T minus 20
The year is 2004... Your polyphonic ringtone habit is sending you broke. 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 superbowl?
T minus 20, rewind to this week in history 20 years ago with Joe and Mel.
T minus 20
A cornerstone of resilience - the rise of One World Trade Center
🏙️ In New York, the cornerstone for One World Trade Center was laid, marking a powerful symbol of resilience and renewal.
👑 Across to London, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the memorial fountain for Diana, Princess of Wales. We discuss the heartfelt ceremony and the splash of controversy that followed.
📉 We revisit the infamous Enron scandal with the indictment of former Chairman Kenneth Lay. We'll delve into the downfall of a corporate giant and the conspiracy theories that followed Lay’s death.
💍 The media’s fascination with Britney hit new lows following her cancelled tour, with every move under the spotlight.
🕷️Spider-Man 2 swings into the number one spot at the box office. Tobey Maguire reprises his role as the web-slinging hero facing off against Doctor Octopus.
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 is generated automatically.
The year is 2004. Your polyphonic ringtone habit is sending you broke. 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.
04 July 2004.
T. Minus.
The rest is.
History. You know what? I'm very forgetful 20. Hello.
Hi. There. Stop trying to make fetch happen.
You're fired. What are we waiting for?
This is harder than I thought it would be.
My fellow Americans.
Let's.
Roll.
Ohh hey there. Are you feeling old? Yeah, us too. That's why we made T -. 20 your weekly history roast of pop culture from 20 years ago with your host Joe and Mel. Hello, Mel.
Hello.
Do you know we go back to a very simple time? Well, everyone says it's a simpler time, but I'd argue that it's not.
Hmm.
Turn off the. Last week, when I was Wowser ring over music that's over 20 years old. As if to say.
Ohh I can't understand.
What the kids are listening to and then realising that that was the stuff that the kids were listening to when I was also a kid, just made me feel really weird and old and all of that sort of stuff. So look, hang on to your Nokia 32 tens, make sure you've got a full charge. It'll last you for. A couple of days. I don't think you can download a podcast to it and kick back. And listen to us, we've got a huge week in news and pop culture this week.
There was a lot going on between the 4th to the 10th of July 2004. Here's a.
Bit of it. It starts with a 20 tonne block of granite and a solemn ceremony seen around the world. Workmen laid the cornerstone of the building that will rise on the World Trade Centre site.
That was a massive milestone, or a cornerstone if you'd like to put it and a really good sign for New York recovering from September 11.
Of course, there were difficult times, but memories mellow with the passing of the years I remember especially. The happiness she gave to my two grandsons.
That's the Queen addressing her relationship with Princess Diana as she was unveiling a memorial to her 20 years ago. A fountain, even. Yes, a fountain.
I found some. Are you gonna quit smoking? Quit smoking? I saw you smoking over there like, oh, she's.
Yes. We're going to.
Bag the bag. We can't overrule it. Don't have to smoke no cigarettes to show. We're cool, Sir.
Later.
Call her out. Too, I saw you smoking over there. Now I'm going to bring it up. In an interview. Shame you.
That was great.
Britney Spears being interviewed by some? I don't know gutter journalist, but I mean Britney Spears was in a bit of a bad way even back then, wasn't she?
Ohh, the paps are having. A field day with around 10 years ago.
The paps were having a field day. She was on the darts trying to cope. None of it was going very well for any. Body and it's still, that's what I mean. We say anyone who tells you it's a better time. It's just a different time. It's still a time. It was still a time.
Now. Still a bad times of. Brittany, back then back 20 years ago. You know what a bad time? For me is.
What?
Sensors at the front.
Of shops, sensors. Ohh. Like not sensors is in censorship or or parking sensors.
Do you know the things that you walk through?
That.
No, no, no. Just those things they have out the front of the shop that beep if you've stolen something. Yeah, the security centres.
Security system the. Alarms, yeah. Yes.
At the other day I bought something from one shop and they didn't heal cause you know, sometimes the security thing, sometimes they're like electronic tags that they have to remove. Other times they're stickers.
Uh-huh. Yeah, well, they have set.
That.
The mark. Don't they have the like the magic counter in the?
Well, with the sticker they rub it on the magic counter and it diffuses it for their stores security system. But then it goes off in another stores security system. And the worst part is you walk into the store and you set off the security system and you know it's your sticker. You're like, oh, that's me.
Store. Yes. Yes, yes.
I know it.
That's my sticker.
And then you're in the store the whole time. Saying how am I going to get out of this store? Do I go up to the front counter and tell them that I have a sticker that was magically rubbed and then it didn't? Now it's not working.
Hmm.
Yeah, sorry, but it was miss rubbed, yeah.
Or is it one of those stores? Well, they don't care if the alarms go off, so you can just walk out and no one gives a toss. What do you do? So you you your experience is ruined because you're in there just being anxious about getting out. So I always go.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Tell someone and I always say excuse me. Here's the thing. Here's the sticker that went on the magic counter. Magic Counter doesn't work in your store. I'm just letting you know that I'm gonna set off your sensor and they go. Yeah, that's fine. And you set it off and people still stare at you.
Well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I always and people stare at me because when we, they do the thing where they rub it on the magic counter. I'm always like can. You rub it a little bit harder. Because I know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna get another store. Yeah. Yes. Maybe Genie will pop out. Who knows? Grant me 3 wishes. The first wish will be for it not to set the alarm off at.
Faster. Harder.
Yes.
The other store I had a wallet once that had, you know, the plastic tag that sticks in and it's got the whatever.
