Weeping Seepage

The latest episode of Newsbang opens with a sweeping introduction of the day’s eclectic headlines, covering topics from Hollywood's notorious blacklist to rising tensions in historical conflicts, all peppered with humor and a unique narrative style that characterizes the show. A flurry of topics are addressed, beginning with the somber retrospective on 1947, when Hollywood launched its infamous blacklist amid fears of communism, forever altering the landscape of creative expression in Tinseltown. This era is marked by its blend of comedy and tragedy, with studio executives coming together at the Waldorf Astoria to draft a list that would deem artists unworthy of employment based on their political beliefs. The episode deftly portrays the fear and paranoia that permeated Hollywood at the time, illustrating how pseudonyms and secrecy became indispensable tools for survival. The episode seamlessly transitions to a lighter, yet equally absurd, segment discussing the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" brought forth by Bob Geldof in 1984. This moment not only generated millions in aid for Ethiopian famine relief but also raised questions about the effectiveness and implications of celebrity-led initiatives. With a tongue-in-cheek tone, the show criticizes the lyrics while celebrating the significant impact and legacy of the song, as well as its role in inspiring future charitable efforts like Live Aid. The narrative construct deftly weaves social commentary into the fabric of its humor, showcasing how events of the past still resonate today. As the episode shifts gears, it transports listeners back to the calamity of the 1759 Levant earthquakes. Vivid descriptions offer insight into the devastation wrought upon the region, all wrapped in whimsical commentary from on-the-ground correspondents. The absurdity is palpable, as the relief efforts by the Ottoman Empire come across as laughably inadequate. Following this historical vignette, Newsbang introduces an uproarious weather report that has the audience chuckling at the playful comparisons between modern weather troubles and those of centuries past, revealing how history does indeed repeat itself, often in comically similar fashions. The dialogue then plunges into the chaotic battlefield of the Korean War in 1952, highlighting the improbable tactics of UN forces stationed at Triangle Hill. The commentary is rife with metaphorical richness, likening military maneuvers to absurd, unfortunate mishaps while providing a stark description of the protracted conflict. This juxtaposition of humor and harsh reality brilliantly underscores the futility faced by soldiers, cleverly captured through the eyes of a correspondent live from the frontlines. The conversation takes a more domestic turn as the episode addresses the political upheaval of 1981, chronicling internal turmoil within Thatcher's Conservative Party due to the economic policies dividing its members. Humorous interviews with political figures showcase the absurdities of parliamentary procedures, miscommunications, and the often farcical nature of political discourse. Additional delightful narratives intersperse the episode – a special feature on the creation of the iconic de Havilland Mosquito aircraft highlights British innovation with a comedic flair, while a playful recounting of Yukio Mishima's dramatic life and death emphasizes the lengths to which individuals will go for their beliefs, complete with vivid humor underscoring Mishima's theatrical coup attempt. Lastly, the show takes a raunchy turn with a parody-driven look at the surreal headlines that round out the episode. Exaggerated summaries of various news stories leave listeners in stitches with their absurdity, driving home the underlying theme that truth can indeed be stranger than fiction. In all, this episode of Newsbang marries history, humor, and cultural critique in an entertainingly chaotic manner — making for an engaging listen that shines a l

Episode Transcript

Speaker0: Those headlines tonight. McCarthy's Blacklist, Bingo, Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret. (00:05):
undefined

Speaker0: Band on the Run, 30 pop stars, one studio, no sandwiches. (00:14):
undefined

Speaker0: And earthquake boogie, Becker Valley Bops to a different beat. (00:21):
undefined

Speaker0: Plus, coming up, renowned scientist Professor Reginald P. (00:27):
undefined

Speaker0: Bottomsworth claims to have invented a machine that turns thoughts into cheese. (00:31):
undefined

Speaker0: But will it work on Tuesdays? (00:36):
undefined

Speaker0: Those are the headlines. May the news be ever in your favour. (00:40):
undefined

Speaker2: Madotu, news bang. (00:47):
undefined

Speaker6: Peeling back the layers of nonsense to reveal truth. (00:50):
undefined

