Ireland bags the fag with smoking ban

It’s a week of good news for the people in Ireland, whether they like it or not, as they breathe the fresh air that comes with banning smoking in pubs and clubs. Although some may argue that it was a rather anti-social initiative, the people who didn’t have to breathe the passive smoke found it much easier to hold a conversation.

Not so good news for military contractors in Fallujah however when a mission to guard a catering truck ended in the deaths and mutilation of 4 Blackwater employees. The ambush that took place was a precursor to the First Battle Of Fallujah, where the US would attempt to take control of the city, however politics got in the way and it ultimately was seen as a victory to the insurgents by many.

In sport Australia’s Libby Lenton broke Inge de Bruijn’s 100m women’s freestyle record at the Australian Olympic trials in Sydney. We also take a look at what Libby has been up to recently with her activism against body shaming women in sport.

In tech Google introduced Gmail on April Fool's Day and everyone thought they were joking. They were however quite serious.

America Idol runner up Clay Aiken entered the Billboard top 5 this time 20 years ago, however now you’d find him having a crack at politics, with mixed results. While Anastasia told us how it really feels to be left outside alone and Janet Jackson’s ‘Damita Jo’ has short lived success due to no promo from the record company in the wake of #nipplegate.

Scooby Doo 2 tops the box office, in spite of a poor reviews for the prequel and the hideous addition of Scrappy Doo. Kevin Hart has a sitcom as do video games… who knew?!?!?

Plus a Mel offers up health and fitness tips about how to age gracefully… 

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 2004. Your polyphonic ringtone habit is sending you broke. Yeah. George W Bush is sworn in for a second term, and in spite of everything going on, the most controversial thing is a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl. T -, 20 rewind 20 years with Joe and Mel. 

Week of 28th March 2004 minus. 

The rest is history. 

You know what? I'm very forgetful. 

For -20, hello there. You're fine. 

Stop trying to make fetch happen. 

What are we waiting for? 

This is harder than I thought. 

It would be. 

My fellow Americans. 

Let's roll. 

Hello there. Welcome to the weekly podcast where we rewind to this week in history and pop culture. 20 years ago, we call it T -, 20 and we call you our loved and adored listeners. We're your host, Joe and Mel, how's it going? Mel, let's roll. 

Oh. 

Ohh right. Yes. 

Good. It's going good. 

It's very bushy of you. 

Bush is back. 

Bush is back. Ohh you mean? 

Did you know that I read an article the other day because it was at, I don't know, a. Fashion Week, yeah. Can we can I talk about Bush? Sure. OK. Yeah, it's it's it's back in and everyone's freaking out cause people have had laser and it's. Like, well, how can I? 

I can't partake in this fashion trend anymore. 

Participate. I now have to go and purchase them. Chicken that's challenging. 

Wow. Wow, we're off to a flying start. If you're joining us for the first time, well, we got a big show. 

Anyway. Welcome. 

This week, of course. 

It's cold. It's not very comfortable I. 

Mean it's cold and it's not very comfortable. You'll find out more about what is cold and not very comfortable. It's probably not having a Bush really. If we're being honest, that is not what it's about. It's it's a it's a revolutionary story that was taking place in the news, the, the this particular country was in Ireland. 

Yes, in winter. Yes, not having the opportunity to grow back in winter. Yes. 

Trail Blazers set the course for a movement that happened right across the world. 

Yes. 

Ultimate. 

On March the 31st, 2004, four US civilian security contractors drove into the city of Fallujah. 

Yeah. And you'll never guess what happened. Well, you might, actually. It didn't end very well. We'll talk more about that in the new segment as well. 

Girls and women are leaving sport and physical activity because of the judgement and shame. We as a society subject them to. 

That is a very famous Australian Olympian, a national treasure in fact, who was just she had a wonderful personality and she won like 20. 

Yes, love her. 

4. Or even more, I think it was around 24 Olympic gold medals, a spectacular athlete who had a bit of a message these days but was doing some wonderful things. Back in the day, remembering this is 2004, so the Athens Olympics are just around the corner. But right now we're having the Olympic trials, so we'll talk a little bit more about her later on as well. 

Of course, yes. Speaking of women athletes, I'm just yes, I am. I've decided in my my older age that I want to get back into doing a bit of weight lifting and I think I think what triggered it, we've reached that age now where you've got to have regular tests. 

Ohh yeah, you talking about yourself. 

Scans. 

Yeah. 

All of that stuff like you kind. 

Yeah. Cholesterol. Cancer, prostates, breasts. All of these things need to be squeezed and prodded. And. 

Of get cheques. Screenings. You just get all your bits out and everybody has a look at them and puts machines on them and has. We're just, we're just at that age and I think I think as a result, I've kind of hit a midlife crisis, but not like. 

Colonoscopies. They're fun ones. Well, it's not midlife, my dear. 

Well, not what. 

You're about 3/4 of the way through. I'd hate to tell you. 

Yeah, OK. Three quarter life crisis. But not not in the sense. Of I want to get a divorce and a sports car and. Change my job in the. 

Ohh well thank Christ for that. Great. You're Bush out and away you go. 

Sense of I think you just. Already done, but in terms of in terms of like I think you've reached this point when you start having all of these scams and things and you you start to realise your own mortality cause when you're when you're younger in your 20s, early 2000s. And. You think of that like you do all the stupid things and there's there's never a second thought. Around that stuff, but I think once once you start having the scans, it gets real and you're like. 

Yeah. 

Ohh damn I am getting old. 

Yeah, you know what else too? Like, cause we had a child like really late compared to about 1/5. I can remember being about, I think 8 maybe nine years old and attending my grandmother's 50th birthday. Like I'm turning 50 in less than three years, right. But we're not grandparents, we're parents, and we gotta keep up. 

Yes. 

Yes. 

We could be. Yes. We're like we're of grandparent age, aren't we? Yeah. Right. 

Yeah. We gotta keep up. So I I can understand where you're coming from. There is a a pressure that's probably a self inflicted pressure to just stay. 

Yes. 

Hmm. 

Active, healthy, fit all of those things, but there's also pressure from the other side to do stuff you enjoy, like eat ice cream and sit on your **** and we're tired. You know, we're tired, so it's it takes a lot of motivation to like life is extremely full in this day and age. 

Yes, very. Very tired, very tired dance. 

Feel like it's more full than what it was this time 20 years ago. 

There's a lot of there's a lot of overthinking as well, because I've become a bit of a a bit of a devotee to Peter a tea. 

Ohh, tell me about it. Ohh, the doctor. Doctor, Peter Attia. 

Cause everyone's like everyone's all, you know, Cuban husband. I've lost my husband to human, and everyone's all about human. 

Ohh yeah. 

You know, like he makes some good points he makes, he makes some good points and. 

He's a bit of a thug, Huberman. He does make good points. I quite like hubby. 

He's he's he's. Pretty jacked and he's he's alright, but no, a tear is where it's at and I've just I've just kind of become this devout follower over the last 12 months and I am. I am. And he you know he talks about the Centurion. 

Yeah. You're an acolyte of Doctor Peter Attia. 

Decathlon or it's this thing and you think about in your later years. What you wanna still be able to do and then you work. 

Right. So like when you retire? 

Backwards and you go. 

Buyer when you are not like. 

When are you? When you. Yeah. When you cause. He talks about. Well, you know, the average lifespan is about 80. So when you're 80, what do you wanna do? You wanna be able to? 

So we're gonna have about after we retire, we're gonna have about two solid years of life. 

Yeah, pretty much. And he talks, I think your centenarian decathlon. So it's what do you need to do to be training for your final years so that you're actually doing the things you enjoy and, you know, like being able to pick a kid up off the floor, going for a hike, getting on an aeroplane, having to walk up stairs because the escalator is broken? 

It's really depressing, yeah. Rather than find it just sitting around. 

Yeah. 

And you work backwards, which is a really scary thing because I worked backwards and I'm nowhere near where I need to be. So all of this pressure. But as somebody who is over middle age. 

Seriously, if you're nowhere near where you need to be, where do you think I am? 

But as somebody who's like a little bit over. Middle aged like three quarter age. It's it's pretty intimidating going into the supplement store. 

Ohh you're. 

It's about figuring out like. 

Ohh, I don't eat enough protein so I need like the protein powder. I'm taking the creatine to try and look like I'm jacked. 

So you're walking in. There's a dude that looks like something off the box of a masters of the universe figure. He's got no neck. Yeah. 

I'm taking the collagen and I've thought of go in there and I've gotta ask, hey, man. 

Which protein do? 

We take and he's like by the power of grey skull, by the power of grey hair. I have no idea. I can't help you. Yeah. 

Yes, pretty much very intimidating. 

Wow. Wow. What? What supplements do they give you? 

Well, they recommended creatine and then I went and looked up what Doctor Peter Attia said, and he said that's OK to take. I'm taking collagen cause that's supposed to help your joints. Cause I have a lot of creaking and cracking. That happens. 

Yeah, yeah. Yes. Yes. Do you? You do realise you could just get that injected like in your face and stuff, isn't it? Don't they put collagen in your lips? 

Ohh. That. Ohh OK. Well no, it's not for my lips. It's for my creaky joints. For my creaky. 

I don't know. Wax some collagen in your lips and it'll fill. 

It's for my. 

Out your Bush. 

T -, 20 would like to advise you that Mel does not know what the hell she's talking about. And this cottage is not intended to be substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or medical condition. 

That I think that I know that's a recorder that's going to signify that we move on. It's almost like a referee's whistle. This week, the hatches, matches and dispatches. So sorry about that. I just. It's just I was incepted and. And once you get things in my head, it's very hard to get them. 

Yes, yes. You've been censored by the reporter. It was funny. It was funny. Yes, best we get it out early and we we move on. 

Out and I. Just I say them. Well, that's the thing. Once you get old, you give. Less of a ****. About that sort of stuff. Anyway, so the hatches matches and dispatches clue. We got the segment at the end of the show. We do this at the beginning of the show, a celebrity having a ohh, no. This one is a is. It a divorce, it's a. 

I'm just uncoupling, yes. 