Oh yeah, it's still that weed, metal, like the square thing, square thing, yeah.
Yeah, the metal one. It looks like almost like a razor blade on the back of it.
Hmm.
I had that hidden in the secret compartment of my wallets, and so every time I went shopping with my wallet.
Alright, yeah.
I would, yeah.
It was set it off and you didn't even know.
And I'd pull everything out of my bag. I'd show them. Yeah, right. And it wasn't until about 5 years later that I.
Thought oh, that's a little, that's.
A good spot for my coins and I opened it up and there it was.
Yeah. And he found the smoking gun. The smoking gun? Yeah.
There it was. I did see, I did see a great thing on the socials this week and this is just me. You know that feeling of anxiety as you're about to walk past the security sensors on your way out of a store and you think, Oh my God, did I shove at. They are my. I can't remember. That's me. That's me every.
Time. Geez, I hope it was a flat screen. Ohh well, we smuggled somebody into the hatches. Matches and dispatches. Clue part where we're gonna revisit later on in the show. A celebrity having a birthday this week that will feature in the hatches, matches and dispatches segment. I didn't really string that. I'm making words, Mel.
Good words. Maybe. I don't know. I wasn't listening. Sorry.
They were OK. Yeah, not sure. No. Neither was I. And then I kind of caught myself. Like I I heard a bit of myself then and I went. What the hell am I actually saying? Yeah, it's a it's a celebrity who was born this time 20 years ago. It was a hatch. Yeah. Which we don't do very often. A hatch. It was a hatch. We'll find out who it is at the end of.
Just thinking about some stuff. Are they the words coming out of my mouth? Ohh gosh, I've got no idea then.
The show, but they said this.
Those people that have come back from the dead, they don't know what's happened and they're trying to fix. Turn up.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to state. At the end. No idea. Starting with the 4th of July 2004 and.
Ohh wait stop. Happy 4th of July American friends. We might have picked up a few listeners over in in Idaho.
Of course. We did, and Salt Lake City, if you're still with us. Thank you. Thank you.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, happy 4th of July. Hope you have a. Great 4th of July weekend with lots of beer and barbecue and fireworks and all sorts of wonderful things as you celebrate your freedom in the way only you in the United States of America can, and in the way that they did on the 4th of July 2004. That was a special one.
So they obviously picked that day specifically because it was the the cornerstone for the reconstruction of one World Trade Centre. Is laid in New York City, one World Trade Centre is also known as one World Trade. One WTC, I think. Originally they were going to call it the Freedom Tower during initial planning and this is obviously the building that was rebuilt in the World Trade Centre complex in lower Manhattan in New York City.
It starts with a 20 tonne block of granite and a solemn ceremony seen around the world. Workmen laid the cornerstone of the building that will rise on the World Trade Centre site. Alina Cho has this story.
What the curtain revealed was breathtaking. A20 tonne piece of New York granite, now the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower, the 1st and tallest building to be built at Ground Zero.
Today, as we lay this cornerstone. We remember the liberties that are the bedrock of our nation. The foundation that can never be shaken by violence or hate.
That's Mayor Bloomberg, speaking there at the the laying of the cornerstone or the unveiling of the cornerstone, the cornerstone has already been laid, and now they're unveiling it. I liked all the talk about foundation and bedrock in there because, yeah, I remember when we went to New York and I was like, ohh, look at all these skyscrapers. And the reason why there are so many.
Hmm.
Skyscrapers in Manhattan is because the bedrock underneath is so solid that you can sink really deep foundations in there. For those massive skyscrapers. So. It's a it's a very good spot to build really tall buildings because the ground underneath it is so solid.
So after the 9/11 attacks, there was a lot of debate around the future of the site. What to do in the area? How do you memorialise the victims of the attacks but also? Do you rebuild? Something needs to go there. What's gonna go there? How big is it gonna be? What's the right thing to do here? There.
Yeah.
And a lot of there's a. Lot of talk around what should be done.
And.
It's about healing as well for them, you know, I mean, it's only been three years like, so it it's about how New York heals from this. Well, it's not even three years. It's about 2 1/2. Really. And and they. So they had they wanted to do something, they wanted to do something fairly quickly to help. I think everyone kind of recover and you just don't want to have that there. As as a reminder of some kind of defeat, I guess you want to build something there like to celebrate. Ohh not celebrate isn't the word is it? But it's it's it's it's basically to spit back in the face of terrorism.
Show the strength show. The strength of the people, man, we're.
To show that we are strong and resilient and we are moving, we will never forget, but we are moving on, yes.
Yeah, we will. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. The sites had become a tourist attraction in the year following the attacks. It was the most visited place in the United States in 2000 and. Two then in September 2002, the viewing wall, a temporary display containing information about the attacks and listing the names of the dead, opened to the public the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation had also organised a competition to determine how to use the site.
Tacky. Annette, what did you win for that?
Well, a lot of people submitted designs, but the public, I think the public got to vote and the public rejected all the things that were put forward with that. Yeah. Yeah. So then they decided that they would do a second, more open competition in 2002.
Wow. Wow.
You and a design by Daniel Libeskind was selected as the winner in February 2000.
And three, that design I think even though that won, they iterated on that there was lots of revisions after that mainly because they really there there was a there's a developer called Larry Silverstone. And and they had a lot of disagreements with him. He held the lease to the the World Trade Centre site at the time. So he kind of was, I guess, a bit of a gatekeeper. And then there was another guy called Peter Walker. And Michael Arrad was the other guy as well. They had a reflecting absence, which was a proposal. That was selected as the memorial for the site in January 2004. I think the reflecting absence may have had something to do with that the fountain.
