Do Go On - 154 - The War Of The Worlds Radio Play

Episode Date: October 3, 2018

On October 30, 1938 Orson Welles and The Mercury Theatre broadcast one of the most famous pieces of radio in history. An adaptation of the H.G Wells' science fiction classic 'The War Of The Worlds,' performed as a news broadcast. Thousands across the USA panicked as they mistook it for a real bulletin... But is that the whole story? This is the first episode of Blockbuster-Tober.Dave's new Book Cheat podcast is launching on Planet Broadcasting on this Monday October 8. Follow the show below:Twitter: @BookCheatPodInstagram: @BookCheatPodFacebook: @BookCheatPodOur website: dogoonpod.comMelbourne LIVE show on October 13th : https://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/do-go-on-live/105917?&skin=4406&ref=hwlrUK shows : https://dogoonpod.com/events/Support the show and get rewards like bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPodSubmit a topic idea directly to the hat: http://bit.ly/DoGoOnHat Twitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] AND FURTHER READINGTHE WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE MERCURY THEATRE ON THE AIR, FULL BROADCASThttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Xs0K4ApWl4gORSON WELLES MEETS H.G WELLS:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=450&v=3XhwiliJxc4https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/history/2013/10/orson_welles_war_of_the_worlds_panic_myth_the_infamous_radio_broadcast_did.htmlhttps://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15470903https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/what-to-listen-to/the-war-of-the-worlds-panic-was-a-myth/http://mentalfloss.com/article/529187/when-orson-welles-met-hg-wells-the-war-of-the-worldshttp://www.lilanewman.com/about-ora-nichols/

Melbourne and Canada, we've got exciting news for you. And we should also say this is 2026. Jess, what year is it? 2026. Thank God you're here. Right now, I'm in Melbourne doing my show with Serenji Amarna, 630 each night at the Cooper's Inn Hotel, having so much fun. We'd love to see you there.

Canada, we are visiting you in September this year. If you've somehow missed the news, we are heading up Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto for shows. That's going to be so much fun. Tickets for all this stuff, I believe, are online. And I'm here too. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates.

Hello and welcome to another episode of Dugo One. My name is Dave Ornicki and I'm sitting here in the lounge room of one Matt Stewart with Matt Stewart and Jess Perkins. It would be weird if we were here without Matt. We'd broken in. No, we have keys. He still hasn't said anything. I mean, you say my lounge room, but it's all of our lounge rooms. I did say that one time that if the sainers got up that day,

that I would own the lounge room, and we got up by 30 points. But, you know, that was only meant to be as a bit of a joke. You guys, it's still your house. It's your lounge room, too. Yeah, yeah, that's true, yeah. Thank you. I know, it's big of me, and it took a lot, but there you go. That's why we give you the top bunk.

Yep, exactly. Top bugs for winners. Yeah. I'm the middle bunk, because I'm working on it. You're just right. I imagine we sleep on that three-tier bookshelf over there. Yeah. Matt's on the top.

It's very small. Yeah, his legs hang off the edge. Supports one plant. Yeah. That's your room. Yeah. Thank you so much for letting me sleep there. Hey, it's so good to have you here in your lounge room.

Dave, did you have some huge news? Well, speaking of bookshelves, you know, that's how you like to read them, put them up your butt. Yeah, I shell books. But onto my huge news. I'm very pleased to announce a new podcast that I've been quietly working on for many, many months now. I told our Patreon supporters about this a long time ago. And now I'm finally delivering people in many ways. You're delivering people?

Yes. He's created a new rideshare app. And I'm recording people secretly. Oh, Dave, no. Yeah. And then I'm going to blackmail them. Secretly. Without their knowledge, I'm going to blackmail them.

Secretly. No, my new show, in many ways, a spin-off from our great podcast, do go on. The new show is called Book Cheat. Basically, it's a book club where I've read the book, so you don't have to. I don't have to. You don't have to. You don't have to read a book. Okay, Oprah.

Each episode, I tell two special guests about a book I've read, one of the classics, like Dickens and Austin or Hemingway, that kind of thing. I tell them all about the book and its plot and characters, so by the end of it, both the listeners and the guests can go to a, Swanky Dinner Party and pretend that they've read it. Ah, it means we can go to Swanky Dinner Parties. That's why I've been avoiding Swanky Dinner Parties up until now. I was like, oh, what about the book chat?

The inevitable book chat. This show gives you a one-way ticket with no return ticket. That's great. Because normally when I go to a dinner party and book chat happens, I just give them the finger. But now I can return serve. And normally when I book a one-way ticket, I also book a return. Yeah. It makes common sense.

One-way ticket to paradise. I thought that was a Simpsons reference, and I remember it was from the IT crowd. So I'm sorry to the people that wanted me to make a Simpsons reference there. So I'm going to have loads of guests from the Planet Broadcasting Network and from around the Australian comedy scene. I've already recorded a bunch of episodes. Matt, Jess, you've both been there.

I've read to you. Well, in a way, yes. Yeah, in a way. What I thought you were quoting was the Darkness song, a one-way ticket to hell and back. Oh my God, I've never thought about that. It's so fun. I love the darkness, as disgust.

And already it blew my mind then and it blows my mind now. That I love the darkness? Yeah. Oh man, I had a poster. It's like river dance all over again. I have a T-shirt. You like that? Yeah, I'm a surprising person.

She loves stuff from the British Isles. That is true. Well, we'll be soon. She's a, what do you call those people? They're like Brittor files. Anglophiles. She's a real Anglophile. I like Brittophile.

Okay. Big fan of Britta. Big, big fan. Now, so just to sum this all up, my new show, Book Cheat, is launching this Monday, October the 8th. On the Planet Broadcasting Network, you'll hear two episodes on that day, all about the classics. First of all, the picture of Dorian Gray from Oscar Wild with guests, Mr. Sunday movies, and Nick Mason from the weekly planet. And episode two will also be released with our very own Matt Stewart and Joel Doucher from Sanspans Radio. The Dush.

Talking about Shakespeare's Othello. I love how balls it is to do a book show. and on your very first release to do a play. That's going, this podcast doesn't give a fuck about your rules. Oh yeah, I see a rule and I read a play about the rule. This is exciting. This is now our empire has three podcasts. I know, our mini network within the Planet Broadcasting Network,

gone to three. Jess, I wanted to say, you're not left out of my show because the week, or the episode after the first two, you're on it. And I basically host Matt's podcast also. Yes. Jess is a real regular And obviously we've got bubbling under the surface

phrasing the bar I cannot like Just in my podcast about the career And the No not the career Just the films The filmography Of the great Brendan Fraser

Yes What I don't think Is it Fraser or Frazier Yeah we'll discuss that Yeah That's one of the big topics Episode one

Well episode one through three Ah tung He's got to look A little German warning there for our German friends. Watch out. Anyway, to sum up here, please help me get the bookcheat podcast off the ground by following it on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, all at Bookcheat pod. And he can give me a review on iTunes early on.

That really, really helps get it up the charts and that kind of thing. So give it a crack. Maybe I'll make you a tiny bit smarter. Get it up the charts and get it up you. Yeah, shelve those books. It's a really fun podcast. It was real fun to be on. Hopefully I didn't ruin it, but I reckon it's going to be the best podcast,

and I don't make big calls. Wow. But this is going to be the best podcast of all time. Thank you so, so much. And at the end, the guests get to review the classics. So let's just say I look forward to listening back to you reviewing one of Shakespeare's classics. I don't imagine he reviewed it very well. Yes, poorly written review on the fly.

Now, also, finally, there's a couple of tickets left for our live podcast this Saturday afternoon to Howl, our Bon Voyage show here in Melbourne. So excited. Is it this week next week? No, it's this week, this Saturday. Holy moly. Which I am so, so excited about. Saturday, October the 13th. A little hint there.

Spookiness. Maybe a little hint about the topics. Oh, actually, it is not this week, Jess. You were right. It was this week, if it was Monday when I released book cheat, my apologies, it is done. Saturday week, don't, I mean, we'll be there a week early, obviously, setting up. Yeah, we're not idiots. Podcasts are very technical.

Yes. So people don't realize. We do very thorough rehearsals. Yeah. Oh, this is all. Going to do blocking. Written, is that the word on before? Scripted.

Every show, we have the different lighting. I'm sorry, I was reading Matt's line. Sorry. That's, yeah. I see, M is for Matt. Yes, my apologies. I read M for my lady. I read M for me.

I thought it was M for man and I knew it wasn't me. We should get cracking because it is blockbuster toba for grace. Matt, do you want to explain that to anyone who may have just tuned in? If you're just tuning in, which you may well be doing, this is the first ever blockbuster toba for grace, Lorone. And it is going to be. huge. What we've done is we've put out a vote to everyone out there on the

Twitters and also Facebook and we ask what is your favorite kind of topics that we do and the top three it's basically like an elaborate family feud game only that's where the similarities end the polling part. Anyway, the top

three are chosen and we're going to go now from the next three weeks it's going to be the third most popular, the second most and then the first most. And then after that, to really bring home the month with the bang, we're going to do our most ever requested topic. And then the week after that, we're going to release the live Melbourne spooktacular episode. Oh, God, there's just so much happening. It is blockbuster tober for Grace.

My, good, Ron. Is that now Tofer Grace and Will & Grace both being referenced? Because that's awesome. Yes. Yep. I'll figure out how that is later. How Will and Grace? Tofa for Grace. It's not Will for Grace, is it?

Though it should have been... I've always said that. And then, so what happens once the three most popular kinds of topics were selected, Dave's chosen the... Well, he's picked out the third most requested kind of topic, and then he's put it to a vote for our patrons, and that is how we got to today's topic. Yes, that is right.

So the third most popular kind of topic, so we put things out there like, is it a sport? sporting star? Is it a mystery? You know, is it this thing that I'm about to talk about now? Is it a sports story? Is it a badass? I can tell you that the third most popular do go on report style of topic is about quirky events from history. Oh, I love a quirky event. Love a quirky event. That's great. Do you know why we love quirky things? Why? Because we're bloody quirky. We're bloody quirk heads over here. It takes quirk to no quirk. That's right. I say that a lot.

Now, we're going to get going with the show. We always start with a question. I've written the report. You guys don't even know what it is on. And this was the... No, I looked at your computer before. Did you? Yeah, I know.

I know what it is. What is it? Can you tell me? I'll just answer the question. Yeah, I'll answer the question perfectly. Let me just say that that was a decoy topic. What was? History of bananas.

You're literally looking at the fruit bowl right now. I'm following your line of sight and you're looking at the fruit bowl. Shear coincidence. Which has far too many bananas in it. In 1681, the banana was invented by John. Ian Banana. Sir John Ian Banana.

You did read my report. Luckily, that was a decoy. So the real question is, and this is an extreme coincidence, which I've been mulling over for about 15 minutes now. This week, we keep with the literary theme that I brought up with book sheet. Oh, here we go.

Coincidence. Tine. Well, it is a coincidence as well. Three topics. Only one was literary-based. On the over episode. Patreon chose that. So he's plugging his own little show, isn't he?

All right, man. Well, you know what my topic's going to be? About bloody apes. Mine's going to be about Brennan Frazier. Or Fraser. My question is, in 1938, a radio adaptation of which classic novel caused panic across America? That is amazing.

No way. That is ridiculous. So earlier, Matt, when you were out of the room, I made a little noise. And Jess was like, what's that? And I said, I cannot wait to tell you the coincidence. Because I looked over on your bookshelf, and there was a copy of the book that's the answer to this question. And then when you sat down, Matt, you said, oh, this is a book that one of our listeners, Teigen gave to me to give to you for the new book chief podcast. That is so weird.

And the one is this your card? Oh, my God. That is freaky. The answer to the question, just what book am I holding up? Okay, let me guess. So I'll just start reading some from the bookshelf. Oh, it's kind of embarrassing. Is it a time quake by Kurt Vonnegut?

So close. Oh, okay. How I escaped my certain fate by Stuart Lee. Have read that, but no. Okay, animal farm? It is not animal farm. I am running out of guesses here. You are being generous with the ones you're reading out from the bookshelf.

It's trying to make you look worldly. 1966, the year gods. The answer is of course War of the World. It is HD Worlds, the War of the World which I would just like to point out

had you not had your little backstory I would have known the answer. You would have known the answer? Yes. Matt, would you have known the answer? Yeah, I knew that one too. That's a great story. The year 12th, the year ahead of me

for their drama solos, one of the, because you can choose from 10 different solos, like characters. Monologues? Yeah. Well, you write it yourself. Oh, right.