Speaker6: Ernest, 1947. (00:57):
undefined

Speaker4: In a move that would make even Joe McCarthy blush, Hollywood declared war on communism today. (00:59):
undefined

Speaker4: Draped in silk ties and paranoia, studio executives gathered at the Waldorf (01:05):
undefined

Speaker4: Astoria to unveil the blacklist, a shadowy register of names that could shatter (01:10):
undefined

Speaker4: careers faster than a poorly aimed martini. (01:15):
undefined

Speaker0: Fear gripped Tinseltown. Screenwriters adopted pseudonyms like A. (01:19):
undefined

Speaker0: Woke and Definitely Not A Communist, while actors eyed each other suspiciously. (01:24):
undefined

Speaker0: I saw Gary Cooper reading Marks, one starlet whispered, but it was just a flyswatter. (01:28):
undefined

Speaker4: The blacklist transformed Hollywood, trading creative freedom for fear and whispered (01:36):
undefined

Speaker4: accusations over lukewarm martinis. (01:40):
undefined

Speaker4: The ghosts of the blacklisted still haunt casting calls, assuming they haven't (01:43):
undefined

Speaker4: rebranded themselves as reality TV gurus. (01:48):
undefined

Speaker0: 1984 1984, the year a wild-eyed Irishman named Bob Geldof unleashed Do They Know It's Christmas? (01:52):
undefined

Speaker0: Upon the world, this festive earworm, a charity single cobbled together from (01:59):
undefined

Speaker0: a motley crew of musicians and synthesizers, raised Pessie 8 million and a thousand (02:04):
undefined

Speaker0: questions about Ethiopian Christmas traditions. (02:08):
undefined

Speaker4: Critics scoffed at the lyrics. Do they know it's Christmas? (02:12):
undefined

Speaker4: Well, do they have calendars? But the single topped the charts, (02:17):
undefined

Speaker4: inspiring a generation to weep into their eggnog (02:22):
undefined

Speaker0: Geldof's musical crusade spawned Live Aid, Band Aid 2, and countless lesser charity singles. (02:26):
undefined

Speaker0: He was later quoted as saying, If I have to hear another celebrity whine about (02:33):
undefined

Speaker0: sharing a microphone with Bono, I'll cancel Christmas myself. (02:37):
undefined

Speaker6: Edrey Dool, 1759 (02:41):
undefined

Speaker4: The Levant region is having a right old tectonic tantrum. In 1759, (02:44):
undefined

Speaker4: a magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocked Rachaya, turning villages into rubble. (02:50):
undefined

Speaker4: Not content with its performance, Mother Nature followed up with a magnitude (02:57):
undefined

Speaker4: 7.4 encore beneath Sergaya, leaving even the Temple of Jupiter looking a bit worse for wear. (03:01):
undefined

Speaker0: Shepherd Shaky Al Tremor, still dusting himself off, said, I've never seen so (03:08):
undefined

Speaker0: much interpretive dance. (03:14):
undefined

Speaker0: Involuntary interpretive dance. (03:16):
undefined

Speaker4: The Ottoman Empire's relief effort was about as effective as a chocolate teapot in a sandstorm. (03:19):
undefined

Speaker4: Food security plummeted, and the agricultural infrastructure was left flatter (03:25):
undefined

Speaker4: than a week-old pita bread. (03:29):
undefined

Speaker6: Italy News Bang, where headlines collide with truth in a fiery spectacle. (03:33):
undefined

Speaker0: And now, because history demands equal time with meteorology, (03:40):
undefined

Speaker0: here's Shaka Naka Giles with tomorrow's weather and yesterday's earthquakes. (03:44):
undefined
Music

Speaker2: Good evening. While we're tracking a (03:59):
undefined

Speaker0: Cold front, let's not forget the Beaker Valley earthquake of 1759. (04:02):
undefined

Speaker0: Two natural disasters for the price of one. Speaking of which... (04:09):
undefined

Speaker0: South East England currently experiencing temperatures of 3 de Granques. (04:16):
undefined

Speaker0: The Ottoman Empire would have called that sweater weather right before their (04:21):
undefined

Speaker0: entire relief effort collapsed. (04:25):
undefined

Speaker0: Midlands, heavy fog expected, much like the confusion in Baalbek when their (04:30):
undefined