Yes. So I think the there's the building, but then there's also the the memorial as part of the building.
It's like there's a reflecting pool, yeah. Yes, yes. So they'd already gone ahead with that, but they were still, there was a bit of argy bargy about the actual tower itself.
Yeah, yeah.
Anyway, they had the cornerstone. The cornerstone was laid on the 4th of July On this date, which was a sign of progress and actually moving forward.
And the official start of construction for one World Trade Centre, attendees included political leaders such as New York Governor George Pataki, Michael Bloomberg as, as you mentioned, the New Jersey Governor, James Mcgreevey, along with families of the 9/11 victims.
Yes.
The cornerstone was inscribed with the honour and remember those who lost their lives on September 11 and symbolised resilience and a new beginning for the sights.
Yeah, in spite of that being a new beginning though, the construction because of the argy bargy, it was delayed until 2006 because they talking about money security, they were still weighing up the design of the whole thing. So this was a very symbolic thing and they wanted to get it down quickly. I think this has a lot to do with the self esteem of the nation and particularly healing. Like I said before, but there's still a lot being discussed behind the scenes. So the building, as a result, I remember being there on our honeymoon in 2012 and it still wasn't complete. It actually.
Was that? Did they have the projection then when? We went where they were.
No, it was it was.
I think they had the projection. When I went the first time.
It was up. I can remember seeing all the cranes and stuff I have, but like the upper floors were nowhere near complete. It was still scaffolding and what? So it was 2014, the 3rd of November, that it actually opened the building cost $3.9 billion. Yeah, it's 1776 feet high or 541 metres high in the proper measurements. And it made it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It features sustainable and secure.
Wow.
Construction with well, of course, advanced safety systems and a lot of protection provided by what was a reinforced concrete base which you know, I mean obvious.
Yeah.
See. It's like one big building goes down, you put another big one up, you're gonna make sure that it's it's obviously, you know.
Well, they, yeah, they were very conscious of the the safety features, particularly because this is now the tallest building in New York. So there was a lot of features built into the design, which is probably why it cost so much and why it took so long. And they designed it sinking through things like. Terrorist attacks, major incidents. So it's got 3 foot or 91 centimetre thick reinforced concrete walls in all stairwells. And elevator shafts. And it's also got sprinkler systems throughout. There are also extra wide pressurised stairwells along with a dedicated separate set of stairwells designed exclusively for the use of firefighters. It's also got biological and chemical philtres throughout the ventilation system.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Yeah, yeah.
Because they were thinking about biological warfare.
Yeah, like like anthrax and gas and God knows what else, but they also with the car parts when you drive in, like all the vehicles were. So you're thinking about like, you know, cars with explosives in the basement and things like that, that, that, that have happened in the past.
At this stage, yeah.
Hmm.
So all the vehicles are screened for radioactive materials when they drive into the building and other explosives and dangerous things because there's like a there's an underground Rd that gets to the site there. Then they've got like 400 CCTV cameras around the site and in the site and all those feeds are constantly monitored by the NYPD, there's computer systems. With like video analytics software that that detects potential threats, like if it's, if it sees an unattended bag, it will alert security if it and it will retrieve images based on descriptions of terrorists or other criminal suspects. So it's like that almost that biometric face getting.
Yeah, yeah.
Stuff so you know they were. It was an all hazards approach after the fact, but it's still an all hazards approach nonetheless, so that people could at least feel more secure about the building. I particularly like the innovation of having a separate stairwell for firefighters. So, you know, at least they're they're taking lessons learned on board.
Yeah. Yeah, it's a really good idea. Yeah.
But you know, it's is a really significant thing for them to do that on the 4th of July, back in 2004, even though it took a little while to actually get the project started. But I mean it's a pretty impressive structure that's that stands there now. It's still strange to go back and watch.
Yeah.
Films from before.
When?
2001 where you where you see the World Trade Centre there, it's like I think we were talking about even, God forbid, the Limp Bizkit film clip for Roland, which was one of the last things one of the last production shot on top, where they they they played on top of the World Trade Centre. Yeah, it's it's, it's haunting. It's it's.
The two towers were in the fields. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Quite bizarre to see it, and you know, I think what stands in its place is is great. And I think that the the reflecting pool and all that was a really fitting tribute to all the people. What would be more fitting was, was people getting paid the compensation that they needed and having the medical benefits. But that's a story. For another time, let's go to July 6.
And we've got another memorial. The Queen unveils a memorial fountain to Diana, Princess of Wales in London.
Of course, there were difficult times, but memories mellow were the passing of the years. I remember especially the happiness she gave to my two grandsons. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Charles, William, Harry and all my family. And of all the Spencer family with us today, I have much pleasure in declaring the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain Open.
How's that coin Elizabeth likes?
It's interesting that she opened it, yeah.
Well, she dresses the elephant in the room, too. You know? Like she she didn't shy away from it.
Bad times. Yeah, it wasn't all great.
Yeah. No, it was a bit of a mess towards the end there. But you know, those things fade with time and I'm happy to remember her, which is. I well, yeah, although she doesn't really say that she liked her very much. She's like she was really good to my grandchildren. Yes, because she was their ******* mother, you know. That was anyway. I guess.
Wow.
No, she's got to her kids. Yes, yes. Fountains located in the southwest corner of Hyde Park, just South of the Serpentine Lake and east of Serpentine Gallery.
Hmm.
The cornerstone for this one was laid in September 2003 and it was officially opened on the 6th of July 2. 1004.