Well. OK. Which is kind of flying in the face. What's the dispatch of a match? 

It is. 

If that makes sense, there you go. I was it. What was it? A conscious uncoupling? 

That's good. I like that. Thank you. Yeah, that's a divorce. 

Yeah, well, yes. And it's conscious. It just might not be because I was thinking somebody else might be like, hey, I want a divorce. And they're like, I was not conscious that you wanted to. 

Uncouple. Or maybe they asked for a divorce while they'd had too many drinks and had passed out. That wouldn't be a conscious uncoupling. 

Yes, I feel like I'm confusing the issue. 

OK. 

You are just play thing. 

Are there any supplements you can buy to just kind of clear? Those cobwebs out. 

Yes, there's a mushroom thing. I've been taking the mushroom thing. No, no, they're not magic ones. But they got they were a supplement. But then that that got banned for some reason. So I've got mushroom tongue drops, and that's supposed to make you more alert and stop. Dementia. 

Oh, I'm. That's a shame. 

Has. 

Does it make the Grateful Dead sound? 

Yeah. 

Anyway, sorry, celebrity, that's that's divorced this time 20 years ago. That says this. 

Yes. 

I just said to my kids. Tell me, show me the articles that that prove that social media is good for teenagers. 

Yeah. Show me them. Here we go. One more time. 

Hmm. 

I just said to my kids, tell me, show me the articles that that prove that social media is good for. Chris. 

I don't think you need an article. 

I don't think there is. Any data to support that? That person sounds very frantic. 

No, no data. They do. They're very. High energy, you know, maybe maybe they've been for the supplement store. Yeah. You can take the ones without caffeine in them. Yes. Alright. 

Too many supplements? Possibly. 

The news do all the good news first or the bad news if we do it in sequential order, we start with. The good news? So let's do that, yes. 

Is that the good news? OK, 29th of March 2004, the Republic of Ireland becomes the first country in the world to ban smoking in all workplaces and closed public places, restaurants, bars, education facilities, healthcare facilities and public transport. 

Amazing. Amazing. No other country had gone as far as the. Cherish in tackling cigarette addiction, and there were doubts that Ireland would even make it across the line. Cause I mean, you know, I don't want to stereotype them, but the Irish seem like they'd be notoriously stubborn, set in their ways, unwavering in their commitment to their pastimes. Yeah, hand in hand. 

And love a drink? Drinking and smoking go. In hands. 

Well, back in the 90s and the 2000s, they certainly did. I'd often enjoy a cigarette to be myself. I'm, I'm ashamed to say that I did smoke for a time there, mainly not because of anything else except for the fact that I. 

Yes. 

Thought it looked really cool. 

Did look so cool. Publicans were really worried. They thought the ban would be the death of the Irish pub and they actually threatened legal action against the impending legislation. I think we have a quote from the owner of Fibre Mcgees. If that's not a. 

I know now it takes supplements. Of the. Yeah. 

Classic Irish pub. I don't know what it is. 

My guys. On Galloways eerie square fibre Mcgees and Galloway's eerie scare. 

Stephen McGee is what did the what did the honour of Fibber McGee say? 

Tur lur loo. 

Yes, and what else? 

Which which translates to. We don't really have a direct quote from him, but he just ordered the ashtrays out of storage after enduring 3 months of prohibition. Anyway, let's let's let's get there is word on the street. There were people that did have something to say. In Ireland about it, it's cool. It's not very. 

Comfortable. It's so nice. Really nice you. 

Know you can breathe cleanly. It was a great change. 

I do feel sorry. It's part of the essence of socialising in Ireland that people in pubs smoke. 

Past midnight last evening and that the man is not official and in place. So I'm. 

Quite happy. 

Yeah. So it was mixed emotions. Like the person smoking was obviously outside, it's like. It's called. I'm like, yes, it is. 

Feel like an outcast? Go outside and singing. 

Hmm. And then there were people that like you said that would thought it was gonna be the death of of the venue, of the, of going to the pub. Thankfully like alcohol is almost as addictive as nicotine. And you know, that'll keep you coming back for more. Yeah, in cork. 

Yes, yes. Kept them. Yes. 

In County Cork they called for them. I shouldn't do that, cause Irish people are also notoriously tough. And yeah, they beat the crap out of me. They they called for the minister to be sacked for being a zealot. They just do like you're a zealot. We're gonna sack him. Yeah, so. So on March 29, the band goes ahead and. 

Food fighters. 

Yeah. 

Overnight, all the ashtrays from 10,000 pubs are in landfill. They're gone as well as clubs and restaurants and those caught smoking faced A hefty €3000. Fine. When I went to Wales back in 2003. 

2. 

Be. 

Yes, it was, yes. 

They could still smoke. Yes. In venues. Yeah. And. And I was a a smoker at the time as well as the only thing that a lot of the only things that got. Me through there, aside from egg sandwiches and the darkness seed eggs. 

Egg sandwich, nicotine and Lizzie McGuire movie. 

And the darkness CD. Ohh and so we went to breakfast in a cafe in Wales where they had cockles which are these disgusting shellfish that they get off the beach, that taste like low type lava bread, which is, yeah, yeah. Kind of lava bread, which is seaweed fried in a pan. So you think of the seaweed that what? Yeah. 

Isn't that ohh? Like Chippies, is it like a pippy? That's not brands. That's not brand. 

Yeah. And then like, eggs and bacon and and baked beans. And so it's like. 

Imagine trying to eat that with a hangover. 

An. An English breakfast with seaweed and mollusks. OK. And so. And I'm trying to eat it and I'm really hungover. Yeah, because we've gone to the rugby rugby match and then we went out to the valleys and. 

Ohh. 

You were hungover. Ohh not the valleys. 

Yeah. And I I, I I was in a drinking competition where I had the I had the skull beer from a glass boot. Yeah, it was terrible. And then someone threw an ashtray at my head. So I'm almost glad that ashtrays no longer. It was violent and terrifying. 

Ohh my God. Was like. Show. It was like the show it was. 

And and anyway, the next day we're sitting in this cafe and I've got all the the mollusks and the seaweed and the traditional English breakfast next to it and some next to me lights up a cigarette at the other table. And I had to race outside and just throw up. I was violently, violently ill from the cigarettes. 

Hmm. 

God. 

Cigarettes in a restaurant was just appalling, so good on the Irish for doing it. 

Yes, good on them. I remember here in well in the ACT, I think we started banning cafes and restaurants in 95. But I remember when I was in college because I went to college near the hyperdome the Hyper D. 

Yes, yes. 

And you could smoke in the food court there and they had little disposable foil ashtrays. And I remember after the ban, they just. 

Ohh Yep. Did they just put on the tables in the? 

Yeah, yeah. 

Food court. Wow. 

Yeah. And you just you just sit there and you'd, you'd get your Alibaba kebab and you'd have a Siggy in the other hand. Kebab. One hand, Ziggy the other, and you'd sit there in the food court smoking. 

Yeah. 

And then because they they. 

As was the fashion of the time in Tuggeranong, yes. 

Yep. 

It was a good time. It was a good time, nicotine and a kebab. But then they sort of they they banned it in restaurants. And then I remember incrementally, they're banning it in other places. And then. They started this rule around nightclubs, but it wasn't banned. You had to have a certain extraction fans and if you had the extraction fans, people could still smoke. But if you didn't, they couldn't. And I remember I used to go to the nightclub above the casino. Deja vu, which was like it was called the over 25 club. 

Hmm. 

That's right. Then you could smoke in the venue, yeah. Yeah. Yes. 

For old people, for old people who wanted the craps anyway, I went there even though I. 

Ohh we're so. God yeah. 

Was under 25. 

Winning at the craps means something completely different when you're 47. 

But what they did? 

Like Teflon, it just came. Right out, as in and out of there in two and. A. Half minutes. That's a good day that day. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 

Isn't that a good time? That's a very good day. It just sets you up for. 

If you had a cigarette that would help you with that back in the day to just keep going, yes. 

A really good day. 

It would actually, but anyway, they had the extraction fans, but what they decided was it's a bit unfair to have people smoking in there. And they had these big square lights in the roof and half of the light was green and half of the light was red. So if you're on the green side of the light, yeah, you could smoke. And if you're on the red side of the light. 

Right. 

You couldn't. 

Who couldn't smoke in the red zone? 

So just basically split down the middle of this nightclub. You could smoke on 1/2 of. Room and not in the other like. It just didn't make sense. It's very confusing. 

God, it's like it's like Braveheart. I'm sorry. Can I take our freedom? That's Scottish, not Irish. But anyway, that's terrible. I was. 

I thought it was. I thought it was quite. 

That's what that is. They smokers I can. Remember, smokers have rights too. They all felt marginalised. 

I thought that was a good compromise. Yeah, well, look, I was a smoker, so I was very annoyed having to. And in winter having to go outside. 

It's a filthy habit. Yeah, OK. I regret smoking so much I can remember. 

Yes. 

Finnigan's bar in Dixon, which was above a fitness centre. 

Yes. 

And and you could smoke in there and. And it was a tiny little bar. It was such a great venue. God, we had some good nights in that place. But I remember going in there one time and the smoke was so thick that I could not see the back wall of the venue. It was like a fog had rolled in and it was just hideous. And. And I I remember another time. 

Ohh. Amazing. 

So I used to mix bands and so I was mixing a band that I used to stick my stubby. I think I may have told this story before. I'm not sure, but I used to stick my stubby of VB. On the mixing desk, just sort of tucked in the corner like like it. It was like a beverage holder just wedged in there, which is fraught because I was always worried someone was gonna knock it over and then I'd have to pay, you know, to have it repaired. But I used to stick it there, and I and then I'd have a couple of cigarettes while I was mixing bands and stuff and everyone was still allowed to smoke in the venue. 

Hmm. 

One night I was mixing a band and I and I'd sort of was quite involved and and concentrating, and my stubby was off to the side. 

Hmm. 

And I went to have a sip of beer and down went three cigarette butts. People have been ashing out their cigarettes and dropping their butts into my stubby revolting anyway. 

Ohh, special little beer surprise. That is disgusting. I always remember one night my mum and grandma came home and and I smell. 