Okay, sure. But you're given a basic character and... And an electric guitar. Dramatic elements that you have to include. And one of the girls did War of the Worlds. Anyway, wasn't that fun. Her name was Lucia. Oh, Lucia.

I'm still Facebook friends with her. Great name. Luccia. Like that. Lucia. Luch. Luch. Can I ask you a question, Matt?

Teigen, did you have any idea what her last name was? And where did you meet her? She gave you the book to give you? In the Gold Coast. Don't put me on the spot. I do know my last name. Is it Longman? Because this topic, I'm about to tell you,

was suggested by Tegan Longman from the Gold Coast. Okay. That was pretty. This is crazy. I'm freaking out here. A few other people also suggest it. Thank you to Charlie Ellis from Palm Desert in Texas. Daniel from Provo in Utah.

And Mariah Davis, who was the first to submit it, way back in the original hat. So this is a very old suggestion. The old hat when I used to just to wear it to bed. I haven't I had that many suggestions in it That was odd wasn't it He did that

And we're like Matt, take it off He's overheating it Yeah And a sweaty topics It was smelling Now do you know much about the Apart from the drama solo From Lucia much about this

Yeah I know Tom Cruise It was a comprehensive solo So yeah I know the entire story Thank you Okay great Well I'll direct this to Matt Who seems to only know Tom Cruise Tom Cruise was in the radio play originally

Originally Yeah, originally, obviously. What year was that, sorry? The year of our Lord, 18179. Tom Cruise was in that. Yes. Okay, I'm just checking. He used to go by the name HG Nelson from Roy N.G.

Rampaging Roy Slavin. Anyway, take control of this back. Do you want me to just start the report? Yeah, probably. Now, this whole story centres mainly around one man. Who? And he just happens to be one of the most remarkable people of the first half of the 20th century. That is a huge call.

Yeah. A writer, actor, director, magician and radio maker. His name. Too many. Was Orson Wells. That's a great name. He's a great name, but it's like too many, like if he had a LinkedIn, it's too many things after his name. You know, like, writer, director, actor, magician, I have a driver's license.

It's like, all right, man, we get it. The crazy thing is that he is a classic overachiever and he's excellent at all of them. Of course he is. I know, but I understand that as a podcast, a radio presenter, actor, comedian. Slash magician. No, I'm not a magician.

Well, slash musician. In a way. In a way, I mean, that drama solo, you saw someone play guitar apparently. Yeah. Big solo. Le leo. Yeah.

Okay. So Orson Wells was born George Orson Wells in Kenoson. Wisconsin on May 6th, 1915. 1915. A good year. Good year if you like World Wars. Sounds awful when you say it. We'll start saying it again and then I won't have to.

Yeah, stop forcing it. We've had this discussion. Stop forcing it. Just be casual and cool. I'm going to be casual and cool and force it. You look really casual right now. Your shoulders are very casual and not at all tense. It was a good year, that's all.

Okay. Great. Now, Kenosha and Wisconsin is quite a small city, but his parents, Richard and Beatrice. Beatrice. We're both incredibly intelligent people who introduced their son to worlds that went far beyond his Wisconsin roots. I can show you the world beyond Wisconsin. Wow. The original lyrics.

They were able to do this because Richard Wells, his father had made a fortune inventing. Dickie Wells had made a fortune. He made a fortune inventing a time. Bad time to take a sip, Matt. Dickie Wells. He'd made a fortune inventing a type of lamp for bicycles.

I love when he or someone inventing a very specific product and they become very wealthy. I used to live next door to someone in my childhood home. They were quite wealthy because he'd invented some sort of lunchbox.

All right. Wow. The compartmentalised one. Yeah, probably it would have been one of those ones. You wouldn't even brag about that. Oh, his son was deeply embarrassed and I was fascinated by it.

Always ask questions. You should be embarrassed by it. Why did you get? Why don't you have all that money? No reason. Yeah. Sorry about it. Found it in the lunchbox.

Dad's in the mob. Shut up. We've done bad things. Killed a man. When really all your dad did was like create practical lunch carrying devices. Yeah, he's the kind of guy. It also could have been an accountant. Yeah.

You don't like practicalities. No, I don't. I like whimsy. That's why I like those like little avocado holders or, you know. No one got rich on those, though. No, because they're stupid. But they're whimsical. Yet I own two.

What is going on? Love it. Anyway, so because of the wealth, Richard Wells, or Dickie Wells, pardon me, was mingled with actors and famous sports stars. His mother, this is Orson's mother, was also influential on the young Orson, herself a concert pianist. She taught him how to play the piano and the violin. So a Dickie and a penis.

What a couple. And when a dicky and a penis get together, they make a Wells. and he was a child prodigy. He was good at the violin and piano and could also act, draw, paint and write verse. Okay, well, what's the cutoff for a prodigy? Yeah, what's the criteria? Serious question, can you be an adult prodigy?

Yeah. I've dreamt about it before. Is it too late for me? I think so. What about me? I reckon you're borderline. Yes, so I'll go to act fast. Yeah.

But it's not too late. No. I mean, you could be a prodig of... I mean... Like bowls or something that old people do. You're young for that. Okay. I could be a crochet prodigy.

Yes. Ooh, croche. Yeah, I'll make it cool again. Yeah, yeah. Oh, croche. That's cool. Oh, you guys aren't crooshing. Lame.

What's up, crocey homies? Do you think I could be the next Kelvin Kirkkel of Australian bowls? If you have no... I said his name wrong. Damn it. Kelvin Kirk-Coh. You have no further. questions and yes.

Yep. Who's that? You're not a Koko head. No. You Kerkhead? No, man. There's listeners out there. Absolutely throw on their phone across the room.

They're frothing. They're fuming. Kelvin Koko is one of the greats. Anyway, look them up. Okay, great. Just one of the best of all time. Did it from a relatively young age. All right, well, I assume everyone pause the podcast for a minute there.

Now, welcome back. Now you've looked up Kevin Kerkow. Kelvin Kerkow, you piece of shit. I'll take your word for him. Wells, we're back to him. He also entertained his friends by performing magic tricks and staging mini productions

of Shakespeare's plays. He sounds like the worst friend ever. It's a real overachiever. It sounds like, in many ways, a beautiful childhood, but in reality it was far from it. His parents separated when he was four years old and his mother died when he was nine.

Orson's father became an alcoholic after his business and fortune faded and he died when Orson was just 13. Orphan Wells. You'd written it. I had not written that. I had not. That was choking in my throat.

I had not written that. He has not written it. I didn't mean to say like that, but it was just, I was beautifully written if it was. Thank you. If you haven't written, well, you don't care. Don't give a shit. Oh. I'm all about the written word.

Yeah, true. I'm all about the riff. So, well done, Dave. Orphan Wells. That's the most brutal joke anyone's made. Oh, I don't know if that's true. Yeah, we've said some heinous things on this show. Other podcasts have said worse.

Always from a good place. That's right. We say orphan with love. We love orphans. Yeah. Right? Yes. I do.

Little often Annie, one of the best in town. Yes. Anything you can do, I can do better. Can I smell wet dog? Can I please? Is that a question? Can I? Maybe I think it was, why can I smell wet dog?

You take the word why off. It really changes. He's just like, he's like seeing a dog in a puddle on the side of the road and he's like, Can I smell your dog? And the woman's just like, please. She said no, and then he repeated the question in case she couldn't hear it. Can I smell? Wet dog!

Okay. Thank you. That's going to keep me going for a couple days. Daddy, Walpux. Until I find another wet dog. Anyway, orphan Wells was enrolled, just for this sentence, was enrolled into the very exclusive Todd School. Witchcraft and wizardry.

Yeah, it was in Woodstock in Illinois. Is that the Woodstock? I couldn't tell you. You could tell me. Why won't you? I'll commit to a no. Wow. Just ten years after his older brother Richard had been there, but he'd been expelled for his bad behavior.

Orson didn't act out like his brother, however, but his theatrical gifts were encouraged, and he staged modern and classical plays that entertained both teacher and student alike. Now the school also had a radio station and radio classes And this was Wells first exposure to the medium That would play a large part in shaping his career The first piece of radio that he made

Was a self-penned and performed adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes story Ooh Which one? There's been a lot of times The past episodes, we did a Shakespeare, we did a Sherlock Holmes It's all coming up So which one could it have been From all those ones we talked about

Oh, they all roll off the tongue but I won't bore you with them now. What, Sherlock? Yeah, there's different Shirelander the Baskervilles. The sign of four. Greg, the stop sign. There were plenty of greats and we just, I mean, we can't go into them all now. True, of course.

When his father had died, Orson was taken in and adopted by Dr. Maurice Bernstein, who was a family friend that continued to encourage the now teenager. When he graduated from the exclusive school, he was offered a scholarship to Harvard University. But turned it down to travel. travel to Europe using his inheritance. At age 16, so obviously he finished school quite young,

he walked into Dublin's Gate Theatre and rashly and falsely claimed to be a Broadway star and landed his first professional stage role. The director of the theatre later said, I knew he was lying, but he had Hootspur. He had confidence. He had a certain. How do I say?

I just don't know. Jess, could you help me out of you? I think, well, this is in Dublin, you said, Dave. Yes, that's right. I believe they would call it a Genesequois. I was going to say they call it a tapy-tappy. You really think they're a simple people, don't you, David? I mean, they invented Riverdance.

And Guinness, another thing that's tapped. It's not a pun king. Damn. He's here, though. Good to have a year, Matt. Wells remained in Ireland for a year, acting with the company at the Abbey Theatre as well as at the gate. he also designed sets, wrote a newspaper column and began directing his own plays.

With his eyes set on Broadway or the West End in 1932, Wells left Dublin and tried to get work on the stages of London and New York City. But for the first time on his life he was unsuccessful at something and he instead had to travel for another year and he went to Morocco and Spain. Oh, what a failure. I do. I'm starting to feel for this, man. I got the first ever gig I went for by walking in. And also, you just go to go.

traveling and then walk into a theater and get a job like visas hello i told you this guy is remarkable and in ireland as well we wanted to do a show in ireland but apparently the visa process was going to be a pain in the old a hole it was obviously separate countries to the uk and one step harder than the uk we needed a piece of paper and applications and money to be maybe denied it was a bit too much but orson he's a broadway star it's going to be a pain in our a hole we are broadway Broadway podcasters. I didn't believe them, but they had a certain genuset, qua. That's the customs officer.

Later interviewed. Yeah. When we're... I knew they weren't Broadway. That's in America. And they're Australian. But they had a certain... Tap-y-tappy.

As we say here in Ireland. One tap for Michael Flat. Another tap for Mr. Guinness. Tapie. Tapie. Tapie. Orson broke into professional theatre in the USA the next year So we only had to wait one more year

Oh, after travelling another year More poor baby, more That Morocco was hard Oh, Spain, yuck I mean he's also still just a teenager as well I don't care He met the, no, that's what I mean like It's like he hasn't had to wait or anything

He met the successful novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder Fuck His name hot Are you kidding me? His name often gets stuck in my head Because I think it might be one of my favourites Thornton Wilder.

I'm weirdly attracted to that name. You know? Nah, not weirdly. It's just straight up hot. Hell yeah. Is anyone else picturing a mix between Gene Wilder and Dave Thornton? Oh, okay. No, I was thinking Nigel Thornberry.

Ooh. But Dave Thornton makes a lot more sense. What about Dave Thornton meets Van Wilder party liaison? Oh, that's a hot combo. That's a hot combo. Hell yeah. Throw in Gene Wilder. Comic timing.

Take that, Thornow. The only thing this gorgeous man needs is some comic timing. I'm sorry. He's very funny. He's a very funny man. Incredibly funny comedian. And a lovely person. The big two.

Yeah, those are the big two. So Orson met this beautiful man, Thornton Van Wildner party liaison, who introduced Austin to the famous stage actress Catherine Cornell, who was putting together a touring thing. theatre company and he was cast in three touring plays, including Romeo and Juliet. So now he's got ongoing acting work. His performance caught the attention of director John Hausman. Who also knew he wasn't a Broadway star, but he had a certain tapy-tapy.

As they say in the biz. John Hausman, that's, that is at the other end of the spectrum, isn't it? Oh, come on. No, that's him looking around like giving you a face name. John, he's looked at a toilet. it and then a house. And then a man. John Houseman.