It was. It's not much of A fountain. More.
It was designed by American architect Catherine Gustafson, and it features the unique Oval stone structure with water flowing from both ends symbolising dianae's inclusive and open hearted nature.
Of a water feature. Hmm.
£3.6 million.
The £3.6 million water feature, that's what that is.
That's very expensive. Diana's younger brother, Charles, was there. Her ex husband, Prince Charles, William and Harry with them. Prince Philip. Lady Jane Fellers, I think it was the first time the Windsors and the Spencers had come together in seven years, in fact. So quite the reunion.
Yeah, they're all right. They're all. That would have been that would have been all Keith bit awkward.
But I just.
I just can't get past the fact like a fountain when you think about.
A fountain? It's not really a fountain. Looks more like a. Preach.
Right. Yes. You think of jets of water spouting high up into the air.
Yes, yes, something soothing. No, this is more like it. It's more like a concrete water slide. People were walking through.
It and yes.
Flashing around it just screams tinier to me.
Ohh. Yuck.
I went to the Diana Memorial Fountain and all I got was this lousy tinier.
Especially with the British, they don't bathe as often as we do.
Yeah, I'd never walk in a communal no. Blush park. That's just gross. Favourite fungus.
No, no. Yeah, but yeah, it did. It seemed more like a splash park, actually than yeah.
Well, shortly after the opening, there were three hospitalisations caused by people slipping in the water, going out over TIFF, and the fountain was closed.
Get out of Lady Diana's fountain.
It's your own fault for carrying on in Lady Day's Fountain. Have some respect.
Stop waiting around in Diana's waters.
Just look at it.
That's that's inappropriate. Have some respect. Exactly.
Yes, this is.
This is not wet and wild water park.
No, this is the memorial fountain. Yeah. Don't throw bloody coins in there, you idiots. They don't need any money that cost £3.6 million. We don't need any more. Actually. Maybe we do. They should put, like, a little wishing thing in there, and then they can take the coins.
Is a. I know. Well, maybe they need to fund it. Yeah, take make the money back.
But at the end of the. Day and then pay it back. I.
Was reopened in August and had a fence. Because they didn't want people walking or running it. But now I think you can. I think entering the water entering her waters is once again permitted at your own risk, at your own risk. If you injure yourself or get tinier, that's your own.
Right. Really. Yes. Yeah. So I went. I went to the Lady Diana's Fountain, and all I got was this lousy.
Problem.
Fungal infection, I already said. Hmm, no, I was just saying that could be the concept for a T shirt though, or something. The souvenir vendors would go nuts. Alright, let's go to July 7.
Oh OK so.
July 7, when we talked about Enron, way back. God, when was that? It was like over a year ago, I'm sure I.
Think some drama went down, but the actual scandal was in 2001. Mm-hmm. The accounting scandal, largest bankruptcy ever at that point in time.
Hmm. So it's a long time ago. Yeah.
Has probably been. More.
Well, on July 7, the former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay is indicted for his role in the company's accounting scandal that unravelled in 2000.
But.
One, which was the largest bankruptcy ever at the time and just a a very quick summary of that scandal in 40 words or less. The Enron scandal involved the American Energy company Enron. I feel like we've wasted a word or two by saying Enron so many times.
Anyway, that's exactly 40 words.
Engage. Well, there you go, engaging in widespread accounting fraud to hide its financial losses. The company's executives manipulated financial statements leading to its bankruptcy in 2001 and the dissolution of Arthur Anderson, its auditing firm, right on on July 7. Kenneth Lay, the former chairman, is indicted. It included charges of conspiracy, security fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements, which is also fraud.
Hmm.
Yes. Thank you for clarifying.
He was accused of misleading investors, also fraudulent and employees about Enron's financial health, yes.
He pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence, claiming it. But I didn't know anything about this, none aware of these.
No, I don't know. What to talk about?
Fraudulent activities. What are you? The indictment was a significant moment in the aftermath of the scandal, representing accountability for corporate misconduct.
The CEO of the company, I accept responsibility for Enron's collapse. As I've said before. However, that does not mean I knew everything that happened at Enron. I have instructed my legal team that I want a speedy trial and I hope it will begin. By early September this year.
A speedy trial? Yeah, he.
Well, he's booking it. In can we please have it by September cause I've got plans in October. Can you hurry up?
It wasn't. I just love it too. He's like the CEO. I accept responsibility. But I didn't know what was going. Huh? I don't know. Was going, huh?
I don't know. I don't know anything about that. I don't do the. Math.
Just cause I'm the CEO. What are you expecting to know? Everything just because I'm at the head of the organisation that's responsible for all of that energy and all of that sort of stuff, you know, things I'm busy. I've got stuff to do. I've got CEO thing to do.
I didn't. I didn't hear about the money. I'm a busy guy. I'm very busy, very CEO to take care of.
What do you mean? That includes knowing what's going on in the company on a charge of don't be ridiculous.
Nah, Nah. Don't worry about it.
He died in 2006, actually.
This is where it gets interesting. So he's on vacation in. He's got a house in Aspen. Colorado. He's still got his holiday.
It's not doing bad for someone who's. Yeah. Yeah. Still got time for a holiday in Aspen.
House still got some cash, obviously. But July 2006 is 3 months before his scheduled sentencing.
That's how long it took. Remember, he said he wanted it to happen in September 2006. Yeah.
Cause I'm I'm busy. I'm busy in October. So the preliminary autopsy reported that he died of a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease. Hmm. And his death resulted in a vacated judgement, so obviously he's not. He's not sentenced, they just that was it then.