Cigarettes. 

Have there been clubbing? 

Smoking now, but back in the day they used to go to bingo and you'd smoke at bingo. Everybody smoked at bingo. So I used to go to the go to bingo occasionally and you'd walk out of there and your eyes would just be so watery because they'd just be this layer of of smoke across the top of the venue. 

You smoke a bingo, of course. Yeah. So Jake want everybody in the club smoke a bingo. 

Everybody in the club. Smoke a bingo. 

I was pretty bad and I remember years later there were people that went to Bingo who were non smokers who actually ended up getting lung cancer. 

Yes, from the passive smoke well. 

Because they went to because they went to bingo two or three times a week and it was just basically this big room of smoke. 

Well, this brings us back to the actual news story. So that was one of the primary motivators for this was passive smoking was that it's like, OK, you're right. To smoke is respected. Your decision not to is appreciated. But you've got to consider the fact that when you're in an enclosed space with a bunch of people like we're smoking with you, even if we don't want to smoke. And that's not OK and it was kind of just one of us. Yes, exactly. 

That I have a choice. 

Hmm. 

Fair enough, absolutely fair. And isn't it funny how we're kind of going through the same thing with vaping now because everyone thinks, well, it's not, it's not a cigarette. So I can just do that wherever I like. 

Yes. 

Hmm. 

Yes, I can remember being at work once when somebody was trying to quit cigarettes and they would hide under their desk and just have a quick puff of their vape and then get back up and go to work. And I'm like, you can't. 

Do that, but it smells so nice. It smells like lollies, doesn't it? And you're. 

Let's see that that's like. 

Ah, I smell. I smell muffins. That smells good. 

You haven't. 

Then you turn around. Like I've just walked through someone's vape smoke. 

They. Yeah, we've just come out of their lungs and now it's somewhere in the mine. Yes. Might as well just kiss me in the middle. 

And. Morning breath. 

Gross. 

Of the street. Disgusting, really gross. Anyway, that was supposed to be the good news story. Yeah. 

That was. 

A good news story, and they actually did they did some data and statistics and analysis and math, and it did actually. 

Hmm. 

Lower it did actually cause people to quit smoking. It did lower the rate of smoking. 

Hmm. 

Within and was quite substantial too, so, and that's also very good. 

Yeah. I can remember too as a kid, when, like always forcing, like wanting my parents, especially my dad, to quit smoking. 

Did he ever write your letter to go down the shop and say I have, I give permission for my son to buy my. 

And. 

Winnie. Blues that used to happen a lot in Canmore. 

I don't think I. I don't think I ever did that. I don't think my dad was that much of A deadbeat. Thanks. Thanks. 

Ohh that is happening camera all the time. Your parents would sign a note. Say please. Not my parents, other people. 

If he's listening, if he's listening. Sorry, dad. No, but. 

But. 

But sure, but I can remember being just absolutely shattered when I caught him having a sneaky cigarette. I was devastated. And then, you know, history repeated itself anyway. Whatever. Let's go to some bad news. Let's go to some bad news. 31st of March in Fallujah. 

Alright. 

Watch. 

No. Ah, OK, Great 31st of March. 

Iraq. 

4 American private military contractors who were working for Blackwater USA are killed after being ambushed. 

On March the 31st, 2004, four US civilian security contractors drove into the city of Fallujah, tasked with protecting catering. Masked insurgents ambushed them using rocket propelled grenades and AK47 rifles, and dragged their bodies through the streets. Reuters journalist Michael Georgie arrived an hour later. 

The scene was quite gruesome. There was bodies that were being burned, other people were stepping on the heads of these corpses. The incident Fallujah was a year after George Bush that on an aircraft carrier. And said mission accomplished, to applause of soldiers. There was nothing more far from the truth. You know, that was the start of. Absolute hell in Iraq. 

Can you believe that? That's a year from mission accomplished. 

That doesn't. Yeah, that. 

It doesn't feel like it does. It feels like we're only talking about it yesterday. It was a bad scene in Fallujah. It was part of the Sunni Triangle where all this happened, which is a region of mainly Sunni Muslims that had been the power base of Saddam Hussein. 

A year ago, no. Yeah. 

And after being toppled by the invasion launched on the 20th of March in 2003. You know? And then remember, two weeks after, it's like mission accomplished. Yeah, ********. They were very angry. So when these Blackwater contractors rolled into town to protect these catering trucks, they just tore them to pieces. So the contractors names were Scott Helvenston, Jerry Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Mike Teague. 

Not really. 

They were all killed, dragged from their vehicles, their body. They were mutilated beyond all recognition. They set them on fire and then dragged him through the streets and then hung them over a bridge crossing the Euphrates River. It was they. It sent a very powerful message. I could tell you that it was barbaric what they did. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

To these people. 

There were. There were a lot of photos circulated, there were kids, there were kids in the streets in front of the photos, and it was just absolutely horrendous posing with with the corpses and. 

Yeah. Yep. 

That's what they wanted. They wanted that international coverage, they wanted to send a. Message back. A very powerful message, but. 

Yeah, so this this. This led to the the First Battle of Fallujah, a US LED operation to retake control of the city after after this occurred, but they cancelled that battle midway because of all these political reasons which which they basically described as the insurgents having a victory. Over the United States, which did not bode well for. The you know, a year ago, he's saying mission accomplished and then this happens. It it was. 

Yeah. And there's also the talk of, well, why did we go in there? We haven't found the WMD. Hmm. So private military contractors. How does how? Did that work? 

So they're they're mercenaries, so they're people that may have served. So black water is a is a company that is made up of, I think the head of Blackwater is like ex CIA. So. So like they're people that have worked or served in the military. They're mercenaries. So they're hired guns, they're guns for hire. So they're they're a security. 

All right. OK. Yep. 

And interestingly, the US military. Terry does take up contracts with mercenaries, so along with their own army, they do hire mercs from time to time and the contractor thing was happening a lot in Iraq. So the interesting thing about being a mercenary as opposed to someone who's enlisted and wants to fight. For their country is a mercenary wants to fight for the money. 

Hmm. 

And that I think really changes your mindset as far as to your motivation. For being over there, I mean for sure. Others, if you're in Iraq and you're enlisted in the army, you're like how the heck is this defending my country? I don't understand. I mean, you know, I guess the propaganda is sort of slanted towards, you know, where the world needs to be free. And we're doing our part to make everyone free. And we're fighting for the same rights that we have for. Yeah, whatever. But like when you get to the contracting thing, it's like, well, how much? How much is it worth for me to be over here risking my life to do that? And I believe it was pretty lucrative. But on the other side of the coin. 

Hmm. 

You know the danger is that you could be completely mutilated and hung from a bridge after being set on fire like it's it's it's a very I just don't see how. If you're in a contracting mindset, you're going to stick it out the same way somebody would. Who has. 

Yeah, way more dangerous. 

The passion. Or defending. And I'm not having a go at contractors or anything like that. I mean, a lot of these people that were contractors had already served previously. They've done their tours or whatever and they were like and they knew what it was like and they knew what they were getting into. And they had a lot of knowledge about the area. And they were like, now that I've done my time. 

Hmm. 

In the military, I'm gonna go back and really cash in, cause I'm familiar with the area, so I get that. Yeah, but your loyalties have to change somewhere along the line. It has to be more about money than it. Does serving your country? 

It's such a horrendous outcome when all they were protecting your catering truck. Yeah, it's not like they were were fighting or, you know, going to war with any particular groups or anything like that. They were looking after a truck of food. And that was the outcome. 

Yeah. And the well, the other outcome is retaliation for that. So the the obviously there was a lot of bloodshed in Fallujah. Fallujah is a really bad place in Iraq in amongst all of this stuff, and it also. 

Yeah. 

But when we're talking about mindsets as well, it changes the mindset of a contractor. Cause like, will remember what happened to those guys in Fallujah. So all of a sudden, anyone who is a contractor over there, who's or anyone who's, you know, an American who's over there working all of a sudden goes we'll look at what they did to those guys in Fallujah. So your back is against the wall the entire time. Like you're really looking like you're looking at everybody sideways. You're not trusting anyone like it would be psychologically. It would be incredibly draining and traumatic. Heavy news. Heavy news. Let sorry about that and and no offence to any contractors out there who are maybe, you know, paying their own superannuation doing, although there's a lot of things to consider being a. 

Yeah, it was a bit. 

Hmm. 

Contractor. 

Yes. No holidays, no sick leave, absolutely. 

Exactly. You gotta look after yourself 100%. Anyway, let's go over to sport an. 

Yes, let's. 

A national treasure. Lisbeth Lenton, otherwise known as Libby Lenton. 

Lisbeth, everyone thought she was Elizabeth. But she's Elizabeth. That was quite the the reveal recently. Yeah, I was like, wait, what? I thought you were in Elizabeth, but no, you're. 

Yes, please. Yes. Yes. 

Elizabeth. What? How did this happen? 

I'm. I'm Elizabeth now, Libby Trickett. She, this time 20 years ago, 31st of March breaks. Inga de Bruin's four year old 100 metre freestyle women's world record in 53.66 seconds at the Australian Olympic Trials in Sydney. She smash. 

Yes. It I remember the footage because remember, she was swimming and she touched the wall as you do. And then she turned around and she looked up and she looked at the board and then they announced that was a world record. I remember the look on her face. She just was like, ah, she was so excited. And then she figured out that she's broken. 

She had she has a very vibrant face, very emotional face, very expressive. Hmm. She unfortunately lost the record to teammate Jodie Henry at the semi finals of the event in the Athens Olympics, which happens later in the year at 53.52. So less than like. 

Yes, yes. Yes, bye. 1014 SEC. 

The you know. 

4th a 14th a. 

Of a second. Yes, that's right. Now where is? 

Hmm. 

That would just be like nails. If you had fake nails, that would just be touching the wall with your fake nails. Is there a rule? 

And. Yes. 

Correct. 

Around fake. Nails, because if there's not, I'd be getting the longest bloody nails. 

I don't think so. Not in Syria. Yes, and I'd shape them like ores. Yes, of a boat. So that you could paddle better. Exactly. 

