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 domestic diva’s downfall: Martha Stewart sentenced
🌆 It’s the grand opening of Millennium Park in Chicago, with attractions like Cloud Gate (aka The Bean), the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and Crown Fountain. From construction delays to cost controversies, we spill all on how this urban gem came to be.
🏛️ We turn the spotlight on Martha Stewart's sentencing saga. From selling her New York condo to a courtroom showdown that had fans chanting "Save Martha!" – it's a juicy tale of celebrity justice you won't want to miss.
💍 Plus the DL on Britney and K-Fed’s whirlwind engagement. Did Britney pop the question? Or was it Kevin? Will we actually ever know?! We have all the deets on this early 2000s power couple.
📖 More Ranger airtime as we dissect Janet Evanovich’s Ten Big Ones.
💀 And what started out as an innocent album review becomes the latest celeb to fall victim to the T minus curse…
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.
11 July 2004.
The rest is history.
You know what? I'm very forgetful 20. Hello.
There. Stop trying to make fetch happen. When we're waiting for. This is harder than I thought it would be.
My fellow Americans.
Let's.
Roll.
If you can't find the music to get down and boogie, all you need to do is step back in time with us on a podcast that takes a nostalgic look at the news, entertainment, music, technology, arts and trends from exactly 2 decades ago. We like to call it t -, 20, we are your host, Joe and Mel. It's our 100. And 50th episode. Hello Mel.
Ohh, happy birthday us. Yes, yes.
150 episodes this feels like only yes. Yesterday we were sitting here trying to etch out a little podcast and look at how far we've come.
Wow. Amazing. Amazing.
Yep, still got the same 10 listeners that are stuck with. Us from the word go.
Very good. And we like to quote Kylie. I liked that.
Yeah, I love myself a bit of Kylie. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Makes me wanna wear my hot pants. What's going on this week? Well, let me.
You know Kyle.
Yeah. Enjoyed that. Thank you very much.
Tell you today is a shameful day. It's shameful for me and for my family.
How you doing?
A shameful day this week, 20 years ago, for a certain I don't. Well, they were. They weren't an entrepreneur. They were like American's mum. Yeah, it was like American's mum.
The lovers draught icon.
It was. We'll find out more about that in the news.
Yes.
It's unique. Nobody in the world has anything quite like this.
It was worth leaving sunny California for.
Though the park is 4 years behind schedule and more than $300 million over budget, no one seems to mind today.
Just for that one day, nobody minded being in debt and over budget for a park.
A grand opening that happened this.
Week 20 years ago.
Yeah, it was more than just a metallic slippery nip and a couple of merry go rounds. Let me tell you.
Morning. I'm Tony.
Potts. Hi, everybody. I'm Nancy o'dell. Well, the 22 year old star is set to walk down the aisle again and judging by this weekend, you can bet the paparazzi will be along. For the ride.
The paparazzi were always along for the ride. For one, Brittany Gene is a gene. Britney Jean Spears. Yeah, who announced an engagement this time 20 years ago.
Jane peretz. Very good. Well done. Ah, it's where the beautiful cave fed story all began. Revisit. Yes, we should say it's the week of the 11 to 17.
Those stories and more tonight. This morning, whatever time of day you're choosing to consume t -, 20.
July 2004. And I want. To chat, group chats and the stress that they caused me. So back in 2004 for me, I had a Nokia, can't remember what one I think I'd transitioned from the 3210. I think it was on the 3320 something like that anyway steps.
Group chat.
Hmm.
I don't.
Wow. Hello. Advanced of you.
So right, the one where you could flip different faces on and off. I just started getting into texting where I think it cost about $0.44 a text. And I had this thing. I'm notoriously bad at responding to text messages. If I don't respond immediately, I respond 10 years later. I'm just hopeless with it.
Yeah.
Also, how old are you? Ohh I'm I'm when text messages cost money old?
When text messages were first invented, old and you'd text after I think 8:00 PM it was a little bit cheaper. Yeah. And I often ran into this problem where I wouldn't pay my phone bill and I'd get, I think it was called Bard. You were barred. They barred you. So that was great.
Yeah, yeah. Because it was cheap. Hmm, they've. You from texting?
Right. Because if I didn't respond to text, I didn't hear from you this weekend. What were you doing? Ohh. Got barred. Got barred from Vodafone because they didn't pay.
Yeah, yeah. Got barred from texting free. I I'm starting to put connect the dots as well. Free texting after 8:00 PM is probably where all this drunken SMS stuff came from.
Potentially yes.
You know, I mean, unless you're a rampaging alcoholic and then you'd be sending drunken SMS's at 9:00 in the morning. But we don't wanna go there.
But texting on its own is stressful enough for me, and, and particularly when I do reply straight away. And I think yes, good on me. And then that person replies back. Yeah. And then I have to. I was like, oh, my gosh, I've just replied. I've just moved that one out of my inbox into someone else's inbox. And now it's come.
Yes. Also.
Back.
Yes, but also I don't think people these days recognise or understand the stress of having to use a numeric keypad to text and having to go through 4 button presses to get your desired character exactly.
And now I need to respond again.