So they didn't. They didn't sentence him, he was on vacation, and so was his judgement.
Conspiracy theories regarding his death surfaced, however, alleging that.
Oh.
His death was fake.
But if there was an autopsy.
Well.
Potentially yes. Well, they, they, they're, look, I'll admit the the conspiracy theories are a little far fetched, but I do love.
Really.
Hmm.
A conspiracy theory?
Well, yeah, of course I'm happy to be indulged in the conspiracy theory.
Yes, with with one person saying. I think Ken lay pull the Tupac on all. Of us. Really, he pulled the two. I love that. That's a thing. You pulled A2 part and fate.
To death chapter.
OK.
Tupac.
There was also an autopsy of him as well.
And he's he's enjoying his retirement in the hills of Sweden or on a beach somewhere, said a posting on the site live journal. Yes, I didn't know about live journal, but that's somewhere on the Internet where you can just go and write journal entries for everyone to read, and then they.
Right.
Can comment on them, desire it? Dear diary.
Oh God, that sounds horrible. Yeah, no. Well, it's basically, I mean, people do that crap on Facebook as well. Yeah, exactly.
Great. It's great. It's pretty much. Isn't it? Yes. So helping though fuel the theories was the fact that he was cremated, so there's no body, there's no body. We didn't see pictures of the autopsy. We just got the autopsy reports.
Oh, so we'll never know. Cremate cremations are fairly normal thing to do, though. Look.
1. No, the other, the other part of the theory, I love this part of this, this is.
Where it gets a little bit hectic.
Right.
It was apparently a little bit too convenient that former Secretary of State Colin Powell was treated for altitude sickness at the same Aspen Hospital where lay was pronounced dead the day before.
Ohh why was that?
Conspiracy theorists think that he was in the resort town. Down to bring lay passports and other ID and hatch his escape plan.
Ohh really?
Kong. Power. Powell, why would you?
Helps him face his death.
Why would you have someone as high profile as Colin Powell? Go in there? Why would you have the? Why would you have the Secretary of State like you could have anyone. You could have a non descript person that people have never seen before in their entire life. Why would you have someone's high profile?
I don't know, but I just love this.
Because.
No, because because people like you would go. Why would he do it? That's just too crazy.
Of course, he'd never do that.
That's why he didn't reverse psychology. There was also it's gotta be legit because there was also a website selling T-shirts and blazing with his photo and the words Ken lay lives for 1499.
Yeah.
Really.
Was Colin Powell hiding a TV up his? I that's the most ridiculous conspiracy theory.
I just love that Colin Powell was dragged into it.
Yes.
But imagine if it's. True. Imagine if they come across him.
Somewhere. Well, it's it's not. We never will. Collins's taken the secret to his grave, as has Ken. Maybe they're both sitting somewhere.
We don't know. We don't know for sure.
On an island.
I read or I heard something. There's there's research that's being done and in uncertain times. We love a conspiracy theory, so conspiracy theories are actually really popular at the moment. Like, I read something where.
Yeah. Hmm.
Say something like I can't remember what the percentages were, but you know, like something like 60 or 70% of people believe in at least two, if not 3 conspiracy theories at the moment because when the world goes to poop, conspiracy theories offer us some certainty. So people love.
Well. Them. But what happens when they?
And like.
Are proven to be true. Remember UFO's and Area 51 and all of that stuff and how that was like, ridiculous and preposterous and just the conspiracy theory and now.
Yes.
Yes.
People are saying it's real, so.
Well, they've admitted it have like they the official. They have said ohh yeah it's true.
And said yeah, yeah, we we we were trying to cover it up.
But you know, we're so. Stressed we're all so stressed with everything that's going on in the world that we just don't have the bandwidth for aliens and we're all just gone. OK, whatever.
Just let it happen. Yeah, whatever they haven't done.
Ohh sure. What else? What else have?
Any.
You got for us.
They haven't done anything thus far, you know.
I know. I just love that we moved on from that so quickly all these years of conspiracy theories and they're like, oh, you guys were actually right. And now we're like.
There.
Yeah.
It was like Ken Lay and Colin Powell and a couple of aliens giving each other probes on some island in Majorca or something anyway, which is the music segment. Now let's go over music. Sorry we digressed. Yeah, well, yes could. Anyway, music was happening back in 2004. What have we got?
Violence. What have happened could be happening right now, we don't know. All right. So #1 in the UK is burned by usher.
Too many days, so many hours. I'm still burning. Let it go.
So they played at Ken Lay's cremation.
Ohh dear goodness me. Ah number one in Australia. Ohh. Frankie's back in the number one spots.
That's.
You wipe back.
That's what they played at Ken Lee's indictment.
Over in the US Ohh we have got a new number. One that's not usher. Do you know? Can you guess what it is without reading the notes? Do you have any idea of who? Who in the world could have bumped usher?
What?
I don't think anyone, I don't think anyone can topple Asha. I think this. I think this is lies. It's a conspiracy.
Of the number. One sport you know. Will someone has no it's not. So, alright, OK.
Well, let's listen to the top five and find out.
Reason for me to change you.
She got so many days, so many hours.
I believe in my heart. Overcome the after.
Macy Grey close. Ohh, close. All right.
Well, let's do a recap. If I ain't got you, Alicia Keys #5. The reason Hoobastank #4 confessions, Part 2, #3.
Sure. Yes. Yes.
Earn #2 I believe by Fantasia, winner of American Idol. Yes. So she's one of a couple of weeks ago. I think it was announced.
Of course, Fantasia Barrino.