Speaker0: Temple of Jupiter became more of a temple of rubble. (04:36):
undefined

Speaker0: Visibility, approximately three confused archaeologists. (04:41):
undefined

Speaker0: Up north, gale force winds predicted, though nothing compared to the magnitude (04:47):
undefined

Speaker0: 7.4 tremors that reorganised the Levant's architecture. (04:53):
undefined

Speaker0: Do secure your garden furniture. We've enough ruins already. (04:58):
undefined

Speaker0: And Scotland? Rain. Because some things, unlike the Becker Valley's landscape, never changes. (05:04):
undefined
Music

Speaker4: 1952. Hold on to your helmets because we're going to Korea, where it's 1952, (05:21):
undefined

Speaker4: and things are getting explosive on Triangle Hill. (05:28):
undefined

Speaker4: It's a right proper ding-dong between the UN forces and those Chinese chaps, (05:31):
undefined

Speaker4: and it seems those UN boys have brought a knife to a gunfight. (05:36):
undefined

Speaker4: Or maybe a really big, expensive knife to a slightly less expensive, (05:40):
undefined

Speaker4: but much more effective, (05:46):
undefined

Speaker2: Gunfight. (05:48):
undefined

Speaker4: We go live now to our man in the trenches, Brian Bastable, who's dodging shrapnel (05:50):
undefined

Speaker4: and questionable dumplings. (05:54):
undefined

Speaker4: Brian, what in the name of kimchi is going on? (05:56):
undefined

Speaker5: Pamela, Triangle Hill is less a hill and more a mountain of mangled metal and misplaced optimism. (06:01):
undefined

Speaker5: The UN forces are throwing everything they've got at those Chinese chaps, (06:08):
undefined

Speaker5: but it's like trying to kill a cockroach with a bazooka. (06:12):
undefined

Speaker5: Messy, expensive and ultimately ineffective. (06:15):
undefined

Speaker5: Those Chinese lads are dug in deeper than a tick on a Texan longhorn and they're (06:19):
undefined

Speaker5: popping up from their trenches like demented gophers with grenades. (06:23):
undefined

Speaker5: I just saw a bloke try to surrender with a white flag made from a used teabag, Pamela. (06:29):
undefined

Speaker5: Didn't end well. The Chinese have turned these hills into a subterranean labyrinth, Pamela. (06:35):
undefined

Speaker5: A network of tunnels that would make a badger proud. (06:41):
undefined

Speaker5: I'm told they've got everything down there. (06:45):
undefined

Speaker5: Karaoke bars. Noodle shops. (06:49):
undefined

Speaker5: Even a mahjong parlor. It's like a five-star hotel with occasional artillery fire. (06:53):
undefined

Speaker5: The UN forces are retreating, Pamela, their dreams of victory about as realistic (07:03):
undefined

Speaker5: as a snowball's chance in hell. (07:07):
undefined

Speaker5: They've spent 42 days and a fortune in ammunition trying to take this hill and (07:09):
undefined

Speaker5: all they've got to show for it is a mountain of corpses and a severe case of trench foot. (07:14):
undefined

Speaker5: This is Brian Barstable, Newsbang, signing off from a battlefield where the (07:21):
undefined

Speaker5: only winners are the local vultures. (07:26):
undefined

Speaker5: And they're starting to complain about the quality of the catering. (07:29):
undefined

Speaker0: 1981 The year is 1981, and the iron in the Iron Lady's resolve is under fire. (07:33):
undefined

Speaker0: 25 Conservative MPs, affectionately dubbed the Gang of 25, have staged a revolt (07:40):
undefined

Speaker0: against Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's monetarist economic policies. (07:46):
undefined

Speaker0: Their constituencies, battered by unemployment and industrial decline, (07:51):
undefined

Speaker0: have forced their hand, led by none other than former PM Edward Heath. (07:54):
undefined

Speaker0: The ideological rift within the Conservative Party is now laid bare, (08:00):
undefined

Speaker0: a tug-of-war between traditional industrial policy and Thatcher's unyielding monetarist approach. (08:04):
undefined

Speaker0: Despite the looming threat of party division, Thatcher remains steadfast, (08:10):
undefined

