Shannon Noll was robbed on Australian Idol

This week its Guy Sebastian vs Shannon Noll in a showdown for the title of Australian Idol. And knowing what we know about both contestants now, we have to say Nollsy was robbed!

We’ve got a legend who climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a night out on the beers and stole the flag. We discuss why Abercrombie and Fitch were cancelled in the early 2000s and why Irv Gotti decided to drop the ‘Murder’ from Murder Inc.

Lord of the Rings, The Return of The King dominates the box office this week while Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie own the small screen when The Simple Life premieres.

We’ve got Will Young going to number one on the UK pop charts, Ludacris dominating the billboard charts and we discuss why the ARIA charts just plain suck. 

What more could you possibly ask for?

Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

Transcript

Transcript is generated automatically

The year is 2003. Tom is your first friend on Myspace, 50 Cent costs a dollar on iTunes. The Terminator becomes the Governator and nobody can find those weapons of mass destruction t -, 20, rewind, 20 years. With Joe and Mel. 

Week of 30 November 2000. 

Hello and welcome to the show. If it's your first time, thanks. This is t -, 20 the podcast where we rewind to this week in history only 20 years ago. This is like yesterday, it's like. Post September 11, Sydney 2000 Olympics. It all feels like a fortnight ago, but it was actually 20 years and we're gonna guide you through that process as we have done each and every week for many, many years now. Your host Joe and Mel. Hello, Mel. 

Hi, everyone. Yes, we're guiding you through 30N through to six December 2003. We hit the Decembers. 

The decemberists. 

Pretty much Christmas. 

Well, yeah, I've checked out. I'm like, I'm basically not doing anything at work from now on. Don't tell the boss. 

And eating whatever cause it doesn't count doesn't count. 

Ohh yeah, I've started that the Christmas party season is upon us. It's just like I feel like I'm having, you know, to consume alcohol at least four nights a week in December through to early January. 

It's kind of a. 

Rule it takes a toll at this age. It's I can't do it like I used to. 

Yeah, hangovers last about four days now, don't they? 

Mm-hmm. No, they don't. When you've got a C PAP mask. Thank goodness for sleep apnea. Ohh, yeah. Sleep apnea has been a blessing and a curse. And the blessing is that when you wear that CPAP mask, if you have a few the night before. 

Oh really? 

Yeah, cause your blood oxygen level's really good the next day, if you if you've got the the constant pressure in, you know the airway stuff. Yes. You know, normally you'd be snoring when you're drunk. Well, you don't snore, so you get all the right levels of oxygen into your blood. So the hangover is far less severe. 

Monday, tomorrow is over the festive season. Please. 

I feel like I'm 22, I said I couldn't do it like I used to. I can do it better. Actually. We can rebuild him. Younger, stronger, fitter, faster. 

Alright, let's go back to 2003. 

When I met. What's up? My name is red. You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch. 

Abercrombie and Fitch, I. 

Always thought it was Abercrombie and Finch. I always put an end in there. 

Did you? 

But it's. Fitch Fitch. It was quite the clothing store in the early 2000s. 

Yes, yes. Yes, it had nothing to do with tiny birds. 

No, no, it was really big early 2000s and a big controversy hit the store this week. 

20 years ago. 

Though you'd probably have to be a tiny bird to fit into their clothing. Well, except for maybe some Abercrombie and Fitch Clothing for Christmas. But I don't want anything at. 

All, don't you? 

No, nothing. Just peace and quiet. 

That's Alicia Keys. She had a brand new album out this week, 20 years ago. 

Isn't that Paris Hilton? 

Ohh, that intro takes me right back to more. I think more like 2005 here in Australia because we didn't get it. Till a few years later. But it was a really big debut with the states this week, 20 years ago, the simple life. 

We love this show. 

Gary Nicole Richard with Paris Hilton. 

Was it MTV? That was MTV wasn't? 

It ohh one of those. 

Definitely VH1 one of those. It was worth the price of the Foxtel subscription. Well, it was the Foxtel subscription anyway, you could only watch it if you had Foxtel. It's hard to be rich or. 

Fox nothing was Fox actually. 

You know, just not very frivolous with other things. If you were having Foxtel, you have to be a shut in and spend money on nothing else. 

Yes, those are expensive days. 

Ohh wow. Speaking of Paris, I know a couple of weeks ago we talked about the Britney Spears book and I was thinking about updating the promo, but it starts with its Britney ***** and I feel like that's. Been very fitting because she's. 

Timeless, yes. 

Still on trend? She hasn't been off trend for quite some time, whether it's been the twirling controversy from her. Instagram account so now the book, which is a few weeks old now but a lot of people like you would have finished it by now. So you finished the book. 

Yes, I have finished it. I finished it a couple of weeks ago now and I think last time we spoke about it, I just started because it I bought the hard cover. So I have to read in daylight hours cause I don't have a book light, so it made it a bit more difficult, but I have finished it. And one thing that I hadn't really thought about because I do read a lot of. Biographies, and they're usually ones from. Quite some time ago, not as recent as as this one. 

Probably more significant historical figures than Britney Spears maybe. I mean, you've got a lot of entertainment ones like Michael Jackson. Ohhh sanam. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But you also, you also don't mind the political biographies as. 

Mark. Jack. Fox. Eminem. That's good. Well, yeah, but this one I I didn't realise until I started reading through it. But it's kind of a lot of it is. Sort of based in the early 2000s. And that's when the Internet has become a thing. So as you're reading through the book and I didn't realise I was doing this for a little bit, but you'll read a bit and she'll make. A comment about something and you. Go. Oh, I remember that. So she was talking about going to the the movie premiere with Colin. 

Ah yes. Farrell. Yes, I remember that. That was all over the tabloids. 

Yes, well, she. Talked about ohh the top I wore in hindsight, pretty sure it was a pyjama top. Well, you know what you can do? You can jump on the old googs type. It in and there it is. And I was like, ohh yeah, it does look like a pyjama top. But you still rocked it, Britney. And then she was talking about a time when she tripped over when she was carrying one of her sons. And the tabloids took a photo, and they made this big thing about what an unfit mother she was. And then she was talking about the whole lead up, and they were actually in her way and blocking her, trying to get into her car. You can find the video. 

So you get, you get the other side of the story, hmm. 

So you read, you read it, then you look, you do a search and then you see what happens. And then she was talking about obviously the the head shaving incident and the umbrella. There's there's footage of what led up to that incident and the way in which she was being antagonised by the paparazzi and the horrible things that they were saying about her cause. It was just after her children, I think she'd separated from Kevin and she wasn't seeing her kids as. Much, yeah. And the. Things that they were saying to her. It's just horrendous, but you didn't get that information at the time. You just got the photos splashed across N.W.A and. 

So were you shocked? Has it changed your perspective on any of those things? 

I you know what, I've always thought that she has had a hard time. I've always been team Britney. I've always been team. Leave Britney alone. Yeah, I think it's just reinforced what I've felt even more. But one thing I did like one thing I did love about it. It's kind of bringing people together as well because she. Talks in the book about her. Video clip to give me more. And she was saying how embarrassed she is of the clip because it was, I think it was shot on her phone or it was quite budget. And she was saying I'm quite embarrassed by it. So I went and jumped on YouTube and I looked up at her. What are you embarrassed about? This is stunning. It's a beautiful, beautiful clip. And then you go down to the comments and it's everyone else who's reading the book. So all the comments are from the last two or three weeks. 

People who already know it's like a little. Book club. 

It's amazing, and they're all saying the same thing. Brittany, we love you and you know, thank you for sharing this with us. We think the clips amazing. So it everybody's kind of jumping to the same clips. So when you type it in pretty much any Britney search is going to bring up something from the book now because everyone's searching it. 

Well, that's a first for YouTube comments as well. I guess it's it is interesting in a broader context as well, your alarms are going off, you've got so many alarms. How many alarms do you have on? 

Yeah. Yes. 

Your phone, I think. 

I have. 

2626. 

I have lots of things that I have to remember. That's how I remember them. 

Yes, but you do. You're a mother. You work hard, you're full time working. Personal mum and you've got a man child for a husband. So I understand where you have those. 

That was that. Put the man child to bed alone past your bedtime. 

I don't want to go to bed. I'm staying to the podcast, So what I was gonna say is, is in the broader context of all that 2000 stuff. I think too. There's lots of documentaries that are coming out at the moment on Netflix and and the Beckham series is a great one as well. And that also talks about their version of the event. And it's it's funny because I still think that there is. There is the whatever the media or the paparazzi put out, and then there's their version. And then there's the other parties version and the truth still lies somewhere in between. But it's good to get that perspective. But it was the same thing with the Beckham documentary, which is even if you're not a football fan, it's very it's very much a time capsule of some big events that happened at the time and. 

