1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,279 Speaker 1: I guess, well, well, what's that mango? So last summer 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: we took the family on a night out to the 3 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Flushing night Market and it's like this big Asian food 4 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: fair that is so delicious, and it was one of 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: those gorgeous summer nights I'm sure you've had these two 6 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: where the kids actually behaved and we listened to this 7 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: beautiful live music. There's like a cool breeze. We ate 8 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: all sorts of foods on skewers. It was really magical. 9 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: And as it got darker and we were walking back, 10 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: we ended up under the Unisphere, which is that giant 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: globe from when the World's Fair took place in nineteen 12 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: sixty four. Yeah, that's the thing out in Queens. I 13 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: feel like you fly right over that whenever you're coming 14 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: into the LaGuardia, right. Uh, that's right. But as we 15 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: were sitting there, you know, instead of just enjoying the moment, 16 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: we immediately got our phones and started looking up the 17 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: World's Fair to see what a debut there and uh, 18 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: and it turns out that nine sixty four introduced the 19 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: world to electric toothbrushes, computers that would match you to 20 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: international pen pals, and for some reason do Pots answered 21 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: this musical review called The Wonderful World of Chemistry, which 22 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: I'm sure raised off the Billboard charts. But the whole 23 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: thing made me wonder, like why haven't we done an 24 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: episode on the world Spare before? So like how did 25 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: they start? When was there Heyday? And do they still exist? 26 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: So that's what we're talking about today. Let's dive in 27 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: hey their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: friend man guest shot Ticketer and on the other side 30 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: of the soundproof glass double fisting a can of cherry 31 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: coke and a box of milk. It's actually kind of 32 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: hard to watch because this is such a strange combo. 33 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: But that's our friends and producer Tristan McNeil. And if 34 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: you're under why Tristan chose that particular combo, it's because 35 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: he's celebrating his very favorite World's fair. Honestly, Mango, I 36 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: didn't know he had a favorite World's fair, but he's 37 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: pretty passionate about this. That was, of course, the nineteen 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: two fair in Knoxville, and that's when both cherry coke 39 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: and boxed milk made their public debuts. It was a 40 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: banner year for beverages Mango. Well, you know what else 41 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: debuted at the eighty two World's Fair The Sun Sphere, 42 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: and it was the twenty six story tall tower. It 43 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: had a big golden glass sphere at the top. It 44 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: was actually the symbol of the fair that year, but 45 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: Simpsons fans might remember it better as the Whigs Spheres. 46 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: So gave reminded me of this episode where Bart and 47 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: his friends go on a road trip but they choose 48 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: their destination from this like outdated triple A guide I think, 49 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: And and they wind up at the fairgrounds decades after 50 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: the event, and the whole places run down, but the 51 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: caretaker offers the let them into the sun Sphere so 52 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: that they can see quote sixteen thousand boxes of unsold wigs. 53 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: Act I do remember for this one, And if I 54 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: recall correctly, they ended up with some pretty sharp looking wigs, 55 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistake, and that's you know, actually looked 56 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: into this, and it turns out the Sun's fears now 57 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: in much better shape than it was in that Simpsons 58 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: episode I think it was, you know, back in two 59 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: thousand seven. If I'm not mistaken, it was completely renovated 60 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: and restored, and and the observation deck there is actually 61 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: open to the public again. So you know what's funny 62 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: is that it's actually done much better than a bunch 63 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: of other World's Fair exhibits, because, you know, while the 64 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: symbols of some Worldfares have done really well for themselves, 65 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: like if you think about like the Eiffel Tower or 66 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: I guess the Seattle Space Needle, others have really fallen 67 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: into disrepair. In fact, there's a photographer named Jade Dosco, 68 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: and she spent the last decade actually documenting all the 69 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: abandoned sculptures and these icons from past Worldfares, and looking 70 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: at our photos you can actually see that these are 71 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: still these amazing surreal bits of history, and in a way, 72 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: they're like looking at monuments to our old visions of 73 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: the future, which I find really fascinating. Yeah, it is 74 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: kind of interesting how World Fairs were once this, you know, 75 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: kind of like symbolic of our hopes for the future, 76 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: and and it's reverse of that now, like we're mostly 77 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: thinking of them in these nostalgic ways, kind of looking 78 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: at them almost like time capsules, and you know, their 79 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: significance is really kind of flipped at this point, and 80 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: instead of being all about the future, they're really more 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: about these relics of the past. And I mean, obviously 82 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 1: world's fairs in general have lost a lot of their 83 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: luster over the years, but that's all going to change today, Mega, 84 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: because we're we're gonna take this deep dive into the 85 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 1: history of world's fairs, including how and why they started. 86 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: And so we're gonna follow Tristan's lead and we're going 87 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: to talk about a couple of our personal favorite fairs 88 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: and and dip into some of the weird exhibits and 89 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: and new inventions that have debuted there. But all right, Mago, 90 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: why don't we start with the basics. Do you mind 91 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: just going back to the beginning and explaining what the 92 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: World's fair is exactly. Yeah, So it's kind of weird 93 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: to think about it this way, but a World's fare 94 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: is basically an international trade show, but not one that's 95 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: restricted to any single industries. So if you were to 96 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: attend one, you see lavish exhibits from all kinds of 97 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: companies and organizations from around the globe, and they'd be 98 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: showing off upcoming products, you know, new scientific advancements or 99 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: just spitballing ideas for the future of agriculture or aviation 100 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: or whatever. But compared to trade shows, worlds fars cast 101 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: a much wider net in terms of appealing to the public. 