Ohh how long it took.
Yeah. Just to get one letter. That's right. So it did take a while to respond back in the day, but now? The group chats the group chat that.
Oh oh.
Stresses me out to no end because you get one notification and that's like, oh, but we've. Got a few. Group chats running. There's like school group chats. There's friendship group chats, there's family group chats, and then as soon as somebody responds, ping.
Yeah. Yeah.
Someone else ping someone sends a love. Ping ping, ping, ping. It's all too much for me.
Therapist group chat. Which is really interesting because the group chat is probably why I was in therapy anyway, if we could take the whole team, not just one, but a team of therapists in my group.
Chat I came across this dad message in a group chat and I just felt it felt it to my core. He jumps into the group chat and writes.
Yeah.
I can't keep up with the pressure of always having to lull or like or heart. Everyone's random thoughts, picks and.
Ohh.
These months, for all future texts, colon. I love them, laugh at them or like them unless it's bad, then I dislike them in perpetuity. I can't live with this pressure. I'm. Out.
That's amazing. A blanket statement. Good on your dad for leaving the group chat.
Dad has left the group chat. Dad's left the group chat. I've responded in perpetuity. This is my response from now until the end of time, we use that.
Yeah, but you need to pin that somewhere. You've got to pin it as well, because then there's all this. Just. Oh, geez, I don't know if I pin that.
Ohh my gosh.
I'm gonna have to go back in this.
And the school ones hard as well, because we're older parents. And sometimes I look at what they put in the school group.
Yeah. Yeah.
Chat and I'm like.
Really.
Yeah, I missed the point of the whole thing.
We. Half the time I don't understand what they're saying. And then the other like that's.
Yeah.
OK, to put in a group chat with it.
Is it though? I don't know. I don't know what this generation did.
I don't understand any kit and then do I use a love heart because I like it. But is that too enthusiastic? Do I use the thumbs up? I don't even know which emoji to put against the message.
Yeah.
I know well, we live in a world where lots of things trend that probably shouldn't trend, you know.
Steam.
Yes.
And so I'm it it there. Especially in the, I think that there are things that are wildly inappropriate for the school group chat. If. I'm being honest and I don't even know what half of them are. I think it's good to stay in your lane to stick to what you know.
Hmm.
You know, don't branch out, don't aspire to be anything more than what you're capable of. Stay in your lane. Yeah, well, especially. I wasn't so much talking about your recorder playing prowess, but I probably wouldn't branch out into any other musical instruments. I think you've you've mastered that one, and you'll.
So ricotta. Oh, OK.
You sure?
Stick to it.
I saw one of the finger symbols in.
Mrs Duffy's fashion.
The what? The finger symbols. They mean a completely different thing in the group chat these days, so I'm.
Band the.
Yeah, it's time for the hatchback to dispatch clue. We're gonna segment at the end of the show for all you newcomers, it's 150. I hope you're not a newcomer by now. But anyway, you got 150 episodes to catch up on. Otherwise, we're gonna drop a little clue. We're gonna revisit in the hatches. Matches, dispatches segment at the end of the programme. It's the celebrity that is having a birthday. Let's set this.
Faked my way into a job as a Spanish teacher at a Community College, relying on phrases from Sesame Street.
Ohh we all did that back in the day. Thought we could speak Spanish after watching Sesame Street. Remember that.
Yeah, and ohh Herbie. Herbie goes bananas. Odd shows I'd show 8 because he was five, and yeah, it was it 3. What was the eight? Had something to do with the number on Herbie.
Is that what you learned? Spanish or Cho? What's that? Eight. The number 8. Wasn't herbie's number 08. Was that his number?
I think there was 2 numbers. I think he was. 53 and it added up.
To 8, so the little boy.
Oh, is that right?
Called him Ocho, so I knew that.
Hmm, here's a clue. Here's a clue for you one more time.
I faked my way into a job as a Spanish teacher at a Community College, relying on phrases from Sesame Street.
Yeah, 12345678910, we'll do that. At the end of the show.
Starting on the 16th of July 2004, we had a grand unveiling, an opening a ribbon cutting is turning.
Unveiling gizzard. I tell you what, for this thing it would have been a freaking huge veil. The sod turning would have happened a long time. Before the unveiling, yeah.
Ohh, that's when they first start construction, isn't it? Ribbon cutting?
Yes, yes, and it was bit and it was behind schedule too. So the sod should have been turned slightly earlier and the veil for this particular object would have been humongous.
Yes, Millennium Park. Located in the heart of Chicago, Open to the public officially on July 16, 2000, and. 424.5 acre Park quickly became one of the city's most beloved attractions and a symbol of its vibrant cultural scene with.
Been there, we've been to Millennium Park. We we had about 24 hours in Chicago, probably even less to go to. A concert, yeah.
Yes, we'll, we'll Fifos fly and fly.
For we're on our honeymoon. We did. We did a FIFO of Chicago. And the thing that we saw was pretty much Millennium Park. We just went. We went to Millennium Park and a restaurant and then to.
Outs for for.
Hmm.