Yeah, yeah. 

He was such a massive pop culture figure and and and it also has a really interesting. Look at the way the tabloids in the UK, true. Because if you think the US people are bad over in the UK, they're revolting. They were just disgusting and and and I I thought Gee whiz, it's like and they are you think about how young these people are as well. So Brittany was early 20s, I think Beckham was somewhere around 23 years old. 

If I. Posh would have been, yeah, because I remember it all from Posh's site. So it was interesting seeing it from Beckham's side of it. But yeah, these are people that are in their early 20s. They're having their first children as. Well, so they're just being scrutinised for every choice that they make and everything that they do and they're fearful for their kids because of the way that the paparazzi behaves. 

I just. I just look at how I was at 23 and I just don't think that I. 

Could you imagine the paparazzi following your every move and scrutinising, putting it across the tabloids? 

I mean, it's probably good that it happens to them when they are that young cause you are I guess in your early 20s, just full of **** and vinegar and you know, ready to take on the world. But I I don't know that you have all the tools to mentally cope with the pressure that they put on you. It's a, it's a really interesting thing, looking back isn't it? One thing we do look back on each and every week is the hatches, matches and dispatches segment, which we do at the end of this show. Births, deaths, marriages that happened this time in 2003, and even people who are perhaps turning 20 this year. This week, I think we've got someone. Who are they turning 20? 

To birth someone who was born this week 20 years ago, yes. 

It is a birth. 

Here's the clue. 

This is a circus circus. A circus circus was a 12 metre long predator that's 40 feet. My dad absolutely loved dinosaurs. In fact, he even made a documentary. Yeah, the. 

Yeah, if you know who that person is, listen out to the end of the show and you'll get the correct answer. And you can, I don't know, feel some kind of affirmation or you can go sucker, sucker. So I don't mind. 

Let's start with the 2nd of December 2003. Here in Australia, security on the Sydney Harbour Bridge had to be step. Dark after what reporters were referring to as a drunken idiot who managed to scale the bridge and remove the Australian flag from the summit. 

You got all the way to. The top yes. For legend, legend absolute legend mate. 

And he was drunk. It's hard enough to do when you're sober. 

I've done the bridge. 

The bridge climb were all strapped and cabled in. 

I have proper bricked it, I I'm I'm terrified of heights and the the it's OK once you get up onto the arch, but getting up onto the arch is increasingly difficult and the the there's like this section where you go. 

You did, I know. 

No, the the flat top of the the hard, the, the, the, the road part of the bridge and and you can see straight down through it and it's like it's just grates an ocean and. 

Yes, yes you can. See straight down through it, yeah. I just you made a lot of swears that day. 

Got me right. In the. Balls didn't like it at all. I think I swore it. You a couple of times as well because you were. 

So I. You did, you did. You told me I was going too close to. The railing and well, that's what. I gotta hold. Up to. 

Yes, I was scared. I was scared. So I I appreciate the effort and the courage. 

Anyway, so these struggling, yes. 

That this man has the Dutch courage. 

Australian of the. Australian of the Year. It's my nominee, yes. 

Australian of the Year with Dutch courage? Absolutely. Well, we can talk about Australians of the year a little bit later. On as well, but yeah. 

26 year olds from Cremorne? Mm-hmm. And he decided to climb the NE pylon around 11:50 PM. So not only was he drunk, he was doing it in the dark. 

Nearly midnight. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess that helps because then you can't see the bottom. 

In the dark. Quite the feat said he captured. The flag they assessed that he was intoxicated, so they felt it wasn't a terrorist threat. They thought it was just a Yahoo on a prank. So we'll just wait till he. Comes back down so. 

When is it? 

They just stood there watching to see what was happening, yeah. 

See what would happen? What did you fail? I mean, it's not during peak hour. So that's a good thing. But do you? What do you reckon the conversation was with his mates? 

And try and stop him. Got an idea I reckon. I can get that flag. 

Might I reckon that's a great idea? Yeah. Hang on, we'll we'll. 

Yeah, we can hang it up. In my bedroom, in the share house. 

We'll just finish your beer and then you go up there. Yeah. Yeah. We'll make a doona cover out of it. Look awesome. 

Great idea. 

Well, you know, it's it. It's, it's happened many times the the breaching of landmarks. I mean we had the Opera House as well. Don't forget the guys doing the no wall painting but this one was the second major breach of the bridge security in actually 10 days after God by the name of Alan Robert the Daredevil Frenchman. You know the. 

Then I will Yep. 

Spiderman guy. 

Ohh guy yes. 

That used to go up the skyscrapers. Scaled the bridge without ropes or safety equipment. You reckon? I like 10 days later? Yeah, and this is what I reckon. Maybe, though, was sitting around having this new drink singer. 

Yeah, that's he was sober. He was sober. They saw him on the news when? They were at the pub. 

And they're just like me. If that French prick can do it, I reckon I can do it after half a. Carton of beer. 

In the dark, of course, with no rope. 

Stop that. You're French surrender monkeys. 

And this is despite more than $10 million spent over the last two years on counter terrorism resources. Yeah. And they were really upgrading security around the big landmarks because after September 11, obviously they felt that some of these Australian landmarks. There was a there was a pretty. Good threat there, things like. 

Of course, of course. 

The Opera House the bridge. And but then he still got up there. 

Well, it brings it into doubt, doesn't it? Like if a ****** idiot can scale the Opera House at 11:50 at night after a cut and a beer. You know what? What's what's to stop like, a a terrorist who's, you know, stone cold, sober from doing it any other. 

And the fact that they just swing on. You if you go good luck. 

Time of the day. 

84 metres. He got the flag and he was fined. $350.00 worth it, I reckon. 

Yeah, he would have had to get the flag as well because. You know. 

No one would have believed him. 

Well, you don't exactly. It's it's not like that. You could take your iPhone up there. Yeah. And it's not like he paid for the proper bridge climb where you can get a photo, which I think you have to pay extra for. 

We need evidence, mate. Did you find this? Yes, right, right. Yes. 

So might as well take the flag. Well done. So we alluded to this at the start of the show and this is a fashion news item. 

A fashion news crossover. 

Hence the fashiony thing at the start. 

Maybe you should have remixed that into the new sting. 

Yeah, that's too much work. So hit me. I don't think I'm qualified to talk about this, I think. You need to. 

Right. This is preppy tea in clothing brand Abercrombie and Fitch basically had to cancel themselves after protests and boycotts due to its racy catalogue. 

Well, they did. Their catalogues are racy. You know what's funny about Abercrombie and Fitch? And I remember, this is they sell clothing, but their catalogues featured people not wearing much clothing like they actually used nudity to sell clothing. It's like those people need to put some clothes. So on. 

It wasn't always like that. They were originally established in 1892 as an upscale sporting goods store. 

Oh God. 

And they sold things like fishing lines and hunting stuff, and yeah, it was like an outdoorsy hunting. 

Did they? Like gate and pair of waders to go fishing in and things like that, Abercrombie and Fitch waders. 

Yeah, kind of stuff. Hmm. And then in the late 1980s, under new ownership, it shifted to a more casual luxury apparel brand targeted towards the younger demographic. And it became really, really popular, late 90s, early 2000s. And the looks were things like. You know your nice jeans, your polo shirts, where you pop your collar, maybe layer a couple of polo shirts in different colours, button downs, car keys. 

Right. So like Neo fascist, yeah. Hitler, Hitler, Youth of the early 2000. 

Hoodies but tidy but tidy and lots of they were one of those brands that plastered their logo and established in what was it? 1892 across across the T-shirts. Lots of graphic T-shirts as well. 

Yeah, yeah. And that that. Well, that's how they're they're featuring. They're very big in pop culture at the time. Hence that song that we played by who is this LFO? 

The light funky ones. 

When I met you, I said my name was rich. You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch. You kids all. Got a bunch of. Hits Chinese food makes me sick. Summer or the summer? I like that. 

That's just what was that. 

They referenced that store in the chorus, so it got at least three name cheques in the chorus and it was also an A few verses you cannot pay for coverage like that. 

Yeah. And just can we put a pin in that for a second? What? Yeah. What? What are you talking about? The light, funky. 

The light funky ones. 

Ones who in their right mind. 

I do feel light and summary like it's little. 