102 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: But the fairs do have some differences from trade shows. Like, uh, 103 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: world's fairs aren't just trying to be commercial. They're also 104 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: these high minded adventures, you know, where they have all 105 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: these aspirations for the world. Yeah. Like I've sometimes heard 106 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: world fares compared to the Olympics kind of in that regard. 107 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: I mean, they're both these world spanning events. They're meant 108 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: to celebrate human achievement and camaraderie and I guess progress 109 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. And at the same time 110 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: they highlight all the cool stuff from other cultures. Yeah, 111 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: I mean, there's some other similarities to the Olympics, too, 112 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: including the fact that neither than make a bunch of money. 113 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: I mean, the companies at the fair would ideally make 114 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: money in the long run, I guess from the visibility 115 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: and marketing they get from the air. But for the 116 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: most part, world s fares tend to lose money for 117 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: the cities and countries that host them. In fact, you 118 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: know that eight two Knoxville Fair we were talking about. 119 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: It was a rare exception in that it actually managed 120 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,799 Speaker 1: to turn a profit, but not much of a profit. 121 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: It only I think earned fifty seven dollars in the 122 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: in the long run, which has insane. But I mean 123 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: the appeal of running a World's fair has a lot 124 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: more to do with, I guess, the prestige and the 125 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: potential to boost tourism and invest in fund structures, rather 126 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: than actually making money off the event. So if if, 127 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: if their money pits, Like how did world's fares take 128 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: off in the first place? So modern world s fair 129 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: has really got to start in eighteen fifty one, and 130 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: that's when Britain hosted the Great Exhibition to the Works 131 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: of Industry of All Nations in London. That's what it 132 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: was called. I feel like maybe that's not quite as 133 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: catchy as World's Fair. I don't know about you. No, 134 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: it's catchyer, I think, but it almost reminds me of 135 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: like when they used to call the Super Bowl the 136 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: NFLFL World Championship Game. You like super Bowls so much catchier, 137 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: Like why did they think that long title would work? 138 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: But uh, you know, what's weird is we're we're pretty 139 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: much the only country to call these events world's fairs. 140 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 1: Great Britain describes there's as exhibitions, UM, most of Europe 141 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: and Asia have opted to call him international expositions, and 142 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: most other countries just referred to them as expos So 143 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: while those names are interchangeable, it all amounts to the 144 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: same event and the end. Alright. So so how are 145 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: these things organized? I mean, if they're all called by 146 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: different names, is there not a single governing body that 147 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: oversees these like you would find for something like the Olympics? 148 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: So actually there is. It's called the Bureau of International 149 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: Expositions the b i E, and it's a Paris based 150 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: organization that's run all the shows since it was established 151 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: in so they helped with the scheduling for the events. UM, 152 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: they set guidelines and responsibilities for the host cities. You know, 153 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: it's things that the participants have to abide by. Actually 154 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: I never knew that, but you said the first fair 155 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: was in eighteen fifty one, So so who was in 156 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: charge of all of this for those years before the 157 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: b i E came along? Um. In the early days, 158 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: the events were mostly government enterprises, so they were organized 159 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: by the rulers of whoever was hosting. So if you 160 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: think about England, London was actually where the first fair 161 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: was held. It was actually Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, 162 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: who spearheaded the exhibition. He had actually spent some time 163 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: abroad in his youth and the experience gave him the 164 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: idea to host an event like this. And at the time, 165 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: Parliament had actually warmed to the idea of free trade, 166 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: so Albert had hoped that his exhibition would help boost 167 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: the sales of British goods in other countries. Alright, so 168 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: I'm curious what were the main draws to that very 169 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: first World's Fair. Well, sadly it didn't have a sun 170 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 1: sphere or a whig sphere, but it did have its 171 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: own showy architectural icon. It was called the Crystal Palace, 172 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: and this is actually the building where the different exhibits 173 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: were held. It was this enormous iron and glass structure 174 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: designed by this greenhouse builder named Joseph Paxton, and his 175 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: design beat out a ton of other entries. In fact, 176 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: it was such a hit with the public that Paxton 177 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: was later knighted for his contribution but aside from that palace, 178 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: the fair also boasted arts and crafts exhibits from different 179 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: countries as well as you know, science displays. They had 180 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: this boat race that eventually morphed into the America's Cup, 181 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: which is pretty awesome. And in total, the various displays 182 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: attracted to stunning six million visitors, which is right around 183 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: a third of Britain's population. Right, that's incredible. I mean, 184 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: most recent World Spairs aren't very profitable, but that first 185 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: one definitely was. Like Britain made so much money off 186 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: the event that they established not one, but three national museums, 187 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, and the 188 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: Natural History Museum. Holy cow. So I'm guessing it's that 189 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: success that got all these other countries