and appear on the same night in different towns, much 726 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: to Gallagher's dismay. In two thousands, this court stopped him 727 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: from doing comedy with fruit and a sledgehammer, ruling in 728 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 1: favor of his older, wiser Gallagher. But I think I 729 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: like your groom of the stool fact a little better. 730 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: So why don't we hand you the trophy this week? 731 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I'll keep it safe. Thanks so much, 732 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 1: And for all of you listeners out there. If there 733 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 1: are any weird jobs, terrible jobs, whatever it may be 734 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 1: that you feel like we missed today, don't forget. You 735 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 1: can email us part time genius at how stuff works 736 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 1: dot com. You can also hit us up on Facebook 737 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 1: or Twitter, or you can call our seven Fact hotline checking. 738 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: The fact hot Line is not a terrible job. It's 739 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,400 Speaker 1: one of our most fun job. You can call us there. 740 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,239 Speaker 1: It's one eight four four pt Genius. We look forward 741 00:36:54,239 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: to hearing from you. Thanks so much for listening, Yea, 742 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,280 Speaker 1: thanks again for listening. Part Time Genius is a production 743 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:14,760 Speaker 1: of how stuff works, and wouldn't be possible without several 744 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,319 Speaker 1: brilliant people who do the important things we couldn't even 745 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: begin to understand. Christa McNeil does the editing thing. Noel 746 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:22,720 Speaker 1: Brown made the theme song and does the MIXI mixy 747 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,759 Speaker 1: sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the exact producer thing. Gabeluesier 748 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: is our lead researcher, with support from the Research Army 749 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 1: including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams and Eve 750 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: Jeff Cook gets the show to your ears. Good job, Eves. 751 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 1: If you like what you heard, we hope you'll subscribe, 752 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 1: And if you really really like what you've heard, maybe 753 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:40,719 Speaker 1: you could leave a good review for us. We do. 754 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:42,520 Speaker 1: We forget Jason Jason, who