Who in their right mind doesn't like Chinese food? Honestly, Chinese food makes me sick, mate. What kind of person are you? Ohh. That's right. A NEO fascist that wears out. They are basically the Hitler youth they are. They are the the, the the clothing label that most young casual racists choose. 

That's true. That's true. 

They are what's the Netflix documentary about them? 

In the early 2000s, they were known for their distinctive and very carefully curated retail environment. The store had a very intentional vibe, so starting with walking. 

Yeah, white people in the front, black people out. The back. They did. They did. What's the documentary? 

Starting with walking into the store right before you even get into the store out the front two shirtless male models. Cut, like **** cracks, they're opening the. 

Doors. Ohh really. They had like shirt. Look, they had Chippendales strippers on the doors. Ohh in you come, alright? Yeah, sure. 

Welcome Welcome, Nips Out, Nips out, really and you come, yes. Dim lighting and loud music. It sounded like a nightclub when you were in there. It was a very it had a rustic vibe, though, so it was kind of really dark once you got in there and it kind of felt like a like a log cabin. And I think that's maybe a. Throwback to the. 

OK. 

Early days of the fishing and the yes. 

So so Speaking of log cabins, you you were at summer camp as a as a camp councillor over in the states. And I've seen the photos you're wearing an Abercrombie and Fitch shirt. 

I know it's the only one I could afford. It was. 

Did so you went to the store? 

On sale so. Why we did this thing when we went to America, we had to go to all the stores that we'd heard in like songs or we'd seen in movies. And obviously that's one of them. Victoria's Secret. All of those sort of stores we had to experience it for ourselves. So I think we have, I think we went to the outlet. That's how cheap we were, but it. 

What do you do? What do you put on your Abercrombie and Fitch T-shirt that you bought there and then went off to a book burning afterwards? Is that what you did? 

I went in and I bought is a green shirt and they had this thing where they used to kind of rip. It was like a ripped V-neck. So it's like they just ripped the the collar. So it sort of came down a little bit. I bought that and I think it was about $20. It was still quite expensive and I bought a headband. I've still got. I think I've still got the headband. 

Have you? 

Because that was only $5. 

Right. 

But it was it was very stressful. It was very stressful going in there because it was dark, it was loud and this was the other thing. It was full of beautiful people. So everybody that worked. There looks like a model. They're all hot as and here's me, you know, fresh from summer camp, I was just bathing in the lake. I wasn't. You know, I didn't care. And I was all greasy and dirty. And I'd been eating a lot. I'd been there a lot of milk and cookies at night. And I walked in there and they just stared at me. 

I'm surprised that the the yeah. 

As if to say, can you please leave? 

Let's say you had a bit of a badonkadonk happening. 

I have lots of badonkadonk's and I'm. 

Because you're eating all that American food. Yeah. And so the but the blokes with the nips out let you in. 

Yes, yes. 

The front door. I don't. 

Think they had the nips at the outlet centre? 

Ohh right. 

It was a bit more budget, but it was there was. 

Ohh that's what they would actually let the multiracial people work in the front of house, yeah. 

There was dim lighting. No, there was lots of. There was lots of beautiful people and they just sort of stared down their nose at me going. I don't think you belong here, but I'd still bought a. 

Well, somebody stayed there. They knows that you were an outlet. 

T-shirt. Centre I know they were known as brand Rep. Rather than staff. Yeah. And they also, this is a thing. This is funny. And I do remember the store has a very distinctive smell. Yeah, they have a fragrance that the stores were infused with and the staff. Sorry, the brand, what were they? Brand representatives would go around Sprite. 

Representative, that's like there's another. Ah spritzing then. 

They go around spritzing the. Spritz it was called what's? 

To have the the essence of Abercrombie and Fitch in there. 

It called it was called fierce. You could buy it. It was called fierce. 

Abercrombie and Fitz or Spitz? So the the the brand representatives, there's another store in Australia I think where they call their staff members associates. And I'd just be like, OK, how much can I get if I sell my shares anyway? Yeah, so they they're spritzing the stuff around. Very young, attractive people there. 

The Sprint with fees, which was. And the smell the the smell was woody and aromatic, with a fresh and citrusy opening description. 

I beg your pardon. 

Of Russian citrusy opening was the smell of fish, and then on the walls there was Peaches and this coming back to the beautiful people, there was pitches of beautiful people with no clothes plastered all over the walls, which then led to this. Well, I'm gonna call it a catalogue. It was effectively a catalogue of nudes. They called it the A and F. 

With no clothes on. It was soft ****. It was soft ****. I thought it was. The Ohh Abercrombie and Fitch quarterly, yes. 

Came out four times a year. I'm gonna call it a catalogue. They referred to it as the American lifestyle periodical and it cost money. Like you can't charge people for your catalogue. But they did 6 bucks or an issue or $12.00 for an annual subscription. 

See your catalogue. For a little bit of a little bit of fuel for the older wanke bank, yeah. 

Well, it was very popular and people would. People would rip out the pages and stick them on their walls or put them in their lockers, plaster them on their a four even full **** folders. 

Just be careful when you're talking about sticking and plastering the Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue. But but so I mean, all of these like why did they get cancelled? 

Because of their lifestyle periodical, so in 2003 they brought out the 4th edition, the Christmas edition, photographed by Bruce Weber. I think he's quite a famous photographer. And this particular edition got them in a bit of trouble. Cool. So previous editions that interviewed Jenna Jameson and Ron Jeremy, people were frozen naked and. 

*********** was kind of starting to go a little bit mainstream early 2000s, wasn't it? 

Teenage brand though. 

Yeah, but like. 

Teenagers are wearing this. 

Yeah. And I just, yeah, it's it's a, it's a gateway, it's a gateway. 

They had a back to school edition with cocktail recipes and talked about getting off your face. Bathed and. 

And that's that's so weird too, because the legal drink. Ages like 21 in the states, yes. 

And this is supposed. To be a preppy, kind of. Brand. So this time in 2003, they bring out the Christmas edition. 

The holiday that yes. 

And it was cold. What had a name? Ah, I can't remember what it was called, but anyway, it's promised 280 pages of moose, ice hockey, chivalry, ***** ***, and more. It included tips, tips for oral sex, and slayed images of ***** *** and nudes frolicking in a river. 

***** *** with the moose or. Well, you know. In a river, ice hockey and oral sex is really good because a lot of ice hockey players are missing teeth. 

I see here of the blights. It's Mary Davis. 

No, no, that was like the the anyway, yes. All a bit odd, it's. 

Included included in the magazine was a letter from the editor which read. We don't want much this year, but in keeping with the spirit, we'd like to ask forgiveness from some of the people we've offended over the years. This isn't the first time that people were offended. 

All a bit uncouth. 

By this catalogue. 

Oh yeah. 

So they offered their apologies to the Catholic League a, a former governor of Illinois, the Mexican American legal Defence and Education Fund. The Stanford University Asian American Association, a group called now so. 

Ohh, is that because they have those Chinese T-shirts? It was the the Wong Brothers Laundry and it said that two wrongs do make a white because it was like they were the Chinese laundry. The Wong brothers laundry. They had like some of those very racially stereotypical ships. They got picketed for that they got. 

That was the. Yeah, that was the. That was another. I guess that was another thing. 

Protested for that? 

That they did that was. Controversial, but let's just stick with. The book for now. 

Ohh OK, let's go with the book. Yes, sure. You can watch the documentary about it. OK, good. Excellent. Yes. 

Stick with the book. We'll move. We'll circle back to that. We'll circle back to that. It's just about the. Look, so they're kind of poking the bear by asking for forgiveness from all of these. 

That's that's that's marketing. That's like genius marketing. That's like when they did the parental advisory stickers on albums. And they're like that all stop them. And that that's like, no, that makes it far more appealing to young people. 

Groups that they've offended. This time around, though, there was an unprecedented wave of protests outside stores, threats to boycott. There was also they were starting to interview some of the models or formal models from the catalogue, and they were saying that they were. You know, not really. Wanting to go fully nude, they were being pressured to act sexier if they didn't go nude, their pictures wouldn't end up in the catalogue. So there's a lot of controversy coming out in terms of the way in which it was shot as well. So this time 20 years ago, they announced the decision to withdraw the issue. They had to pull it out of all. The stores, yes. And they said that would be the last addition and they didn't do it anymore. Wow. The CEO came out and said he was just bored with it. That was his excuse. 

Ohh really that's. 

And yeah, so. 

Ohh we don't wanna do it anymore. We didn't wanna do. It anyway, yeah. 