interested and getting 190 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: in on this expo action. Yeah, and and the US 191 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: was the first one to line up and give it 192 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: a try, though our first attempt wasn't that great. We 193 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,599 Speaker 1: actually copied the Crystal Palace exhibition and we built it 194 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: in Bran Park in New York City, oh, right, where 195 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: we used to work. And that's uh, that's interesting that 196 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: there was actually a World's Fair there. I know, it's 197 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: hard to believe. But despite the fact that they pretty 198 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: much stuck to London's formula, New York's exhibition was way 199 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: less successful. In the end, the organizers lost so much 200 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: money that the US didn't host another event like that 201 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: for over twenty years. Yeah, you know, probably the earliest 202 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: World's fair in the US. I remember hearing about I 203 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: think would be the eight Expo in Chicago, and you 204 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: know that's the one where the city was really looking 205 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 1: to celebrate reconstruction. This was following the Great Fire, so 206 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: they went all out with the fairs design in the 207 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: exhibits Like yeah, I think they got the same guy 208 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: who designed Central Park that you know, Olmstead, of course, 209 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: to lay out the grounds, and supposedly his work on 210 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: the project was so impressive that L. Frank Baum later 211 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: used it as inspiration for the Emerald City and The 212 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: Wizard of Oz. Yeah, I mean that fair sounded super 213 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: fun for so many reasons, Like uh I I had 214 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: read that Nicola Tesla and Thomas Edison were competing that 215 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: with their own electric lighting exhibits, which would have been 216 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: so fun to see. Um. Plus, a bunch of famous 217 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: snacks came out that year, like juicy fruit gum cracker jacks, 218 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 1: and you know you gotta braise yourself for this one 219 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: cream of wheat. Cream of wheat. Now I hesitate to 220 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: admit this, but actually, as a kid, I was a 221 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: big fan of cream of wheat. But it's a good snack. 222 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: But as exciting as instant porridge must have been for 223 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: those fair goers. I mean, we can probably agree that 224 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: the real show stopper of that year was the debut 225 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: of the world's first ferris wheel that was invented by 226 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: this thirty three year old guy from Pittsburgh. It was 227 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,079 Speaker 1: an engineer. His name was George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. 228 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,719 Speaker 1: Quite the name, but the wheel was two d and 229 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: sixty four ft tall, could hold about sixty people at once, 230 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: and the Ferris wheel was a huge success, not surprisingly. 231 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I can only imagine what this must have 232 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,199 Speaker 1: looked like to people, and thousands of people ponying up. 233 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: I think it was fifty cents of peace to take 234 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: this twenty minute ride on the new contraption. I mean, 235 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: any minutes. Can you imagine being on one of these 236 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: things for that long? Was? It's pretty crazy? I mean 237 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: that sounds torturous to be but to be fair, the 238 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: public hadn't actually seen anything like that before. Even the 239 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: European fairs to that point hadn't had these feature attractions 240 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: that were just fun for fun's sake, like the ferris wheel. 241 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: But the Chicago Fair changed all of that, and from 242 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: then on, nearly every World's Fair has included a fund zone, 243 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: dedicated rides and attractions that you might see it like 244 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: theme parks or amusement parks. And actually, we should just 245 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: put a pin in that for now, because we'll get 246 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: back to that theme park connection a little later. All right. Well, 247 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: I do have to say that I kind of liked 248 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: that America's first big contribution to these events was adding 249 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: fun stuff like the rides and the games. I do 250 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: only wish that that the games had brought in enough 251 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: money to make the fair more sustainable, you know. Yeah, 252 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: so I was actually stunned by the numbers. There have 253 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: been a little over a hundred Worlds Fairs held in 254 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: over twenty countries since that first one in the mid 255 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: nineteenth century, but their golden age ended quite a while 256 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: ago once World War One hit. They never really regained 257 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 1: their popularity, and I think that's because as fun as 258 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: the fairs have become After the Ferris Will, entertainment gradually 259 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: got easier and easier to come by. In terms of transportation, 260 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: you had stuff like highways and planes and high speed trains, 261 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: all of which made it possible to travel to far 262 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 1: away places rather than waiting for the world to come 263 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: to you. And the kind of life changing futuristic gadgets 264 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: that the fairs have become famous for showcasing like TV 265 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: and radio changed all of that. Instead of that fuss 266 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: and that expense of going to an expo hundreds of 267 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: miles away, you got that information brought right into your home. Yeah. 268 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: I know, if you think about, you know, fast forwarding 269 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: to today, we have the internet on top of everything else. 270 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: So I guess there's also this attitude of, you know, like, 271 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: why bother attending anything when you can get live updates 272 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: on your phone or just watch these videos of of 273 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,559 Speaker 1: just the best bits you know of the fair online exactly. 274 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: And I want to make sure we circle back to 275 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: this idea of world's fairs kind of going obsoletely because 276 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: there's so much more to say about it, but for now, 277 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: let's just revel in the nostalgia and and talk about 278 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,559 Speaker 1: some of our all time favorite expos. All right, that 279 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: sounds fun. But before we get to it, let's take 280 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: a quick break. You're listening to Part Time Genius and 281 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: we're talking about the world's greatest World's Fairs. Okay, well, 282 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: so we obviously haven't had the chance to attend one ourselves. 