Hmm.
And her single straight to number one, I believe.
Even has the most overcome.
Good for her.
Wow.
Why?
Really good for her. Good on your Fantasia. You know, I mean.
You got your cranky pants on.
It's third. Third season in not really.
OK, you just sounded a bit annoyed by this, maybe indifferent, actually indifferent.
Mean. Mel. We've been, we've we we're we're coming up on 150 episodes of this podcast. Right. OK, that's fine. I just said good for her. We're coming off on 100 and.
You're Fantasia indifferent. She's pretty good, though. She's pretty good. Give her some credit. You didn't mean it.
When have I ever meant anything in the music segment of this podcast where this is episode 149?
Probably, yeah.
Ohh this.
I think is it, yes, it is. And yeah, anyway, good on you, Fantasia.
Oh, congratulations. It's from her debut album, Free Yourself, this song. This is actually pretty big because it debuts at #1.
Free yourself. Oh my God.
Debuts at #1, making her the first artist in history to achieve this with a debut.
Single. Really.
Straight to #1 debut single good some records.
See good for her. What I really enjoy is the fact that the album is called free Yourself and she has just signed her life away to some big *** record company that is going to take not only a huge portion of her profits, but also a fairly big. Segment of her soul and potentially a couple of body parts like she might wake up in a bathtub of ice with like one kidney and her phone next to her. Exactly.
With the. That's missing.
Hmm.
I don't think that happened. Just the conspiracy theorist. Now, aren't you let you go? Song also reaches #1 on the Canadian singles charts, #4 here in Australia on the Aria charts. She sang it in the season finale and it was her last performance in the competition. But like Noel.
Free yourself. Freeze may be may be.
Ah.
And Guy Sebastian, Diana Degamo runner up. Also sang the same song, so I'm wondering.
That's awkward.
If she also. Pressed the CD's and they're buried in Condobolin.
Ohh conspiracy theories are bound.
With knowlesi. Ohh no, we found Nosies, didn't we? They gave it away with.
This album, yeah, maybe they cremated them with Ken lay.
That's right. Ohh, you never know. You never know.
You really don't. You really don't? What else have you got for me? I see. I'm looking at some of these things on the show notes. And I'm like, well, I can't throw to that cause I don't give a about it. So.
What else have we?
Got S Club seven. Well, XS Club 7 star Rachel Stevens sets a world record for completing the fastest promotional circuit in just 24 hours.
There it is. Uh-huh. Well, that's interesting. That is interesting.
She made seven public appearances in different cities within 20. 4 hours to.
Seven cities in 24 hours, right?
See, I'm tired. Of saying that.
But I mean it's it's she's British. It's England. Like it's not far. To go to seven cities.
That's. That's still, yeah, that public appearances. You've gotta be nice people bring you listener case. You've gotta sign things. You've gotta have a happy face on. You've gotta hold babies that puke on you people touch you.
7 shopping malls. I think it's even more, yeah. Well, and for pop singers, it's always like, yeah, it's always like centre stage at Westfield Belconnen or something, isn't it? Or you know, Palm Court in Wooden Plaza.
Yeah, palm court. God palm court. Great was. That there was palms in it wasn't there.
That's it. That's a that's a big day for Rachel Stevens. Rachel Stevens had a big day this time, 20 years ago.
I think.
They have ferns too. She had a very big day. It was to promote her single. Some girls have you got that?
So yeah, I've got it. I've got everything.
Makes it.
Hmm.
Don't mind that that sounds a bit like Kylie Minogue lies, yeah.
Yeah, or a bit, is it like, was it boom cat? I don't know. No, it doesn't sound like boom cat. No, don't worry. No.
No, not really at all. Kind of like a cross between Kylie and Danny. And she was also raising awareness for the charity Sport Relief and as part of the public appearances, she ran in a. Race as well. So not only did she have to deal with people. In seven different spots, she did a bit of running.
As well, yes. Now Sport Relief. I was like what like why is? Why is a pop singer raising money for Sport Relief like what is that? Is that like what is that charity Sport Relief like is that exactly is that like helping ailing sports?
For ACL's or something and CL's milling knee reconstruction, what is it? Yes, tell us.
People who instead of actually working for a living get to play games and it's it's that's that's not it at all. That's not it at all. Sport Relief is like a charity event from Comic Relief. Same people that brought you Comic Relief. It's like Comic Relief, but with athletes.
Wow.
What is it?
Ah, right.
But she's not an athlete.
No, but she. Decided. Well, I she did participate in events for that though, right?
Yes, as part of the promotional tour, she ran in a race for that.
So she's obviously, well, that's Sport Relief and maybe. I don't know.
So anyway, so it was an official Guinness World Record. It's not just us going. Ohh, that's a lot. She did a lot. She got an official Guinness record for this. Yeah. And the record is called.
Wow.
The most public appearances by a pop star in 24 hours in different cities. Very specific.
Very. Specific isn't.
It pop star so it could have been done by a. Rock star. Previously you know.
And I don't think anyone has anyone broken that record.
Is any? Does anyone care? Does anyone care?
Well, let me check.
To don't think so. Hi. No, because promotional appearances and tours. No thank you.
Well, yeah. I mean, there's I'd rather come on.
I think it worked for her, though it was a big boost for her solo career cause she's this. I think this is her first album where she's gone solo after S Club of Split. And I think her, her music charted she quite well. She sold lots of albums. She got lots of media attention, she.
Well then it worked. Well, it's good since the.
Got against world records. Very good for her.
Guinness World Record. That's good.
Yes.