Oh, pleased to meet you, John Hausman. I knew that wasn't his real name, but he had a certain... So, Director John Houseman, cast Wells in his Federal Theatre Project, which is a program to fund theatre and other live artistic performances and entertainment programs in the US during the Great Depression. Trying to, you know, no one else could afford to keep the theatre going, so they invested in it to try and keep a bit of morale going up.

That's good. The arts are important. They actually are. Yeah, I wasn't being sarcastic. Jess, they actually are. Sorry, my delivery betrayed me in that way. Usually I hide when I think you're a fucking idiot, but somehow I just slipped out.

No, I just genuinely... They are. They're very important. It's hard to be serious on this silly show. It's hard to be genuine. It's hard to just be vulnerable in the space. But I welcome both... Terrorism is bad.

It actually is, Dave. Oh, sorry, I thought I was just making a little quip. Dave, wow. It actually is like seriously so bad. Um, Dave. Seriously? Matt, how bad is terrorism? Oh, I'd say one of the worst.

I feel like you don't. Yeah, good joke, guys. Good joke. We all know it's not. Right? Oh, my God. Don't start any one of this. Oh, no.

No, don't back me into a corner here. Um, it's not a lot of backing, though. We, somehow we were backing away and you still ended up in a corner. We were giving you more and more space and you put yourself in a corner and said, You did this. You guys were like, hey, there's the door and I was like, fuck that door, I'm getting in this corner. Fetal position. No way out.

The door's why, don't it? Just wander across the room. Dave, we'll turn our back and count to 30. Nah, it's a trick. This corner's safe. Anyway. Dave's insane. To clarify, arts group, terrorism, bad.

Thanks God. He changed his body, too. It was another way around. Had a little bit of time to think in the corner and I came out on top. Anyway, so, Houseman, John Houseman, and Wells would team up on a number of projects. In 1935 when Wells was still just 20 years old, he directed and wrote an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth with an all-black cast, something that was very out there for the time. Wells moved the setting of the play from Scotland to Haiti and the huge production had a cast of 150 people.

Whoa. That's big. That's huge. What is this the Olympics opening ceremony? It was a box office. I know the theatre. We moved the setting of this opening ceremony to Haiti. A hundred years.

It's a big production, Jess. I'm going to feel the whole SCG. The Olympics. Yes, of course there are. And that's not even counting the horses That's like seven or eight of them Horse whisperer Yeah

Well I'm going to jump on you now You're going to ride around in the circle And you're going to look like you're having a good time Okay I love you Yeah, we're going to change costumes I know Two of those guys are in a horse

Oh God that hurt Anyway this cast of Macbeth 150 people It was a box office sensation How many people are playing Macbeth? Nine. The smart thing about it is if everyone brings a relative or two, you're going to sell out a lot of shows. Sell it every nine.

The production is regarded as a landmark theatrical event because of its innovative interpretation of the play, its success in promoting African-American theatre, and its role in securing the reputation of its 20-year-old director who was again praised as a prodigy. Of course he was. It's funny that you say, like if everybody just brings a relative, or two because you'd think that most people have like one or two relatives but um oh no awesome

certain orphan wells doesn't have any it's like okay um we're your guests well he's got his brother a little dicky big dicky oh big dicky what's the dad even big a dick we just call him even bigger dick anyway it was a massive success and then at two of the USA this all this was happening whilst Awesome was supplementing his income with radio work in Manhattan, and he was pouring his radio money into theatrical productions that had not much money during the Great Depression. So he's making quite good coin, but his big passion, his theatre. So he just basically spends it all on his shows.

Imagine touring a show with 150 people. That's crazy, isn't it? Like a combination and... Imagine the Airbnb, you know? It's like locusts coming to town. By the time they leave, there's nothing left in the shops. Yeah, the shop keeps just standing there, like, dumpers, like, Much the same when we go on our UK tour and I go buy snacks.

What just happened? Who was that? For all the musk sticks gone. Why don't she buy 50 whisper bars and 90 Yorkies? Love those. I'm just going to fill the boot. There won't be any room for our bags, so they'll be sitting on top of me in the backseat. And the boot will be filled with snacks.

I'm okay with that. Or me in the backseat covered in snacks. Oh, that's fun. Swimming through him. After directing a few more plays, Wells and John Houseman. The power of house. Music, house music. His power is he's always home.

Brings it on the road. If you lived here, you'd be home by now. I am. I'm John Houseman. Is that a Gillism? He's not John Homeman. John Houseman and Wells teamed up again in 1937

to form the Mercury Theatre Company The company's first production was again A Shakespeare, this time Julius Caesar It was performed in modern day clothing With tones of fascist Italy Very political it was received with acclaim And this was on Broadway now So Wells was now properly making it as a director

So he was a Broadway man now Yeah, good enough for Broadway Acting, directing, doing it all The Mercury Theatre had A core company of actors, the lead one was Austin Wells, one of which was also a young Vincent Price. Ooh, Vinnie P. Yeah, there you go.

Who's that? Basically, you'd know him as the voiceover and thriller, the Michael Jackson video. Oh, sick voice. Yeah, that evil voice at the end laughing. Mm-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Yep, there is. Yeah, that's a great voice.

They put on more plays that were well received. Everything's going well. Wells really started to put himself on the map, exemplified by the fact that he appeared in full stage makeup on the cover of Time Magazine in 1938, just three days after his 23rd birthday. Fuck on. Time magazine goes far that back. Whoa.

Goes far that back. It's awesome. I mean, it went so far back that that sentence would have made sense back then. Because far that back. It was doing that old Tommy talk. talking in the 30s. The year was 1932. Two.

Hey, that's how we talked back here. We talked 32. Hey, I'm working on the part. Hey. John Travolter's grandfather. Hey, what are you home? This is my ha-hawhore. This is my whore house?

House man. House man. This is my whore-house man. I'm a whore-house man. Well, you have to leave, sir. This is a children's playground. I am Playhouse Man Woo!

Wells was still working in the radio world and had become quite well known for voicing The Shadow in the radio show of the same name which I believe now I'm saying that out loud Nick Mason may have mentioned The Shadow It was like an early superhero Pre-superhero

Yeah The Shadow The Shadow Well's deep voice was one of his trademarks Hello I am Orson Well Dave Callan is that you? No. Hello there.

There's Dave. Because of Wells' prolific output, he was earning quite a lot of money. He was raking it in, as they say. After a successful adaptation of Les Mies, Wells and the Mercury Theatre and its core of players were hired to make a radio show that adapted famous novels into radio dramas. The show was originally named First Person Singular,

which I think we can all agree is a very catchy title. Only because there was lots of... You're being sarcastic, right? Yes. Because it sucks. It sucks. But there was a lot of monologues, that's why I was called that. But I didn't want to do a Dave and be like, terrorism's the best, you know?

Yeah. I didn't want to be like, yeah, that's so good. I love that title. And then you'd turn around and be like, Jess, we were joking. And I'd go, I, no. Because I am ruthless. Bruttle and ruthless with my takedowns. You are ruthless.

Go on. Leave me ruthless. So it's called first person singular. It later changed its name to the Mercury Theatre on air. Better? A little bit better? Floating. The show was very low budget because it didn't have a sponsor,

but it gained a cult following. It first aired on July 11, 1938, and was on air on CBS radio on Monday nights at 9pm. Then after two months, it changed its slot to Sundays at 8pm, prime time. Sundays at 8. Even back then. To get one of those slots now.

Yeah. Oh, geez. Yeah, one of those sweet radio slots at 8 o'clock. Hell yeah. Okay, well, I mean, I'd love an 8 o'clock because I'm currently from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Ah, Jess, that is the sweet spot. Yeah, it's the prime time.

Dave works on a show that's on it. What time does you show on? I watch it every night, obviously. I just want to make that clear. We support you. I just don't... I watch it on 10 play. Right.

So I don't know about the time of it. If that's what you're asking. If that's what you're insinuating, I obviously watch it. it. Every night. But at my own leisure. Of course. Yeah. But you don't watch it live from 6.30 to 7.30.

I don't watch live at 6.30 to 730, although I would love to. Anyway, the Mercury Theatre on air. Have you noticed I haven't got up to the War of the World's part yet? Yeah, sorry. I'm having fun. No, I'm just saying. No, no, no, it's fine. We'll shut up. How the show would work was, it went out on 8pm on a Sunday.

A small orchestra and sound effects folly team would accompany the actors who would rehearse before going out, live, but when they were going out, they would read the scripts in front of them. Wells was asked to play the lead role each week, and he also directed the productions. So it's very much his show. That's my kind of acting job, too, where nobody can see you and you've got a script in front of you. I love that, actually. I love that. That is a good idea.

Wells demanded perfection, particularly with the sound effects, many of which had to be developed to satisfy the young director. Stiffy. It's a versatile one that one. A little bit more boeing. Wamp, womp, wamp, wamp, waw. Sad, Stiffy. Stiffy going down.

Stiffy going out. Stiffy denies. Hopeful, Stiffy? Siffy in the wind. That one. It's an ejaculation. That sounds like someone using it. Stiffy for a pole vault.

Don, doong, don't, don't. Chariots of Stiffies. I like how he looks up into the middle distance as he does this. He really goes up into it. Oh, hot, hot, hot, hot. This meal is quite. Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot. Oh, hot, hot, hot.

That's when you've committed to holding a plate from the kitchen to the table. You're not going to drop a meal. You're in no man's land. So, well-demanded perfection, just like that. I wish I was around his day, because he really could have used the man of a thousand noises. The caliber. I don't think anyone else has ever hit my calibre of noise.

No. Just give me a quick one now. Just to prove to some people. I've actually got one coming up. Don't give him a quick one. Give me a quick one, Dave. And then we'll go back to the podcast. Yes.

The first episode was an adaptation of Dracula. And the team struggled to find the right sound, right sound for the steak going through Dracula's heart. How would you do that? Stake through a heart. Oh. I mean, that sounds a little bit like James Bond. James Bond has snuck up on someone and karate chopped them on the back of the neck. Can you do that again for me?

Sorry, that's what it was. Isn't that what you said? Yeah. That's one singing about karate chopping. Karate chopping Dracula's heart. Yeah, that's what I did. How to go again? I mean, now it sounds more like someone's like bitten off more that can chew with a big,

apple. Isn't that what you said? Well, basically. Yeah. Well, what they did was they first presented to Wells a cabbage and a sharpened broomstick. Much too leafy, Wells concluded. Drill a hole in the cabbage and fill it with water. We need blood. Yeah, vampires aren't leafy.

Too leafy. Too leafy. A little bit of leaves short. As we all know, vampires are a leafy animal. But it's a little too leafy. We want a wet leaf. I want to film that. I want to get that leaf.

Oh, no. I just, get it. Yeah, I'm going to be there. I get that one. Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Are you turned on by leaves?

Sorry. Sorry, when I am ors and whales, I go all in and he is turned on by leaves. He's a prodigy of leaves. Yeah. He's good at everything, including... Fucking leaves. I wasn't going to say loving leaves, but... Sure.

You know, if you want to get straight to the brass tacks. Brass tacks, what they sound like? Oh, that's them underwater. Well, they just fell into a pond. They fell into a pond. Don't dive in after those. Jesus, the Mexican walking fish is going to have a pretty big, bad day. Fum.

Fom. There's a Mexican walking fish. Anyway, he didn't like that, so he called for a watermelon. What, I can only assume he hummed and then headbuttoned. Obviously, yeah, as his due process. Then he hit it with a hammer to create a harrowing sound effect. Matt, what with a hammer on a watermelon sound? Sorry, that was just a warm up.

That was just the warm up. It's just a warm up. I mean, I don't know why he tried to drink while Matt was doing a sound effect. I thought I could swallow his time, but he... Did you pick that up? He's punched himself in the face. Yeah, that was violent. You getting that?

I'm getting that loud and clear. Oh, I just have my wisdom teeth. Oh, don't hit your face. Questions, comments? Over the next 16 weeks, the Mercury Theatre adapted to classics like Treasure Island, a tale of two cities, the 39 steps, Jane Eyre and many others, most of which are on my radar for my new podcast bookcheet available this Monday, October 8. You piece of shit.

That's the worst. I've never done that about primates, which is out every Thursday night slash Friday, depending on where in the world you are. We've had topics like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Beast Wars. Congo. And Congo. And two episodes on The Simpsons and counting. What day of the week is phrasing the bar going to come out of? Because we've got Monday, Wednesday and Thursday covered now.