I thought it was lovely. I loved Chicago. It was freezing cold. I thought it was beautiful, beautiful place.
A concert and. Yeah, it was cold. Was the park. The park was spectacular. I I hate to think what?
Hmm.
Would have been like without the park there. It really is. A beautiful park.
It's got a number of features and attractions. Yes, cloud gate. For a second I thought something bad had happened with the clouds. It's like, oh, my gosh, what's this? Cloud gate? I don't understand. No, but that's actually what is commonly referred to as the bean. The the silver structure.
With the clouds, yes, cause they put gate in front of everything. Cloud gate, yes. Yes. Beans.
That you stand in front of. And you take a photo of yourself. Yes, it's quite it's.
Some shiny bean, like a giant carnival mirror it. It's quite a sight to behold. The bean, yeah.
It's pretty, it's. Pretty iconic. I think most people would have seen it even if they. Haven't been to Chicago.
That's right.
It's made of Polish stainless steel and it's seamless, so it does. It provides this mirror structure and you walk through I think you turn upside down.
Did you say Polish stainless steel or polished polished stainless steel? Yes, I thought you said Polish stainless steel.
One point. Not Polish, no.
Did they? I didn't know they had special stainless steel in Poland.
It was designed by a British artist, actually a niche Kapoor. So yes, providing endless photo OPS. There's a pavilion, I think the pavilion is for outdoor concerts and they do a lot of performances there.
Ah, yes, yes.
Yes.
Yes, the the, the, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, it's called and they do, do they festival screenings, lots and obviously more so in the spring. In the summer time cause it's too freaking cold. Although people in Chicago are very resilient. You see them out there watching and they have to be resilient because they're football team. The Bears absolutely suck.
Festivals.
Yes, yes.
OK.
They're terrible at the moment. They they have had bad season after bad season after bad season and you know the temperatures in Chicago get well into the minuses. Yeah, they and they and they and the fans still come out in their droves to support their beloved bears. So they're very resilient. So they could do concerts all year round, I don't know.
Are.
So do they play in the? Snow sometimes. Ohh. Gross.
But it it is a fantastic area and it's surrounded like the backdrop of the the stage and that that particular pavilion is is obviously the city and it just looks beautiful. It looks so good.
There's a fountain.
Ohh you gotta have a fountain in the park. You have to have a fountain.
Great advice. Spanish artist 250 foot glass towers at each end of a reflecting pool and they display video images of residents. About water, that's.
Take note the person who designed the fountain for Princess Diana that we talked about a couple of weeks ago.
You could have had Princess Diana's face spouting. Water.
Yes, instead of justice.
Like an interactive Princess die hologram. Like, yeah, that would have.
Instead of a bloody Little River, eh?
Been a great idea.
Exactly.
I think you can play in the fountain too. Bit of a splash path. Great for the tinier.
Yes, the slash again Chicago and resilient probably would do that in the winter time as well. Yeah, maybe they ice skate I.
In the middle of. Yes.
Don't know.
Well, there is an ice rink that's a separate bit. It's an ice skating rink in the winter.
Yeah, that keeps people from doing it in the fountain, it's. Much safer. Excellent.
And I think they turn it into an outdoor dining space during the warmer months. And there's a beautiful garden as well. It's a a Dutch gardener actually designed it. So I dare say there's.
Oh good.
Full of cool.
Some tulips in there.
Ohh yes and probably some other things as well. You know a little bit of herb growing in the Dutch garden.
But the park's not without its controversy, because obviously it's called Millennium Park and it's opened in 2004. It's actually meant to open, and I think around 2000, the Millennium when it started, but that's alright. They've got a few years in which to complete it till we stick over to the the next Millennium.
Yes, hence the title Millennium Park. They were four years late. Well, that's true. That's true.
It and it, and it went over budget. It was meant to cost 150 million.
Oh, it costs a lot more than that.
Close to 500 million by the time it was completed.
Yes.
Yes. And that I think there was a little bit of mismanagement with the the finances there and I believe they got a whole bunch of rich people to come and say. But on the day that at. Opened on the day that it opened, the citizens of Chicago were thrilled.
It's unique. Nobody in the world has anything quite like.
This it was worth leaving sunny California for.
Though the park is 4 years behind schedule and more than $300 million over budget, no one seems to mind today.
You see it on the news, but. You don't know what to expect. So it it's just it's it's fun being a tourist in your own city.
And if you thought this was a high priced park for the adults only, well, think again at the Crown fountain, we're all kids.
Completely fascinate how Chicagoans has an enormous capacity to absorb something new.
The festivities out here tonight go until midnight tonight and then everything starts up again tomorrow morning. If you're intimidated by all of this, don't be. They offer a guided tour every 30. Minutes in Millennium Park Alita Guillen, CBS2 News.
Thank you. 2 News, Chicago.
Appreciate that.
Hmm, yes. But like you said, there was a little bit of scope creep and I think we needed a lot of private sector investors to kind of bail them out.
And I think there was the feeling that isn't there more pressing needs in the city where better ways to spend that money than, you know, throwing it at more things at the park. I think they brought in these designers and architects and artists and that started blowing the budget out, I think because of the weather as well, it made it a lot harder to to complete the job and I think also they had to reinforce a lot of the structures to ensure the safety. So things that they they didn't think about at the.