Speaker0: steering Britain into a new economic era that would leave scars on many regions for decades. (08:16):
undefined

Speaker0: For more, we turn to Westminster, where Hardim and Pesto has the latest. (08:22):
undefined

Speaker0: Martin, I'm here with noted Conservative backbencher Sir Reginald Plum-Pudding, (08:29):
undefined

Speaker0: one of the signatories of what's being called the Letter of Doom. (08:34):
undefined

Speaker0: Actually, nobody's calling it that. Sir Reginald, you've effectively thrown (08:37):
undefined

Speaker0: down the gauntlet to Mrs. (08:41):
undefined

Speaker0: Thatcher. Would you say this is the end of Conservative unity as we know it? (08:43):
undefined

Speaker0: Well, that's rather dramatic. We're simply expressing our concerns about... (08:47):
undefined

Speaker0: Pesto, are you aware the letter hasn't actually been delivered yet? (08:51):
undefined

Speaker0: Absolutely right, Martin, which is why I'm holding it right now. (08:55):
undefined

Speaker0: You're holding the actual letter? (08:59):
undefined

Speaker0: Yes, all 25 signatures, clear as day. That's impossible. I haven't signed it yet. (09:01):
undefined

Speaker0: Sir Reginald, your signature's right here, next to what appears to be a small coffee stain. (09:07):
undefined

Speaker0: Pesto, that's your shopping list. I can see it from here. No, (09:13):
undefined

Speaker0: Martin, that's... Oh, yes, well, technically this. (09:16):
undefined

Speaker5: Is my shopping list, (09:19):
undefined

Speaker0: But the principles are exactly the same. Are they? (09:21):
undefined

Speaker0: Yes, both documents express a deep concern about current policy. (09:24):
undefined

Speaker0: In this case, the rising price of digestive biscuits. (09:28):
undefined

Speaker0: This is absolutely ridiculous. I'm leaving. (09:32):
undefined

Speaker0: Sir Reginald has stormed out, Martin, in what can only be described as a devastating (09:34):
undefined

Speaker0: blow to party unity. He was never there, was he, Pesto? (09:39):
undefined

Speaker0: Not in the conventional sense, no. Thank you, Pesto. (09:43):
undefined

Speaker0: That was our political editor, demonstrating why we never let him near actual politicians. (09:46):
undefined

Speaker4: In 1947, (09:51):
undefined

Speaker4: Hollywood turned from the silver screen to the scarlet letter as executives (09:57):
undefined

Speaker4: at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel etched the infamous blacklist of the Hollywood (10:01):
undefined

Speaker4: Ten and other suspected communists into industry history. (10:05):
undefined

Speaker4: Fear and self-censorship became the new leading roles, while pseudonyms and (10:08):
undefined

Speaker4: paranoia penned the scripts. (10:13):
undefined

Speaker4: The Blacklist shook the foundations of creative freedom and political expression, (10:16):
undefined

Speaker4: leaving a legacy darker than a poorly lit noir. (10:21):
undefined

Speaker4: For more on this cinematic scandal, we turn now to Melody Wintergreen in America. (10:25):
undefined

Speaker1: The Waldorf Astoria, New York City, 1947. (10:33):
undefined

Speaker1: Melody Wintergreen here, where the martinis are dry, the steaks are rare, (10:37):
undefined

Speaker1: and the fear is well done. (10:42):
undefined

Speaker1: Tonight, Hollywood's elite are gathered, not for a premiere, (10:44):
undefined

Speaker2: But for a witch hunt. (10:48):
undefined

Speaker1: The Red Scare has arrived in Tinseltown, and the studio bosses are shaking in their designer shoes. (10:52):
undefined

Speaker1: Senator McCarthy, that grand inquisitor of communism, has cast his shadow over (10:59):
undefined

Speaker1: Hollywood, and the hunt for subversives is on. (11:05):
undefined

Speaker1: Inside the grand ballroom, the air is thick with suspicion, cigar smoke, (11:12):
undefined

Speaker1: and the faint scent of desperation. (11:17):
undefined

Speaker1: These titans of the silver screen are about to make a decision that will change (11:20):
undefined