So we go Tuesday or Friday. Yeah, I think they're both good options. All right. It seems like a fun Friday. kind of podcast to me. Thank you. You're driving to work. You're like,

put on a bit of phrasing the bar, phrasing the bar Fridays. Oh. Phrasing Fridays. Love it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Love it.

Love it. I've written here. Anyway, back to the story after my plug. It was on October 30th, 1938, week 17 of the show that the players would perform the show that would put them

and Orson Wells on the map. For the 17th week, Wells decided to take a different approach. He wanted to adapt a story, but make it sound like it was actually happening live and that the story would be presented as a news show reporting on real events rather than a typical scripted radio play. Orson brought the idea to John Houseman and director Paul Stewart, and they discussed which, spelled the same way as you.

Do you know Paul? Yeah, my dad. Was he director in the 1930? Yes, I assume. Why did I forget his name? name's Paul. Yeah, I said you know, I mean, you know. I know him well.

I know your dad's John, your mom's Annie. Yeah. We got John, your dad's Paul. My dad, of course, Ringo. Martin. Okay, Martin. Marty. Marty, boy, are you listening.

Thanks so much. Appreciate the support. These are listening. Would it be good. I mean, he's alive. He just doesn't listen to podcasts. Just doesn't have ears. The man with no ears.

Anyway, so Paul Stewart, John Houseman, And Orson, together they discuss which classic they would adapt in this newsy way. It was eventually decided that they would adapt to the H.G. Wells novel, The War of the Worlds. A quick background here on the story, including spoilers. So if you don't want me to spoil what happens in the War of the Worlds, maybe you skip ahead. And don't listen to Book Cheat because I really ruin books. Wait, don't you make it more enjoyable or something? Yes.

Make them easier to pal it. You can devour a classic in a single setting. Single setting Sitting Really working on that tagline Yeah it's not great Setting Sitting sitting

If I'd said sitting You would have been clapping me Out of this lounge room Yeah as we always do Every night Get out of here Clap bye Every night when you go

All right guys I'm gonna go to bed We applaud Yeah and I go Is that thunder It's terrifying And then he hides under his bed for a while We get some bloody peace and quiet

Yeah Please We put on a Put on a murder she wrote and... Have a great time. Crack open a blocker chocky. And I have a couple of hot dogs as well. What a combo.

Hot toddies? And hot toddies. And hot doggies? Hot doggies. We put on a real spread. Is that when you dip a sausage in a hot toddy? Yeah. Yeah, well, you bite each end of the hot dog and then you drink the hot toddies through the dog. Come on, mate.

When I was little, I don't think. I've told you this story. When I was little, Mom used to play tennis every, I think, Monday night or, it was Monday or Wednesday? It's important to get this right. Should we call it?

One night. Let's hold. No, let's hold. I need to know if this was a Monday or Wednesday. Monday night. Do you reckon I could Google it? No. The results are in?

It was a Monday night. No, get fucked. This story is going to be so good, please. So we would have, a mom would go and play tennis. And so. Sorry, which night? Monday.

Okay. And for, Dad and I would be like our little secret chocolate night. Like we'd have, like, there'd be a block of like peppment, my favourite. It'd be chocolate and we'd have like, oh, up after dinner, once mum's gone to tennis, oh, we'll get out the chocolate, but sh, don't tell Mom. It was all this big thing of like a lot of winking between Dad and I and all very exciting. Yep, see you later, Mum.

Have a good time. You're winking her out the door? Yep, all right. So it couldn't wait for her to leave. And I found out years later, Mom was well aware of chocolate night and often bought the chocolate for us. Oh, I mean, that's sweet. Should have it ready for chocolate night. That's all beautiful.

That's really sweet. Isn't that cute? That is very sweet. Oh, that's a classic story of betrayal. Nah, it's cute from every perspective. Cute, I'm little. Already adorable. I had a fringe.

Bit of a list probably. Who knows? Cute for dad. Having a little daddy daughter time. That's nice. Cute for mum, facilitating that daddy daughter time. And also. And also, having a bit of mum time.

Yeah, a bit of mum time. And getting those, buddy. What are they? Endorphins. I think you're going to say serves down the center of the court. Probably a bit of those too. Right down the tea. Oh, she was great of those.

Oh, she's gone right down the tea. Oh, wow. Oh, it's a kicker. Kicking out to the side. Oh, it's a little kick on that one. That's Annie. What's how 40 love? Oh, bang, bang.

They used to call her pistol peep, Sampress. It was confusing because at the time she did have a big monobrower and people, but also a great serve. Anyway, if you have skipped ahead, we still haven't told you the story of the war of the world. So here it is. It's a science fiction novel by English author H.G. Wells. First serialized in 1897 by Pearson's magazine in the UK and by Cosmopolitan, Cosmo, in the US. Wow.

Really? Cosmo did something interesting. In 1897. Huh. Your... It wasn't all just gobbie tips. Is that a thing? It's like all it is. Just gobbie tips.

Yeah. What's the number one tip? Cup the balls. Yeah. 1897, that's the year that the VFL began also. Big year. Yeah. Gobby tips and footy.

Gobby tips. I've done heard the term gobbie in a long, long time. Is that what you're talking about gobbies? Yeah. Is that an Australianism? I think people will figure it out in the context, to be honest. No, I was just wondering. Gobby?

Yeah, I think so. I'm going to cut the balls. What could he be talking about? Long Bowles again? Is he talking about Calvin Calco? He's always talking about Calvin Calgo again? A very influential book. It was one of the earliest stories that detail a conflict between mankind and

extraterrestrial race. To summarize it, the story recounts a Martian invasion of Great Britain around the turn of the 20th century. The invaders easily defeat the British Army thanks to their advanced weaponry, including a heat ray, and poisonous spree. black smoke. Jess, you're trotting on my.

Yeah, that's how it feels. No, your territory. Wait, have I, have I been adorable lately? Have I been adorable? Is that my thing? If you want it to be, I don't know, that's not offensive. No, I love that.

Big fan. That's your brand. Except when strangers say it, then it's weird. Yeah, Jesus. Don't message me and say you're adorable. Get fucked. I mean, it is strange that you put it out there. You are adorable and then you're like, don't tell me the thing I say.

Yeah, I'm allowed to say it. I know me. You do, don't you? You know you and you do you. Yeah. What I do. Anyway, when the aliens are easily taking over, they are suddenly killed by an earthly diseased to which they have no immunity.

The Smithsonian writes, The novel is a powerful satire of British imperialism. The most powerful coloniser in the world suddenly finds itself being colonised. Yeah, how do you like? that. So that's the... Hot Doggies. That's the original 1897 story.

But by 1938, the year of the radio broadcast, the War of the Worlds was well known in popular culture and frequently adapted in comic strips or other popular adventure stories. Perhaps because of this, Orson Wells decided that this was the perfect novel to adapt in the News Bulletin style. Right. That makes sense.

Like you'd never heard it before. I didn't know it was a well-known story. Yeah, because that makes it seem dumber that everyone got fooled by it. Yes, but they do. a lot of creative license for the story. Right. A lot of adaptation. The main one being that it's not in the UK, they set it in the USA.

Oh, okay. Well, that's such a far leap. I can't possibly make any connections. If you're at home in New York and you hear, oh, UK's being taken over. You're not going to be as scared. You're going to be like, well, poor them. Yeah, proximity.

That's what we learned in journalism school. Is that it? You just learn about proximity? Yeah, I didn't learn much. That thing's near you. It wasn't a particularly good school, to be honest. You know name and Shane? Nah.

Well selected the book, but because he was so busy, writer Howard Koch was hired to adapt it into a script. Koch would later go on to co-write Casablanca, for which he won an Academy Award, before being... Well, the famous line, tell me about it, stud. Isn't it, it finishes off by... And, yeah, that's how it opens,

and then at the end there's that famous line where it goes, fuck off, idiot! Isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. And he won the Academy Award for that. He was before being blacklist. Tell me about it, sturd.

I love that arc though. How do you get from one to the other? Right. That's the beauty of it. Storytelling. Yeah. They don't make it like that anymore. No, they do not.

That's Kosh for you. There's a piano in the middle. Yeah. Self-playing. It's real fun. Yeah, it's so good. But do ding ding ding ding. Cosh was eventually blacklisted by Hollywood for allegedly being a communist, so it did not end well for him.

blacklisted. Yeah, he wasn't allowed to work in Hollywood anymore. Well, that guy, Kosh, took a dislike to the War of the Worlds when he first read it, finding it a little dull. Yorn. At this time, Alien Stories was stuffed for children and not really believed by the general population. So he thought it was a bit of a dated story,

and he had less than a week to turn it into a radio show. Kosh worked on the script for three days before giving up. He rang the producer John Houseman, saying that he was really struggling and asked if Orson would consider another story instead. Houseman told the writer Koch that Wells had his heart set on the War of the Worlds and Koch gritted his teeth and got back into adapting it.

The truth, however, was that the producer John Houseman had called Orson to ask about the possibility of adapting another classic in this new format, but he couldn't even get onto him. Wells was busy rehearsing his next play and had reportedly been doing so for 36 hours straight. Is that what they call it, huh? Rehearsing for a play. Cup and the balls

For 36 hours straight That's the number one tip Keep going for 36 hours Or He doesn't love you Cup through the pain Wells didn't even have time To think about the War of the Worlds

And looking back career-wise That was probably a good thing Kosh worked on the script of the story That he hated day and night And finally he had a draft ready A small number of the Mercury Theatre actors Rehearsed what he'd written Without Orson there

And it was generally agreed that this new style of script without the usual live soundtrack was an absolute disaster. At this stage, the radio script was divided into two equal parts, much like the original novel. The first half was devoted to the fake news bulletin about a Martian invasion. The second half was mostly lengthy monologues

from the character to be played by Orson, as the journalistic character recounts to the audience what it's like wandering the streets after the aliens have ravaged the city. Wells finally read the script and suggested that the second half was a tad on the long sign. And that the monologue just kept describing things would be quite boring.

And he suggested that they extend the first half and make the news bulletin longer. Apart from that, he was too busy for any real notes. So producer Houseman and Director Stewart were in charge of notes to give to Kosh, who had to very quickly rewrite the script that he already hated. Right. He was getting lots of rewrites. It sounds a lot like, you know, the podcasts that had been going around last few years of that sort of false realism, but science fiction-y ones?

Oh, right, yes. Like, welcome to Nightvail is the really popular one. Yeah, there's a lot of them out there. It's just how you're describing it. I'm like, oh, that's really coming to Vogue in last few years. Yeah, this is 1938, isn't that amazing? A good year. This is pre-podcast.

Just. Is it? When did a podcast event? 39. I thought it was when we started. 39. A good year. 70 years of unrecorded episodes.

Because the newsy bit grew... I was just trying to get it all loose there. Oh, good year. That was better, yes. Because the newsy bit grew on the second half strunk, this meant that unlike usual radio shows at the time, the break that usually happened halfway through the show would come two thirds of the way through the hour.

I love that. I love a late interval. When you really need to pee, and you're going, I'm bored and I need to pee. And it keeps going. Then you just come back for a bit at the end and you're like, well, that was fucking pointless. I love that.

Should it just peed. Should it just peed and left. Yeah. Should have peed on the stage. And left. Yeah. It'd be weird if I stay. Just staring at a stage.

Get back to your seat. Carry on. Never breaking eye contact. Now that's a power play. If I've ever seen one. And you have. A Brad Schwartz in the Smithsonian His name is A dot Brad

He's a writer who's written a book about this And he wrote an article in the Smithsonian About his name being A dot Brad No about the His friend is B dot Brad He writes in the Smithsonian Apparently no one in the Mercury Realised that's the theatre company

That listeners who tuned in late And missed the opening announcements Would have to wait almost 40 minutes For a disclaimer explaining that the show was fiction Radio listeners had come to expect that fictional programs would be interrupted on the half hour for station identification. Breaking news on the other hand failed to follow those rules. People who believe that broadcast to be real would be even more convinced when the station failed to break at 8.30pm. Who, listen?

Oh, okay, pretty TV. Yeah, so. I was going to say, who knows that so well? This is when radio is massive. Yeah, yeah. Like millions of people. What do you mean? Radio's still huge. Yeah, it's not dying at all.