283 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: But based on everything you've heard and read, what would 284 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: you say was your favorite World's Fair? Well, I mean, 285 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: of course, it's tough to pick just one, because they 286 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: all brought something strange or cool to the table. But 287 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: just looking at this in terms of historical interest, I'd 288 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: probably have to go with the nine World's Fair that 289 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: was held in New York. And you know, of course, 290 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: what's unique about this one is that the planning for 291 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: it really began at the height of the Great Depression, 292 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: and the fair itself was opening at the tail end 293 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: of that era, and it was really seen as a 294 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: way to boost morale and sort of get the nation 295 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: back to thinking positively about the future. And it was 296 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: a coloss whole effort from everything from government agencies to corporations, 297 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: all of these other smaller organizations from all over the world. 298 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: And it was such a big effort that when all 299 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: these pavilions and exhibitions were finally finished. The project spanned 300 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: over twelve hundred acres and queens and it was formerly 301 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: an ash dump in that spot. In the total cost, 302 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: just looking at this, it was over a hundred and 303 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: sixty million dollars. I mean, first of all, acres just 304 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: sounds like so much space, that's the sanity to me. 305 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: But also that budget, like if you think about a 306 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: hundred sixty million dollars, that's a crazy amount to spend, 307 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: especially during the depression. Oh absolutely. And you know, in fact, 308 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: FDR gave the opening address at the fair and he 309 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: described the country's participation as America having quote hitched her 310 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: wagon to a star of goodwill. So there was a 311 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: lot riding on the success of the World's Fair, and 312 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: at least in terms of public reaction, it was a 313 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: huge success. There were more than forty four million people 314 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: who attended the fair over this two season run. Of course, 315 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: there were some very famous guests, including you know, visits 316 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: from King George the sixth and Queen Elizabeth and they 317 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: made a special presentation at the British Pavilion during that visit. 318 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: That's pretty cool. Actually, I remember from when we were 319 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: at Metal Flaws like, uh, FDR through a picnic for 320 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: them when they came, and he served them hot dogs 321 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: and it's the first time the King and Queen that's right, 322 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: which I love. But you know, considering the origins and 323 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: that it started with Prince Albert, you'd almost expect like 324 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: more royals to visit these things. Yeah, I think it 325 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: happened from time to time, but the ninety nine fair 326 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: was a special case because it didn't focus only on 327 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: the current achievement of nations. Instead, the theme of the 328 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: thirty Fair was the world of tomorrow. So you know, 329 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: this idea was to really highlight the possibilities of the future, or, 330 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: as FDR put it, the hope that quote the years 331 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: to come will break down the many barriers to intercourse 332 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: between nations. I mean, that's actually kind of heartbreaking when 333 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: you remember that World War Two was just around the 334 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: corner at that point. Yeah, the Fair in New York 335 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: probably would have actually stuck around for a third season 336 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: if things hadn't escalated so quickly in Europe at that time. 337 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, war was looming on the horizon, 338 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: and the fair ended up closing earlier than some had hoped, 339 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: and it ultimately left the event over budget as usual, 340 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: but still most exhibitors and attendees would say that the 341 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: fair was a resounding success. So what kind of exhibits 342 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 1: were people responding to so positively? Well, one of the 343 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: biggest raws was a GM exhibit. It was dubbed Futurama, 344 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 1: and this was this expansive model of the city of 345 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: the future, and and they were looking at the far 346 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,439 Speaker 1: flung year of nineteen sixties, so who knew what was 347 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: going to happen then, And so you had things like 348 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: skyscrapers and multi level highways and plenty of landing pads 349 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: for helicopters and low flying planes, and guests would board 350 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 1: this little train and take a fifteen minute tour through 351 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: the model city, and honestly, the public went crazy for it. 352 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: There was something like twenty five million people actually had 353 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: taken the ride by the time the fair closed. I mean, 354 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: it's funny because like skyscrapers and highways, like none of 355 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: that feels super future wristic, or like people are even 356 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: using their imaginations. All that stuff obviously would come around 357 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: and like the next twenty years, So where's this hankering 358 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: for things? Like? Uh, I don't know, Jeff propelled sneakers 359 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: or robot butlers. I don't know about rockets shoes, but 360 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: there was definitely one robot at the nineteen thirty nine fair. 361 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 1: His name was Electro the Moto Man, and he was 362 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: the main attraction of Westinghouse exhibition and according to reports, 363 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: crowds routinely waited in these three hour lines for their 364 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: chance to meet Electro. And really, if you, if you, 365 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: if you look at the timing there, he's widely considered 366 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: to be one of the world's first recognizable robots. So 367 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: this wasn't just a guy in a costumers something like. 368 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,679 Speaker 1: It actually performed robotic functions, Oh man, could it? Ever? So, 369 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: just reading the list of the things it could do, 370 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, actually, just to back up 371 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 1: a little bit, this thing was seven ft tall, wait, 372 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 1: two and fifty pounds, so even on just size alone, 373 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: the crowds were probably dazzled by this thing. But so so, 374 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 1: here's what he was programmed to be able to do. Think, 375 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: there were twenty six mechanical tricks for the audience to see. 376 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: They included walking, talking, counting, blowing up balloons, and mango 377 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: the biggest of all, even smoking a cigarette. So but 378 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: not enjoying it. Elector actually came loaded with corny jokes 379 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: to amuse your buddies, so it was pretty impressive to 380 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 1: see what he could do. But actually just looking at 381 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: all the features, there was a record player embedded in 382 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: his chest and it gave him access to a pretty 383 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 1: impressive seven hundred word vocabulary, so the robot could carry 384 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,959 Speaker 1: on conversations with audience members, and these talks would include 385 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: some low key insults like my brain is bigger than 386 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: your brain, which was not only funny but probably maybe 387 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 1: even a little unnerving for somebody back in nineteen thirty 388 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: nine if you think about it. I love the idea 389 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,160 Speaker 1: of this, like robot insulting you and then like taking 390 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 1: upuff of a cigarette and then insulting you and taking 391 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 1: up off his cigarette. But it sounds like the visitors 392 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: weren't too put off by him, right, Like I mean 393 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: they kept turning up to waiting these three hour long lines. 394 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 1: I guess, right, yeah, and so and and and he 395 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: wasn't the only feature there. I mean, Electro actually brought 396 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: a friend when he returned for the second season, and 397 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: this was this robotic English terrier named Sparko. Sparko could bark, 398 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: could sit, could beg just like a normal dog. And 399 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: then when the fair eventually packed up shop in nineteen forty, 400 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: they weren't done. Electro and Sparko took their show on 401 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: the road, and I was look at this article found 402 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: on history dot com, and here's what it had to 403 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: say about it. Quote. After spending World War Two in 404 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 1: the company's basement and not contributing to the war effort, 405 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: Electro and Sparko were dusted off and sent off to 406 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 1: tour fairs, movie sets, and other spots around the country, 407 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: where they continued to delight and inspired generations of children. 408 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: I've got to admit I thought there was going to 409 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 1: be pretty blend. But between this time machine ride and 410 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: UH and a robot that smoked cigarettes, I've got to 411 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: say I think he won me over. Alright, Well, it 412 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: was really hard to choose just one fair, and you know, 413 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: even once you narrow it down, you're left with all 414 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: kinds of weird exhibits like apparently there were slew of 415 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: other quote unquote girly shows that year, including one called 416 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: Living Magazine Covers. Visitors basically would pay a fee to 417 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: enter and photograph these topless models posing in sets that 418 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,719 Speaker 1: were built to look like magazine covers. I mean, I'm 419 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: kind of surprised that I was allowed, especially you know, 420 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: considering how many kids were probably running around. Well that's 421 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: the thing, So that NYPD actually made a sweep of 422 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: the fair in order to try and crack down on 423 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: some of the more lewd attractions. So they get to 424 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: the magazine exhibit, and I think many people expected it 425 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 1: to be shut down, but they decided to give it 426 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: a pass. And the reason was because they considered it art. 427 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: It was just art and mango. And it might sound 428 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: like a win for the exhibits owner, whose named Jack Sheridan, 429 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,159 Speaker 1: but actually he wasn't happy about this because he worried 430 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: that that art label would drive away his customers. So classy. 431 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: But all right, now that you've had your say, it's 432 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: my turn to talk about my favorite World's Fair. And 433 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 1: to do that, we'll have to hop in our General 434 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: Motors sponsored time machine and fast for it all the 435 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: way to nineteen sixty four. All right, well, that sounds 436 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: great for the first Let's take one more quick break. Okay, Well, 437 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: so I picked the nineteen sixty four World's Fair because 438 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: it's probably the one I wish I most could have 439 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: gone to And I know I'm not alone because it 440 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: still gets reference today. All Right, we're gonna have to 441 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: remind me why that is exactly. But just thinking back 442 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: to the time to to kind of set the scene 443 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: for where we were, I mean, that was a big 444 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: year in general. You've got the Civil Rights Act past 445 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 1: that year, Muhammad Ali became the heavyweight champion. Of course, 446 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: the Beatles were taking America by storm at that time. 447 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: And yes, of course this this would have been a 448 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: memorable year without this awesome World's Fair. But but remind 449 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: me why it was such a big deal. Yeah, So 450 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: obviously America I had a time going on, and maybe 451 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: some of that swagger worked its way over to the 452 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: World's Fair, because it's pretty impressive. So for starters, there 453 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: was an exhibition where a guy flew around wearing a 454 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: jet pack. It was originally built for the U. S. Army, 455 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: and apparently you could fly a distance of eight fifteen 456 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: feet or go as fast as sixty miles per hour, 457 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: and while the pilot didn't get too far like off 458 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: the ground or go that fast. He was a star 459 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: performer in the fairs Wonder World Musical, which you know, 460 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: I guess there's nothing to sneeze at. Once you said 461 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 1: jet pack, I was like, yeah, that's why a new 462 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: Mango would pick the one with the jet pack. But 463 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: what about your robot Butler? Did the sixty four have 464 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: one of those two? No, but if you asked me, 465 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 1: you'd actually had something better. A robot Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln. 466 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: That is so like the one at at Disneyland, right, 467 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: don't they have a robot Abraham Lincoln. Yeah? So, so 468 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: the strange thing is it is the one at Disneyland. 