Yes, and you'd touch the wall first. Why hasn't anyone thought? 

Of this? Well, well, well, I think. 

I haven't seen any nails in the Olympics. No, not long one. 

But in swimming ohh I have. Yeah. Not not super long, but I've seen. 

Sleep. 

Ohh this is a good idea. 

Yeah. I feel like maybe there is some kind of, like, you're gonna have to clip your flippers, you know, like. 

Rapo links. 

Yeah. 

Do that. 

What's rapo length? 

Like a rap ho like that long. 

Ohh, a rap ***** is. Yeah. OK, right. Yeah, a hip. 

Like that long. 

OK. 

And so then she wouldn't have lost. 

Well, and look, we'll we'll talk definitely more about the Olympic swimming exploits in Athens in 2004 a little bit further down the track because there's a bit of drama that happens at. 

Remember the table tennis guy that we interviewed that was. 

Sure do. Yeah. Yeah. So there's that's and that's all in the future. But where is Libby Trickett now? Well, recently this year, she did a Ted talk about body shaming of girls and women in sport. 

There he was fun. David. 

Girl. Thousand women are leaving sport and physical activity because of the judgement and shame we as a society subject them to when they put their bodies out there. So let's take action to stop this. Starting today, international sporting bodies need to establish a mandated course that all coaches must undertake before they can coach girls and women athletes to reduce body commentary. If you are a professional or elite coach, don't wait for the course. Just reduce your body commentary, stop using antiquated and junk science like BMI's and skin fold tests as part of your coaching. Remember that your athlete is a human first and a high performance vehicle second. 

What I find interesting, I mean is that you would need to do a course to just stop commenting on people's body shapes. That's that's bizarre to me. But also I do. I do get, like women do get commented on for their body. I mean, I think any athlete gets commented on for their body shape though, don't they? 

I would think if you're an athlete, well. 

This guy's jacked. Ohh, he's. 

What case in point my calorie tracker does my BMI once a week and I feel shamed. Yes. Excuse me. That's a bit rude, but look, I think from an from an athlete perspective it. 

Carrying a few too many pounds. Yeah. Yep. 

Do you? 

Shamed into reducing your BMI. Well, that could be very healthy. 

Probably does go. Both ways, male and female, they would. 

Right. 

Yeah. 

Well, I would think so. I can remember, you know, when Josh Papali from the Raiders was carrying a few extra kilos talking about he not had a bit of a badonkadonk going on. 

Oh, can you? Did they talk about it? They did. That's rude. 

Well, yeah, I don't think he minded but but I I do get it and it it probably does affect you psychologically and affect your performance. She does go on to talk about her experience with her body shape. 

For those of. You who might be chomping at the bit to dive in and say that discussions around bodies matter when seeking high performance outcomes, I will leave you with this. I'm at least a foot shorter than the typical elite female swimmer. My hands and my feet are tiny compared to the flipper esque feet and hands of typical Olympic medal winners. If it was all about body shape and type and size, I should not have won 24 gold medals in my career. But I did. Because when it comes to sports, we are all driving different vehicles and when that, whether that's for fun or for elite competition, we should all have the opportunity to win. 

Hmm, have the opportunity to win or. 

Maybe participate in my case. 

Yeah. 

See. Then you get into the participation award thing, right, I guess. And that's what separates. You know elite athletes from the average Joe, but somewhere along the line, I think like their body composition separates them from the average Joe as well, like, that's gotta help, right. And I'm not saying you should comment on their bodies, but obviously being in shape helps. 

Hmm. No. But it. And it depends on the sport. I think like when you look at things like power lifting and boxing and that kind of stuff, you've gotta weigh in. You've gotta have a certain composition about you, so of course that's part. 

Yes. 

Of the conversation. But I think we're. 

Well, that's how you fit in the categories in that particular sport. 

But I I think what she's getting at is probably more. The commentary outside of that where when you're watching sports, the commentators, the viewers, you, you feel like you have the right to then commentate and discuss how they're looking. 

Yeah, right, of course. I guess, but I mean, if she's in a gold medal event and she's made the final, like, doesn't that speak for itself? 

Hmm. 

Remember when they had the really high cut Speedos? I do remember a lot of commentary about. 

Ohh. 

The **** cheeks. 

The high cut speed as well. What's that all about? 

The high cut speedos at the Olympics. There's more. It it helped him allegedly at the time, made them go faster. 

Is that? Aerodynamic. Yeah, I'll tell you what. There's a place where Bush isn't gonna come back. Did I just make commentary on their bodies? I didn't mean to. Sorry. I feel like I'm gonna get myself in trouble if I keep talking about any of these other things that we've just talked about. So let's go into technology. Surely that's a safe space. 

Absolutely 1st 1st of April, April Fools 2004. 

Yeah, April, April fools days, yes. 

Google introduces Gmail to the public after extensive rumours were circulating during testing. But. 

Didn't they think this was? 

A joke? It was met with scepticism in the tech world because I think Google was quite well known for their April fools jokes. They've been doing them over the years. Hmm. But they did have they already had an April fools joke in 2004, which wasn't Gmail. 

Yeah. 

Really. 

So Gmail wasn't a joke. It was. It was real it. 

There's a thing for real thing. 

Was. Can you? 

Remember when we were working on radio, how the programme directors and the powers that be were very, very adamant about the fact that at April Fools Day we had to play a prank on the listeners, you know? 

Yeah. 

And like it'll be like, OK, let's we'll go and broadcast from our sister stations frequency. 

They no people floated that idea every year, but it never happened. They never had enough courage to do that. That was always. That was always floated in the brainstorm, but it never happened. 

And that was stupid. Yeah. And have you? Have you ever try? I'd yeah, like ate the fools face off. They just stuff. Well, it's not a joke. It's a prank. For starters. Yeah. 

I hate April fools jokes. I hate jokes. I hate it. I hate pranks because I fall for them and then I feel like an idiot. It's very stressful. 

Yeah, social media has given rise to a lot of fake news. April fools. 

Very very I. Thought you gonna say, do you remember the radio station made us use email? I thought that's where. You were going with that? 

Ohh yeah, that that didn't end well either. I got in so much trouble. 

It was so good when people could just email us and tell tell us exactly what they thought of us straight to our email account. 

Thy. Because I was like, do you do you? Yeah, also, but I. Was like do you? 

Brilliant idea. 

Mean that I don't actually have to stand in the room and tell this person off in person. Yeah. Yeah. So that got me in a. 

Ohh, he looked at it from that perspective. I was yes, OK. 

Lot of trouble. But the April Fool joke thing was like haha, let's play a trick on the listeners. I'm like, why do we want to play a trick? The people that have dedicated the best portion of their morning to actually listening to us talk, but that doesn't make any sense. 

No. So we wouldn't play token anyone now I don't. 

Yeah, it's mean and Google thought it was mean too. So, April, April Fools was not a thing for Gmail. It was an actual Gmail was a thing. 

It was a thing. Thinking back to 2004, what we have, we had Hotmail. I used to think Hotmail first time I saw an email. Address because I was. 

You thought it was a dirty thing, didn't you? You thought it was dirty. 

Yes, I went what my problem was. I was hanging out in the weird forums when I discovered the Internet and I was like going Oh my gosh, like you just write hello. And the things that people. 

Well. 

Would write back. This was good. 

I'm in. 

Is to do that in the late 90s, early 2000s. Just hang out in forums and pretend I was over 18 and see what would happen and lots of things happened. It was. It was. 

Yep, Yep. 

Or. 

A scary place. But then I saw someone with a a Hotmail address and I thought. It was like it was like a rude dress. 

And read address causes at Hotmail. 

Yes. That's what I thought I. Thought for a good four years that Hotmail had something to do with **** or. 

So did you think that Gmail had something to do with hip hop? Like, are you that literal well. 

Friday. No, I didn't think I'm Gmail. I was fine with Hotmail. I had it, but I I figured it out. 

Gmail. 

I figured out Hotmail after a while. It was just I was in a forum and someone offered up their Hotmail address and I thought what's gonna happen here. 

You're going to get a whole bunch of hot mails addresses and you'll be able to go around. To their houses and you know. 

That's what I thought you had AOL Mail. You had Yahoo Mail, you had mail.com. So there were. A few providers at the time, but I think what was pretty exciting about Gmail was the storage. 

I will do Hotmail. I will do Gmail, but I won't do AOL. 

It was a storage a GB 1GB, which was a lot of. 

Yeah, right. Uh-huh. Yeah, it was big storage, big storage for Gmail. Yep. 

Back then. I think you could search so you could easily find emails using keywords. That was good. 

That's very helpful. 

It's helpful threaded conversations. I actually hate threaded conversations, to be honest. 

That ohh cause he I miss. 

Because when you try to forward something or reply. All stuffs it up, no one needs the whole thread. 

The whole thread goes with it or. Well, sometimes you do. For context, context is important. 

Per my last email. 

Ohh yeah OK. 

Spam filtering. I do like spam filtering. 

Gmail's great for that. The amount of Shiite. 

I've forwarded. I have forwarded all my big pond emails to the Gmail address just because they spam it out because once I I fell for a thing once. 

That. 

A fell for a thing with our big ponds. No, with our big. 

You fell for a thing. Was it a Hotmail address? Are you is this is this secret confession time? 

It's a confession confession with our big pondered dress. I got a message once saying that you could win Hitler, Woolworths voucher and I thought it came from Woolworths. I honestly thought it was Woolworths so I did the thing and then and then all of a sudden got lots and lots of emails from. 

What did you do? Ohh my God. Are you Siri? What are you doing? If it's too good to be true it. Always is. 

All around the world. Offering me Woolworths anyway, so I forwarded all of those emails to my Gmail because that just that the spam philtre is so good. Got rid of all the people that I signed up for accidentally. Sorry. 

Filtered. It. 

About. 

That that was a joint. That was. Our joint email address. 

Outstanding. Really well done. Well, look, Gmail. Gmail actually not only. The real thing it ran on 300 old Pentium 3 computers. That was the cloud, the cloud back in the day, all of the all this stuff that you're getting with it was 3 old, 300 old fencing and three computers that nobody else had. Google wanted. They're like no, it's Pentium 3. I don't want it. That's. 