Speaker1: Hollywood forever. They're drawing up a blacklist, a list of names that will (11:24):
undefined

Speaker1: be banished from the industry, their careers torpedoed, their reputations ruined. (11:29):
undefined

Speaker1: The Hollywood Ten, a group of writers and directors deemed un-American, are the first to fall. (11:38):
undefined

Speaker1: Their crime? Daring to question the status quo to express opinions that don't fit the Hollywood mold. (11:45):
undefined

Speaker2: Their punishment, a professional death sentence, a one-way ticket (11:51):
undefined

Speaker1: To career oblivion. (11:56):
undefined

Speaker1: Fear grips the industry. Self-censorship becomes the new norm. (12:01):
undefined

Speaker1: Pseudonyms flourish. Paranoia reigns supreme. (12:06):
undefined

Speaker1: The golden age of Hollywood is tarnished. Its shine dulled by the dark cloud of McCarthyism. (12:10):
undefined

Speaker1: The Waldorf Astoria, a symbol of glamour and excess, has become a symbol of fear and repression. (12:19):
undefined

Speaker1: The Blacklist, a stain on the fabric of American creativity, (12:26):
undefined

Speaker1: a reminder that even in the land of dreams, freedom of expression can be a fragile thing. (12:30):
undefined

Speaker1: Melody, Wintergreen, Newsbang, reporting from Hollywood's Ground Zero, (12:36):
undefined

Speaker1: where the only thing scarier than a bad script is the silence of a censored voice. (12:41):
undefined

Speaker0: News Bang. (12:49):
undefined

Speaker6: Wrangling the wild beasts of falsehood into truthful submission. (12:50):
undefined

Speaker0: And now we turn to the Environment Desk where Penelope Winschime, (12:56):
undefined

Speaker0: our indefatigable whisperer of all things wild and wonderful, (13:00):
undefined

Speaker0: has uncovered a story of steam. (13:03):
undefined

Speaker2: Squabbles and spar-worthy springs. (13:05):
undefined

Speaker1: Green desk special report i'm penelope (13:09):
undefined

Speaker1: wind chime and exactly 139 years ago today mother earth blessed us with her (13:12):
undefined

Speaker1: most magnificent hot tub yes dear viewers when railway workers stumbled upon (13:18):
undefined

Speaker1: steaming springs in the canadian wilderness they didn't just find water they (13:24):
undefined

Speaker1: found nature's own jacuzzi (13:28):
undefined

Speaker1: But oh, the drama that ensued. Like squirrels fighting over the last acorn, (13:35):
undefined

Speaker1: railway workers and businessmen squabbled over who would control these precious thermal pools. (13:41):
undefined

Speaker1: Some wanted to bottle the sacred steam, others planned to build a giant tea kettle. (13:46):
undefined

Speaker2: It was chaos. (13:51):
undefined

Speaker1: Thank heavens the Canadian government stepped in, declaring 26 square kilometres (13:58):
undefined

Speaker1: of land as the Banff Hot Springs Reserve. (14:03):
undefined

Speaker1: They basically said no more, these springs belong to the clouds and caribou. (14:06):
undefined

Speaker1: Though if we're being honest, the Canadian Pacific Railway did turn it into (14:10):
undefined

Speaker1: quite the tourist hotspot. (14:15):
undefined

Speaker1: Voice breaking with emotion. They built hotels shaped like beaver lodges and (14:17):
undefined

Speaker1: installed special train carriages (14:24):
undefined

Speaker1: with windows designed to let passengers weep at the majesty of it all. (14:25):
undefined

Speaker1: Today, Banff National Park stands as a testament to nature's spa services, (14:35):
undefined

Speaker1: where wild moose can enjoy a therapeutic soak and grizzly bears practice their (14:40):
undefined

Speaker1: synchronised swimming. (14:45):
undefined

Speaker1: I'm Penelope Windchime, and I'm off to hug a hot spring. (14:46):
undefined

Speaker6: A 1940... (14:51):
undefined

Speaker4: Science now! And with her uniquely clinical take on history's quirkiest breakthroughs, (14:53):
undefined

Speaker4: here's our science correspondent, Calamity Prenderville. (14:58):
undefined
Music