Well, yes.
Start, but no, they were happy. It attracts millions of of visitors annually. It is. It is quite the tourist attraction.
I do think that and it obviously depends on the government of the day that are running or the administration of the day that are running a particular city or even country.
In terms of arts installations.
The just the investment, the investment in cultural institutions and and you do notice that more conservative governments obviously cut funding of cultural institutions and focus. More on, I guess more basic things, but I would argue that investing in cultural institutions and investing in music and art helped to lift the self esteem of a city town, country in desperate times and I I would say I was so impressed by Chicago as a city. I mean, and we did see other parts of the city as well, and we started right, because the airports ride out of town in Chicago. So you have to basically run the whole gamut. You have to come right into the city to get to Millennium Park and then go back out again. So we got to see a.
Yeah.
Lot. Obviously a lot out of the window of a taxi for most of it. But then we got to walk around the city a little bit as well. And Chicago is a beautiful city and I it's it's a little bit scary once you get sort of out of the city, but it's also made even more beautiful because of Millennium Park.
Yeah.
And the ribs I have ribs. There they were delicious.
The room they do do good ribs, food, ribs, good food in Chicago, great food in Chicago. In fact, the home of the Blues brothers as well. I mean, what else could you want? Like what a great city?
They do very good. Yes.
Hmm.
Also on the 16th of July, actually Martha Stewart was sentenced for selling off her Imclone stock back in 2001, and we've spoken about this before.
Yes, the clones one day before, just just to recap for those that may have forgotten one day before the public announcement that the FDA had rejected.
Yeah.
Inclines application for a new cancer drug, which caused the company stock prices to. Summit she sold off her shares? Yes. Suspicious, avoiding a loss of 45 thousand, $673,000 raised a few suspicions around insider trading. But again, we've spoken about this before, like $45,000 to Martha's. That would be down the bottom of her purse.
Hmm.
Chicken feed? Nothing. I agree that's chump change for Martha Stewart.
No, I still, yeah. I just feel like maybe. It wasn't as suspicious as. What everyone thought at the time.
It's probably sitting in the centre console of a car. You know it's it's it's really not a lot. I mean at that stage and and even to this day, Martha Stewart is worth billions. I would assume. I mean, I I'd like to say billions. Maybe she's not quite, but she'd be close. She's got brands, TV show. She's in every single department store in the United States, cooking products, all sorts of stuff affiliated with Snoop Dogg. I think that gave her a little bit of credit as well.
Yeah.
Yes, yes.
I reckon.
And obviously being convicted.
Well, yes, federal prosecutors weren't having a bar of it. They argued that she'd been tipped off by. Broker Peter Baker, Novik yes and trial.
Or the cannabich however you wanna call it bacanovic the canonic back.
The camera which?
Cup I feel like it would need a an H on the end if. It was a bacanovic.
Ohh OK alright. Do you reckon? Well I'm. Happy with that? Yeah, I.
Don't know. Carry on. Who am I to pronounce the eight? So the the trial itself was a media circus. As we've covered previously. And obviously with her celebrity status and the public were fascinated with her fall from grace because here we we have this. Lovely homely woman who's teaching us how to knit and craft and cook. And she's a crim. Amazing. People were just all over it. And then in 2004, in March, she was convicted on all charges, which included conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
To federal investigators, however, not charged with insider trading itself.
Really, I didn't know that.
Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
Wow. But isn't wasn't that the main thing? So what? OK. Alright. Then I I feel like Martha was being treated unfairly by the judicial system. Am I allowed to say that?
I've I think you're allowed to say that, and I wonder if it had been anyone else that didn't have the same sort of status as Martha or celebrity. Would they have gone so hard? I don't know.
Said it, I just. My question is why are they making such a massive example of her? Because it was a total circus, so much so.
Hmm.
Maybe they didn't like cross stitch. Maybe they're not fans of knitting. Maybe they cooked one of her recipes and botched it. They just had some personal.
Well, maybe. Uh. Nobody's perfect like Martha. I guess she was kind of perfect. And then all of a sudden, it's like, ohh, we got her. We got her and it it was. It was such a circus that Peter Bacanovic was tired of being a second class citizen. Quote Unquote, too Martha Stewart. And he he wanted his own hearing. He wanted his own cause. She he reckons she was problematic.
They just hated crafts. Craft haters. Yeah.
Take that. Yes. Wanted his own trial, yes.
Him. She casted a shadow over him and made him feel like he was treated like he was a second class citizen in the courtroom because of Martha.
Yes.
You're a celebrity now. I'm thinking if you're in court.
You probably want to be overshadowed.
I don't want all the attention being on me in court.
Yeah, exactly. Wouldn't you like to? Be sort of off in in the shadows.
And he says we've.
Been overshadowed by everything, master Stuart. It's like.
You're an idiot.
This is not fair. I'd like my own child, please. Like.
Profile, mate. Put your head down, wait for the sentencing. Hopefully you'll dodge a bullet, but no. I want more attention.