Oh, remember the Pentium pentene? Love the Pentium? Pentium. 

It. We'll we'll make, we'll repurpose them into Gmail. 

We need pet. I only want Pentium full. 

Servers, right. And that was enough for the beta because that only had 1000 people, which allowed then another that but however. That thousand people that were allowed to invite their friends and family members to become. Beta testers so. 

That's right. It was like an invite thing. So you got invite only, like, select people. I think it was like, influencers and things like bloggers. Press Hilton would have been invited. They invited certain people to to be detested. And and they did it because they only wanted a certain number of people doing it because of the Pentium computers. 

Yes, it's very exclusive. Yes. Yeah. Yes. 

But the impact it had was like, oh, this is an exclusive thing. Why wasn't I invited? 

Isn't it? 

I want to be a part of it. 

Invited and then they let them invite other people and it became this really exclusive thing, and people were trying to buy invitations. 

Correct. Yes, I'm a G and I'm entitled to some male. Exactly. So everyone just went nuts about it. It was, yeah. 

Yes, very desirable. It reminds me of remember when clubhouse came out the clubhouse app and you were well, you could only get into that by invitation. That was very juman. I invited you. Isn't that nice? I mean. 

Yeah, that was cool. I know cause you got in and then you invited me and I felt very special. And then I got in there and I'm like, I have nothing to contribute. But anyway, but like Gmail was, it was very sought after. It was a viral sensation before sensations really went viral. 

I have nothing to say. 

Yes. Yeah. And and and it's evolved. It's like look at all the new features now advanced search, advanced philtres, smart replies. So people think that you're actually replying to them when you just you just say, yeah, just auto replying to. 

Yes. 

Yes. 

That's my favourite thing, the AI. Them the AI has. Learned the way that I sign off as well, cause I'm a Many thanks. I was kind regards for a long time and then I saw a viral thing. 

Yeah. 

That said, that kind regards was like rude. Yeah. So I'm, I'm and I was cheesed for a while and I think it was you. Someone said to. Me like cheese. 

It's very colloquial. Cheers. You do Many thanks. And can I tell you, I think Many thanks is like and I have expected you to have done that already. 

Bogan, I do many things. Ohh so as Many thanks worse and kind regards. 

Well, it's like Many thanks is like get it done. 

But I'm not usually asking for things. I'm just like blah, blah blah. Here's the stuff. 

Aren't you going? Many thanks. Well, what are you thanking them for? If you're giving them stuff? 

Mel. I'm just being nice. So many things is worse than kind regards. 

I only signed up. Well, I only sign off with Many thanks in emails where I want something and when I expect them to do that something very quickly. 

When you being a *****. Damn well, Gmail AI has started putting my Many thanks in and it puts some nice fluffy words. 

Really. 

Like I would write. That thanks Steve now. 

I do. I I. Do cheers when I'm just feeling really cordial, so you know. 

Told me off. 

About cheers. Yeah, well, it's pretty colloquial. 

What about someone signed off? 

Cheeses are kind of like I don't give a. 

Someone signed off to me the other day best and I'm like best. What best, best me. Best you? Best regards. But I don't understand. You're the best around. Nothing's gonna ever keep you down. 

Yeah. Yeah, that's. I I think it's like I. Have. You have to keep them down. Yeah. I feel like those people are. They're go getters. It's like, hey, I'm a go getter. 

What is best? 

Are they the people that sign off just with the 1st letter of their name like Best A? 

Yeah. And it's like you. Yeah, yeah. Anker, best, are you? Are you the best? Because if you are. 

Hey. Tiny. Nothing's gonna ever keep you down. 

You should probably like actually write your name out in full, you lazy *******. My favourite one and I do this to people that I cannot stand and. That I wish. Wish the worst. The worst of the. 

Ohh dear. 

Worst upon them. 

Ohh dear have I had. One of these ones. 

Yeah, it's like it's it's basically if I if I sign off with have a great day. 

Let's run off with have. 

A great day. 

What I really mean is. 

Oh, nice. 

What I really mean is I hope you die in a fire. 

I just have a great day all the time, and I mean it, yeah. Yeah. Or if. 

Well. 

It's somebody that I think is like a little. Bit hip, I'll say have a fab day fab instead of great. 

Have a. Day. 

Does that make me a bad person? 

Well, no, I'm just saying this is this is this is how it translates in my vernacular. 

You're a bad person. So that's your hierarchy of sign offs. 

Yeah. Like you're just, you're just like, well, what you see is what you get. But I'm a *******. 

Maybe you should sign off best, Jay. Maybe he's. Maybe he's a letter that's not even in your name. Keep. Them guessing. 

Many thanks. Have a great day. Get it done. I hope you die in a fire. 

Cubed. 

Food. 

Yeah. Over to music now. Many thanks. 

Yes, I'm going to kind regard you a couple of years by usher, number one in Australia number. 

That would be a good way. 

One in the UK. 

To sign off, yeah. 

Yeah, yeah. I think you. Should try it. Yeah, that's where my brain would go. I wonder if everybody else would feel the same? Probably not. 

I don't know, but there what was that number one in Australia and the UK? 

Let's see if it's number one in the US as well. Come on, play the top five. 

Come on site. 

4. 

All its hair is the only game in town. 

Everybody. 

Yeah. 

1. 

Yeah. 

Well, clean sweeps. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's in three continents. Countries, whatever. Just very quickly. Tipsy Jaquon is in there at number. What? 

Sweat. 

Is it 3? Me. We had my baby had team number two with one call away. But Jake one. I want to go to go to Jaquon. Any replies from Jaquon. 

Well, look, to be honest, we only recorded last week's episode an hour ago, but no, Jake one hasn't lived up to his lightning status. We still haven't got anything. Are we ready to maybe send him a sticker? Should he send him a sticker? I don't know. 

Maybe. You know, maybe if if you reply like if you send another message to him this time and you reply with Many thanks, he might actually do the job. Actually get it done. I'm just saying. And and if you no. 

All kind regards, I think kind regards. Is is a bit more pressing. 

I'd go. Many thanks. Best or just many if you. I reckon if you. Many thanks. Him he's gonna. 

Her my last message. 

Yeah, but end with many things you didn't do what you said. Yeah, so. 

Many thanks. Many thanks, Mel or Many thanks, Em. 

M OK, yeah. 

Alright, well, maybe we do a sticker. First I. 

Don't say any mistica. 

Wanna. 

Ohh you're too harsh. I think the sticker is. Cheaper. 

No. 

Anyway, we'll we'll we'll stay on Jayquan watch and update you as. 

Seriously. Anyway, yeah. So yes, so the charts, the charts this week. So usher number one. Yeah. One call away Chingling at #2, tipsy Jaquan at #3. We'll get back to #4 in a second. Then. Hotel. The Kelly thing. Yeah. 

As events, it evolves. Yes. 

Yes. 

I really hate to say this, but I quite like that hotel song. 

Do you? Yeah, that's he has that effect on people. But but the number 4 song. 

It's unfortunate. It's very unfortunate. 

It's like so. It's like a white guy just walked into an all black club. Yes. You know what I mean? 

Yes. And he's on his Windows XP playing solitaire. 

And it's like, mate, you're gonna die. 

Give me more aces. I need to put the aces over in the left hand corner. 

Doing this exactly. Solitaire by American Idol? Was he the runner up or the winner? 

He was runner up Clay Aiken. He came second to Ruben. Solitaire. Just reminds me of. 

Clay. 

Hmm. 

Like one's a sandwich. One's a hunk of dirt. Ruben Clyde. Yeah. 

It reminds me of my mum and grandma when they got addicted to yes and Tetris. 

Solitaire. 

Umm hmm. 

And remember, with solitaire, you could pick the cards like you could pick the the the pattern on the back of the. Card on Windows XP. 

I had a PlayStation, so I wasn't really I I don't know how many times. 

Well, this is the thing we had. I don't even think we had Windows XP we had like, you know, Windows 1980s. We had really old computer and all the games that we had on it, we had mahjong, we had solitaire, and we had Microsoft paint. So they were the three things that we did on the computer. 

Yeah. 

Printer. My. 

Microsoft paint. I don't. I still don't even know what the rules of mahjong are, but I spent hours playing it. I don't even know. And solitaire. 

No, but clearly Microsoft Paint has turned you into the graphic designer that you are today. Yeah, look at our logo. It's amazing. OK, well, that's not what solitaire is about from Clay Aiken. No, it's a cover from a Neil Sedaka song in the 70s. Well, it's about someone who's alone. 

Ohh mad skills anyway. I know. Isn't it cause it's a? It's a cover. Do you know the? And what's it about then? What is it? Ohh that's sad. 

Solitaire being alone, which is, is. That's what it is. If you're a bit of a Barry, you're playing solitaire. That's what's happening. Or Nigel, or it depends on what part of the world you're from. But I call him Barry anyway. From February through to April 2004, Clay Aiken went on tour with Kelly Clarkson as Co headliners. 

OK. 

Hmm. 

Yes, for the independence too. I just. Well, I'm just throwing some facts that were happening around the time cause other than that it being a cover, I don't. 

Isn't that interesting? 

Really know much else about. 

No, he was just on the road. 

Some items well, I thought I'd talk about the card game just to fill in some time. 

Look. 

I mean, Clay Aiken was a very vanilla idol. But I mean, idol in itself is pretty vanilla any. 

No, I don't think after you have Kelly. Clarkson, in the first year. 

Hmm. 

Kind of. Where do you go from there? She's amazing. 

Fantasia. Barrino. You know, I don't know. 

No one's ever been as good as her. 

Adam Lambert. He was he was amazing. He was too good. He was. No, he didn't. He ended up singing for Queen. That's how good he was. 

Good. 

Good. But he didn't win. Didn't win. Games. That's the whole Ricky Lee thing all over again. 

Yeah, but, but actually good anyway. 