So yesterday, yeah, we've so we've moved on and he wanted to come back with something else, but yes, it's not the only major controversy for the brand. The graphic T-shirt. So they were. They were known for their graphic T-shirts. Yeah, there was, you know, outdoors, themes, photographic prints. 

Also was with. 

Lots of text on them. You're on my To Do List scoring in her end zone. Ohh, who needs brains when you have these across the chest will spoon for boon. 

Oh wow, that's cool. 

Ohh stone fox drywall company. Let us get you plastered. Yeah, objects under shirt are larger than they appear. 

Oh so. 

That was just a few, and again, teenagers are wearing boots. 

It's very early 2000. What's this like? I don't know. It wasn't. I mean, it's just it, that's all that always happens. It's that rebellious, you know. 

Isn't it? 

Sexuality coming of age all of. 

Potentially not understanding what it meant, and then the one that you were talking about, the two that that was in two. 

That sort of stuff. The Long brothers laundry. Yeah, right. And it was like 2 Wongs make a what? That was terrible. And it had, like, these little Chinese characters that looked like something out of a World War 2 propaganda poster, like the caricature of the of the Asian characters was so racist, like, so racist and. 

1002. 

Like, I don't even know how they thought that that was a good idea at the time. 

I didn't even get approved yet. 

And they certainly got called out on it. But it this. The Netflix documentary about it is, well, it's a Netflix documentary, so make sure you watch it during the day. You'll probably fall asleep because it's a documentary, but it's it's like the the the, the casual racism and the. Discrimination against people who either wanted to be associated with the brand or work at the store, or even purchased the clothing was insane, like it was like so wildly inappropriate like they were catering to a very niche market, and they didn't particularly, you know, want to be inclusive at all. 

And they also faced a lot of discrimination allegations in their hiring and in employment policies, I think. Two within that documentary, there were some people that ended up taking them to court over it because I, as part of their hiring for the brand representatives, there were certain looks that they were going for. So they were actually hired based on on their looks, if to be the brand representatives in front of house. And if they didn't meet that criteria, then they. 

Yeah, there was. 

Had to go work out. 

That's what I mean like that. And they, the people that were working in the front of the House were the good looking white kids and like, even if you're a good looking black kid, they put. You in the. Back of house over the good looking white kid like. It was abhorrent. It was absolutely revolting and the the documentary is called White Hot. The rise and fall of Abercrombie and Fitch and fall they did. Ohh sorry, just very quickly. Have you still got your shirt? 

Oh, I think so. I've definitely got photos of me and it cause I wore it when I was DJ ING at the disco at summer camp. Yes, I actually, I sorry I did throw the headband out because it had disintegrated. That's right. It was amongst the snow gear and it kind of just sort of disintegrated all the elastic kind of just turned into dust. 

Ohh right, yeah. It's very on trend, yeah. It's like a metaphor for Abercrombie and Fitch. Yeah, yeah. Cool. 

Alright, let's have a listen to the top five over in the US this week 20. Years ago. 

The body begin. 

Stop. Drop, cover. 

Come on, man. Tell me how you're feeling. 

I think about you. 

Y'all don't wanna hear me. You just wanna dance. Don't want to meet your daddy? 

We now move you move. 

Just like that. 

You wait, now you move. 

Ohh my goodness. The queen bee is the C. Well, that's what Michelle Williams would probably have said about her anyway. No, but Beyoncé is. To #3 in the. 

Charts. Yes. We've got two looters, 2 outcasts, A Chingy and a Beyoncé. But yes, Ludacris #1 with stand up. Great song. 

Beyoncé had tumbled 2 places in the charts. Was she? She was number one last week, wasn't she? 

Happy about that. I think so, I don't. 

Know anyway, she's not anymore. She's gone. She's gone. 

She's not so. Oh, well, too bad. It was nice. 

That was a quick nine weeks, wasn't it? 

While it lasted. Hey, yeah. #2 outcast. Beyoncé baby boy. #3. The way you move. Also outcast #4 and Holiday Inn at Chingy. Luna and Snoop #5. Yeah, we have a new number one over in the UK. This way. 

I'd also like to just flag that you know, while we're talking about Abercrombie and Fitch being so dominant in that sort of clothing. 3 Doors Down were in the charts for one week. The only white band to be in the charts in about the last six months, and he came in and they they left. They were three doors down and they just left in the. First door that they saw anyway, sorry. A new UK #1. 

Yes, I think I better do right now. On any deep. Feeling weaker and weaker body better. Show me. Before I fall any deeper, think I better live right now. 

That was Will Young with I think I better leave right now I picture. 

That's how I felt when I went into Abercrombie and Fitch. 

I can imagine. Well, I think too if Will Young had rocked up into the wrong chart like the Billboard charts and walked into a room with like Chingy and Snooper, Ludacris and Beyoncé and Sean Paul, and and all of those guys, and I think. 

Don't think this is for me. You oopsy wrong door. I'll do this is the first single. 

I think I better leave right now. 

From his second studio album, he of course, was the winner of Pop Idol over in the UK. Their version of Australian Idol, it's from his second album called Fridays Child. 

I'll Pop Idol, yes. 

It's a song about unrequited love became a number one hit, obviously in the UK and I think in Ireland as well. It's popular over there. 

Why was it unrequited? I I think like I when I hear, I think I better leave right now it's like maybe there was some heavy petting and and will maybe peaked a little bit too early. It's like, oh, I think I better leave right now. Anyway, we've got a new number one in the Australian charts this week as well. 

10 minutes. It would be clear that. 

Ohh that key change. 

Ohh the big moments the. It's the big it's. The big idle moments, those songs have to have those big moments so that the crowd can go nuts and people can start ringing the 1800 number and vote. 

Yes, that hurts got me. Power balance. That was, yes, that's when. 

Yeah, yeah. And then I'd be like, oh, geez, I don't know if I'm. 

You would vote, isn't it? You'd start typing the numbers in at that point at. The key change. 

Going to vote and then he'd be like. And you're like ohh 1800. Yeah, I'm going. I've gotta pay for. 

Oh my gosh. 

Take all my. Money. Yeah, yes, $10,000 for that. But obviously he won Australian Idol. I think it was a couple of weeks back now and he is now at #1. With the winners, Single Angels brought me here and I forgot this until today that. In the first Australian Idol, they both sang the same song, him and nosey. 

They did cause they didn't know who was gonna win, so they performed, didn't they perform the song? 

Once each each. They each did a version of angels brought me here. What? That wasn't guy, just guys, song nosey sang it as well. 

Which is actually. Pretty rubbish experience for the end user I feel. 

Cause you've already heard it. 

Because, but I think you heard it three times in that episode cause he did it, and then Knowles, he did it and then they announced him winning. And did he do it again? 

Ohh did he? 

I think he may have, I don't know, cause he's gotta do it after the election. Well, I don't know. Maybe they screwed the format up a little bit or they changed the format after that. 

Oh my gosh. They both, but they both went into the studio and they no, they both recorded it. It was pressed, it was in the CD, single cover both both the noisy and the guy version because they didn't know who was gonna. 

To record a version. Ready to be released next day? 

Win, so there's probably noisy version somewhere. 

There is a landfill somewhere and it's CD, so it'll take a while to biodegrade of Shannon Knoll. Angels brought me here. 

Of Nosy angels brought me here. Same song. We've got Noah's version. Can you play it? 

Well, we've got nosey's live version, we should say, because I do think there needs to be a search. This is Timmy, I imagine. Get on to this. 

An investigation? Maybe we could, yes. 

It would be clear me. 

Not quite the same key change, was it? 

Bit bit more gritty, knows this one and the girls were screaming a little bit more. There wasn't a dry seat in the house. 

I think that was unfair. That's not a nosy song. That's not a good that's not a good fit for noisy. 

What the it's. No, our boy from Condobolin. 

Do you think it was ripped? Do you think they went? Yeah, but let's do. Let's do the R&B song cause we want guy to win. 

Yeah, I think I think Hillsong bankrolled the entire thing. 

I think they had actually worked out the song before the series even started, but I'm gonna say I'm gonna say it, nowley was robbed and I think what should happen is they should go back 20 years now, 20 year. Union get back on that stage and Guy Sebastian should sing. What about me? 

Ohh go ahead, no. 

Guy and noisy both sing. What about me? Get your 18 hundreds. Ready. Who do you think's gonna? Win that, huh? 

I don't. I don't think they can. So even though was it the small faces that was the original group that did did what about? Me. Wasn't it pretty? Sure. Well. 

Was I don't. Know I don't care. I think I should have to sing that. So I think that's unfair. 