Yeah.
He says.
Yes, well, they were meant to be sentenced. Together, but the judge agreed. That. No, it's not fair that Martha's overshadowing so you can have your own sentencing, Peter.
Thanks, Peter. It will be your turn in a minute, but first I'm going to talk to Martha.
Yes.
Then he, Kitty, that he's going second.
He did, he went later in the day, actually, and in the week leading up to the sentencing, she was trying to tie up loose ends because she was convinced that she was going to gaol. So she was. Selling off property.
Really.
Selling her condo for around 7 million, she'd also dumped 4.3 million. Of her company's stock, which was the first time that she'd actually cashed out any of her own shares since she founded her company.
Right.
Then we hit 16 July and outside the courthouse as she's coming in, she's greeted by a crowd of sympathies. Greeted by a crowd of sympathisers.
The crowd of synthesisers.
Do do Doo Doo, Doo Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo Doo.
They're doing, like take on me.
No, they were wearing sandwich sides and chef hats and chanted. Save Martha save Martha.
That's good. That's good. She was actually quite upset by the whole thing, cause obviously she. So that was lovely to see all that support at the front. She goes in, she gets sentence.
Save Martha.
She comes out, she's on the verge of tears, you know, and she tells the judge that this is a very shameful day. And then she echoes those sentiments outside the courtroom when she's being.
Interviewed today is a shameful day. It's shameful for me and for my family and for my beloved company and for all of its employees and.
How you doing?
Partners what was a small personal matter? Came over that we came over the last two years and almost fatal circus event of unprecedented proportions and I'll be back. I will be back whatever I have to do in the next few months. I hope the months go by quickly. I'm used to all kinds of hard work, as you know, and I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid whatsoever. I'm just very, very sorry that it's come to this, that a small personal matter. Has been able to be blown out of all proportion and with such venom and such. Gore. I mean, it's just terrible.
I I agree with her. I think it is blown out of proportion. I mean, whenever a celebrity gets done for something, it's always gonna make headlines. But this is.
No, no. Yeah, I think so too. How feisty did she sound too? She's in her sixty. She's in her 60s there. And listen to that fighting spirit. If that was me, I'd be like I'm just too tired for this. I don't have.
She wasn't happy. Yeah. I'm done. I'm too tired and they'll be talking about in the group chat.
The energy so. I don't have. Energy.
Ohh, I won't even understand what they're saying.
I don't have the energy for gaol, this is just too much. Just gonna go and have.
I don't have the energy for anything. We're gonna have to watch Martha Stewart cook something so I don't have to. Maybe I could buy one of her packet microwave meals. I'm not sure. I I honestly think that the prosecutor involved in this has an ego that's just.
A nap? Yeah.
Really ready to latch on to this and make a name for itself or more of a name for itself. I do think that. So the prosecutor tells the. The and even the judge, I think all the all the legal people involved really were like, hey, this is our moment, this is our chance to to obtain a little bit of celebrity, get some profile from this case. You know, maybe my law firm will will be shot into the stratosphere and I'll become a prosecutor to the stars. Who knows?
Hmm. A moment to shine. You're going to be on the TV, yeah.
But that they. The prosecutor, her name is Karen Patton Seymour, she said. Citizens like Miss Stewart who willingly take the steps to lie to officials when they are under investigation about their. And conduct should not expect leniency and I'm like, OK, just cool your jets. Cool your jets. Karen. Patton, Seymour. She sold off some in cloned stocks. That's it. She didn't murder anybody. She didn't really steal from anyone else. Although she was tipped off. I guess it's kind of stealing when you look at it like that, but again.
Hmm.
It's 45 grand from someone who probably loses that kind of money down the back.
Of the couch? Yeah, absolutely. And lenient. They were not, although. She did get the minimum sentence, but still this is what she's sentenced to five months at a.
Yeah.
Minimum security federal prison. Yeah, five months under house arrest at her estate, wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet so that she could be constantly tracked. Probation for another 19 months and $30,000 in fines and court fees. That's.
A lot. It's it's well, I mean. The funds imagine 5.
5.
Months in gaol in your 60s?
Yeah, like the fines and the court fees are nothing. Well, five months in gaol and then five months under house arrest. Thankfully, she's got a pretty big house, so you know.
It's got a good. But. Imagine like being in your 60s and lying on one of those prison. Beds.
Yeah.
Eating the prison food.
Yeah.
No, no thanks. Too old for.
You know what though, I. I I'd love to be under house arrest. You don't. You're not leaving your house for five months. Ohh. God. Thank you for.
House. I wouldn't mind. Yeah, I wouldn't mind house arrest.
Me. You're right. I don't know. You'd start. I reckon you would. Start to climb the walls.
How would you? Go with the bracelet, though. Can you shower? Can you shower with?
Of the ankle bracelet. I think you can. I think you can.
It is it waterproof. I feel like it would be annoying like a. Plaster cast and you'd have to put a plastic.
Yeah. So you have. Get. Knitting.
Bag over the.
You don't.
Top of it when you bathe. And, yeah, scratch it scratch under with your needle needle. Yeah. And then your skin would stink when it came off. I don't know how your arms smelled when the plaster came.