Shame the shame. So hi, Aiken loves a Christmas tour as well. Every year he does a Christmas tour started in 2004 and you won in 2005 and 2006, 2007. And then he did a Christmas tour with Ruben, the one that won. 

Well, of course. I mean, listen to the guy. 

Yeah. 

The in 2010. 

Ohh, the sandwich. We call it the clay sandwich anyway, like listen. 

And all the tears, the only game in town. And every row. 

It's just it's musicals, it's show tunes I cannot believe. 

He ended up on Broadway, I think didn't. He well. 

Of course with that, but I can't believe he's up up next to tipsy and one call away and yeah. 

He is a bit out of place, isn't he? 

It clashes. It really does clash. 

And they're all, yeah, being. Geez. And then he's talking about having no friends. 

Yes, but he's got some pipes. He's, you know, he's a good singer, right? 

And he's done a lot of charitable things over there. He seems like a really good guy. So he did a lot of benefit events and concerts he founded, along with another lady, the National Inclusion Project, which was to support better integration and support of children with disabilities because he was he was working. 

MHM. 

As. I guess disability support, yeah. For for children with autism. So he founded this project to try and better. 

A special education teacher, I think he was, yes. 

Integrate children into mainstream schooling, who had additional needs a he was also a UNICEF ambassador. I think he. 

I went over to. 

Iraq as well, and he was doing stuff about. 

Yeah. 

Equity in education for children all over the world. 

Yeah, he's. Look, he got a platform and. 

A pretty decent guy. Yeah. 

He used it. He used it and you've got to give him credit for having that platform and using it as much as I kind of give, you know. A bit to American Idol and people that go on reality shows, this bloke has done a lot of positive stuff with the platform and he hasn't, I I don't know if this might have been. I I always worry about people who go. I wanna be a politician. Yeah, I worry about that. 

You do, yes. Yes. 

Because I think people get into politics for the right reasons, but I don't know if the right reasons stick around long enough to see out their career. If you know what I mean. Anyway, he did get into politics. 

These days my life looks a lot more like yours than Justin Bieber's that. I can promise you. But one thing that has never changed for me is how much I love my home state. North Carolina is the place where I discovered 1st that I had a voice and that it was a voice that could be used. For. More than singing, you know, for decades, North Carolina was actually the progressive beacon in the South. We had the best roads and the best schools because. Back then, the loudest voices in our government were progressives who actually made sure our state was always moving forward. But then things changed, and the progressives lost power, and we started getting backwards as policies like the voter suppression bills and the bigoted bathroom bill. 

Yeah. Amongst other things. Yeah. Well, I think Peggy. So this is a gay guy that's grown up in North Carolina in the South. 

Backwards US policies. 

He's, you know, he's up against it a little bit, I and he's got a platform and he's he's you. You gotta give him credit. Like he's he's had a crack and he's done pretty well so. 

Well, 3014, he was a he was the candidate for the Democratic Party. 

Yes. 

M. 

And he ended up winning because I think his main opponent died. 

Yes, well, that helps. Very helpful. 

Excuse me. Certified. So we did a bit of a Bradbury. There, didn't he? Yeah. 

Yes, he did. He did. But whatever it takes to get you across the line, yeah. 

Yes, but unfortunately in the general election leader in 2014, he was defeated by the Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, 59 to 41%. That's pretty high. That's a good try. Good try. 

Hmm. 

Yes, element. It's closed. North Carolina. Maybe not. As progressive as what what he thought it was, yeah. 

Gave it a. 

Good try. And then in 2020. Who is like I'm looking try again. 

He so he's had another go, did he? Has he got in? Ohh, that's disappointing. 

Yeah, 20/22. He was. No, he ran for for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina, and he was quoted as saying if the loudest and most hateful voices think they're going to speak. For us, just. Tell them I'm warming up the old vocal chords, but unfortunately there were three Democratic. Candidates and the other two beat him. 

Ohh well. 

Alright. 

Yeah, but yeah. 

You seem like a really good guy. 

Right. 

He does. He seems like a a man like. Like I said, he had a platform. He tried to use it and he failed. Many thanks. Let's go to album releases, shall we? There's a big album release. This song is a is especially a particular song off this album that still does the rounds on the socials. 

Yes, we. 

Quite virally these days does. 

It. 

Yeah, I think so. 

And we're and we're looking at the same album, yeah. Anastasia. Ohh. OK. It's a viral song. 

Yes. 

Absolutely. Ohh, definitely one of the songs off that album. Yeah, very much so. 

OK, her self titled album was released this week, 20 years ago. It's her third studio album. It peaked at #1 on the album charts in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Sweden and. The UK, yeah. 

Yeah. What song do you think I'm talking? About. Yeah, this one. 

How it really feel? When it's cold out here, well, maybe you should know just to be left alone, to be outside waiting for you. To bring a fairy tale. 

What? What? Socials? Is that being? How do? 

That's a banger. It's been doing the rounds everywhere. OK, well, no, no, but and like in its own right. It's a banger. So it's it's been definitely popping up. It's just it's just a banger in that regards. It's kind of a really power, like a power song. And Anastasia, I've seen has had a bit of a resurgence, but once you get it in your head. 

People use it. Is it a dance? Is it a? Yes, classes. Yes. 

If you listen to the phrasing. 

Hmm. 

Like, I wonder if you know how it really feels to be left outside alone. If you get that in your head and then you think of Jack Black. 

Yes. 

I mean, I can't unhear that now every time I hear this song, I know it's Anastasia's song. 

Can visualise him, yes. 

But I he, Jack Black and thankfully due to the well, it's a bit hit and miss this actually if I'm being honest. But AI the miracle that is AI has gone out there and prepared something for us earlier. 

Yes. 

And I wonder if you know. How it really feels to be left outside when it's cold out here. Well, maybe you should know just how it feels to be alone. Waiting for you to bring up fairy tale. 

OK. 

So did you. 

Find an AI version of that, or did you ask AI to make you? 

Oh, it's. No, no, no. 

A version of that. 

It's been out there. It's been out there. And look, I I have to say, I don't think it's. Nailed it I I really don't. 

It sounds like Jack Black mixed with Anastasia sounds like a combination. 

Yes, it sounds like somebody's been mucking around with some effects and some pitching and stuff. 

Of the two. Pitch, yeah. 

Yeah. 

I would love to see Jack Black not only cover that song. 

I think he'd go a bit harder than. That, to be honest. 

Do you know what I reckon should happen? I think that Jack Black and Anastasia should re release that as a duet. 

What? 

Duet. Yeah, but he might not. He might not sing her. 

Come on. Ohh, it's Anastasia. Before. She'd be fine. He'd be fine. They'd complement each other. The phrase it's just made for both of them. I think it would be wonderful. 

Could use a. Ring a ring. Ring, ring. Ring or something like that. 

A what? 

Doesn't he do things like? I don't know. Yeah. Sorry. I tripped over my tongue, man, but yes, like what he did in tribute feels like it's. 

Ricky ****. ****, ****. 

**** or yeah, one of those, you know where he does? Yeah, maybe. That's alright. Yeah, don't. Never do that. Don't do that. Again. I didn't know what was happening. I was gonna leap over the desk and administer first aid or something. It's OK. 

It was a bit unattractive, wasn't that sorry. Sorry about that. It's just an accident. OK, so that that was the first album we've spoken about this before, actually. Because remember, she was diagnosed. 

Yes. 

With breast cancer. 

Yes. 

This is the first album that she's sort of done post chemo and treatment, and she was saying that she felt that her voice didn't have the same power that it. Did. 

Sounded pretty good to me. 

Prior. So she did experiment with a lot of back up, like big band, big sound instruments that she didn't use previously to. To try and I guess come up with a bit of a new sound because she just felt she didn't have the. 

Hmm. 

Same kind of power and strength behind the voice. 

Well, all I'm saying is, you know it's it's doing the rounds on the Internet and it's like Jack Black, Anastasia, it's like it's. 

Heard Jack Black. Well, Jack, like he's covering people at the. Moment. 

And from what I can see at the moment is it's always separate. Let's bring the two together. All my life, I've been waiting for them to bring a fairy tale our way. Like, let's do it. Let's do it. Somebody who wasn't experiencing a fairy tale at the moment. 

Very good sales. Hmm. 

Was probably kind of in hiding, but still had an album release that they had to deal with and I feel like because of what had happened in the month or so prior, this album release just did not achieve the success that they maybe would have liked to have seen. And in spite of the fact that they won at the soul. Playing Music Awards a few weeks ago as well. I'm talking about Janet Jackson, so her 8th studio album to me to Joe comes out this week with production from some pretty big names like Babyface and Scott Storch and Kanye West, yeah. That she this. Took 18 months for her to make. She spent so much time on this. This is the longest time she spent making an album, and so she had all of these songs like all night and R&B Junkie and this one. I want you. So the album comes out and on debut it's #2 in the Billboard album charts, right? the Billboard 200 album charts is number 2. That's where it debuts. But the media then pile on and they're like now it's disappointing compared to whatever she's done before. And then you've got the impact of the Super Bowl. And I'm wondering if the media criticism is coming off the back of the fact that. 

Hmm. 

They got a ****** out at the Super Bowl and she'd apology. She'd had to do the apology and nobody else kind of stepped up and nobody liked her in the main. 

Yeah. 

Everybody hide it there. Yeah. Dream because I think she agreed to Super Bowl and timed it very strategically with the release of the album. So it was gonna be Super Bowl album release promo for the album is gonna go gangbusters and the other the other challenge that she had was she was effectively blacklisted from a. 

Hmm. 

All the subsidiaries who were associated with the broadcast, so MTV, Viacom, CBS. 

Yes, because they were ****** ***, yeah. 

Yes, all of them are like, no, Janet. So therefore there's no promo through any of those particular networks for the album. 

Well, they're like they because they got fined, they got fined for that, like, so they had to pay up after the Super Bowl. And as a consequence, they're like, well, we're not gonna promote you. Yeah, cause we spent all the money paying your fines, lady. So she it just. It really did. Kind of. 

Well, she didn't get any of. The primer that she usually would or what other? Yeah. 

The tank for her. 