So well, there's not an actual. I can't. I'm looking it up now, and I don't even know if it's the same. Ohh most public appearances. Hmm. By a pop artist in 24 hours. But that's not the same. Ohh yeah. There you go. Rachel Stevens. She's still there. I think she still holds it. It's. Why does the Guinness World Records site take so long to load? Do they hold a record for that?
Got it. Well done, Rachel.
God, there's so much spam.
Yeah, it is.
It was Rachel Stevens there. Go. It's in the Guinness World Records. Wow. Amazing. Yeah, no worries. What else we got? We got some gossip. Yeah, we do. I'm interested in this one.
Thanks. Thanks for fact checking. Appreciate it. OK, so this is this. Is interesting in like cause we often talk about how pop stars and celebrities in the early 2000s were portrayed in the media, and we've been reflecting on that a lot on this show and we've talked about how unfair.
Yeah. We have.
There, the reporting was how terrible, how tacky, and just just gross. Really. So it's kind of interesting. There's a few tabloids, tabloids that are online that I sometimes do a quick check of as I'm doing show prep just to see, well, just to see how things were being reported.
Just to read the rooms to take the temperature of what was happening. Yes. Uh-huh.
What they were saying and around this time 20 years ago, we were seeing a lot of reporting about Brittany and what Brittany was up to and. It was just a bit. Yeah, because she started. I think she's just started dating K fed. Kevin fed a lot and they've just started their their crazy whirlwind romance, and I think later this year they get engaged and married, potentially. But they're just sort of early days of dating, and the Pats are having a field day, so they're following her around and. She cause she smokes and I think. I think she's. I think she smokes.
System on the dot.
Yes.
I think she smoked all along. I don't think this is anything new.
Yeah, I think she was smoking in the Mickey Mouse club. Yeah. Yeah, I think, you know, remember those cartoons, the Beagle Boys, the bad guys in the Mickey Mouse, like from the goofy movie The Beagle Boys and stuff. I think she was having darts backstage with the Beagle Boys. Yeah, they probably sold the cigarettes to her or bought them for her when she was under age. They're bad.
Probably.
Yes.
Definitely.
Guys, the Beagle boys. So anyway this this.
This article 2020 years ago. Britney's Trash act, pop tart, turns tacky. More Beverly hillbillies than Beverly Hills.
Ohh God. Well, see, I love that. I love that she's more Beverly hillbillies than Beverly Hills.
But here's what they were concerned about. She left rubbish by the pool, she was smoking, and she went shopping with dirty hair. Heavens to Betsy to go shopping with dirty hair.
That is. Back in 2004, that was my Sunday.
How could you?
That's my day. That's every weekend. But like, I'm lucky to bathe in the on the weekend. So.
Exactly. Sorry, have time for that dirty hair. Gross, yeah.
Whatever. So they were saying, the dishevelled 22 year old cut a sorry figure when she was photographed last week.
Yeah, it's funny. If she went to Riverside Plaza in Quincy and they would have battered. A night lid.
The new Brittany doesn't seem to care about anything she's been wearing the same pair of ripped jeans shorts for weeks. As she hobbles around LA on crutches cause this is just after the. Knee surgery.
She had knee surgery right there.
Because she injured her knee during. I think she called off a tour. Actually, because she got really.
Oh yeah, I CL.
Bad. Yes. She's, she's hobbling around in the same pair of ripped jeans shorts also, where? What's the problem with wearing the same pair of ripped jeans shorts.
You raise some money for Sport Relief. Exactly.
Again, every weekend for me.
Good. The environment, yeah.
Always with a cigarette in hand, making pit stops for Cheetos and Red Bull.
Sounds like a great time.
She can't even be bothered to brush her hair or wash her face anymore. This whole phase, and let's hope it's a phase, is a big middle finger to all her fans.
I'm sorry. How?
Is that a middle finger to your fans because you didn't wash your? Hair and you're. Like a pack of Cheetos.
Yeah. Ohh she's let herself go, hasn't she? I think the Red Bull and Cheetos explains a lot too, because you know how people talk about her teeth now. And they say, well, maybe it was just a Red Bull and Cheetos as opposed.
Sarah bull.
Hmm.
To you know, no. What other people are alleging? Who knows?
They were saying she used.
I don't wanna pile on. I don't wanna be one of those people. Yes. Sorry.
To have a miss, can you get? Off. She used to have a really good PR team, but now the real Britney is emerging and she's just a total redneck.
Well, I love her even more. I think that's great.
So much so that there was also an interview around this time where where she gets outed for her smoking.
Ohh yes here it is somewhere here. Where did I put that? Oh, Oh no. Where did I put? Oh, there it is.
Are you going to quit smoking? Quit smoking, smoking over there like, oh, she's smoking? Yes.
Yeah.
I'm going to.
Do you really want to?
You know what? When I decide to do something. I really do do it. If I say I'm going to do this and but when I decided to quit my nails three years ago biting my nails, I quit biting them. But then I wanted to bite them again. So I did. But no, the smoking thing, I can't smoke. When I'm on the. Road because I'm like you're travelling and you're your, your adrenaline. You know it's not good for your lungs. So I'm gonna have to.
That is the best time to smoke when you're on the road and take it from me as as a roadie, as someone who has worked as a roadie when it's just like 20-3 hours of waiting around, you know, for one hour of work and you're travelling. The only thing that you have to look forward to is a roadside stop and a cigarette. Like I know how I know how gross that sounds, but there's just nothing else to do on those long, lonely Rd trips except look forward to maybe just pulling up, stretching your legs.
And Mcclary and boss.