Getting a knitting needle. Under the scratch it. Yeah, yeah, that's really gross. Yeah. It's I, I think I think it's a bit more advanced than that, really. I don't know. Are they hypoallergenic?
Off. Forget that.
No. Well, Lindsey had one. And didn't she bedazzle it?
Or something. Did she put like, you know, she dressed it up for awards nights?
Yes.
Something. Yeah. It's charted. Upper ankle bracelet. I mean, it's very trendy. I mean, it's very on trend celebrities going to gaol, you know. But I do feel like that was.
It's started up in the bracelet. Yes. Pretty, I think that's harsh. Yes, I agree.
Heavy for for Martha. Over 10 months of being kind of locked up, even though 5 is at in prison and five is at home. Mm-hmm. You know what, though? Those prison uniforms, I mean, surely they put her in the laundry. They would have been pressed immaculately if they would have.
Do you reckon? Or she could have been. On cooking duty.
Could have been in the cafeteria. I mean, there's just so many things you could like, you know, she.
There's so many good jobs that she could have done crocheting some new blankets to go on the.
Exactly. She would be wasted making licence plates though, you know.
Bed. Really rearranging the rooms, yes.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It'll be good. It'll be good. Now, Peter, Peter Berkovich, living in the shadow. He actually got nearly exactly the same sentence. There you go. Yeah, he got the whole 10 months, and then the 19 months probation and all of that sort of stuff. And. And Martha was really.
He did. He did.
The opportunistic even in the face of of being of being, you know, sentence she she put in a plug for a company and she she says this is great. This is this is before it was cool you know hit like and subscribe she says perhaps all of you out there can continue to share your support.
Ohh, I love her parting words, yes.
Yeah.
And subscribing to our magazine, buying our products by encouraging our advertisers to come back in full force to our magazines. There was a a phalanx of of television and newspaper cameras, like a bunch of Spartans all around. At the time she goes, our magazines are great. They deserve your support and whatever happened to me personally shouldn't have any effect whatsoever on the great company Martha Stewart living.
Yes.
Omnimedia and Martha's are everywhere. That would be worth more than $45,000 in advertising. That's prime time. She's got that plug in on all the news stations in prime time, that media coverage.
Media it's like. On the TV? Well, why not? Gotta get it while they're getting stood, there's no doubt about it. I I mean, people are looking to the rock and and other celebrities to be the next president of the United States of America. And I'm. I'm just gonna put it out there now. I'm backing Martha Stewart. I mean.
Be worth millions.
Good job, good job, Martha. Ah, monster.
Thank you.
At the moment we're in danger of having a convicted criminal as being a President of the United States anyway. Why not just throw Martha Stewart into the mix? At least, you know. What you're gonna get? Yes. That's music time now.
Umm, let's start with the US. Top five on the Billboard charts.
Sure. Don't mind if I. Do.
Reason for me? Change.
Keep breaking that back. I don't know how to act so so slow moving slow.
She got.
1.
Wow. Fantasia's out. Fantasia was in for a week, and then she was out. She was number one for the American Idol stuff, and then she's just gone, like, completely gone from the five.
It didn't last long, did it? Number one, number one with the bulletin. Now she's. How quickly, how quickly we get over our idols.
Didn't slip any places, just completely out of the charts.
No. I think she number six or number seven. I think she dropped two. Yeah. You know what I was putting Alicia Keys. If I ain't got you, you know, each week I do a little bit of a plug of what's coming up on the show when I play one of the songs that's in the show in the Instagram stories. And so I put if I ain't got you.
Really. Wow. Yes, yes.
And it said feet are. Yeah, yeah. I didn't know Usher was in. If I ain't got you.
I think he is a little bit.
Well, according to the music on the Instagram, I don't know if it was a.
Chris.
Remix, but it said.
Maybe. Well, she was. She was in my Boo. The song with him. Yeah.
My Boo, that's when he got handsy at the Super Bowl. But yes, if I ain't got you, he was in that one. So he is effectively in three songs in the top five this week. Greedy.
Goodness me. So to recap, yes.
Ohh me I'm recapping OK? I thought you were going to. OK. If I got you. Alicia Keys. Feat usher #5. The reason Hoobastank in at #4. Slow motion. Juvenile and.
Yeah. Nah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Ohh, he was the guy that died.
Or someone.
The guy that died and they put him in after he died. That song. Confessions usher. Burn usher. Actually this week 20 years ago. Warner Music they they started up a new subsidiary of their label called Atlantic Records and They signed juvenile they stole him from Universal Music.
Yeah.
In the biggest signing at the time for them, so they were trying to really get into the hip hop market. Cause Warner Warner traditionally was more the pop stuff. I think from memory.
Wow. Yeah, sorry I was having a. We're really I'm I'm.
Think that dough were on Warner? The Australian Warner, weren't they?
Were they? Yeah, I we're we're a bit out of sync. I do apologise. I feel this is like when this is the other thing that we do in Group chats as parents. You know, we're both in it and I'll reply. But you'll kind of be replying at the same time.
Was that kind of?