And I think it. Was probably the worst album release that she's ever had, I think. Yeah. Sales were really low and just really disappointing for her. 

Yeah. Yeah. So the last email that she signed off to her record company was have a great day. 

Best. 

Over to the cinema, to the box office where we're going to celebrate Cinema Veritas. All the wonderful things about film and culture and everything with the number one in the US box office, Scooby Doo too. 

Ruby. Ruby do. 

The world is under attack. Monsters are taking over, and now there's only one thing to do. 

Well, that was my outfit, I swear. 

Mystery Ink is back, unfortunately, so is every monster they've ever faced. 

Let's do it again. 

Like night go. 

We have to save shaggy and. 

Scooby. The embarrassing debacle. As usual, mystery ink fell. As two of the gang's key members, Shaggy Rogers and Scooby Doo, tarnished the reputation of the once great gangs. 

This is the most our faulty screw up ever. Screw. There's gotta be some way that we can prove that we actually belong in the game. 

No, we're talking to Shaggy and Scooby to save us all. 

We're gonna die quickly. 

Come up with. 

A. We could be here. I wish once we wrote, we rose. 

I love Scooby Doo, but. 

Did you love this one? The second installment of the Live Action film series? 

Like I was like, no, I I didn't really get into the Scooby Doo live action film series, but you have to give it to Matthew Lillard, who plays Shaggy. He was a very good shaggy. 

Hmm. 

It was a great the casting was actually pretty great for all of the characters in the gang. Yeah, as Fred as Velma. 

What? 

Freddie Prince Junior Sarah Michelle Villa, Seth Crane Alicia Silverstone was in his. 

Yeah, I don't know. He's. Yeah, Lynn, I think Linda Carolina vomit like they were all great. They're all great, right? Neil Fanning was the voice of Scooby Doo. I I reckon I could have had a go again. 

Hmm. 

Maybe. 

That's pretty good, pretty good, pretty good. 

Maybe you know, like I don't know. I've had a few drinks, so I'm probably full of false confidence. 

Did you like the card? What did you think of the cartoon as a? Kid, did you? 

Loved it, loved it, loved it. I loved it. Until. 

I hated. 

And I think you'd know where I'm. Going with this. 

Headless Horseman? No, I hated it cause. Of Headless Horseman. 

Did the Headless Horseman scared you on Scooby Doo? 

It still scares me to this day. 

But it was just a guy in a suit. 

Doesn't matter. It was just the lead up. 

Very. 

Hard for that one because they had to take his mask off and he would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling kids. 

The lead up the lead up to. They had. 

I loved it until the introduction of scrappy. 

Ohh Scrappy is like the equivalent of Muppet Babies. Remember Muppet babies? Same kind of thing. No, stop doing the cutesy thing, no. 

You really annoying. Yeah, scrap it. It's just a very unnecessary. It's just a really unnecessary character, like Scooby and Shaggy and and the gang were all great. They're completely formed. And then Scooby's nephew came into it and just. 

Dumb. Yeah. Then he started doing the. Scrappy, scrappy Doo. 

You just the whole thing up, you know. 

I agree, but yeah, no, I'd I'd already. I'd already gone off it at Headless Horseman. It was just I can't stand the Headless Horseman. 

Many thanks. Were you scared? 

I'm scared of the Headless Horseman in every incarnation. Like what was there? Wasn't there a Johnny Depp, Headless Horseman roof? No, no, no. The Headless Horseman edition of Scooby Doo. There's another Headless Horseman on some other coming. Yes. Yeah, yeah. I can't deal. I have a problem. 

Yes, that's a great move. Excellent movie. Ohh, so Sleepy Hollow. I think they did it. On The Muppets. Really good. Yeah. Well, look, I I I don't know that the Headless Horseman showed up in this movie. Yes, but I it's. It's pretty forgettable. And it didn't get very good reviews. It's funny, cause the first movie got panned by critics as well. And they still made a sequel. 

With that sauce? Did you watch this movie? 

Hmm. 

And there's a roller coaster for it at movie World, which is even. 

Well, that's why they had to make some calls so people would go on the roller coaster. 

And most of it's in the. Most of it's in the dark, which is I think how they save on all the special effects on the roller coaster. Just like riding a wild mouse roller coaster in the dark going oh. 

Oh, look, there's a Headless Horseman. I couldn't. See who's couldn't dark, thank goodness. 

In the dark? Yeah. So it didn't gross very well at the box office, but they still did a third one. 

We're gonna do a. Third one but then cause this one didn't do so. Well, they cancelled it cause. 

Christ and. 

Like, well, that's we're not gonna do another one. 

And the third one was gonna be written and directed by James Gunn. Who did Guardians of the Galaxy who did? Or who's doing the new Superman movie? 

Ohh. So you saying that maybe if that allowed that to happen, it would have been good? 

I'm saying if they'd allowed that to happen, we may not have ended up with Guardians of galaxies. We let's go to the TV show. We got a TV show that is a absolute stinker that started on the 2nd of. April that had a very big name in it. Somebody who's, like, made an absolute fortune in their comedic and acting career these days, but got off to a pretty rocky start with this show. This is the big house, which is a television sitcom that starred Kevin, A very young Kevin Hart. 

So watch your pops in gaol he kill a. 

Guy. Ohh. Sweetie. Kevin's father did not kill a guy, and I'm sure Kevin doesn't want to talk about his father's. Misfortune thanks I. How he embezzled from all of those clients of his and disgrace his family and black people in general. Who's his? My sweet, loyal sister was hit by a bus and killed long before she could see. I just mentioned I don't. What that husband of hers? Done. That is good news. Antina. I love happy endings. 

So his name was Kevin. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

In the show. That's nice. 

Yeah, it didn't do very well. They got six episodes out of it. You can watch them all on YouTube if you want to torture yourself. 

It was a reverse of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, so he his uncle. He was rich. And then I think his dad did something dodgy and then he had to move in with. 

Yes, that's right. 

His uncle and his auntie or something, didn't he? 

That's right, in Philadelphia, so you gotta he. His dad went bankrupt and he got scared. And then he moved into his auntie and uncle in Philadelphia. 

There is something that is comforting with that late 90s early 2000 sitcom like I Know it was cancelled, but there's just something I don't know. There's something about the laugh track. 

Yeah. It's passive. You don't have to think. You don't have to do anything. 

It. 

Reminds me of being home from school sick, but not actually being sick. But then going and watching the TV, you know, midday and having. 

Hmm. 

Yeah, right. 

MHM. 

My cup of soup. 

Yeah. 

I just find something comforting and I reckon if I went back and I never watched it, but I. Reckon went back and. Watched those six episodes. 

If you could do that on YouTube, they only go for 20 minutes each, yeah. 

It would be. Good, I think. It would be good. 

I don't think it would be good, but I think you'd be comfortable. 

Yes, it's comforting. Yeah. And so they did that thing where I think they put the episodes out, but then they have that red light. 

Hmm. 

Green light. So is it gonna be? Continued or renewed, so they'd put the first six episodes out and they were leading up to the announcement of it being greenlit and going ahead. 

M. 

Oh really? 

So I was in the smoking section, not the. Non smoking section. 

You can smoke here. 

Yeah. Yeah, right. This show is smoking. Yeah. 

Apparently, apparently Kevin and the cast found out that no, actually it's cancelled minutes before they were gonna make the announcement that it had been. Greenlit what's half? 

Ohh really? That's disappointing. Well, that's the business. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, doesn't it? 

Yeah. 

Well, he went on to. I love his interactions with the. Rock. 

Yeah, they're kind of funny. They're kind of. I like his interactions with animals. 

So good. 

You know, like when remember, we did that thing where Bob Irwin bought, bought some of the animals onto the and he's terrified of them. He's completely terrible. He's only a small man. So he's, you know, he's butter morsel. He's an appetiser for most animals. Anyway, there's another TV show that came out. And anyway, there's another TV show. 

Yes, with the Irwin kids, yes, that was very. 

Good. That was very. 

Now it ended. 

That ended on the 2nd of April and this was I feel like this was a bit ahead of its time, but it didn't really have the. I don't know what it is. The technology like. It was almost too far ahead of its time and and and the writing kind of didn't support it. And then I think if you look at films like Wreck it, Ralph and Stuff these days, you can see where that inspiration came from. So this was a show called game over. 

The emoji movie. 

Hmm. 

And it was an animated series. It was a computer animated series in sitcom that was aimed at Grown Ups. So that's that's the first hurdle. You've got to get over is you're trying to sell a cartoon to Grown Ups. And if it's The Simpsons or Family Guy, yeah, like you can probably get away with that or even South Park. But if you're doing, like, something around video games. That's a little bit more challenging because all of a sudden your audience is way more niche, right? So it focused on what happened to video game characters after the video game ended and the family. It was the family, the smash and burns. They were like this suburban family that lived in this alternate video game universe. 

Pretty nice. 

Hmm. 

Did you ever wonder what happens after the game ends? Welcome to the other side. 

Shoot. I'm late for dinner. 

Honey, the Kung Fu monks are fighting again. 

I know, babe. 

Yo, what are you up to you Daddy? 

Why does our sun sound like that? 

Billy, honey, when you speak, it confuses your father. No. 

Rick. 

Didn't we talk about leaving laser cannons around? Yes. 

Didn't you say you were gonna fix the oven so I could defrost? 

The Turkey can we eat or do you want me to be anorexic like those anime basket cases? 

Hmm. 

Hmm, interesting concepts. 

Yeah. And, you know, one of the voices on there is one that you would have heard in Family Guy. And I think Seinfeld, he was putty and so on for Patrick Warburton. The tick? Yeah. He was the voice of the dad in that. So he's a very famous voice actor. 

Lucy Liu Lucy Lou was Raquel the mum. I think it was originally voiced by Marisa Tomei, but then it ended up being Lucy Liu because of scheduling problems. 

Yeah. Yes. So I'm wondering if it ended cause they just. 

Couldn't afford the car? Well was cancelled after five episodes, so one episode less than Kevins's show. 

Hmm. 

Well. 

But a lot of video, it had a lot of references to video games and even featured some of the characters in cameos. I think Crash Bandicoot was in an episode, creatures from Oddworld member Oddworld Age odyssey. They they appeared. 