Hmm.
And having a dart so.
But here, here they.
Are calling her trash and then she's in an interview obviously being interviewed about something completely different, and the interview has gone slowly smoking. Just gonna put that in there now. Everybody knows at the end of that interview, the interviewer sort of wraps up and then goes, oh, hang on, just just one more thing.
Hmm.
And I think it might be someone in the production crew, like a guy. And she's like, ohh, can someone so have a Peck? On the cheek.
Ohh yeah, I saw. I heard that in there as well, yeah.
And then she's like, what? And she just looks shocked. And then the woman go. Because yeah, but your tongue kissed Madonna. This is just a Peck. On the cheek and they're calling her trashy.
Yeah, like. She's asking her for a.
Kiss. Yeah, asking.
Her to after she's just out of her for smoking. Yes, it's very strange.
It is very strange and it's it. It is just. It's really interesting to see the way things were reported, particularly for her and those other what were dubbed the party girls of the early 2000s to actually go back and read those.
It's.
Those articles and just the way in which they were reporting on her.
Well.
The sad thing is, is I actually don't think much has changed. I think everyone's just looking for a gotcha moment even now. And The thing is, is I don't know whether it's it's genius or madness, but Britney fuels it herself with her Instagram.
Account, but then that becomes the reporting. So there's so many as soon as she publishes. Or post something on her Instagram.
Yes.
That then becomes all the headlines. Ohh today Brittany was twirling around while smoking.
Yes. Yeah, but at least she doesn't have to do an interview and subject herself to sitting in a room with some idiot who's then like outing her for that, and then grooming her for a kiss afterwards, which is just really peculiar. I don't. I mean, it's messy. I don't think Brittany is. Well, I don't think she's ever been that well.
Yeah. Gross, gross.
I think there was a conservatorship in place for a reason, but I don't think that the people around her. Protecting her best interests at all at all. And I know it's like, well, she's a grown up and she, but she is, if you look at the life that she has led where it's always been in the entertainment.
Hmm.
It's always been someone else. But it's always been someone else making the. Decisions for her as well.
It's like I was saying I was saying a couple of weeks ago about Bieber. Like, the guy has never had a chance to become an adult, let alone be a child.
Yeah, yeah.
But the sort of questions both of them were being asked as they were children as well. So in in one on one hand, they haven't been allowed to grow up, but on the other, they're being asked these incredibly adult questions when they're still children and they they don't have anyone there to say no, you're not going to ask that.
And. That's not appropriate. I just don't look at them. It. As celebrities at all, I look at them as victims of abuse, I really do.
Hmm.
I just and and I guess that it's probably easier for me to do that because I don't consume them so much from an entertainment point of view like I don't really, you know, go out of my way to listen to Britney Tunes or Justin Bieber tunes or anything like that, but I I I just see, I don't know, they just look a bit broken and I think they're broken because they're victims of abuse and they've never had a chance. Like I said, to be an adult or a child properly so they're just kind of lost in the wilderness and it's really sad. Yeah, it. I mean, if I was them, I'd smoke too.
Hmm.
It is, yes.
God, I haven't thought about smoking for, like, almost, geez, 20 years.
Wow.
I just did then though I was like ohh you know. All of this talk about Brittany and Justin just trying to stress me out.
It's alright, let's move. On to movies.
Wasn't even Timberlake. It was Bieber, too. Anyway.
Let's let's escape to the movies. I think this is probably one. I'm assuming you like this one. Look the US #1.
Look, I I was a spider fan. I have to say in Spiderman two was the number one film at the US box office.
Hmm. I believe there's a hero in all of us.
Gives us strength, makes us noble.
Even though sometimes we have to give up the thing we want.
The most vodka.
You're late. Always late. Fire. Look at.
Your people, your grades and declining you always appear exhausted. I know I'm trying.
Where you been, pal? You don't.
Return my call. I've been kind of busy taking.
Pictures of your friend Spiderman killed my father.
No matter what I do.
Do you love me or not?
No matter how hard I try Spiderman. It's the ones I love who will always be the ones who pay.
I can't keep thinking about you. I'm getting married.
I want to buy for my own. I'm Spiderman no more.
Ohh, Spiderman no more. He wants to hang up the webbing.
Make gloves.
The gloves and the mask and the webbing and the the things. Yeah, Tobey Maguire. This is one of the OR time has sort of dictated that this is one of the best Spiderman movies.
The web shooting God.
Ever Spiderman 2I. Struggle. I'd like I didn't hate it, but I didn't. I don't know. There was. I liked the first one. I liked the Sam Raimi Spiderman films. Enough like they're OK and a lot of people I look, I'm definitely in the minority here. Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus. Just kind of just didn't do it.
You agree?
For me, a lot of people liked Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, though so much so that they brought him back recently when they did the whole multiverse thing with the last Spiderman movie. But it's this whole failed nuclear fusion thing that results in an explosion that kills his wife and doctor Otto Octavius. This is transformed into Doctor Octopus, so he's got the big metal tentacles. Yeah. Giant tentacles. You do? And he blames Spiderman for the accident and the death of his wife. Meanwhile, Spiderman is also being blamed for killing. Was the guy the Green goblin guy.
You gotta watch out for those metal testicles.
What was his name? I don't know. But James Franco was his son in the thing. And umm, it was Willem Dafoe who play. The Green Goblin in the first one and then James Franco was his son and then obviously the Green Goblin dies in the first movie. Spoiler alert, and then James Franco inherits the role of the Green Goblin from his father and he wants revenge on Spiderman for killing his. That's all very complicated.