I just think and see this is a thing like what about me obviously is a cover, but I feel like nosey did it so. Girl, that it's it's it's like when Johnny Cash did hurt by 9 inch Nails and Trent Reznor went ohh. 

Hmm, that's the original in my minds. You can have it yours, yours. 

You can have it mate like I can't. I can't top that. And I feel like that's that's what happened with noisy. And what about me? 

Yeah, yeah. Now it's easy to see. It's by noisy as far as I'm concerned. Hmm. 

And I've. Well, again, you know, we talked about in the other week history, I think it's much kinder than noisy. Like he's out there actually toiling away. Yeah, it's nice in his mansion feuding with his neighbours, living off his angels brought me here. Money. Actually, I don't think he's probably living off the angels brought me here. Money. He's probably living off the collection plate from Hillsong. 

Mowing the lawn. Building stuff. 

Allegedly. Allegedly. I have no that is. 

I do think it's unfair. I do I. 

That is not a qualified accusation at all. 

Think it's? I do not think that song was the right fit for noisy, but I am intrigued as to wear his versions ended up. It's gotta be somewhere. It's gotta be one on eBay somewhere. 

Yeah, well, probably, maybe. It's probably in landfill somewhere if anyone wants to take on the search, I'll Commission it. I'll give you 100 bucks. I'll give you a Murrays bus ticket to go to the if you can find out what the location is, I'll buy your Murrays bus ticket to go and check it out. 

OK, too. I gotta look. Bring a shovel. 

Might be sitting in landfill, out the out of the back of Dubbo, so maybe it's. In Condobolin, maybe it's in landfilling condo, maybe. 

Ohh one night. 

No, I don't wanna. Go there well. Look, I'm getting too excited about it. Let's do some album releases. Ohh we. 

OK. We should talk about guy. Yes, guys, number one. So this was the lead single for his album, just as I am. It was the first of 12, top ten and six number one single. So look we we. 

Got it. OK. 

Can't like he. Is a star in his own right, like he can guy can sing, can do a key change, not denying that. But I still think. 

And he's a puppet. 

It was the first week sales for Angels brought me here, the highest sales on record for both an Australian artist and a debut. 

Like this? 

Artist and I think it still has the second highest one week sales for an Australian artist single and certified certified five times platinum by the Australian recording industry and sold in excess of 350,000 units. 

And that's that's, that's these. I'm gobsmacked by that. Honestly. Like that's that is that is from one TV show and this is we're talking about a history of Australian music that goes for decades prior to that. No wonder the Australian music industry. 

350,000 units. 

Like, seriously, did the Arias were on a couple of weeks ago, and it was just a joke? Oh, I say I said it 1000 times. It's just like it's a joke, like the whole thing is a it is a bad joke and somewhere. Sitting in landfill is thousands of dollars worth of Shannon Knowles. Angels brought me here some. 

Travesty unaustralian. 

Think about the units they could have shifted there. 

Maybe the guy that climbed the Harbour bridge could find. Them for us. 

Might he could do anything that plug. 

He should get. 

Him to it, he should he. He should go on idol. Anyway, we've got some our album releases I believe. Sorry. I got a bit heated and excited and it's just upsets. 

We've got it one. I yes, I know. It's all it upsets me that noisy didn't win anyway. Let's move to. We had one album. Well, we had a few, but this is the only one that was of interest to me. The diary of Alicia Keys. The second studio album for her debuting at #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Selling oh. 

Me a little bit. 

618,000 copies in its first week. 

Yes, and it goes a little. Something like this, dear diary. 

You feel like. 

I love her. She's classy. 

Yeah, she is. Good, isn't. 

She is all class. She is just a. Well versed scholar of music and she is exceptionally talented and she she just has that she has that classic style to her. She's not. 

It's not like a timeless vibe. Doesn't she? Like you can listen to her now, and you wouldn't go. Ohh God, that's so early 2000s. You could put on her music at any period. 

She ain't. 

And just go. Ohh, so good chills. 

Well, she ain't pop. She's not rock. She's not hip hop. And you know what she is? Actually, she's a litmus test for how old you are getting. Because the more you start to, like, stuff like that, the the more that your kids will start. Think that's a great gift idea for you for Christmas. 

Yeah, yeah. 

And you're getting old. 

It had another, really. Massive hit on it as well. 

If it ain't you, baby. Ain't gotta do, baby. No, people want some, just. 

It's it's, it's. 

A Sunday session. It's a Sunday session out on the balcony. Of maybe a rented unit that you've picked up down at the coast on Airbnb for the weekend and the breeze is coming in off the ocean and you've just got Alicia Keys on in the background and you're just having a few cold ones just breathing in the fresh air, which is what she is. I think she's wonderful. I really do. She's awesome. 

Yeah. No, Sir. 

We got some music news as well this week, a rebrand. It's just got something to do with Abercrombie and Fitch. 

No, they could have taken a leaf out of murder. Inc's book. They decided to have a rebrand on the 4th of December, announcing that they were going to change their name to the ink. That doesn't really work at the start of a. Song instead of Murder Inc. 

Because it's like well. And Murder Inc is murder incorporated. Yes. So now you're going from murder incorporated to the incorporated. And I feel like like I I was friends with like, a a lot of immigrant kids at school and their parents sort of hadn't embraced English properly. So they put the in front of things all. 

Ah, the Facebook. 

The time so it's. Like so. Like, yeah, the Facebook, the Internets, the incorporate. You know what? I mean. 

Well, this was to soften the image in the eyes of the media. Scotty decided to call a press conference. 

Right. 

Does and made the announcement he was joined by Gerula Shanty and Russell Simmons and he said that AH, it's not good for the brand having the word murder in there. People are too focused on the negative energy around that word. Here's what he had to say. 

Exactly. I want to get. Exactly why we're here today and that is the changing of the name of my record label from Murder Inc Records to the Ink records. No one is really looking at the talent that's up here. More so than that damn word murder. I. 

I I understand where he's coming from, and maybe he should have thought about that before. 

Maybe he should have done some focus groups before he landed on Murder Inc perhaps he should have gone out and asked the public, done a few surveys to see how they'd feel about it. 

Should have done some focus groups before he decided on the ink. What? What are you doing? 

Survey says no. And, well, yeah. And he also had to rule, I think, I think maybe Gerua wasn't selling as many albums because $0.50 come on the scene. We haven't heard from Geral all. 

Yeah, that's got nothing to do with the name of the company. 

And so where's like? Ohh better have a rebrand. Better change the name. Must be the murder. Must be the nothing to do with. Jar must be the murder problem I. 

I think it had everything to do with Joe. 

I'd just like to say re Ja Rule. I feel like I do need to revisit. This I feel like I just need to put it on the record. The reason like you don't like to rule, you just. 

OK. 

Don't like? 

You're just annoying me. You're annoying. 

He just annoys you. He irritates you. I have legitimate beef with Gerald, and I feel like I just need for people that have only started listening to us recently. I feel like I just need to put this back on the record. I did like to rules earlier songs, always on time. Didn't mind that. Didn't mind the the first album. 

Yeah, but. You do. 

Them and then I was meant to do an interview with him at the Pavilion Hotel on Northbourne Ave and he did a no show left me sitting in the foliage. That was, you know that. Yeah, that that hotel that's got lots. 

And that's a shame, because yes, I know the pavilion. Nice decor. It's got like it's a pavilion because it's got like a it's it. There's a structure around it. 

Of foliage, there's lots of shrubbery. It's kind of. You're indoors, but you're outdoors at the same time, yes. 

But the indoor section is like a marquee, a big tent over the top of the and then. And you come down from the hotel rooms. There's lots of indoor plants. There's lots of greenery there. 

Yes, that I was sitting in waiting for a jar to come down. 

It's a very nice bar there. 

Had lots of questions and comments and he just didn't turn up. 

Yes, actually. And you know my family, a lot of members of my family stayed there for our wedding. They stayed at the pavilion overnight. Yes. And my cousin got so drunk at our wedding that he took a piece on the carpet in his hotel room at the pavilion on Northbourne. Well, you know, I just rule for. 

What did they? 

Happens to the vesters. 

That as well. 

So I have legit. I'm at beef with Gerald. I'd just like to put. That on the record talking about him, yes. 

Yes, well, you do have legitimate beef with Ja Rule and I just have beef with him because I'm very supportive of my wife. Hmm. 

Thank you. I appreciate that. I think the real reason though for the rebrand was there were a few things there. There were also a few things going on. So ERV was being investigated, the company was for money laundering, drug money laundering and I think there were some connections to some. 

It's pretty obvious. 

Big kingpin, notorious Queens. 