469 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: So remember that theme park connection I mentioned earlier. So 470 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: it's not just roller coasters and ferris wheels that tame parks. O. 471 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 1: The World's Fair is the entire concept of highly themed 472 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: areas filled with different attractions. All of that's lifted from 473 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: world's fairs. So one of the staples where a bunch 474 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: of pavilions themed to represent different countries. And you know 475 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 1: that's something you see reflected in adventure Land or I 476 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: guess the World Showcase at Epcot. And you know what's 477 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: funny is that Epcot was actually, uh that part was 478 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: intended to be kind of a permanent World's Fair. Plus 479 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,719 Speaker 1: we've got the whole tomorrow Land Park sections and that 480 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: giant metal spirit at Epcot. Like even at first glance, 481 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: it's obvious how much Disney was lifting from the World's Fairs. 482 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: All right, well, what's the connection between Robot Abraham Lincoln 483 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: and Disney though? So Walt had actually been this lifelong 484 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: fan of World's Fairs, so he was super excited when 485 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: the sixty four exhibition was announced for New York and 486 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: he wanted to be a part of it anyway he could. 487 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: And in the end he got his wish. He he 488 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,719 Speaker 1: wounded up designing not just one, but four different attractions 489 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: for the fair, and the focal point of all of 490 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: them were robots or is Disney called them audio animatronics. 491 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: He debuted the technology a year earlier with these birds 492 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: at his enchanted Tiki Room attraction at Disneyland, but it 493 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 1: was at the sixty four World's Fair that this new 494 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: form of animation really came into its own and the 495 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: Lincoln figure from that Illinois pavilion that was one of 496 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: the most ambitious robots the company had ever attempted. And 497 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: why was that, Well, Robot Lincoln had all these complex 498 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,640 Speaker 1: hydraulic systems that had to be rigged up for his movements. 499 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 1: But also at that point, of robot had actually never 500 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: been built with any convincing likeness of a real person, 501 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: So making something that lifelike was really impressive. In fact, 502 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: when when National Geographic took an early look at Disney's 503 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: work in nineteen sixty three, they concluded that the animatronic 504 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: Lincoln was quote alarming in its realism. And when it 505 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: premiered at the Fair, I mean, what's amazing is that 506 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: there's a story of this five year old boy in 507 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 1: the audience who freaked out and he looked up at 508 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: his dad and shouted, uh, Daddy, I thought you said 509 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 1: he was dead. I'd say that's a pretty real validation 510 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: right there. But but but in thinking about reproducing Lincoln, 511 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: I would think this would be really difficult to pull 512 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: off because if you think about what they would have 513 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,199 Speaker 1: had at that point, you know, they probably had a 514 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: few old pictures, maybe a couple of portraits of Lincoln. 515 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: But I would think that was about it, right, So 516 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: that's the really cool part. Apparently the real Lincoln allowed 517 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: a sculpture to make a mask of his face just 518 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 1: two months prior to his assassination, and that's what the 519 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,199 Speaker 1: Disney artists actually used to make their version as accurate 520 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: as possible. Like that does just feel slow, unreal. But 521 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: by the time the exhibit was copied and add to 522 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: Disneyland a year later, it had been overhauled to make 523 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: it even more convincing. That's pretty cool, but I'm curious, So, 524 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: so what were the other three attractions that Walt got 525 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 1: involved in. It's a small world that that boat ride. 526 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: You've got those robot children from around the world singing 527 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: the same song for twelve long minutes, and that was 528 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 1: actually part of the Units Pavilion. It was sponsored by Pepsi, 529 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: which I had no idea. Um there There was also 530 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: the Carousel of Progress, which they made for the Ge Pavilion, 531 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: and uh that was just basically a rotating theater that 532 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 1: switched betwe mean scenes of robots acting out these domestic scenes. 533 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: But it also showcased g products in the process. And lastly, 534 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: and and probably best of all, there was the Magic 535 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: Skyway and this was at the Ford Pavilion. I'm trying 536 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: to remember this, but I don't think I've heard about 537 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: this one, So what what was the deal with that? 538 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: So Ford was debuting this brand new sports car that year, 539 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: the Mustang. I'm sure you've heard of it. I feel 540 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: like I've heard that before. So to help sell the 541 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: public on this new design, the company teamed up with 542 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: Disney and they built this ride where fair goers would 543 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: board motorless Mustang convertibles and then they just get pulled 544 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: along this conveyor belt. I mean, that doesn't exactly sound exciting, 545 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 1: but but if I had to guess, this is where 546 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,679 Speaker 1: the robots come in, is that right? Exactly? So, the 547 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: idea was that the writers will be sent on a 548 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: trip back in time, all the way to the Jurassic Age, 549 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 1: and they'd encounter intricate scenes of dinosaurs caring for the 550 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: young or I guess squaring off for battle, all sorts 551 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 1: of amazing things. I mean, Disney basically treated this Ford 552 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: money as an excuse to make cool about dinosaurs, which 553 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: is awesome. But in the end everyone was happy, Like 554 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: Walt was able to relocate these dinosaurs scenes to Disneyland 555 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: and they were incorporated there into I guess part of 556 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 1: the parks railroad and and uh Ford went on to 557 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: sell four hundred thousand Mustangs in its first year, which 558 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: was actually four times what they had expected. Yeah, that's 559 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: a huge number and it's hard to argue with those results. 