What? Mum? What was that? I've given up everything for radio. You hang in there. Newspapers are coming back. Great, great. I was not talking about newspapers.

Radio, I work in radio. That's coming back too. Coming back? Yeah. It's booming now, isn't it? Yep. Thank goodness for that. You really told Jess the truth then.

What's that? Can you hear this? too. Yeah, you said that out loud. Oh. I thought I could talk to Matt telepathically. No, this whole time you've just been talking to him and I've just been listening.

She's listening in Matt. Do you hear that? No. Are you hearing, you hearing what I've been saying to you? Yeah. What? Can you keep yours down? Can you hear what I've been saying to him?

What? Why are you looking at me? But not saying anything. Matt's just been telepathically giving me great gobby tips. I'm just like, I don't. Why do you need copy tips? It's mainly just believing yourself.

And look, honestly, have fun. It's the best advice I ever got. Just if you, you know, just enjoy yourself and respect each other. Yeah. Some of these last minute revisions also changed how the story unfolded to the audience.

Two moments that interrupted the fictional news broadcast with regular dramatic scenes were deleted or revised. At Houseman's suggestion, Kosh also removed some specific mentions of the passage of time, such as one character's reference to, quote, last night's massacre. All of these things contributed to making it seem like it was genuine news unfolding in real time. And it wasn't just the writers that put effort in to make it seem real. Frank Reddick. The...

Reddick. Reddick? He's reddick. His name's actually reedick. Frank Reddick. Reedick. Yeah. That's bad.

Or Reddick. Or. Or. Reddick. Reddick. If at first you don't succeed, re-dick and re-dick again. That's my gobby tip. Number nine.

Frank Reddick, the actor, cast as the news reporter who witnessed the Martians' arrival. Listen to recordings of our old mate. Herbert. Oh, the humanity Morrison. Oh. The guy describing the Hindenburg disaster. He imitated not only his tone, but also he's crying. eyes to make it sound.

I'm a big baby. Yeah, not for the Hindenberg thing, just like he had recorded himself crying. Yeah, he's a famous cryer. Yeah. Town cry. My wife left. I'll never love again. A lot of that.

Real sook. So in the play, it was more like, oh, the aliens have invaded. I'll never love again. Why? Why? My wife's an alien. Basically. My wife's an alien.

And she left me. Yeah. From an alien. What a bitch. I'll say it. Honestly, you're better up it. What a straight-up bitch. I never liked her.

There are also fewer sound cues than usual, but the ones that were in there were delivered with precision. And watermelons. Precisely. Hit watermelons. Orra Nichols, head of the sound effects department at CBS in New York. That's a great name. Ora Nichols.

That's good. She was tasked with creating incredibly believable sounds of alien war machines. I mean, they're not quite that realistic. Oh, petalum. It's great. It's so good to finally have someone studying

underneath me. All these years I've yearned for a mentee. And it feels good to have you on board. Manatee. Sorry, I've yearned for an amenity. This is about the original woman of a thousand voices, Matt, from the 1930s. What? That was one of hers.

96. According to Leonard Moulton's book, The Great American Broadcast, Wells later sent Nichols, a handwritten note thanking her for, quote, the best job anyone could ever do for anybody. Wow. In terms of sound effects. Yeah, no, that's what we're reacting to also.

So she absolutely nailed it. Also, a side note on aura, she was one of the few people to ever stand up to Wells. After he called her a crackpot during one of the rehearsals, she walked out and only came back to work after he apologized to her publicly. Yeah, boss bitch, yes, love it. Also, I like standing up. How I'm going to stand up to you is walk away.

Yeah. Yeah, that'll show you. And I did. You fucking did. So that's something that no one would ever dare ask of Orson Well. So she was a real badass in that way. So they put all this effort in, but none of them predicted they would get the reaction they would receive. Lawyers even looked at the script and made only very minor changes, like changing the names of real institutions mentioned in the story to stop themselves being sued.

But no one was like, this is a bit too real. Yeah, right. No one said that. Radio critic Ben Gross. All these names are so top-notch. Recalled asking one of the actors what they had planned for Sunday's show, and he replied, just between us. It's lousy.

And that it will, quote, probably bore you to death. Wells later told the Saturday evening post that he had called the studio to see how things were going, and I received a very similar dismal review. Very dull. Very dull, a technician told him. It'll put him to sleep. Wow. They didn't have a lot of faith in this project.

So expectations are very low. This worried well. His theatre show wasn't going well and he was going to have to do what he always did. Whip the radio show into shape. Montage. Oh my God, training montage. They're running up and downstairs. They're doing exercises.

I need a hero. Yes. And he's yelling at everyone except aura. And then he's apologising her publicly and she's like, like fist pumping. Yeah. That's great. He's like crossing out things on paper and throwing it out and they're going again.

Setting fire, slapping Vincent Price across the face. Yeah. I love this. I love a training montage. Almost as much as I love a shopping montage. Fuck, I love the shopping montage. Coming out of the wardrobe in different outfits. And there's always one that's weird and they're looking at them like, nah.

Yeah. And then they come out in a second one and they kind of go, yeah, it's better. And then they come out in the one and it's like, yes. Yeah. I love a shopping montage. Orson's doing that and people have to remind him, mate, this is radio. He's like, this is an important part of the process.

I love a montage he says. Make some montage sound effects, you fucks, he said. Really what he did was just hours before showtime. As usual, Orson Wells rocked up for the last rehearsal. So he's left them to their own devices all week and then a few hours beforehand, he comes and he's like, what he got? What an absolute divo.

Whipp it good. He read the script and hated it. According to his producer, House man, outbursts like this were very usual for Orson. He yelled at the cast and crew, calling them lazy and ignorant and claiming that it was up to him to save them yet again,

all while secretly loving it. He really thrived under pressure. He throved. Oh, I hate... You don't like Throve? I don't like... You know what? I'm reacting to something there that I see in myself.

That's what it is. And that is that I always... also am much, much better at the last minute and under pressure. And I hate that about me because I really wish I was more organized because I always get to the last minute and I go fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. And I hate it. But give me three days to do an easy thing and I won't do it. Okay.

In three days, can you pass me that banana? Within the next three days. Yeah. Yeah, right. Montaise. You can do it right now. Yeah, I know. I just need it in the next three days.

Within the next three days. Yeah. Okay, great. It's a montage of Jess sitting still for three days and then going, fuck, fuck, fuck, the banana. That's what it feels like. That's what it feels like I do. Well, it's what Wells does too in.

What he does best, he decided to, he walked in and decided to change everything. He decided to slow down the opening of the news bulletin in order to try and make it seem more realistic. Houseman objected strenuously claiming that it was now going to be tedious to listen to. Basically, for the first ten minutes of boring bulletin. but Wells overruled in believing that listeners would only accept the unrealistic speed of the invasion if the broadcast started slowly, then gradually sped up rather than, oh my God, suddenly it's happening. Wells also added back in something that Koch had cut out from the first draft, a speech from the Secretary of War. Wells assigned the role to actor Kenneth Delmar, an actor who was known for his

impression or impersonation of then President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During this time, the networks had expressed rules against impersonating the president. You're not allowed to do that. So rather than actually tell Delmar that he should do his impression of FDR, Wells merely asked the man to be a bit more, quote, presidential with his delivery and then winked at him. Is that enough to get around a rule like that? And Delmar knew what he meant.

I'm not saying which president. You should. Which president? Mr. Wells, which president? This would also aid to the confusion of listeners. Was the president really telling them about an alien invasion? How good is his impression? Apparently spot on.

You think about like Malcolm Turnbull impressions. They're always like caricatures, but back then the impressionist just did. Sort of like a Baldwin-Trump kind of thing. Yeah. Like quite good. Yeah. Quite good, but still humorous. Yeah.

Oh, you listen to him and go, very good. I recognize that. Very good. Very good. Yes. I forgot our Prime Minister has changed. Scott Morrison, but has anyone done a Skoma yet? Why would you?

Go sharkies. Yeah, nice. Got him. He loves the sharks. Not the animal. Well, probably the animal. The Cronulla sharks are rugby team. Probably hates the real animals.

Yeah. Dog. You dog. He's such a hot doggy. Confused. Yeah, me too. Finally, it was time for the show to go to air. And you have to remember, it's a reminder that Sunday evening in 1938 was prime time in the golden age of radio.

So millions of Americans and their families had their radios turned on. Sat down. Millions. Millions. But most of these Americans, however, were listening to ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy. They were listening to a ventriloquist on the radio. I mean, it's a pretty easy gig, isn't it? You could basically have two actors.

and just pretend you're doing it. They were listening to a ventriloquist. Jess, you have to remember this is 1938. They're simple people. All right. Okay. All right. That's great.

Well, that's the perfect segue, because I wanted to tell you guys about my new podcast, ventriloquism with Jess. And it's me and my puppet. I'll just get my puppet out now. Okay. Wow. Hello.

That's me talking to my puppet. Hey, puppet. You just, uh, I'm going to ask you a question and then I'm going to have a big sip of water. What did you do today? Oh, I tell what I didn't do. Oh, no, I'm drowning. I'm drowning.

Oh, no. You did that thing really well where you're both singing the Australian National Anthem at the same time. You have a bit of an example of that. Oh, me and my puppet. You and your puppet, of course. Yeah, well, we both sing the Australian National Anthem. It's amazing. Different sides of your mouth, apparently.

Australians all let us read us. Oh, it's music to my ears. Yeah. Thank you. I've worked really hard on it. So please, tune into my podcast. Ventriloquism with Jess. Wow.

You fucking morons. Our network is really expanding. Yeah, I was going to wait to announce it, but it just felt topical now. You don't want to miss this opportunity. Matt, why are you laughing? Do you love my idea? Yeah, sorry, I just came back. Just been out.

A couple minutes. What I miss? I was just talking about my new podcast. A ventriloquism. Oh, that's a great one. You got real good skills. Yeah, I wonder why you've been sitting with that dummy on your leg all day? Yeah, all day.

Scott Morrison, you mean? Ah, got it. Now, I hope he does a great job for the country, and if he's listening. Go sharkies. So, basically, so most people are listening to this very popular ventriloquism act. It's still unbelievable. That's on NBC. Come up you.

You didn't think of that. No, I was just like ventriloquism. Makes sense. Is there any greater up form? It's like listening to a magician. Like, what the fuck? Trust me, it was the right card. Every trick ends with that line.

And it's always, my God, he's done it again. The next... Coim behind you, are you? Got it. The show afterwards is the one that rode real high. The Mime Hour. Spot on. Wow, it's like he's in a box.

I find Mime can be using it. the best of time, so it would be doubly confusing. That's because you're a very literal person. I watched people do mime and everyone's like, oh my God, wow. I knew what he was doing the whole time and I was like, was that a bird? What the fuck was that? You watch people do mime? All the time?

All the time. Wow, Dave. You know what it was big at the Comedy Festival for a couple of years? Get new friends, I reckon. Who keeps taking you to mime? Were you going alone? I mean, it can be very good. One of the best shows I ever saw was Dr. Brown's one, but I knew what he was doing.

That's why I was impressed. Anyway, I didn't think of him as a mime But you didn't speak for an hour Is that what miming is? Just not talking Because I'm a mime every night In bed Heyo

Tip number nine Stay silent It drives him crazy I call him quite clown That's not miming That's quite clowning Clowning yeah Are you thinking clowning and miming

Confused That is definitely mine Great Okay yep Anyway people listening to Mime on the radio. Can you believe this? fucking ridiculous. That's on NBC. They're only tuned in, this is the majority of people, to CBS

at 8.12 p.m. after the comedy sketch ended, and a little known singer went on. By then, the story of the Martian invasion was well underway, and many people missed this announcement. This is how the show starts. Columbia Broadcasting System and affiliated station present Orson Wells and the Mercury Theatre on the air in the War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Right, okay. This is a clear announcement.

Then some music played. then Wells did a small introduction, then a weather report played, and this is how History.com describes the first few minutes of the radio play. After the weather, the announcer took the listeners to the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York, where you will be entertained by some music from Ramon, Raquelow, and his orchestra.

That was all a quote from the announcer. Putrid dance music played for some time. Remember, history.com's a worse not mine. Putrid. And then the scare began. An announcer broke in to report that, quote, Professor Farrell of the Mount Jenning Observatory had detected explosions on the planet Mars.

Then the dance music came back on, followed by another interruption in which listeners were informed that a large meteor had crashed into farmers' fields, or a farmer's field, in Grover's Mills, New Jersey. New Jersey! Right, so within a few minutes... Yeah, so there's interrupt.