Could you imagine when the if the IRS like auditing and you know, like what's the name of the company, like Murder Inc? 

Auditing merch. Do you really think that? Erv, God, he's got proper financial. Records. Do you really? Think he'd keep a spreadsheet and his receipts? 

No, but I think I think Russell Simmons is a pretty astute business person. I think he's surrounded by some more capable people. 

Yeah, OK. So he. They also had a wrapper on the label who was gunned down as well. So there. Was a lot of. 

A wrapper on the label as opposed to a. Label on the wrapper. 

Yeah, Erb said. He got the name murdering from watching a documentary on the Mafia, and he said it referred to making hit albums, not murders on the street, but he was. 

Well, did he get his name? Irv Gotti from that? As well, because he's not. 

Hey reckons. 

Is he? He's not a real goddy. 

No, he's not. But he reckons Jay-Z gave him that name. I think he's. Making that up. Don't think Jay-Z could be that? 

Jason, just like she. 

But here's the good thing. So, so ERV doesn't do focus testing. Erv doesn't keep spreadsheets or bookkeep doesn't do good bookkeeping. Erv also doesn't understand Embargoing because he changed, so he does his big announcement. Yeah, on what day are we the 4th of December shanties? Pulled out her Christmas album last month, and it's already got the. Think branding on it. So he's made the announcement after she's put out her album under the new name. 

Well, that's probably good because, I mean, Ashanti puts out the album and she's got like, you know, silent night, little drummer boy, you know, they're doing the little thing and and it's like a shanties Christmas album out now on Murder Inc, you know, it's not so much a stocking stuffer as a body bag stuffer. Mel's genuinely concerned. We're just setting up the next segment. Then she she just turned around. And set off Mike of God, he's going to come and kill us. He can't. He's the ink now all he can do is I don't know the it's the ink. Like he can just sign things. Yeah. It's a little fountain. 

Sign things with the with the fountain pen. 

Pen exactly anyway. 

Bet you he's got nice handwriting. 

And writing. 

Ohh do you reckon? I don't think you could even no. Maybe if you give him a crayon. Anyway, let's go to movies. News for movies on the 1st of December. The return of the king. The third and five. 

All right. 

Final film in the Lord of the Rings series, directed by Peter Jackson, starring Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, it premieres in Wellington, New Zealand and its grouse. 

I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me a day maker from the courage when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. Man fails. 

Whatever happens, stay with me. 

This day. We fight. 

All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you. 

Share again. 

You gave away your life's grace. I cannot protect you anymore. 

To achieve victory through strength of arms. 

Not for ourselves. 

But we can give a chance. 

Oh, I did New Zealand built an entire tourism industry on these films. They didn't need to, as a beautiful country, but the the film showcases how wonderful the country is, and I think it's so great that they premiered it in Wellington in New Zealand at the time. This was a big, big, big deal in cinema. The 1st 2 movies were absolutely fantastic and the third was also great. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is awesome, so filmed edited. Entirely in new. Deal. And he built an entire industry over there. Weta, all of that stuff was great. Peter Jackson is like a national hero because of what he did with these movies, and the movies are awesome. So good. There's so much going on in the return of the king, they're all getting ready to face off against the dark. Things from Moore, door and Frodos trying to drop the ring into the fires of Mount Doom and Islands in love with the king, which is is Aragon. And she's actually because she's an elf. She's forgoing her her right to immortality, to be with a human. And her father's like, I can't help you anymore. 

It's just oh. 

I'm getting emotional just talking about it. 

Hmm, fine. Are you? 

It's OK. 

OK, 1st of December 2003 premiered at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington, was then released on the 17th in the US and the 18th in New Zealand. It has 1489 visual effects shots in the film, nearly three times the number from the first film, almost twice that of the second it was. Massive and it stands up. That's what I love about the Lord of the Rings. You can go back and watch it now, and it's still looks spectacular. 

I love the way they use the Tasmanian devil, created a shriek. 

Ohh for the spider, the spider Shelob. Yes, they used the Tassie devil to create the the shriek of the spider. It's not cute when you see that spider. 

That's great. 

Well, actually Tasmanian devils are cute when you start shrinking. 

This, you know, they're like. The spider is terrifying in that cello. Ohh, so terrifying the music. Howard Shaw previously composed the first two parts. He watched the Assembly cut of the film and had to write 7 minutes of music at day 7 minutes of music a day as a composer, like full orchestral scores to keep up with the schedule. 

Ohh my gosh. 

OK. They had to keep up with it as. Our filming was. 

It earned 377 + 1,000,000 dollars in the United States and Canada. $763,000,000 in other countries for a worldwide total of $1,147,633,833. 

You read that very well. I don't think I've ever seen the billions written down. That's a lot. That's a lot of money. Is that a record? 

Yes it I think it was one of the I think it was one of the. First films to make a. 

Yes, yes. 

Billion dollars. I think I don't quote me on that, but it was if anyone was gonna deserve it. It was 7 Academy Awards, got nominated for it. 

Pretty amazing. 

Just, uh, I the thing with and then they did. The directors cut and like each movie is like 4 hours long. 

Like so long. 

But it's so good like it is just, you know, if if ever there's another lockdown or like, it's just like an apocalyptic weekend and you don't want to leave the house, that's that's your go to. Lord of the Rings start to finish and if you were brought up with the books and you read the books as a kid, it was even more magical because it was just great. Anyway to TV news. Let's go over to TV news. 

This would be my go to because we've got this on DVD somewhere I think on the 2nd of December. 

Isn't that Paris Hilton? 

Will they crown? They hear? Bottom heaven knows they'll survive this simple country. 

Where the hell are we? 

I loved this. 

Show reality show the simple live starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie premieres in the states on Fox, so it was on the Fox Network 2 wealthy socialites struggling to do low paying jobs like cleaning rooms, farm work, cleaning out the stables. 

I was boxed there. Yeah, yeah. They didn't really know. I mean they. 

Serving meals in restaurants and working as camp. 

I wouldn't say they really applied themselves or took it very seriously. 

Counsellors now it was. They were billeted by a family, weren't they somewhere in Arkansas? 

Yeah. And they kind of behave like spoiled brats are little beads. 

They did a bit, didn't they? 

Yeah, but that was OK. That was part of the fun. 

It was the story behind how it came to be. It's quite interesting. I didn't realise this. It was inspired by Green Acres, this sitcom. It's an old sitcom about a New York society couple that move. They have a they have a tree chain. I think it's called moved to a farm and it's that whole, you know, fish out of water. 

Yes. Yep, Yep. 

They thought, hey, why don't we do something like that? But we socialise. 

As a reality series, yeah. 

As a reality series because people were getting a bit sick of the same old sort of real life, people in the house observing doing nothing. 

Yeah, like we don't. We've seen the Osbornes in their mansion and we've seen all the newlyweds living there, opulent rich lifestyle. Let's take those people and put them into. Normal or less, you know, Country Life. 

I guess yeah. And they were thinking, let's find a famous rich family and do it with them. They're trying to work out who it could be and at the same time, the comedy department we're meeting with Paris Hilton. Yeah, because she was looking around for some opportunities. I think she wanted to do a TV show. And the the VP of casting said that she was immediately fascinated by her and wanted to do a show with. And she said that she was used to meeting actors who were putting on a facade, but she was so impressed with Paris and how real she was and how funny she was, and that when she met her, she didn't come off as. Stupid at all. 

But well, but the Paris that you see on the show is the facade, right, like? 

Yeah. So the team that we're looking at doing the Green Acres reboot talked to the the comedy section and they they realised ohh my gosh, this is our show we send we send Paris and her sister Nikki. 

We've got a show, yeah. Ohh right. So it's gonna be her sister. 

Out to the farm and I think they they they kind of dubbed it stilettos and cow. 

That's right. We talked about that before, yeah. Yes, that's not. I'm glad that's the working title because that that it doesn't have legs. 

What's the briefing? Paris. Paris is all in Paris like. This is great, love, Nicki at this stage and over the years, you've noticed that with Nicky is that? 

Yeah, she goes. 

Out partying with Paris, but she doesn't. She's she's not interested. Yeah, I think she ended up becoming a clothing designer or a handbag designer. But she sort of shied away from the spotlight in the way that, that, that Paris sort of took it all on. 

Yeah, but she's not interested in attention. She's not as much of A. They definitely went in different directions. 

She said no and then Paris said Ohh, I'll do it by myself and like Nah we need 2. People. So she. Started asking around with her socialite friends. I think Kimberly Stewart. 

Is that that's Rod Stewart's daughter. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, yeah. 