560 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: But well, before we move on to any other sections 561 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: or any other fairs, was there anything else you wanted 562 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: to mention about that sixty four fair? Yeah, there were 563 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: a couple other highlights. So for instance, uh, I know, 564 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: the fair hosted cream of wheat, which you know, I 565 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: guess makes it more special. But in the sixties it 566 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: was Belgian waffles time to shine and and technically the 567 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: waffles had made their first state side appearance in the 568 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty two World's Fair. This was in Seattle, but 569 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 1: they didn't make much of a splash there. But a 570 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 1: few years later, you know, fair goers just couldn't get 571 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: enough of these Belgian waffles, and in fact, they were 572 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 1: such a hit that waffle maker sales spiked all over 573 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: the country, and as The New York Times reported in 574 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty five, quote, the Belgian waffles sold like hotcakes. 575 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: Waffles sold like I feel like they're mixing their breakfast 576 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: similes there, But they are The times so much better now. Yeah, 577 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: all right, Well what's next though? You said you've got 578 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: one more right, Yeah, So you remember the b I 579 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: E from earlier that's that organization that oversees the official 580 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: world's fairs. They actually have all kinds of rules about 581 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: who can host exhibitions and how often they're allowed to occur. So, 582 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: for example, the current rule is that one large exposition 583 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: can be held every five years and one smaller one 584 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: can be held in between. And another big rule is 585 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: that only one event is allowed per country every ten years. 586 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 1: But the US actually broke both of those rules in 587 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty four because Seattle had just hosted their own 588 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: big exhibition, which was just two years earlier. And wait, 589 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: so you're you're setting with sixty four one? Was what? 590 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: Was it kind of like a rogue World's Fair? Yeah, 591 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: it wasn't. And because the fair didn't get permission from 592 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: b i E, some European countries refused to participate. I 593 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: mean they called it an unsanctioned event. And the countries 594 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: that refused were pretty big countries like France, Britain, Italy. 595 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: They all set it out. So what what did the 596 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: organizers do to fill those spots that they just turn 597 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: the companies or what did they do? Yeah? I mean 598 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: that that was part of it. But the fair's rogue 599 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 1: status actually had these unexpected benefits to both the US 600 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: and to some lesser known nations. Here's how um this guy, 601 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: Christopher Klein explained it in an article that he wrote 602 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: for History. Quote. Filling the gap at the fair were 603 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: smaller geopolitical powers, ranging from Thailand to Honduras to Morocco. 604 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: Fifteen African republics, some newly independent from European colonial powers, 605 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: also erected exhibits. The fair not only introduced tens of 606 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: millions of Americans to the languages, history, and food of 607 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: these more unfamiliar cultures, it also offered the first glimpse 608 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: of the country's coming demographic shift that would be precipitated 609 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: by the signing of the nineteen six Immigration Act, which 610 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: opened the US two millions previously denied by national quotas 611 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: in the same month that the fair closed. Well, that's 612 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: that's actually pretty incredible, and it's such a bummer to 613 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: hear about what a force for good these cultural events 614 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 1: were for our country, and especially knowing that we've sort 615 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: of moved on from them. Like I was actually reading 616 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: about how the attendance at the eighty four World's Fair 617 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 1: in New Orleans was so low it actually became the 618 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: first exposition to declare bankruptcy while it was still open 619 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 1: was so strong that no other World's Fair has been 620 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: held here since then. In fact, after almost twenty years 621 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: of sustained disinterest in hosting, the US actually withdrew from 622 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: the b i E back in two thousand one. And 623 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: so we we still contribute these exhibits from time to time, 624 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: but the country no longer seems interested in taking a 625 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 1: larger role in these events. Yeah. I mean, it's sad 626 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: to think about, but but you know, just because the 627 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: US has lost interest in World's Fair doesn't mean the 628 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: rest of the world has. So a few people know this, 629 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: but World's Fair still take place regularly. There was a 630 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: big one in Milan in two thousand fifteen, there was 631 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: a smaller one last year in Kazakhstan. And there's another 632 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: big one set for Dubai. Yeah, and I actually I 633 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: read about it. There are still a few groups in 634 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: the US who are trying to build support for different ones. 635 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: Like there there's their support for a small expo that 636 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: could be in Minneapolis and three or maybe for a 637 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: much larger expo in either San Francisco or Houston. And 638 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: but you know, I kind of hope we get to 639 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: see the World's Fair back in the U s sometime 640 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: and you know, in the not too distant future. Yeah, 641 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: fingers crossed. Actually, well, one of the things that they've 642 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: done recently is kind of restricted the themes to things 643 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: that aren't as widely popular. So I mean it's like 644 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,239 Speaker 1: energy or conservation. But I think if they shift that 645 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: back to I guess these more open themes of progress 646 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: and technology in the future, you might get more on 647 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: support for it. And I don't know, maybe there's a 648 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 1: balance that could be struck between those two. I don't 649 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: know what exactly what that would be, but maybe we 650 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: can go back to your jet packs. That could be 651 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: jet packs that run on canola oil or something like that. 652 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: Is that seeing like a off the crowd? Yeah, I 653 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: think both futuristic things and environmental things. I'm for it. 654 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: But while we're waiting for that, why don't we start 655 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: the fact off. So here's one more awesome