Thought Spiral : Test Show #001

Airdate: 2017-May-12 (Friday)

Details: Andy discusses the emotional roller coaster he rides each day on social media. J. Elvis tells the tale of his involuntary street fight on the mean streets of Minnesota.

Notes:

• What are the first lines of the first Test Show?
  • We're on?
  • I think we're on!
• And we're off to the proverbial races. (foreshadowing to The Fiddling Horse)
• Keep in mind: Trump is President. He was inaugurated less than four months ago: January 20, 2017. His election stunned the world!
• Below is a loose sketch of what was discussed in Test Show 001.
  • The first five shows were not posted to YouTube by Showbriz Studios, but instead by: MFRStudios999, (Mantis Fist Recordings, MFR Studios, Metal Mitt Video Podcast Network). OK.
  • I don't know if Mr. Mantis also created the charming image cards for the first five shows too, see Comment below, which I want to make into a series of commemorative plates or at least saucers. Hello, Zazzle!
• Andy's Twitter. Josh sees Twitter as a place to broadcast jokes to the masses. Andy seems to see it as more of an interactive sport or competition. Or no, rather just a thing that he must compulsively check, due to OCD and ADHD.
• Andy's Twitter behavior has become concerning to others. People have reached out to him to ask what's going on? Josh points out that commenting on others is one thing, but Andy is taking a scolding tone, which Josh finds quite unappealing. 
• Is voicing anger on Twitter productive? Is it merely off-gassing? Or are your opponents on Twitter representative of people in your life that you've had unsuccessful arguments with, arguments that you're carrying to infinity and beyond?
• This first Test Show does lay out some of the groundwork that is revisited throughout the show in later years, such as Andy's doubt in his intelligence about the universe, which his father may have sparked (though to be fair: neither was the next Einstein). Andy admits that the elder Mr. Kindler's doubt in spirituality-based ideas may play a role in Andy's fighting with new atheists today on Twitter: people who say things like: "If you believe in a Creator, you believe in a man on a cloud, and also, you are dumb."
• Josh points out that some of these people are natural and/or professional trolls, so engaging with them in a heartfelt manner is only serving to bother you (Andy) and Andy's friends & family who view these engagements online from a distance. The agitators may even be bots or Russian operatives designed to create chaos and frustration online. Andy realizes this and yet.
• Andy may make history as the oldest Jewish male to enter therapy (60), which isn't so old, but maybe a bit late when you consider that he is a deeply devoted fan of Jewish American males like Woody Allen and Richard Lewis who prominently feature therapy and neuroses in their comedy, as well as "Professional Therapist" Jonathan Katz's series, which featured Andy himself in several appearances. Andy did have an initial experience with free therapy in 1978 that may have put him off it for a few decades. It happens.
• In addition to Andy's OCD which can trigger compulsive Twittering, it also can cause false memories or intrusive thoughts about hit-and-run accidents or forest fires. And even though this might make the sufferer feel crazy, it is an recognized OCD symptom. Reddit user u/jeffko206 shared an article about it in this subreddit years back (from the International OCD Foundation: IOCDF) thinking of Andy! which was thoughtful.
• But seriously, what if Andy has committed some capital crime unwittingly? Let's hope! Then Thought Spiral might become a hit true-crime podcast à la S-Town or Serial. Or R-Town or Our Town. Wordplay!
• 00:32:11 ... Our hosts' history with physical fights.
• Someone went to University of Minnesota for one year. The same person took up fencing for a year or so. Saber, foil, epee? Who knew there were three options? The answer here is foil.
• 00:43:25 ... Andy files away future tour titles like: "Progressively Smaller Rooms"
• Delightful showbiz aphorisms like: Write Yiddish; cast British!
• Did you know that J.Elvis Weinstein also considered becoming J.Einstein Weinstein?
• Did you know that an alternate title for the podcast was: "Jews digressing"? 00:54:00
• Thank you to all the Thought Spiral writers, storyboard artists, B-storyline plotters, script supervisors, et cetera. After the initial meetings, they came up with many of the classic interactions we all quote daily, such as:
  • Andy: Hello, I'm Professor Edison
  • Andy: Hello, I'm an old lady.
  • Andy: Welcome to the inner sanctum!!!!
• Thought Spiral WILL BECOME "The War of the Worlds" of modern podcasting.
• Despite this lofty goal, our hosts are determined for the show NOT to be: ❌
  • slick
  • endearing
  • prepared 
  • substantial
  • listened to
  • watchable
  • enduring
• They explore making the podcast only available on vinyl as a path to hipster success.
• 01:00:25: ... J.Elvis fools a friend to ask for a $100 Amoco gas coupon for new drivers when he gets his license! Sounds someone needs a "You're joshing" mug! ☕ 01:03:45
• Lastly, I key in a delicious mélange of proper nouns that were mentioned during this Test Show: Ricky Gervais crucified with a mic stand; Dennis Miller; Aparna Nancherla; Josh Zepps (Szeps), Sam Harris, Ray Romano; Taekwondo; Ben Carson; Rex Tillerson; Narcissism; Fibber McGee & Molly; Teterboro; Sully Sullenberger; Branta canadensis (Canadian geese); AARP; The Sting.
• Bonus: 01:04:00: They debate how to end their first test show. Do you remember how they did it? Do they create a historic signoff tagline fit for the gravitas of a CBS News anchor? Give the magic a re-listen.