Yes, the band AIDS heiress Casey Johnson, Johnson and Johnson. Yes, yes. Love a Band-Aid. So no, I've got too many Band-Aid things to do. And then so she ended up making the agreement with Nicole. Cause I think they had been friends for some time at this point. So. 

Ohh from the Johnson and Johnson family. Wow. Yeah. OK. She's like now. Yes, yes. 

The call. Yes, and they decided to leave their cell phones, their credit cards, their celebrity status, and they moved in with, I think it was the leading family. And yeah, for a month. 

That's right. In Arkansas. Yeah. Like it's a very different place to where they're from. Like there was nothing out there. I do remember that. 

And it I. I think by the end of it, the family kind of, I remember the family. 

They didn't like him at hated them. 

At first they didn't, but by the end of it, they really warmed to them and vice versa. It was. It was actually really nice to see the relationship develop between them and. 

I think so, yeah. 

Their their host family and the because there were kids as well, remember, and they stood up for the brother. So he was happening with the brother. And I remember, yeah, they they stood up for him. Yeah. 

Yes, he's been teased. I think in the girls, the girls stuck up for him and and confronted the bullies or something like that. I'd need to go back. It's been a long time since I've seen that show. 

But they I think they did a lot of jobs and ultimately they were pretty much fired from all of them because they just didn't know what to do. There was no work ethic and. They just didn't follow the rules. 

No, but it was it was successful, was it not? Like they did pretty. 

Well, it drew 13 million viewers on debut, so this time 20 years ago, the first episode, 13 million, it was the top rated show in its hour. And then the second episode had even more viewers. 

OK. 

But this is also the same time that a certain tape that we discussed and I don't want to talk too much about that, but that was released and I think that like all eyes were very much on Paris and what? She was gonna do next. And then she had this. I actually think this is probably good, that this came out at the time. 

She came out in, I think 2020 and said that she purposefully created a character for the show, that that's not her. And this is kind of what we're getting. At is that. 

I I reckon you could tell though when you were watching you could tell. That she was taking the ****. 

She's not, she said. She's not an airhead. She's not a dumb blonde. She's just really good at pretending to be 1. And said and this is we've talked about this, when we watched, when we watched her cooking show. Yeah. And when she was interacting with people that came on the show, her voice changed. Remember, we really noticed that. We're going. Hey, that's. 

Yeah, yeah. And then then I watched where she did the the testimony or or the when she did the presentation at Congress, or she had to, I don't know whether she was, I don't know. It was all about the. 

Not her voice. 

The institutional abuse and she and she spoke at Congress and she spoke in her normal voice, which is completely different. 

Yeah. So she said that she created that voice to make herself sound more dumb. And there's also which I came across as a resurface clip that's come out over the last couple of years. When Nicole also broke character while they were being repeatedly disrespected. By someone they were working with. 

How many blahs does it take down? Screw one screw? 

Well, when you got coming down out here. 

James, I have respect for myself and this is my best friend. So I respect. For her and I'm being dead honest right now. And if you call me dumb or her dumb one more time, I don't care how many steroids you take. How many egg yolks you drink, how many push-ups you do. I'm being dead serious. I will beat your face in. You think I've done it? I've done it before and I will do it again. 

All right. How are you? 

I really don't care. So watch. 

Very good. 

How good was that? 

There's Paris at the edge. Just like. Yeah, yeah, that that was awesome. I love. And I love when people break character. I think that is like, and you get to really just get that little glimpse. Just that tiny little glimpse she was. 

Dare you might. Also on DUI charges or drug charges. And that was being filmed and. She was supposed to go to court and she skipped a court, but she got away with it. 

Nicole was. She got away with it. What's she? What's Nicole Ritchie do? 

Yeah. Yeah, that was me. 

Well, she's married to Madam, and she did the she had the clothing brand. Was it House of Harlow? I think. 

Ohh, she's made to one of the guys from Good Charlotte, yes. Hmm. Was it like a kids clothing? 

Clothing brand. I think that's what she does. Like fashion? Uh, no. But I think it wasn't. Doesn't she have a child called her? Maybe it's named after her child or something, but yeah. 

Yes, that's why I thought it might have been a kids clothing. 

Big in the big in the fashion industry because she had that whole thing after the simple life where she teamed up with was it Rachel Zoe. Remember that designer? Yeah. And they used to call them, I think zombots. There was a whole group of socialites that she dressed and remember. She was accused of being too thin and all of that stuff. And then she got into fashion. And then she became a designer and really famous. 

The Rachel Zoe project. Right. Oh yeah. Are they still friends? Are Paris and Nicole still friends? 

So they had a falling out, I think in 2005, which was around the time the show was cancelled by Fox. 

She's after the way Nicole Richie spoke. Then I wouldn't want to have a falling out with her. She's scary. 

No, but they then I think they then made-up and brought out another couple of seasons and then you didn't see them together for a long time. But then at Paris's wedding. Was it last year or the year before she was at the wedding and there's some beautiful. Photos of them together and. It was just like old times so. 

Ohh right. 

Emotional and the town in which they filmed the show. So they were hoping to get something out of it. I think. I think there was talks about the show building them a new fire station for hosting. 

Paris was going to build them a new fire station. 

Well, I I maybe Fox was going to donate some money or I don't know. There was. There was talk of a new fire station in return for letting them film the show because it wasn't just the host family. They were doing things all around town like that. Remember, they went out to the bar and so basically anyone that lived there could have been on the show. At any moment. 

Yes, well, that's a big deal for Arkansas. It's not a very wealthy part of America. 

So in return they got $15,000 and everyone that lived there got a copy of season one on DVD. Are you? 

They only got 15 grand. How long were they there for? Do you know how much it would cost? Conversely, to stay a couple of months in a Hilton Hotel? 

That's all. My God. That's all I got. 

Take a couple of months. 

Hatches, matches and dispatches. We will start with a joyous occasion. Actually, there's no dispatches this week. We're just. We're keeping it light, keeping it all very light. The conscious coupling, the wedding of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. The singer from Coldplay and the Lady who makes candles that smell like her vagina. 

The 5th of December 2003 they got married in California. Chris apparently made a joke that she was his girlfriend at one of his Coldplay concerts, and they'd never actually met. 

Really. I was inception. 

Made some random throw away comment. Yes it was and then it started appearing in the tabloids and she thought, who is this guy? Why did he say that? And why is everyone saying that we're to? Miller. So then she went to one. Of the concerts. And the publicist came up and was like, oh, I'm sorry. It's gonna sound really weird, but do you? Wanna come and meet him? Like maybe you might as well go meet him. 

And then they got together. 

Because and it makes perfect sense match made in heaven because the music of Coldplay, I think is perfectly suited to people who make candles that smell like their vagina. 

Whingy hmm. Whingy people like vagina candles, do they? Didn't she have a an egg thing as well? 

There's lots of there's. 

An egg thing? 

Lots of vagina related stuff on group. Yeah. Isn't there an egg? Is there an egg? That's the site. That's the website that sells the vagina candle. 

With Gwyneth goof. What's goof? It's called goop. 

Goop because she was told that if you have double double vowels in the name of your brands, it sticks. Right, Parentally apparently double vowels are good for your brand, so that's why it's goop. And that's probably also why Kourtney Kardashian started a company very similar to Goop, and hers is called poosh. 

Dipsticks yeah. 

2O's as well. 

Ocean gate. 

So if you're starting a brand Russell, maybe Russell Simmons when he rebrands. Think could come up with something with two O's, something with who's ink. 

2R22 O's or two R's, that's. 

Yeah, but anyway, they were notoriously private during their 12 year relationship. They never did a joint interview. They never walked the red carpet. 

And yet, and yet we have these TMI moments. 

You know what? 

I mean like, can you be a little bit more notoriously private that would be good. 

They I think they eloped. I don't think they had a big celebration and I think the only well she was. Yes, she was pregnant with their first child. But we already knew that. So they didn't have to get married. But I think the way the tabloids found out about it. 

Was a shotgun wedding, wasn't it? 

Was that they'd registered. They'd got a marriage licence or whatever you do with the registry before you elope and. 

Yes. Yeah. 

I don't know. The tabloids are ringing up all the places asking and they said yes. Oh, no. 

Well, they're very tenacious. The British tabloids about terrible around that time. 

So then they figured that they got married on the same day as well, but nobody really knew. 

The British tabloids, jeez, it must have been a slow Newsweek. Hey, they're like, ohh, a couple of celebrities are. Like, what about Chris Martin from Coldplay? They're like, are you being serious? He's getting married to Gwyneth Paltrow. Ohh. Is he now? You know, anyway. 

