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Chapter 1: What are some silly inventions that became popular?
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2%. That's the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter. And on my podcast, 2%, I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. Put yourself through some hardships, and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person.
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Chapter 2: How did the George Foreman Grill change the cooking industry?
Yeah. And made it chunkier.
Yeah. They're cool looking. Yeah.
Yeah, they look vaguely like a staple gun.
Oh, okay.
That you break off the handle from and put between your legs and squeeze staples into the insides of your thighs. That's what it looks like.
I think we should definitely take that break now.
Okay.
All right, we'll be right back with a few more right after this.
2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%, I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world.
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Chapter 3: What is the story behind the Thighmaster and its success?
That put the novel in novelty for big mouth Billy Bass, if you ask me.
Yeah. So like I was saying, though, it was a pretty sophisticated thing, the way it all worked. And for $29.95, you know, they took a long time to build. It wasn't cheap. It was a well-made piece of gear. It was 40 days to build one. So I think Jimmy, G-E-M-M-Y, was the company that he, which still owns the Big Mouth Billy Bass, that he was working for. But
They didn't know it was going to be such a big deal. So, and like I said, because it took so long to make, they ended up shorthanded and these things were going on eBay for like three times the amount.
Yeah. And I mean, $29.95 in 2000 was about $57 today for a latex singing fish, essentially. But it just it hit just right. And it became like basically the big thing in 2000 in the United States. And in very short order, competitors came out and knockoffs came out. And then they showed up with different songs, too. I Will Survive, Stayin' Alive, YMCA. Of course.
This was during a disco revival, if you'll remember correctly. And I found, I didn't send this to you, I don't think, but the Royal Palm Shuffleboard Club, the Chicago location. Okay. Along one wall, they have more than 70 Big Mouth Billy Bass.
Wow. Nightmare fuel.
That they have choreographed. Not even to sing in unison. Like one will sing the main part and the others will turn and like sing the chorus and stuff like that. But they sing Stayin' Alive. They sing Talking Heads Once in a Lifetime. And then they sing Choices by E-40. So it's really something to see if you go look up the video.
Wow. I got to check that out. That took some pretty brilliant wiring, I imagine. Yeah.
I can't. I think it's just timing. I don't know how they did it, but it's really impressive. But yeah, it is a little haunting for sure. Because they have dead eyes. I never really thought about it before, but that's the thing. One of the things that makes it so absurd is the fish looks dead still. You know what I mean? They didn't try to make it look alive.
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Chapter 4: Who is Ron Popeil and what is his impact on infomercials?
He created a direct response infomercial. He ponied up $30,000 of his own money to produce a 30-minute infomercial. And it first aired in 1988. And the premise of it is it's a fake show. The show is new products and ideas.
which doesn't exist, it was just for the show, and it was hosted by Lenny McGill, no one knows who that is, had a synth soundtrack, and the guest just happened to be Rick Hunts. And, like, he just demonstrates the Flowbee, and you could get it directly through that infomercial, and it just started to take off from there.
Yeah, a 30-minute infomercial for something that takes 90 seconds to describe is... and demonstrate to, probably... We haven't seen padding like that since probably this episode of ours.
That was a low blow, but pretty hilarious.
They sold between $70 and $150 a piece. He sold about 2 million of them. So they sold a ton of these. Yeah.
If you go on YouTube to type in Flowbee, if you want to see a demonstration, one of the top things that will come up is George Clooney, because he's been on, I saw him on Kimmel, I know he's been on CBS Sunday Morning, apparently has been non-ironically using the Flowbee for decades on himself, is what he says at least.
Yeah, he said, listen, man, it works. Yeah, he was, yeah, non-ironically is a great way to put it. So that's it for the Flowbee. Hats off, Rick Hunts, for sticking to your dreams, your vision. I think Rick Hunts demonstrates a lesson for all of us.
Agreed.
And then last up, Chuck, we have one that's a little dear to my heart, the Snuggie.
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