We interrupt this program to tell you about explosion on Mars. Anyway, back to your music. We've got another announcement, guys. Meteor's hit the Earth. Okay, it's a lot happening in a short... It's a lot happening. Span of time. And this is well slowed that down too.

So the other guy wanted to just go straight action, but he wanted to make it, you know, sound a bit more realistic. By this time, American audiences had become accustomed to news reports interrupting radio programs. They had heard them often during the war scare in Europe in late summer and the early autumn of 1938. So it's not weird for an announcer to be like, we interrupt this program to tell you about some crazy breaking news. It sounds real. soon an announcer was at the crash site

describing a Martian emerging from a large metallic cylinder good heavens he declared something's wriggling out of the shadow like a grey snake now there's another and another one and another one they look like tentacles to me

I can see the thing's body now it's large large as a bear it glistens like wet leather but that face it ladies and gentlemen it's indescribable I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it it's so awful the eyes are black and gleam like a serpent

the mouth is kind of V-shaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips and that seemed to quiver and pulsate. Great. Great words on the spot. Yeah, I love that. I can't describe it. Here's a script. And some great acting there, Dave.

Thank you so much. I can really see that drama degree. Thank you. I really did want him to say when he said, awful. I wanted him to say beautiful. Can you read that line ending it with beautiful? Yeah.

It glistens like wet leather. But that face, Ladies and gentlemen, it's indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it. It's so beautiful. It's coming over. The tentacles are... So smoochable.

Tip number six really coming in handy. Tip number six of eight tentacles. Then the Martians mounted walking machines. This is where... Oh no, they're mounting our walking machines. Pumping and pumping away. Oh no. He's making sweet, sweet love to the tank.

Down the barrel. You've watched these aliens get out of there. And then they just say, oh yeah. And you like that? Do you like that? Is that good for you? They just get back here to fly away. And the armies left there going,

what the hell just happened? And the tank's just like, what? Then the aliens fired heat ray weapons at the puny humans gathered around the crash site. They annihilated a force of 7,000 National Guardsmen. And after being attacked by artillery and bombers, the Martians released a poisonous gas into the air, farting all over the place. Excuse us. I'm just trying to make love to a cannon.

Soon Martian cylinders, quote, that's in quotation months. That's what they call their dicks. Lounded in Chicago and St. Louis. If you want to hear the whole radio broadcast, it's all on YouTube and I will link to the recording in the episode of description. Oh, that's so cool that it still exists. That's good. So it's still totally existing.

You can listen to it. Who's describing humans as puny? The reporter's like, oh, us puny humans. Hey, don't turn in yourself so quickly, man. You guys are all right. Yeah. Yeah, the aliens come along and just start beating everyone up. No, you're going to put up a good fire.

You are so puny humans. At home, people hearing it were apparently panicking and not realising that what they were listening to was fiction. As the broadcast continued, a deluge of calls continued to light up switchboards across the country. In some quarters there were even vague reports of suicides and panic-related deaths. Oh no, please, no, no, no, please. Producer John Houseman. I love Houseman.

Notice that at about 8.32 p.m., so just over half or through the show, CBS supervisor Davidson Taylor, what a name, Davidson, received a telephone call in the control room. Creasing his lips, Taylor left the studio and returned four minutes later, quote, pale as death, as he had been ordered to interrupt the War of the World's broadcast immediately with announcement of the program's fictional content. However, by the time the order was given,

the program had already less than a minute, was already less than a minute away from its scheduled halftime break. that 40 minute mark I was talking about. And the fictional news reporter played by actor Ray Collins was choking on poison gas as the Martians overwhelmed New York. I love that. You'd be like, sir, we're only a minute away, and he's going to choke in a second, so don't worry about.

Yeah. The radio station caught onto the panic, and announcements were made at 10.30pm, 11.30 p.m. and midnight. And they said, quote, for those listeners who tuned into Orson Wells, Mercury Theatre on the air broadcast from 8 to 9 p.m. tonight, and did not realize that the program, was merely a modernised adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds,

we are repeating the fact which was made clear four times on the program that while some of the some American cities' names were used, as in all novels and dramatizations, the entire story and all its incidents were fictitious. Wow. So I had to make that announcement on the hour, on the half hour, and at midnight, three more times. Wow.

Shortly after midnight, one of the cast, a late arrival, told Wells that news about the War of the Worlds was being flashed in time. They immediately left the theatre and standing on the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street they read the lighted bulletin that circled the New York Times building Quote, Orson Wells causes panic.

This is when the new shit was going down. Whoa. Of course this is all well before the internet outrage, before Twitter machine and news websites these days would obviously spread that in a second. But the next day, the program was in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons. Apparently it had been too.

realistic and frightening for its audience causing panic across America. That's incredible. That is. Yeah. It feels like enough people would have heard the warning parts to have been like, there's panic going around your neighbor would be like, oh no, that's just a. It's just a play, guys. Source and miles.

It's just a play, guys. Just relax. Yeah. You see someone like packing up everything. Like, I'm moving. I don't move. Oh, wait. Can I buy your house?

Yeah, I'll give you $10. I'll probably you are obviously panic selling, so I'll low boil you. I'll panic buy. Yeah, aliens are coming. I better buy all the property I can. Just in case. Morning papers from coast to coast reported on the mass hysteria it had caused. The front page of nearly every newspaper was about this,

including the New York Times, which read radio listeners in panic, taking war drama as fact. I love old headlines. That is really making them sounds. It's silly, isn't it? It totally is. In Providence, Rhode Island, weeping and hysterical women, swamp the Providence Journal with calls asking for more details of the quote massacre. In Pittsburgh, Associated Press reported a man returned home in the middle of the broadcast

and found his wife with a bottle of poison in her hand saying, I'd rather die this way than like that. I'd rather die with this poison rather than with their poison. I don't want any of that alien poison killing me. Have you seen what it done? with the stars and stripes poison in me. Thank you very much. God bless America.

Glug, glug, glug. In San Francisco, police fielded hundreds of calls from frightened listeners, including one man who wanted to volunteer to help fight the Martian invaders. What a champ. Apparently, in New Jersey, terrified civilians jammed highways,

seeking to escape the alien marauders. People begged police for gas masks to save them from the toxic gas and asked electric companies to turn off the power so that the Martians wouldn't see their lights. One woman ran into an Indian... I can get to the switch. I can get to the phone though.

One woman ran into an Indianapolis church where evening services were being held and yelled, New York has been destroyed. It's the end of the world. Go home and prepare to die. Okay, let people just enjoy their service, I reckon. How do you, yeah, prepare to die. That is a great phrase.

What do you do when you're preparing to die? I imagine you go to church. That lady had it all wrong. All wrong. Stay here and prepare to die. The good news is you don't have to commute anywhere. The highways are packed. Don't worry about it.

This is where you need to be. In fact, I'd say this is a stroke of luck that you're here waiting to die. All right. Sorry for interrupting. Bye. Bye. I've got to go to the next church. Tell them the good news.

Nearly 1,400 people sent letters and telegrams to Wells himself In the days following the War of the World Dear Mr. Wells I, for one, do not find it very funny Your little radio play Made me shit my pants I was wearing my most expensive pants that day You owe me a pair of pants

Mr Wales I'll wait here pantsless until you reply. Forever yours. Cold on the bottom half. You'll know it's me because I'm not wearing pants. I'm amazed at how...

Yeah, at the reaction to that. That's incredible. It's crazy. It was all the media could talk about. So Orson had to front the press. The day after the broadcast, CBS made him hold a press conference to answer the journalist's many questions.

Wells thought he had done serious damage to his reputation. Quote, if I'd planned to wreck my career, he told people at the time, I couldn't have gone about it better. So he's really quite worried. Fearing his livelihood was on the line, Wells went before dozens of reporters, photographers, and newsreel cameramen in the CBS building. Each journalist asked him some variation of the same basic question. Had he intended, or did he at all anticipate the War of the Worlds would throw its audience into panic? At the press conference, Wells repeatedly denied that he'd ever intended to deceive

his audience. But this has been debated over the years. He was a genius in every other thing he did. Maybe he was also a marketing genius too. Nah. So, what I just told you about the panic is the story that the media of the time pushed forward and for decades was accepted as to what had happened.

A 23-year-old genius had accidentally fooled the nation and caused chaos and destruction all with some sounds and actors. But is that the whole truth? Oh my God, there's a twist. This has increasingly come into question over the last decade or so. More people have been talking about it. So all the major newspapers presented sweeping claims about thousands or even millions of panic-stricken Americans. They offered little supporting documentation.

Most newspapers printed dispatches sent by wire services, such as the Associated Press AP, which extrapolated widespread fear from a small number of scattered and anecdotal accounts. counts. Newspapers, moreover, reported no deaths or serious injuries relating to the War of the World's broadcast. Had panic and hysteria seized America that night, then surely we would have caused many deaths and injuries, one would think.

But there was no evidence of anyone actually being hurt. Right. They got rid of the bodies. Aliens. That's the twist. They really was aliens. I mean, if you're going to strike... That's a perfect time.

The perfect time as an alien force. then everyone's like, yeah, if that was this horse in Wales, you're like, case clothes. Nice. I humped a tank and I left. I humped a tank. Love that alien accent. They're just really stupid, horny aliens.

I got right into that cannon hole. Goodbye. Beam me up, Scuddy. My work here is done. I'll call you on the morning tits. Talking to the tank. The BBC writes, for newspapers, the so-called panic broadcasts brought newspapers an exceptional opportunity to censure radio, a still new medium that was becoming a serious competitor in providing news and advertising.

So was it just newspapers having a cop at radio that it saw as a threat? Radio is news, but it has adult responsibilities. Chited at the New York Times. It has not mastered itself or is the material it uses, another shot at the radio. And there were studies published to back up the panic. Social psychologist Hadley Cantrell and the Radio Research Project at Princeton University launched an immediate investigation into the panic in hopes of gaining fresh insight into the power of propaganda. But their research was fatally flawed because Cantrell's team interviewed only a relatively handful

of mostly frightened listeners in New Jersey, where all sources agree that the panic, where sources agree that the panic, where sources agreed that the panic was the most intense. In New Jersey. So they went to the New Jersey where the panic was crazy and then they said, well, if that happened here, that's probably what happened everywhere. That's extrapolate.

That's extrapolate that. I love an extrapolation. I love the word. I love saying it. And this made the panic seem even... I like how you didn't say it. I can't. The word.

I like that word, you said. I'd like to imagine myself saying it sometime. The next three days. So basically, this university account made the panic seem more extensive and pronounced than it possibly actually was. And of course, as is often the way with cult stories like this, over time the event became legendary and more people claimed to have heard it live. Oh. As weeks, just like the Challenger disaster in my last report, everyone, it's such a big news event. Everyone's like, yeah, I saw that live.

We had listeners who said that. Yeah. Because a lot of them were school children at the time, which were watching. it live, which is so tragic. And I apologize for bringing up any bad memories for those people. As weeks, months and years past, the audiences sighs, this is for the War of the World,

swelled to such an extent that you might actually believe most of America was tuned into CBS that night. But that was hardly the case. Far fewer people had heard the broadcast, and fewer still were actually panicked by it. The night the

program aired, C.E. Hooper Rating Service, telephoned 5,000 households for its national rating survey. Basically, they call a house up and say, to which program are you listening to tonight? Only 2% answered a radio play or the Wars and Wells program. None said news broadcast, according to a summary published in broadcasting. In other words, 98% of those surveyed were listening to something else

or nothing at all that night. Gotcha. Wow. So again, this is extrapolation from 5,000 households. but they would call up so what are you listening to? What are you listening to right now? Yeah but I wouldn't tell them would I

Yeah you might lie If Netflix did that and called up and said What are you watching? I'd be like docker Yeah It's never a docker It's always Kimmy Schmidt The same thing

Kimmy Schmidt doco Yeah Imagine if that's how the internet did ratings What are you looking at it on the internet right now Oh It's archlymedia Britannica Yeah Britannica Nobody would be like

Porn. You got me. Sexy porn. That'll throw them off the scent. Eh, eh, eh, eh. When I look at this unsexy porn. Ugh. Yuck. Oh, no. Look at that tank. So basically, that info I just read comes from a Slate magazine article, and they were saying, if more people were listening, more people would have responded to this survey.