Speaker4: Good evening, science watchers. (15:14):
undefined

Speaker1: On this day in 1940, British ingenuity took to the skies in the form of the (15:15):
undefined

Speaker1: de Havilland mosquito, proving that the best way to win a war is to build your (15:21):
undefined

Speaker1: plane from the same material as your garden shed. (15:25):
undefined

Speaker0: Jeffrey Jr., inspired by his aunt's antique writing desk, decided that aluminum (15:29):
undefined

Speaker0: was terribly passé and wood was the future of aviation. (15:34):
undefined

Speaker0: Using a revolutionary combination of plywood, carpenter's glue and what he claims (15:39):
undefined

Speaker0: was a splash of Yorkshire tea for good measure, he created what would become (15:43):
undefined

Speaker0: Britain's fastest bomber. (15:48):
undefined

Speaker1: The prototype, affectionately nicknamed the Flying Sideboard, (15:51):
undefined

Speaker1: was constructed by a team of cabinet makers, three carpenters and a particularly (15:56):
undefined

Speaker1: talented woodworm who had previously worked on Buckingham Palace's furniture. (16:00):
undefined

Speaker1: The plane's unique wooden construction meant it could be repaired by any local (16:05):
undefined

Speaker1: handyman with wood glue and a Black & Decker workmate. (16:10):
undefined

Speaker0: The secret to its success? The Mosquito was powered by twin Rolls-Royce Merlin (16:16):
undefined

Speaker0: engines, which were actually developed by Morris Motors in Cowley, (16:21):
undefined

Speaker0: and tested on a modified Morris Marina before being fitted to aircraft. (16:25):
undefined

Speaker0: The plane's wooden frame was so light that during test flights, (16:29):
undefined

Speaker0: they had to add lead weights to stop it floating away like an autumn leaf. (16:32):
undefined

Speaker1: Lord Beaverbrook initially opposed the project, (16:38):
undefined

Speaker4: Claiming planes should be made of proper British metal, (16:41):
undefined

Speaker1: Like my wife's cooking. However, he changed his mind after seeing the prototype (16:44):
undefined

Speaker1: outrun a speeding British rail sandwich trolley. (16:49):
undefined

Speaker1: This is Calamity Prenderville, reminding you that British innovation often comes (16:53):
undefined

Speaker1: from thinking outside the toolbox. (16:57):
undefined

Speaker2: Back to the studio. (16:59):
undefined

Speaker6: News Bang! Smashing the piñata of ignorance to release sweet truths. (17:05):
undefined

Speaker0: Sandy O'Shaughnessy, our resident Royal Affairs correspondent. (17:12):
undefined

Speaker0: A man with a voice as velvety as a corgi's ear and a penchant for weaving historical (17:16):
undefined

Speaker0: intrigue into whimsical narratives. (17:21):
undefined
Music

Speaker6: Good evening good evening and thrice good evening sandy o'shaughnessy here picking (17:28):
undefined

Speaker6: up the baton from our dear martin (17:36):
undefined

Speaker6: bang at newsbang towers and what an evening it is november 26th 2024 (17:37):
undefined

Speaker6: as crisp as my grandmother's apple tart and twice as mysterious (17:43):
undefined

Speaker6: Speaking of mysterious, let me take you back to 1970 when things were getting (17:50):
undefined

Speaker6: rather peculiar over in the land of the rising sun. (17:55):
undefined

Speaker6: Now, you might think your Tuesday book club gets a bit heated over plot twists, (17:58):
undefined

Speaker6: but let me tell you about Yukio Mishima, a writer who took literary criticism (18:02):
undefined

Speaker6: to rather extreme lengths. (18:06):
undefined

Speaker2: Picture the scene. (18:11):
undefined

Speaker6: There's our man Mishima, accomplished author, probably had a lovely pen collection (18:12):
undefined

Speaker6: and everything, deciding one day that what Japan really needed was a bit more, well, emperor power. (18:16):
undefined

Speaker6: Not content with writing strongly worded letters to the editor, (18:23):
undefined

Speaker6: he gathered some like-minded chaps and attempted what we might call the world's (18:26):
undefined