Hmm.
Hmm.
Hmm.
And and then it's just like A roll of the dice to see if we're actually on the same page.
Or if we're just telling the same. Story exactly. No, I've. I've opted out.
Maybe with some embellishments.
There's a few where you're quite active. Scientists opt out. I'm like, well, you can. You can respond on obio, both of us. Joint message.
Yeah. Good. OK. OK. And see, that's what I'm I'm. I'm. I'm less active in the music segment, which is why yes.
Ohh OK, you're hanging back. You're hanging back. You're letting me respond to the group chats.
Just for now, for now. So Atlantic was more hip hop, you were saying universal more pop.
No. Yeah. Well, Atlantic Records was the new part of water that they were trying to bring in a. Lot of hip hop artists cause, obviously.
Yes.
Rap is starting to get quite huge again early 2000s now, but ohh something in that we better start a new arm of our label. I don't think it exists anymore but.
It's kind of, it's not in the title though, like Atlantic. Like Universal says, everything like it covers everything. Universal Atlantis.
Yes. Universal used to have a lot of good, good acts. I remember when we worked with the Recon.
Hmm.
And he's the record Rep from Universal used to give us the best prizes to give away.
Well, they got lots of stuff. Yeah, we're right where? It's like Atlantic. Well, like.
They had lots of. Money. And they had lots of artists. Warner was a. Little Warner didn't really give us much to give away. Yeah.
Warner Atlantic is more like sea shanties. Just like it's not the universe, just an ocean. Yeah, you know.
Yeah, doesn't scream RB when you hear it. It does it. But anyway, they nabbed juvenile. They must have offered him a lot of money. And he said yes. That's thanks very much.
No, it doesn't. Uh. Yes. Now across the pond, usher was number one in the UK with Byrne. But Australia, Australia was doing its own thing, marching to the beat of its own drum, establishing its own group chat amongst fellow Australians. Yeah, with one Shannon Noel.
Yes.
Tomorrow is a new day.
Yeah, we treat our idols a bit better here. I guess Nielsen gets another #1 signal.
Now the bracket bracket number one. I think this is the third single from his album. Yes. What was his?
Yeah.
Album. That's what I'm talking about.
I have. Does he have? Let's drive. And then I he and then there were the destroyed copies of angels brought me here.
That wasn't, yeah, but that didn't count. He didn't release that. What about me? What about me? That was the 1st. That was the first thing.
And then what about me? Of course. How could I forget? Cover the small faces song. Yes.
I didn't know learn to fly is a cover as well.
Really, that's disappointing, Mel. That's that's that's hard to hear.
Learn to fly.
Yeah.
Was originally it's. It's an interesting back story though. It was due to be released as the fourth single for a boy band, a British boy band called A1. You'll know them from this song.
Hmm.
Gonna be easy.
British. Yeah, that's something now. No idea.
Sounds like you're playing it off my TDK SA 90 actually sounds like the cassette tape was a bit stretched. Played it a few times. Good song. So yeah, they were quite a big boy band. I think the late 90s, early 2000s.
Yeah, it's a bit low, fi. Sorry. Yes. A big boy band. Did they wear big boy pants, right?
Yes. They did. They did a big British boy band.
Ohh, a big British boy band. British Big British big boy pants.
Uh.
Yes, yes. High pants pulled up high and anyway learn to fly was due to be released as their fourth single from their third studio album.
Hmm.
But the group decided to split in late 2002, so the song was never released. But.
Really.
I did find a copy.
Is this this is an exclusive because if you've found a copy, somebody else has it. But if we tightened it up a little bit.
I don't. I think it is an exclusive cause. I don't think anyone else cares. No one cares enough to have ever played it. So this.
You might.
Is an exclusive.
So I could safely say you might have heard it here first.
Tomorrow.
Can you play Knowles again? Let's hear. Nosey.
Tomorrow is a new.
Well, I like his better grittier.
Yeah, bit brighter. Bit more vibrant. Yeah. Didn't get enough of TDK tape that was found in the archives somewhere.
Grittier bit. Bit more. Ooh in there. I like what he did with that.
Yeah, it was a, you know, it was promoted as a strictly limited edition release of 40,000 copies. Yes. And a dollar from the proceeds of each sale of that single went to Martha.
Just in Case No one bought.
It.
Yes.
Stuarts no, it didn't but, but they sold all of them and it was a 13 weeks on the charts. It was I.
Well debuted at #1, so it's.
Don't know if it's.
Only released this. Week and it's already already #1 with.
Anyways, down. Yeah. Well, there was 35,000 in the first week, I believe.
Gold.
So they only had 5000 left after that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then that's like.
So does that mean that if you've got one, it's kind of exclusive or did he bring out more?
Yeah. Well, how do you keep it in the charts? Cause it be based on sales, wasn't it? Was it based on sales?
Yeah, it's based on. Sales. So he's.
And the people are voting for it to hear it. On. The radio. No, it is.
Based on sales, the RHR, isn't it?
Sales and or just sales, this is something that I don't think I've ever proved.
I thought.
I feel like at that. Point it was sales now, now it's plays and streams and downloads and all that kind of jazz.