I think there was only a judge that performed the ceremony and that the judge was the witness and I think they told their friends and family after it happened. Big secret. They then welcomed daughter Apple in 2004 and then I think a couple of years. Later had Moses. 

Is if Apple and Moses, so the the thing that. 

Moses is a Coldplay song. I think it's something to. Do with the Coldplay song. 

Right. And Apple is a phone, so. 

I know where. They got Apple from, but I remember at the time everyone was outraged. Ohh, how could you name your child after a fruit? The world was just ohh. We talked about it for months. Such a such a big talking point. I think about it now. 

Steve job. Well, yeah. We did. 

Who cares? Who cares? 

Yeah, to wonder that Coldplay songs weren't forever automatically uploaded to your iTunes after they had named his child Apple. But it's it's interesting, isn't it? Apple and Moses. So you've got the objects from the tree of knowledge, the apple from the tree of knowledge, and then you've got Moses. 

Ohh Adam and Eve, yes yes. 

Who's just this weird old guy that had two stone tablets that he reckon was felt by God and split the Red Sea, you know, et cetera? Yeah. Anyway. 

With the yes and the Thunder and Lightning and the star, he had a staff, didn't he? And he held the staff up and the Lightning. And it's very dramatic, very dramatic. 

Well, he did in the movies. Yes, he did in the movies. But so did Gandalf. Are you sure you're not thinking of Lord of the Rings? 

I would say Lord of the Rings, so it must be the 10 commandments. 

OK. And then they had their conscious on coupling and all that other stuff? But anyway, let's do this. The clue? Ohh, let's go back to the beginning of the episode. A celebrity that was born this time 20 years ago. That said. 

This this is a circus circus. A sarcus circus was a 12 metre long predator that's 40 feet. My dad absolutely loved dinosaurs, in fact. He even made a documentary about them. 

The sarcus circus. If you said Robert Irwin. One of Steve the crocodile hunter, Erber Irwin, you would be correct. 

I love that he's got the same inflexions as Steve, that he does, doesn't he? 

He talks just like his dad. It's like the both the kids do. I wonder if they've been trained up sometimes, but. 

Hmm, I think so. They're very media savvy though. 

They are very media savvy and they seem on the surface to be very good, wholesome people. Yes, yes, I I I do like Robert Irwin. I remember the controversy, of course. We were first introduced. 

They're very wholesome. Yeah, I think. They are. I like them. 

To young Robert Irwin, when his father dangled him in front of the crocodile. 

We had a yes, we had our own Australian baby dangling incident, didn't we? Is it one month old? 

Yes, and they that would that and that cost Steve Irwin, his Australian of the year title that. 

Year this is the moment Steve Irwin caused worldwide controversy, dangling one month old baby Robert near A4 metre crocodile 18 years. 

Ago, it's about time Bob got out there and did his first. 

Rock demo in front of that crocodile. 

The crocodile hunter apologised. 

I was in complete control. 

But it's been revealed that stunt stripped Steve Irwin Australian of the Year in 2004. Swimming identity Lisa Curry was chair of the National Australia Day Council at the time. Excerpts from her soon to be released book published in the Courier Mail revealed she felt it was a mistake. Wildlife expert Steve Irwin. It was a no brainer to win. It was so hard to make a decision to take away somebody's award, which they'd won fair and square. Steve War was awarded instead. 

He would never have let that baby. Clip and you want to smash that crocodile. 

It would be nice to do it posthumously. The Irwin family hasn't returned 7 news requests for comment. 

Well, that's because that was just a shameless plug for Lisa Carrie's book and the Courier mail, you prick. But. But but they. 

Were smacked it in the face. 

I'm sorry but post post. Human posthumous. I don't. 

Isn't it posthumously? I don't know. We're not very good at our pronunciations, so. 

I the thing that was a no. Brainer was taking a baby into an enclosure with a crocodile like I don't care whether you're Steve Irwin or not like you just that was a dumb thing to do, yeah. 

Yeah, yeah. It and have you seen it? Yeah. He was feeding it so he had food and he's dangling the food and then he's holding the baby and he's not holding him very securely in the other arm. Ohh, look. 

They had in the other hand. 

Steve, he would have been able to, you know, save the baby if anything went wrong, no doubt about it. But it's very uncomfortable to watch. Ohh. 

Woody, I I it was not it. It was. I don't care. Like I I don't care. I love the crocodile hunter. I think he's great. But that was a that was a brain fart. That was a very stupid thing. 

Because yeah, yeah. He stood by that decision though, yes. 

To do but look. 

A wasted opportunity, they. Could have given it to the guy that climbed the harbour bridge instead of the cricket guy. 

The Australian of the Year, Steve War, was of definitely a deserved recipient of Australian of the Year. 

Yeah, I was. Ah, yeah, but. As he climbed the Harbour bridge and stolen the flight. 

When he's ******, he's a member of the cricket team, so anything's possible. Nothing on match boonies, half century. 

On the plane back to Bob, back to Baby Bob. So he he got over that he's all grown up now. So he's obviously 20 cause he was born this week, 20 years ago. He has the titles of conservationist, television personality, Zookeeper, wildlife, photographer and actor. He hosts Roberts, Real life adventures. 

He is. 

On his own television network, he Co hosted the Discovery Kids Channel TV Series Wild, but true, he's got a book series. He's starred on the Animal Planet series crikey. It's the irwins. Yeah, his mum and his his. He's voiced a character on Bluey. Ah. And just last month. He was announced as the replacement for Doctor Chris Brown on I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out of here. So he's gonna co-host that with Julia Morris. 

No way. That's and he's 20. 

He's 20. Yeah, Kyle hosting. 

With goodness me. 

Lady Julia, I actually think they will be quite funny together. I love her. 

Yeah, probably. 

He's very good. When he was one of my favourite clips of Robert Irwin is when he was 14 years old. And he went on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Kevin Hart was and was the other guest and he was bringing animals onto the set. And Kevin Hart was having none of it. It was hilarious. 

No, we've got some. 

Don't really good here. It's gonna be awesome. I'm starting off with something very cute and cuddly. This is Giselle. 

Come on, brother. Come on, brother. Come on, man. 

That's time for stop. 

All good, no. 

Here we go. 

It's an option. You can hit baby option. 

You can kiss my. No, no, no. 

Look how cute. 

She's cute. Her name's Giselle. Look at her. 

What is that noise? 

You wanna come? To her, yeah. Well, the babies, they make this little trapping noise. Isn't that amazing? They're so cute. 

You know what she's saying? I want some little black man. No, brother. 

Yeah, very good, very good. The food is about 15 minutes and it just like it goes from a cute ostrich to snakes to a tarantula. And it just gets more and more out of control. 

You're so scared. 

And it's very. Funny, he was 14 years old and he's on The Tonight Show doing that like. 

And he was so confident he presents so. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's he's like, what were you doing when you were 20? You know what I mean? 

Well, star that kid? Umm. 

Anyway, that's all we've got for this week. Happy birthday to Robert. It's a big, big week next week am a major development in the news. 

Yes, and the war in Iraq. 

With the capture of the Ace of Spades. 

Yes, in there. What was he in a spider? Hole or something? 

Yeah, something like that. We'll definitely we're talking about Saddam Hussein, obviously, if you know your history, spoiler alert. It's already happened. So you obviously know happened so that that story probably eats up most of the news next week. But what else have we got? 

We have a billion album releases a A milkshake is bringing all the boys to the. 

Ohh great. 

Yeah, lots of movies, movie release, new number ones at the box office. 

Oh great. 

Yes, a movie extravaganza. 

Outstanding. Well, it will be an extravaganza, no doubt, but it's only an extravaganza. If you listen to it and if you keep listening to it, we'll keep doing it. We really do appreciate you taking the time to download our podcast, put it on your device and take it to work with you or wherever you are in the car. I don't know. Whatever, maybe. 

Taking the dog for a walk. 

Taking the dog for a walk. If you're taking the kids to school like, sorry about the one that was explicit content. 

At the gym. 

A couple I. 

Think we had a warning? Yeah. 

Anyway, thank you. We do appreciate you each and every week you can find us on the socials, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. I need to live from a TikTok game. I say it each and every week and I'm just lazy. What can I? Say life is full. 

Maybe you should set an alarm. 

It moves pretty fast. Anyway, we'll see you. Next week? Bye. 

Thanks for taking the time to rewind. Join us next time for another week. That was 20 years ago. In the meantime, come and reminisce on the socials search for T -, 20 podcast on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.