thing about 656 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,959 Speaker 1: the nineteen sixty four World's Fair. Do you know that 657 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: Michelangelo's Pieta was exhibited there? No, So while Italy sat 658 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: this out, the Vatican didn't, and they lent the sculpture 659 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: to the fair. But and for good reason. There was 660 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: a ton of security around the exhibit. So not only 661 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 1: was the artwork protected with plenty of guards, it also 662 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: came and closed in bulletproof glass and visitors could only 663 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: see it from a moving walkway which zoomed by a 664 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: two miles per hour. All right, Well, we were talking 665 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: earlier about that first Futurama exhibit that the GM put on, 666 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 1: and it wasn't really that futuristic, you know, talked about 667 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 1: roads and helicopters. But in nineteen sixty four they decided 668 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 1: to one up themselves and they put on this sequel 669 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: Futurama too, and in this run they showed how lunar 670 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: bases would just be a fact of life, and that 671 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: we'd be using lasers to slice down trees, and seaweed 672 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 1: farms would be farmed by these aqua coopters to feed 673 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: the world, and and then of course, for some reason, 674 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: a lot of weathermen would live at the South Pole, 675 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: which weirdly actually feels like the most doable of all 676 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 1: the things that I just said. That's pretty amazing. So 677 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: at the Worlds For in Chicago, people actually used it 678 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 1: to make a statement, and some Scandinavians decided to protest 679 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: Christopher Columbus and specifically his quote discovery of North America. 680 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 1: And they did this by building this giant Viking ship 681 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,880 Speaker 1: and then sailing it and docking it in the Harvard 682 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:49,400 Speaker 1: during the fair. They really showed them art well. The 683 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: San Francisco Expo in nineteen fifteen also sounded pretty cool. 684 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: So not only did the city work hard to rebuild 685 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: itself just nine years after the massive earthquake there, but 686 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: it featured thing was like a telephone line that went 687 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:03,840 Speaker 1: all the way to New York, so people on the 688 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: East coast could hear the Pacific Ocean. And also for 689 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: some reason, the Liberty Bell came on tour for it, 690 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 1: which that was So that's been over a hundred years 691 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,839 Speaker 1: and that was actually the last time that the Bell 692 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,359 Speaker 1: has gone on the road. It's actually just been home 693 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia ever since then. I love that the Liberty 694 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:26,280 Speaker 1: Bell opened for a telephone. I had yet this rock event. 695 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 1: But if you're a foodie, the St. Louis Expo might 696 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: be the one to focus on. So there are so 697 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:34,800 Speaker 1: many foods that have been on menus for a while, 698 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,799 Speaker 1: but they all really shined there, and they took on 699 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: this larger American audience, and this included things like peanut 700 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: butter hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, cones, dr pepper cotton candy, 701 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: iced tea, and my favorite, the banana split man. That's 702 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: a pretty good line up show. All those things are 703 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 1: one of the things that gets overlooked at the world's fairs. Mango, 704 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: it's the power of poet tree. So how you didn't 705 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,719 Speaker 1: see that coming, did you? I did not. We're gonna 706 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: go back to the nineteen o one World's Fair and Buffalo, 707 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 1: and at that fair, vendors popularized popcorn as a snack, 708 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 1: and they did it by using this chance. I mean, 709 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:16,319 Speaker 1: tell me if this doesn't make you want to eat 710 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: some popcorn. Lovely eyes come shine and glitter by your 711 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 1: girl a popcorn fritter you could see, I mean just 712 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 1: just opening my wallet right now. Yeah. Yeah, But they 713 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: sold a ton of popcorn. But that isn't all. So 714 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: fruit sellers decided to get in on this rhyming action. Now, 715 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 1: this happened three years later, in nineteen o four. I 716 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:38,280 Speaker 1: guess they had three years to work up something really, 717 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: really good. And this was a Missouri fruit specialist. His 718 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: name was J. T. Stinson and he coined the phrase 719 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:47,719 Speaker 1: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I've never 720 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:50,879 Speaker 1: heard it, We'll trust me. I think a few other 721 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,879 Speaker 1: people had. Well. I love that. I don't even think 722 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: you like poetry that much. I decided to honor it 723 00:36:57,480 --> 00:36:59,799 Speaker 1: in this big way today, so I feel like you 724 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,399 Speaker 1: today's trophy. I thought that might take it well. Thank 725 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: you very much, and thank all of you guys for listening. 726 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,080 Speaker 1: If there's any great facts about world's fairs we have 727 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:09,320 Speaker 1: forgotten today, we would love to hear those from you. 728 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 1: You can always email us part Time Genius at how 729 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 1: stuff Works dot com or call us on our seven 730 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: fact hot line that's one eight four four pt Genius, 731 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 1: or has always hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. 732 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: But thanks so much for listening. Thanks again for listening. 733 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:37,960 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of How Stuff Works 734 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: and wouldn't be possible without several brilliant people who do 735 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 1: the important things we couldn't even begin to understand. Tristan 736 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 1: McNeil does the editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme 737 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:49,320 Speaker 1: song and does the mixy mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland 738 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: does the exact producer thing. Gay Blues years our lead 739 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,160 Speaker 1: researcher with support from the Research Army, including Austin Thompson, 740 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:57,839 Speaker 1: Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams and Eve Jeff Cook gets 741 00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,840 Speaker 1: the show to your ears. Good job, Eves. If you 742 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:01,839 Speaker 1: like what you heard, we hope you'll subscribe, and if 743 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:03,759 Speaker 1: you really really like what you've heard, maybe you could 744 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:05,799 Speaker 1: leave a good review for us. Did we? Did we 745 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 1: forget Jason? Jason who