So basically, they think that this radio program, which, you know, had a cult following, but wasn't the most famous program on a radio at the time, that maybe not that many people were listening to it, and because of that, obviously, less people were panicking. And as for the rumors of suicides, the rumor was checked and found to be inaccurate. You'll be happy to hear, Matt. One of the same researchers surveyed six New York City hospitals

six weeks after the broadcast, none of them had any record of any cases brought in specifically on the account of the broadcast. No specific death was ever conclusively attributed to the drama. One particularly frightened listener did try and sue CBS for $50,000, which is a... Oh, I'm so frightened. Fortunate at the time. That's so much.

That's a lot now. She claimed the network caused her nervous shock. Okay. Her lawsuit was quickly dismissed, and she didn't get any money. The show was influential in style, however, the Federal Communications Commission chairman, what a sentence, Frank Mick Ninch. You nailed it. Thank you. He quickly obtained an informal.

agreement from the radio networks that fictional news flashes would not be used again. Killjoy. So there were no official rules or regulations, but all the radio networks agreed. All right, we won't do that kind of program anymore, just in case. Because people are idiots. Again, another thing that says people did know that it was fiction was that announcements that the War of the Worlds was a dramatization were made four points during the broadcast at the beginning before the middle break, after the middle break, and at the end.

So a lot of people who were a little bit tricked stayed glued to the radio, waiting for information. And if you'd listen to it all, you would go, oh, you got me. And you'd also maybe... Speak to other people? Speak to other people, change station, and go, well, they're in this low point here, I'll see what they're saying over on NBC, whatever.

That's a cool thing I didn't realize. So CBS, NBC and stuff started as radio broadcasts. Yeah. That's cool. Those are all... The iconic networks in America? Hmm But yeah

I think It's funny I'd always just bought Like I don't know any more Than that it caused Supposed panic But the more you talk about The one it's like

Yeah obviously this is They've beat this up for publicity And Both the newspapers Had an axe to grind Yeah And Awesome Wells was smart

With publicity Absolutely And overnight The show got a sponsor Right It became like a very famous program I mean We're still talking

about it. Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? So, did lots of people panic or did no one panic? That's sort of the two sides that have presented here. The truth is, as is often the way, in the middle somewhere. The media did exaggerate people's responses, but some people were genuinely panicked by the broadcast. One couple, John and Estelle Paul, travelled all the way from Manhattan to Hartford, Connecticut after hearing the play.

They spent all of their savings to get on a train and beat the assumed rush of people fleeing in terror. So they heard the start of the broadcast, or missed the, you know, the start, but they heard a bit of it and went, oh, everyone's going to try and get out of the city because of this, let's go now. When they got off the train, they told two college students what they'd heard on the radio. A crowd gathered around them, not knowing if these are crazy people or if this is actually happening, until someone mentioned Orson Wells.

Estelle had seen him perform live before on Broadway and knew instantly that she'd been tricked. Well, you haven't been tricked. Like, they weren't, there's no malice in it. It's not like they were like, this or bloody get them. Yeah, it's like you've. You've not listened to a lot of information. I've been tricked.

He got me again. I was just like at that play, he wasn't really... He wasn't really burning down the theatre? That's, yeah. Yeah, it feels like it's almost like a... Just a test to get rid of the idiots out of built up areas. It sounds like... They just built a wall after they left.

It sounds like Estelle and... Was it John? It's always John. John. John and Estelle, Paul. Or Pultz. Paltz. It's good that they...

It sounds like they didn't have kids and that's probably for the best, I think. No, no, they left them. They left them to die. We can't afford any to train tickets. Our savings will only cover two tickets. Do you like how in the... That's kind of nice that back then

if two people got off and were telling a story that a crowd... These days, you can just imagine people just averting their eyes. Keep walking. Back then, you're like, huh, gather around.

Gather around, everyone. Something's happening. Something's actually happening. What's happening? 27% of the 1400 letters written to Orson Wells did talk about panic and terror. So they're the complaint letters. Yeah. I was talking about.

Or in some ways, fan letters as well. Some people were genuinely scared. There's no denying that. It was just crazily over-exaggerated as to how panicked and how many were panicked by the broadcast. In reality, it was decades ahead of its time. History's first viral media phenomenon. That's great. At least in New Jersey, though.

We're panicking here. I'm panicking here. I'm panicking here. You know what? You know what they're like them New Jerseyans? Always panicking. Back to Wells in the career that he'd worried about would be ruined by the reaction. History tells us that the opposite is true.

In fact, one of the only things that is certain about this broadcast is that it secured Wells' fame as a dramatist. It made him famous across the country and even around the world. Instead of ending his career, War of the World's. catapulted Wells to Hollywood where he would soon make the film Citizen Kane. I've heard of it. Because of the notoriety of the War of the World's, Wells was given a contract by RKO pictures that gave him the unusual freedom to develop his own story, use his own cast and crew, and have the final cut privilege.

So he said to them, I, you know, I'll make a film, but I get to edit it and you don't get to see any of it before I give you the final cut, which... I just get to do everything. For a first time director in his early 20s, is crazy. but they were like yeah all right and whilst financially it actually

wasn't a huge success at the time it has gone on to be frequently cited as the greatest film ever made and Wells was just 26 when he co-wrote starred in and directed it

get fucked amazing isn't it it's interesting that that's still not really done very often people giving the creative that kind of freedom

like oh look the great like what is often describes the best movie ever made was done this way Anyway, we've got some opinions. Yeah. Could this movie go with a monkey?

Obviously, I'm on the side of yes for that. Obviously. I love, look, I'm not saying Sydney Scheidenberg is, you know, was a bad guy and remains a bad guy. But I just think you should back off sometimes. Sydney, what do you think about that? Well, I just don't understand. Citizen Kane.

I mean, does you have a cane? What's going on? What we need is a giant roe. an alien no a spider it's always a spider get it in there

get it in there kid but a bada boom a millionaire that's how I make this money gotta go we'll see you later Sidney he's in and out he's in and out

he can't it's a very one-sided conversation he's always just in strange things yeah you do a lot of sorry awesome's not in

sorry I'm his assistant I'm his assistant I will try and pass that on but a bing but sorry how did he finish I'm Sidney

knee, you said, okay. I love seeing date. Well, I love seeing the process. I'll just say that. I almost looked at the curtain a bit too far there. Whoa, whoa, whoa. We lift it up a little bit, not too much. Yeah, a little bit of ankle.

Just keep them, keep them entertained. Yeah. People are panicking, listening, going, Sydney Shineberg, that's in the studio. The whole time. I'm going to Connecticut. Before the rush. The rest of Orson,

Wells' life is very fascinating. In many ways, never really living up to his young potential, but really he deserves a whole another episode. I just wanted to end with one story. A little under two years after the broadcast of the War of the Worlds, Orson met the novel's writer H.G. Wells. No. For the first and only time.

Wells and Wells. Cute. Different spelling. Are they, any relation? Wells is W.E.L.E.S. But H.G. Wells is with no second E.E.S. So W E-E-W-L-S. So related?

Yes. Coincidentally, the two men were in San Antonio, Texas for separate speaking engagements, and a radio station, KTSA, arranged for an on-air chat on October 28, 1914. Again, I have linked in the description to a YouTube video of this conversation that still exists. That's cool. And the difference in the sound in their voices is definitely worth listening to if nothing else. H.G. Wells has a quite high-pitched voice of an old man, like an old English man. Well, the thing is this.

It's not that far off. And Orson Wells has his famous American sort of booming voice quite deep. So it's very funny to hear them conversant. Go on. Well, when I wrote the story, what I thought would be very... Fascinating. H.G. Wells expressed his delight at meeting my little namespace. take Orson and joke that

Welles should drop the extra E in his name. They touch on the author's visit to the United States, listeners' reaction to the radio show, and Wells' next project, Citizen Kane, so this is before it's come out. That's great. That's a bit cute. And just to end here with a final fun fact.

Oh, I'll bid the judge of that, Dave. Rephrase that sentence and say, now to end here with a fact. Now to end here with a fact that may or may not be fun, To the discretion of Bob Perkins. Thank you. A Wells directorial copy of the broadcast, the script was auctioned in 1994 at Christie's in New York

and was bought for the sum of... 194,000 pounds by one filmmaker Steven Spielberg who went on to make a version of the War of the Worlds in 2005 starring Tom Cruise, where we started. That's spooky. You mentioned Tim. I said Tom Cruise.

24,000 pound. I really hate it. that movie. That was the first movie I remember really hating in the cinema. Like just sitting there with your arms crossed? Like for a long time I was just like being at the cinema was enough. And I'm like, I love it. It's big, it's loud.

Look how big that is. I judge how good a movie is on how big the screen is. But I remember that day, I'm like, this is fucking stupid. Anyway, I guess that's what you get for watching 19th century science. And absolutely finally, later this month on October 30, it will be 80 years since the broadcast. 80. And we're still talking about it today, so it's pretty amazing.

It really is one of the most famous pieces of radio and history. Whether or not it did cause the panic is hotly debated. But it still is obviously a very famous and quirky event from history. Very quirky. Thank you and good night. Hi, you dropped the mic there. Hey, pun king checking in. Here's a little pun riff I thought I could do.

This is already bad. So, okay, so we set the War of the World's radio play on Star Wars planet, right? And we have a key character Naboo, right? And then a key, we got a guy listening at home, right? His name is Panic and Skywalker, eh? a couple high-fives straight up didn't expect it i thought that was bad but they wanted to five it all right punking you out hell yeah i love that you're embracing it i'm looking to embrace it i don't look to embrace it i hate it but you know if you can't beat them doorn them as they do say

in the classics i do say i do say can you tell us getting late we're getting silly what a great report, Dave. Thank you. I learned a lot there. Sorry about everything I said in between, if you could edit that out and say at the top that I was absent. You're sorry about two thirds of what you said. Sorry, yes, that's right.

One third of what was banged. The other third was perfectly fine. Yeah, mainly the noises. So it's time for that great segment in the show. Fact, quote, or question. And the theme song goes. Fact quote or question. D.

Bois do. And this week's fact quote, a question comes. Oh, Dave, do you want to explain how this works? Well, basically, through our Patreon, patreon.com slash do go on. If you want to support the show, you get rewards at different levels, including two bonus episodes every single month. That's probably the main draw. But at a certain level, you get to give us a fact, quote, or question at the end of the show,

and give yourself a title as well. That's if you're in the Sydney Shineberg section. Get on board! And this week, our fact quote or questioner, our Sydney Shineberger, is Richard Frederick Schubert the third. It's the second time. He's dipped into the fact quote or question. Shubi-Doo-Wop.

And he's given himself the title, which is also his real-life nickname of The Caveman. Can I suggest a nickname of Shubi-Doo-Wop? Yeah, you can. And he'll take that on board. The caveman's actually very cool, but I'm going to call him Shubi-Doo-Wop. Last time around, we talked about his name because it is a cracker name. We talked about whether or not if he had a son the name would go on. And he said, first of all, to answer your question, yes, if I have a son one day,

I would like to continue the tradition and name him Richard Frederick Schubert the 4th. Great. And he has also asked us a question this week. And here it is. If you had the opportunity to do so. Obviously, if you didn't have the opportunity, this question is moot. Which fictional world Slash universe

Would you want to live in and why Examples Middle Earth Narnia Os Wonderland Well he's giving examples And I just want You know

Scooby Doo That's a dog You want to live inside The dog Scooby Doo? No in the world where Scooby Doo is real Oh okay Or the War of the Worlds No

You want to live in the war of the world So live in a world where aliens Come and terrorise everyone for a while and then get a disease and drop out. And really late in the movie, just start falling over and you go, this has been a waste of time. I know, what an anti-climax?

I want to live, although it was a pretty average film, I want to live in the world where click, where I can just remote control people. Doesn't that end badly? Oh, he could slap David Hasselhoff as many times as you like. Yeah. I think I'd love to live in a world where the Saints win a premiership, and that feels fictional at the moment.

Or 1966, one of the two. Now probably the Back to the Futureverse Oh good one I'd love to be in that DeLorean I'd love to meet Marty and the Doc I'd just try and weasel my way into that friendship So it'd be Marty the Doc and And Maddie Stu

Let me just say my real answer would probably be The Poirot universe Because I love the era The 20s and 30s I love Art Deco And I love Hercule P himself Oh Hercule I'd love to meet the man

Yeah what a dream The Man the myth of legend What a guy And another segment we do right at the end of the show with our Patrions is we like to thank a few as we go. And I would love to kick this off tonight. We normally do a little game. We're going to name their radio play. Ooh, love it.