One moment. Hey Siri, how are the RE charts determined?
You're gonna look it up.
Ohh, she didn't even speak to me. She just sent me websites.
She's like, oh, I'm just going to. Give you some words, Raiders.
Comparing how are the charts prepared and calculated each week?
I thought it was sales. And if that's the case, then that was a dumb move to only do 40,000.
OK.
Copies.
OK, here it is. The aim of the Aria charts is to reflect and inform consumer choice in a dynamic way. This sounds like it's written by a bureaucrat. The purpose of them is that accurate accurately report on music consumption at any given time. So what's consumption? Adjusting to changing consumption impact predominantly predominantly once back in the day tracking physical product sales, but now it encompasses physical, digital and streaming activities. So I'm wondering if radio airplay gets weaved in there, it's like an algorithm, nobody knows, nobody knows.
Yeah, yeah, sales. Yeah. Streaming. Yeah, exactly.
I don't, I don't think radio airplay would because radio airplay is playing a mix of old and new songs, so that would skew the charts because you have the oldies stations playing things from like 100 years.
Ago, so I'm.
Yes, and with the.
Pretty sure back then it was just. Physical sales moving the units, as they say.
Well, yes. And with the amount of, yes, exactly with the amount of repetition that you hear on commercial radio, Matchbox 20 would have been number one for a decade.
To be. In Creed and Nickelback, they'd still be.
Exactly. Ohh.
In the top 10. So does that mean though, if you were the proud owner of what's it called learn to fly on CD's, on CD, single or cassingle that would be worth something 40,000. That's pretty limited.
The one of the 40. You're one of the proud 40,000.
But.
Maybe. Maybe. Let's let's check back in next week and see if we can find out. That's your homework.
Made it. Imagine if you put put that, put that on eBay along with the Angels brought me here. Lost edition channel. Cold. You could probably make some cash.
Yeah. I don't even see if I can find a copy of it and put it up on eBay for auction and see if we can see what our reserve will be set at. That sounds like something that we could do as a running gag on the show that everyone would be enthused by.
What happens?
Ohh wouldn't they?
Yeah, they'd be beside themselves.
But look Knowles, he said that learn to fly was his favourite track from his debut. He liked it better than what about me? Wow. And what was the other one? That was it.
Drive, did you say?
I'd be I'd be keeping that to yourself, nosey. Just quietly. There's better songs on the on the album.
I don't mind learning to fly. And I saw the video clip young Noley with his flavour. Was it the flavour flavour?
Young nosey. The flavour saver.
I had a friend I had a friend and she did.
Yeah.
I love this story. It's not gonna be interesting to anyone. I retell it. Probably I'm not. I'm not gonna do it. Not gonna do it justice. She had a mixed media project in like, Year 11 or 12 and she, right. She loved reality. Singing shows. So she loves you know, Millsy, nosy. All of those. And all of these, all of the singing sees.
Feel free to share. That's fine. OK. All of the Z's. Yeah, yeah.
And what you had to do was pick out something like a piece of something and then build this mixed media project around us.
Right.
Pulls out her thing.
She looks at it, she goes.
It's like Noah's flavour saver. So mixed media project with Shannon Noel because she picked out this little bit of fluff that looked like this place was.
Right. Forgetting do you see what I? Build a whole portrait of. Wolsey, around a little furry triangle, I mean.
You wear this little face.
I love that love that story.
I do that I I do too, because that's that's pure because there's a lot of other people in the arts community that if they've got a little furry triangle, they would have done all sorts of things with it. So I think that's really nice.
I don't think it's beautiful. She still has it, and she brought it in to work and she. Showed me, yes.
Really. Can we get a photo of that to share on the socials?
I'll see if she's happy to share. I do sometimes talk whenever I see noesy do something interesting. I'll send her a message and just see.
Is that too much to ask?
What noisy did?
No, she's at it again.
Today was like Knowles. He's Noles, he's on his right on mower mowing the.
And she's like ohh that's. And that's that's like the only thing you have in common with that person. And they're just.
Lawns today have a look.
Could you just leave me alone please?
Ohh and when no when. Lockdown happened. And remember they had the the hand sanitiser and had a picture of nosey I sent her that.
Ohh yes.
Meme, she thought that was good.
Yes. Yeah. So you just see, this is the thing. This is the old person in the group chat. You're just sending memes to a young person and they're rolling their.
You're just going. Ohh God, what have I done? Why did?
Eyes that is. Here she comes again. I suppose I should give that a thumbs up. Maybe a heart, if I'm feeling generous.
I tell her about. My mixed media projects.
A lot of people are giving thumbs up to this new album that came out as well. Boy ohh God this he's such a troubled individual, isn't he?
I almost feel sad just talking about him. It just it makes me sad. It really makes me sad.
I don't feel sad. I I feel like I feel like he doesn't deserve a lot of attention. He's a bit of a scumbag. These days so.
Ohh, that's not the name.
You know he's an abusive individual. He's turned into a real piece of work, but back in the day, everyone loved him. He has got, he's got, he's got massive problems with drugs and alcohol and he really.