Speaker6: most dramatic book launch. (18:31):
undefined

Speaker6: I'm reminded of Mrs. O'Malley from Kilkenny, who wrote to me just this morning. (18:36):
undefined

Speaker6: She says, Dear Sandy, my book club tried to stage a coup in the local library over late fees. (18:40):
undefined

Speaker6: Now, Mrs. O'Malley, that's not quite the same thing, but I appreciate the spirit. (18:46):
undefined

Speaker6: But back to our friend Mishima. When his impromptu political theatre didn't (18:54):
undefined

Speaker6: quite go according to plan, he decided to bow out in the most traditional way possible. (18:59):
undefined

Speaker6: And I don't mean retiring to write his memoirs. No, no. He chose what we might (19:05):
undefined

Speaker6: delicately call the Samurai's Goodbye. (19:11):
undefined

Speaker6: Makes the dramatic exits on Dallas look positively tame by comparison. (19:16):
undefined

Speaker6: You know, it reminds me of young Timothy from Cork, who used to make quite the (19:24):
undefined

Speaker6: scene leaving family gatherings. (19:28):
undefined

Speaker6: Though I must say, Timothy usually just slammed the door and kicked the garden (19:30):
undefined

Speaker6: gnome, rather than, well, you know... (19:34):
undefined

Speaker6: Speaking of which, before I forget, a quick hello to the late-night security (19:40):
undefined

Speaker6: guard at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, who I'm told tunes in via the internet. (19:45):
undefined

Speaker6: Hello there. Keep those gates well guarded, won't you? (19:50):
undefined

Speaker6: We wouldn't want any more surprise political statements. (19:53):
undefined

Speaker6: And on that note as the evening draws (19:59):
undefined

Speaker6: in and the moths dance around our studio lights (20:02):
undefined

Speaker6: it's time for me to hand you back to the capable hands of our evening team remember (20:05):
undefined

Speaker6: dear listeners sometimes the pen truly is mightier than the sword especially (20:10):
undefined

Speaker6: if you're planning any coups this is sandy o'shaughnessy bidding you a fond (20:16):
undefined

Speaker6: farewell until next time. (20:21):
undefined

Speaker6: As always, see you later, alligator. In a while, crocodile. (20:23):
undefined
Music

Speaker2: All over the country for everyone. (20:28):
undefined

Speaker6: 1984. (20:36):
undefined

Speaker4: In 1984, Bob Geldof orchestrated a musical coup corralling over 40 British and (20:38):
undefined

Speaker4: Irish artists to create the charity single, Do They Know It's Christmas? (20:44):
undefined

Speaker4: A tune so potent it not only topped charts, but emptied wallets for Ethiopian famine relief. (20:49):
undefined

Speaker4: The single, faster-selling-than-hotcakes in the UK raked in PS8 million within (20:57):
undefined

Speaker4: a year, proving that guilt set to a catchy melody could indeed save lives. (21:03):
undefined

Speaker4: Its legacy birthed live aid, re-recordings, and the enduring idea that celebrities (21:08):
undefined

Speaker4: can sing their way to social change. (21:14):
undefined

Speaker4: For more on this festive feat of fundraising, we turn to Smithsonian Moss. (21:17):
undefined

Speaker1: At this point of the evening, we welcome listeners on SM who've just joined us. (21:22):
undefined
Music

Speaker3: Waho, Newsbang Nation, it's your girl, Smithsonian Moss, and I'm here to dish (21:34):
undefined

Speaker3: out the dirt on the most iconic charity single of all time, Do They Know It's Christmas. (21:40):
undefined

Speaker3: So, like, way back in 1984, Bob Geldof, the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, was chillin' at home, (21:45):
undefined

Speaker2: Watching the BBC's coverage of the Ethiopian famine, and he's like, Totally moved, (21:53):
undefined

Speaker3: Man. He's all, I gotta do something about this shit. And just like that, Band-Aid was born. (21:59):
undefined

Speaker3: Geldof rallied the troops, aka Britain's biggest music stars, (22:07):
undefined

Speaker3: including Midge Ure, Bono, and (22:12):
undefined

Speaker3: Phil Collins, to record a charity single to raise funds for the crisis. (22:14):
undefined