Yes, I do. I love Dodd world. That's a really hard. Oddworld. 

Was he the one? That was like a worm. Oh, no, that was earthworm Jim. I was gonna say Earthworm Joe. 

That that was us when few but like I and that was us when Jim, thanks very much. Yeah. As per my last email. 

That was weird. Where his head just did like. The worm, he says. And yeah, anyway was odd world. 

Yeah. Yeah. Oddworld was like, though, that he's trying to escape rupture. Arms, because like they were being no, he was like it. It just like a a humanoid type character. And it turns out that he's he's people or his race were used as meat to feed other people. So he wanted to escape. Yeah. They were kind of slaves that were fed on. 

What did he look like? Did he look like therefore? That's unfortunate. Yeah. 

Quite dark. It took a bit of a turn. The video games man. I'm telling you, pretty dark. 

So he he was in the show, but the earthworm guy wasn't. 

Hmm. 

No. Well, that's a lot. I didn't realise how dark. That game, Oddworld, was either now that I. Think about it. Yeah. I prefer the word. 

Guy to be honest. 

Yeah. I mean, even if you don't like look. At a place called rupture farms. Like yuck. Anyway, hatches, matches and dispatches. The final segment of the show. We are on the home stretch. We do not have much, so we'll just do this. And when I said what? 

No. Can I just say it's not. We do not have much. I've just decided that the Hatch match and dispatch is just the clue. I made that as executive decision. Have you not noticed for the last year we have only had one person in this. 

Is that it? Segment not all the time. Have we? 

Yes, OK. Because it was too much effort to research multiple celebrities. And then I figure every year the same celebrities are having the same birthdays. 

I guess the yeah, fair enough. I guess the memo must have gone to my spam. 

So we're going to run out of content. Folder kind regards. Shut up. There's one person in this in this segment and it's the clue at the start. And that's the person at the end, per my last email. I did raise this at a brainstorming session. 

On Gmail. As as. As per your last email. Yeah. OK. I'm sorry. Well, it's not. There's not much. Yeah. 

Obviously where it. 

Lives now. 

Have a great day as I I I guess it's like it's not so much that there's not much. It's just that's enough. That's enough. This is. This is enough. This is enough even. 

Hmm. 

The segment one person more than. It is Kenner Times 2. 

That has nothing to do with it. Did I play the the whistle did. I play this bit. I did, didn't I? 

You did, you did. But you know it's. 

Yeah, I'll do it again. It's a celebrity that's being divorced. Conscious, uncoupling. Well, yes, this time 20 years ago, they said this. 

Worth another listen. Good. 

I just said to my kids. Tell me, show me the articles that that prove that social media is good for teenagers. 

Hmm, prove to me that social media is good for teenagers. If you said Jennifer Garner. You would be correct, yes. 

What happened? She divorced actor Scott Foley due to irreconcilable differences after nearly four years of marriage. Scott Foley, you would know from Felicity. He was the heartthrob on Felicity. 

Do you think that? With like for example the hatches matches and dispatches segment. Me thinking that maybe it's not much and there should be more than one thing in there. Do you think that's an irreconcilable difference? 

Are we consciously uncoupling? 

And hope not. I'm just asking. I'm asking. 

Why did you float that? Why would you even float? 

That. 

Well, I'm testing you. I wanna see what you think. 

In front of everybody. No, I just think that's just you not paying attention. That's just another day that's like every day. That's situation normal. That's status quo. Why? 

That's marriage. That's marriage, right? There's nothing. There's nothing you. No, I'm just trying to be like, illustrate. I'm trying to put something. 

Would you even? 

Raise this. There's something you'd like to. Discuss. 

Goodness name. 

I'm just trying to say don't accuse. The Royal we of being lazy and only having one person in this segment. When this has. Been we I've floated this with you many months ago. There is. 

I was. I was just trying to point out that. 

Only going to be. I'm trying to future proof to show because there's only so many celebrities that have a. 

I think that. 

Birthday every week. 

I appreciate you. I do. I'm just trying to point out that. 

Thank you. 

You know, some people probably look at very petty things as being erectus. You you. I can't even say it. Irreconcilably different. 

Yes. 

So do. Think that. Do you think that Jennifer may have divorced Scott because he wasn't listening to the brainstorm? Do you think that's what happened? That maybe Scott wasn't listening, that we're just going to have one? 

I'm just saying that Hollywood is, I think that the. 

Person in this segment, not multiple. 

What I'm saying? No. Stop what I'm saying is. And I'm getting crossed now. 

OK, good. The best M. 

So this could be in irreconcilable difference. What I'm saying is, is that people in Hollywood, the the divorce rate in Hollywood is exceptionally high, right? What I'm saying is, is that people there seem to magnify things, so something that might be seen as an irreconcilable difference in Hollywood may be just something as. 

Yes. 

Routes. 

Simple as the husband not paying attention and actually realising that the wife is carrying the entire show the entire time and should maybe just shut up and let him get. 

On with it? Yeah, possibly. 

That's what I'm saying. I'm on your side. 

They met. They met when she. Played his girlfriend on listening. 

What I was doing was trying to illustrate that to the good listener out there who was. 

Oh well, I thought you were, like, floating some irreconcilable differences. I was getting concerned. 

There are lots of differences between you and I and I would like to think that after. 

How many different? 2020 years we've been going steady. Did you know that? 

After 20 years of going. The the that lots of them are are are reconcilable. That's all I'm saying. 

You're not very good with dates. I have reconciled this with myself fine. 

I think every difference that you and I have between the two of us is 100% reconcilable, but it's not about us, it's about Jennifer Garner. 

OK, well I'm. Glad we've clarified. Glad we've been 5 minutes and we're. 

It makes it. 

Gonna get back. 

It's a work. My dad aren't fighting. We're just talking. 

I stopped listening to be honest, bit boring. So she was his girlfriend on Felicity. He was the heartthrob on Felicity. She played his girlfriend. They hit it off instantly started dating. They wed in 2000. So they were only married for four years. She had stirred up break up rumours. 

Some heaps of other people, probably, yeah. Yes. 

That a week prior to the big announcement that our consciously uncoupling because she went to the Oscars, Sands, Scott Foley and she was smiling, smiling a lot, she wasn't there, she was smiling, she looked radiant. And I think a lot of people said so. They met on Felicity and she was still. 

Just went by yourself. I'm so happy to be here without you. 

Well, she hadn't hit the big time then she had alias, remember alias. There were lots of lots of good looking men on alias. A lot of rumours. 

No. Yes. Yeah, well, then she didn't. She was, didn't she do dead ever with Ben Affleck? And all bets were off. Yeah. Hmm. Hmm. 

She married. Yes. They got married, not married anymore. But the divorce was, ah, rather amicable, she said. They were really the victims of. Saying that everything is speeded up here. It's fast lane life if something's not working, it's considered best to end it without much thought. She reckons that if they had lived in West Virginia, where she was brought up, they'd still be together. 

Really. 

Well, that's what she said in 2004. Few years later, she said that she regretted married at 20s, saying that everyone reaches maturity at different times. She wished she waited till she was. 

Raisin Rugrats. 

Yes. 

Hmm. 

She's beyond heartbroken, she said. We didn't really know what he just we. Didn't have a. Shot. He was. A good guy, but we just imploded. 

Oh really? 

Doesn't sound like conscious uncoupling if you're imploded. 

Well, I don't. I don't think that. 

There's a bit more violence than a conscious uncoupling. 

Yeah, I don't think they were conscious of much really. 

Hmm. Anyway, they got divorced. 

Alright. That's good. That's the end for them and for us this week. Not not like forever. Like we'll be back next. 

Week with this guy. Do you have to say probably should not start cause probably not listening now because it's been an hour. So welcome to Barbie and Patsy. 

Yeah. 

Ohh, shout out to Bobby and Patsy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Bobby's Bobby's a just a gentleman scholar. 

Yes, lovely. Subscribed to the other well, I think. You subscribe to them, did they? 

Yeah, I had to work with technology. No, they were like, how do we subscribe to your podcast? And I was like, hand over your phone. I'll do it for you. And it's really lovely to have. 

Did they have a choice or did you do it? They wanted to ohh I think there's. 

I'm on board, but as you can see by the conversation that just took place here, Barbie was like, maybe I could come in and sit in on one of the. 

Yes. 

Episodes and I'm like. Absolutely not. This is where we fight. This is our date night. That would be like you coming to dinner with us. 

No, because this is where we fight. 

Yes. 

Barbie, you'd just be, you'd be, yeah. 

And then we fight at the end. That's what happens on a date night, isn't it? Like you have a few few wines for dinner and. 

By the end, you're fighting. I love. I love you dearly, mate, but you'd be a fifth wheel. Like this is our job and your job is to listen and enjoy. And we I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you listening and enjoying. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate. Every. I'm listening and enjoying it. It's like it means the absolute world to us. Every time I see the statistics, even when they're low, I'm just like, could you imagine if that many people were in our house all at once? And then I think, thank God that doesn't happen. 

We don't. 

But we still appreciate you out there. It's it's really nice to have this. 

Oh, absolutely. 

Kind. Of. Distance type relationship. It works really well for me and I'm hoping it works really well for you too. What's happening next week because I'm really digging myself into a hole. 

Yes. Condoleezza Rice is testifying before the 9/11 Commission. We've kind of touched on this before, but it was it was a big, big deal. Gets hit with a computer virus, which is I think the 1st for Apple. 

Oh, it's nice. Wow. Don't get viruses. 

Well, they did. 

Wow, was it a worm anyway. 

No, I think it was a Trojan actually. 

Ohh goodness. 

What else have we got? Starsky, Starsky and Hutch. Hellboy some really big movie releases at #1 at the box office. Oh, and a very questionable reality series. 

That's what all the boys say. Oh, wonderful. 

That we will have a chat about. 

I love it, I already. Have so many questions that I'm sure you two too, but until next week you're gonna have to hang on to them. You're gonna have to reserve them. Thank you very much for listening. We love you dearly. We will see you next week. 

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