I love that. I'd love to thank from McGarland in Texas, United States of America. A place that we are now thanks with thanks to our patrons we're going to be heading over to sometime in 2019. That's right. We've hit the US two a goal. Can you believe it? It's so exciting. I'm so excited and I still don't fully believe it, to be honest.

I'm pinching myself. I'm going to get to get a Gary. Throw that first pitch. Oh, yes. I'm wearing my round of cats jump right now. Anyway, I'd love to thank from Garland, Texas. Josh Harmon. Ooh.

Ain't no harm in asking. That's his radio play and what's it about. It's about a love story. It's like a rom-com, a teen roncom, where the geek is like in love with the popular girl, but not because she's a popular girl because they grew up together, and she's actually really sweet and lovely, and he knows her and he's in love with her,

but he's too scared to ask her out. And one of his friends says, there ain't no harm in asking. I love when they say the title of The Thing and the Thing. Yeah, it's so good. And then is this a play, so they turn, oh, it's a radio play. I was going to say they turn and wink. They do do that, but no one sees it.

You just hear, ding. You know. You know, you know, you know, you know, you know how they get that ding noise from a little. a cabbage with water in it. But, geez, they know what to do. Thank you so much, Josh Harmon. Thank you, Judge.

Thank you, Josh. Thank you, Josh. Hopefully we'll be coming somewhere around the Texas area next year. I'd also love to thank from another great, one of our other favorite states in America, from Athens in Ohio, United States.

I've loved to thank Graham Koch. Oh, Graham Koch, who may be related to Howard Koch, the alleged communist and Academy Award winner. Let's go with Academy Award. double. Yeah. Okay, what would Graham's be called? I love the name Graham as well.

Hamming it up. Gray ham. Got it. Hamming it up. And it's about a ham industrial. Ham industrial. That's a phrase I'm not going to be able to finish. About a man who works in the ham industry, he's made a lot of money in ham.

And now he has 20 days to spend all his ham money. Or he has to eat nothing but ham. the rest of his life. I love like a concept like that. You either have to smoke this marijuana or go to jail forever. It's like, all right. Call me a doobie brother. So he, but yeah,

to spoil a little bit, but he ends up spending the money, but he decides anyway that he wants to eat ham the rest of his life. I love that ending. Good for him for making that choice. Graham, you bloody legend. Thank you so much, Kocchi. And hopefully we'll be seeing you in Old Ohio.

Tin Soldiers and Nixon coming. Yeah, so I was thinking that, that's probably why I said it in that rhythm. A bit of Neil Young. All right, I would like to thank, if I may. Please. From Burnside in South Australia, Liam Maroney. Liam Moroney. Liam Moroney.

Liam Moroney. Neither of you want to help me with this one. All right. I was thinking it was called, it's like a bio. It's called Boney Moroni. And it's all about this man who is born with his bones on the outside. Wow. Exoskeleton. Exoskeleton.

Liam, you're the main character and director. Yeah, it's about his trials and tribulations. Do they end up putting the bones inside him? No, in the end, we find out that the bones were inside of all of us all along. Yep. You can't add to that. It's too perfect. Yeah, you're right.

It's like obviously, let's make this movie. Shineberg can't even chirp in and fix that up anymore because that is... Perfect. That's a perfect hit. The first script he's never crossed anything out and written giant spider. He just underlined it. He said, yeah, yeah, Exo. Like that.

Love that. Xo. Thank you so much, Liam Moroni. I would also like to thank from Denmark, can you believe, in Allborg. Allborg, my God, I'd love to go there. Tell you friends, we'll come to Denmark. I would like to thank Mikhail Lauridson. Oh, that is fantastic.

That's awesome. Thank you so much for listening in Denmark. And of course, you're the main character in Hamlet, a Prince of Denmark, the radio adaptation. Wow. Any twists are we bringing that into the modern age? Oh, yeah, absolutely. He's addicted to podcasts.

So he can't actually hear any of the other characters. So they talk to him and he's got earbuds in the whole time. Yeah. So what? Sorry. Basically. Just pointed his ear. Can't hear.

Sorry, yeah. I love to, but. They're talking about King Kong. Oh, he's a primates fan. He's a primate fan. He's a future rep. Thank you so much, Macal. Macal, that's so cool.

Love that. Denmark. May I thank some people? Please, too. Please. Like the professional, you are, Jess Perkins. Dead set. Peri.

I would like to say from Philadelphia. Oh, hey, ooh. Hey, I'm in Philly. You want to eat some of them Philly cheese steaks. Ooh, hey, hey, hoo, my brother's here. You want to show me some love. Hey, go them flyers. Is that the right one? That's the right one. That's the right one. Nice. Hey, I'm the Fresh Prince over in West, Philadelphia. I'm playing basketball. That's what I got to in a much more succinct way. Most of my days.

Chill out, relax and Maxon. Oh, shit. I was just talking about how much I talk too much. and I've done it again. So from Philadelphia, I would like to thank Leran Bromberg. Oh, yes. Never heard that name before, but I can't get it out of my mind now. Leren Bromberg is very good too. No, Leran. Leran.

Yeah, amazing. I don't know that name, but I like it. It's in my head like an earworm. It's like a catchy jingle. Leran. Get me some of that Leran. I'm trying to think of it. Sorry, I was trying to think of a radio play.

Oh, what about? Leran. He ran so far away. His thing is called the flock of seagulls, which is the band that performed that. And it's sort of like a modern... Is that their only? Oh yeah.

That was only a bit. A flock of seagull. So, and the play, it's sort of like a modern cat's where everyone's a seagull. It's my audition. Yeah. You got the part. Thank you. Oh, lead role.

Lead seagull. Squawk is the lead character. Oh, I love that. Yeah. Well, that's you. Is one of them called Hot Chip? Yes. Oh, that's good.

Hot Chip. Who will be playing Hot Chip? Leeran Bromberg. You got the part, kid. Congratulations. You made it, Leeran. That is a big role. And actually, that'll make you go places.

Tell you what a big role would do, feed a few sea girls. I think they prefer hot chips. Hot chips. One hot chippy, please. That's the opening scene. As if you could ever have one. Oh, but Chuck him in a roll, you got a buddy. Hey, buddy for last.

Buddy for now, buddy for love. Can we have buddies while we're in London? Are they buddies or buddies? Buties. Bodies. It is butties. Bodies. But we'll be buddies.

Answer the question. Can we have butties? Yes. It's all we'll be having. Can we call ourselves when we do? Can we call ourselves buddy buddies? Yeah. Butty buddies? Bouty buddies.

Hot chip. I'm going to get us little t-shirts. Little ones. What to put on the roll as we eat them. Our sandwich is wearing a yummy. A yummy little butty. He's wearing a t-shirt. And then you're going to put it on and then take it off so you can eat it.

Delicious little butty buddy buddy. Does that butty have diplomatic immunity? I have diplomatic immunity. To your thumb. To your tummy. Let me in. Thank you, Liefen. That was inspired by you.

Yeah. Congratulations on that. Speaking of London, I would like to thank someone from there. Wow. What a segue. Seam free. He said I was a pro, and I'm proving it. Well, I mean, you said you're a pro.

No, Dave said like a professional, and I agreed. You ran with it. So far away. I agreed and reiterated. I would like to thank from London. Richard Lloyd, which is a real theatre name. Yeah, Lloyd Weber. Any relations?

Richard Lloyd Weber. Richard Lloyd. Lloyd Lloyd The void The void I reckon his radio play should be

Mr Sheffield the musical I love it Colin The void The void The void Mr Sheffield

Colin the musical Colan The void Bracket It's set 15 years After the nanny And things have really Hit a void

Have they? Yeah He's lost his fortune And now he has to star in a Broadway show, write, direct and act in it, and sell the programs to rebuild his fortune to win back Miss Fine, who has left... She's not Mrs. She's now Mrs. Andrew Lloyd Weber.

His nemesis. Wow. They had kids, they had twins or something. Well, now their stepdad is Andrew Lloyd Weber. Ever heard of him? He got an egot last week. Did he really? Yeah.

Him and... About three weeks. ago, mate. Grow up. What's his name? John Legend and also Tim Rice at the same time. Tim Rice, Curry, Rice. Tim Curry, Rice.

Because they all produced a musical together. Is he for Frankenfurter? You're thinking of Tim Curry. Tim Curry. Tim Curry, Tim Rice. I always put my carry on my rice. Get my Tim Curry on my Tim Rice. Never seen Jess look any more blankly.

Like, I didn't tell her if she wasn't sure if she hated me or just couldn't stand me. It was one of the two. Yeah, it's one of the two. I learnt on pod in the Congo episode of primates that Tim Carrey and Tim Rice are two different people. I don't know who Tim Rice is. He writes a lot of the...

I don't know who that is. He's one in an Academy Award. He's one. An Academy Award, a Golden Globe. I know what an Ego is. He works with Andrew Lloyd Weber. He's his right-hand man. Is it all right?

No, Elton John. No. Andrew Lloyd-Wever. He wrote Jesus Christ Superstar, Avita. Joseph and the amazing technical. Did Elton John work with Tim Curry? No, Elton John did work with Tim Rice. They wrote The Lion King together.

Tim Curry is just the bad guy in the McHale's Navy remake, starring Tom Arnold. Tom Arnold. Oh, wow. Roseanne's axe. Yeah, wow. Got a flame. He was also the guy who talked Austin Powers through.

Come on, show that turd his boss. Anyway, all good memories. Yeah, so we've all achieved a lot in our lives. It's also in true lies. Yes. Great film. Anyway, that brings us to the end of this episode. I've lost Dave.

Jess, you want to boot this baby home? You want me to wrap it up. Yeah, you're really good to tell people where to find us. Wrap it. Someone's listening right now. They're just drifting off to sleep. They just do it in real. If you want to get in touch with, do go on.

You can do so on all the usual social media channels. at do go on pod on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. We have a website, which is do go onpod.com. Will you find tickets to live shows, merch, and you can suggest a topic. And hey, remember you could also email us at do go onpod. At gmail.com. And I'll get back to you within the next two months. I am sporadically on top of things.

Is that a promise? Within two months? Yeah. Yeah, easily. Basically, that means in two months time, you'll be writing 50 emails. Yeah, I forgot, because I moved house and forgot, like, I mostly did the emails on my desktop, and I didn't have a desk, so I didn't set up my desktop computer. So I didn't do emails for, like, a couple months until the desk arrived, until I set up my desk again. Shit.

And then I was like, oh dear, I haven't done those emails. Oh, dear. So I just did a big bulk. Anyway, that's me. Sounds painful. Yeah, it hurt. But that's where you can. Glad to her his boss.

Now, I know that that was a bit of fun there. That, you know, very beautiful. You're just going to do it all again, aren't you? I just want to say that that was probably the best it's ever been delivered. So, great job. I thought you were going to be like, okay, that was cute. But now I'm going to give all that information again. That was me going.

It has to be like that every time from now on. Dave. They're just drifting off to sleep now. If you can just come back down, please. What if they're not? What if they're driving? Don't put him to sleep. All right.

Wake up! Somewhere in the middle. Somewhere in the middle. Somewhere in the middle. Okay. Stay awake. Normal is what we, I reckon just talk normally. Be alert but not alarmed.

Yes. Terrorism is bad. If you ask something, say something. If you ask something, do something. And if you want to something. Just ask. Something. And keep your eyes peeled for book cheats.

Obviously primates. There's no S on the end there, I'm afraid. He keeps doing that, doesn't he? I do a soft tea. Sounds like T.S, but. It's his accent. T.S. Eliot. He's someone you should do.

Maybe I will. That's all I was saying. It was a subtle him requesting a T.S. That's right. Book Cheat out on October 8, Primates. The catalog is already there at check out. And soon, maybe you guys will phrase the bar. Yeah.

Definitely. Big time. If you do do a T.S. Eliot. And my ventriloquism podcast, obviously, coming out January 2020. We should sign off with Jess and your event. antriloquist saying goodbye. Anyway,

ladies, thanks so much for tuning in. I'll say thank you and goodbye, but also saying goodbye is Jess and her puppet. Bye! My dummy farted.

And after being attacked by artillery... Just just... She did her. That's a new Jess. She just passed me a banana. Well within the three day. It's a new me. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network.

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