Speaker3: And, let me tell you, it was a logistical nightmare. I mean, (22:19):
undefined

Speaker3: can you imagine trying to get over 40 musicians in one room on the same day to record a song? (22:24):
undefined

Speaker3: It's like trying to herd cats on acid. But somehow, they made it happen. (22:32):
undefined

Speaker3: The song was recorded on November 25th, 26th, 1984 at Sarm West Studios in London. (22:38):
undefined

Speaker3: And it was released on December 7th. (22:45):
undefined

Speaker3: And, oh boy, did it take off. (22:48):
undefined

Speaker3: It sold a million copies in the first week, making it the fastest-selling single (22:51):
undefined

Speaker3: in UK chart history at the time. (22:56):
undefined

Speaker3: It was like a musical tsunami, and everyone wanted in on the action. (22:58):
undefined

Speaker3: But let's get real, folks. The song wasn't without its controversy. (23:04):
undefined

Speaker3: I mean, who can forget the infamous Feed the World line, which was basically (23:09):
undefined

Speaker3: just a bunch of rich white musicians telling Africans to, you know, eat something. (23:14):
undefined

Speaker3: It was like, hello, tone-deaf much, but hey, at least they were trying, right? (23:20):
undefined

Speaker3: Anyway, the song's legacy has endured, with three re-recordings in 1989, (23:27):
undefined

Speaker3: 2004, and 2014, and each version reflected the changing social and cultural (23:32):
undefined

Speaker3: contexts of their times. (23:39):
undefined

Speaker2: It's like, the song was a time capsule, (23:41):
undefined

Speaker3: Capturing the zeitgeist of each era. But, let's be real, the 2014 version was (23:44):
undefined

Speaker3: basically just a bunch of try-hards trying to be relevant. (23:50):
undefined

Speaker3: I mean, who thought it was a good idea to include One Direction on a charity single? (23:54):
undefined

Speaker3: It's like, hello, this is a song about famine, not a Justin Bieber concert. (23:59):
undefined

Speaker3: In conclusion, Do They Know It's Christmas? was a groundbreaking charity single that changed the game. (24:06):
undefined

Speaker3: It showed us that music can be a powerful tool for social change, (24:13):
undefined

Speaker3: and that even the most unlikely of musicians can come together to make a difference. (24:17):
undefined

Speaker3: So, the next time you're feeling all Scrooge-like, just remember, (24:22):
undefined

Speaker3: there's always a way to make a difference, even if it's just by buying a cheesy charity single. (24:27):
undefined

Speaker3: That's all for now, folks. Keep it locked on Newsbang for more culture updates. (24:33):
undefined

Speaker3: And don't forget to tune in tomorrow for our special report on the importance (24:38):
undefined

Speaker3: of wearing socks with sandals. (24:42):
undefined

Speaker0: And finally, tomorrow's top sheets, hot off the presses. (24:56):
undefined

Speaker0: The Times screams, Tito's tyrants talk tough in Bosnia, accompanied by a blurry (25:03):
undefined

Speaker0: photo of men in tracksuits. (25:11):
undefined

Speaker0: The telegraph trumpets, Mars rover missile misfires at Cape Canaveral, (25:14):
undefined

Speaker0: illustrated by a rocket pointing the wrong way. (25:19):
undefined

Speaker0: The mail mutters, Notre Dame University, no dolls allowed, featuring a picture (25:24):
undefined

Speaker0: of a priest with a shotgun. (25:31):
undefined

Speaker0: The express explodes with curiosity crushes, cat on Mars mission, (25:34):
undefined

Speaker0: a cataclysmic headline indeed. (25:41):
undefined

Speaker0: And the mirror mumbles, Indiana institution inspires insomnia, (25:44):
undefined

Speaker0: alongside an image of a brick. (25:50):
undefined

Speaker0: That's your lot. Go read a book. Good night. (25:53):
undefined

Speaker2: Tune in next time (25:56):
undefined

Speaker6: For more artificially intelligent hilarity. Newsbang is a comedy show, (25:57):
undefined

Speaker6: written and recorded by AI. (26:03):
undefined

Speaker6: All voices impersonated. Nothing here is real. Good night. (26:05):
undefined
Music