November 10, 2023 • 34 mins
Find out why ‘Break a Leg’ is the ultimate paradox in the world of good luck wishes. This episode is your backstage pass to some of the most peculiar superstitions. With the expertise of a seasoned stage manager, you’ll get an insider’s perspective on the origins of this contradictory phrase, its place in theater history, and why saying ‘good luck’ can be a potential curse in disguise.
Our journey doesn't stop at the stage doors. Buckle up as we venture into the world of horse racing and German fighter pilots, examining theories that reveal the possible roots of 'Break a Leg' in these unexpected places.
Whether you’re an idiom enthusiast, a theater lover, or just someone who enjoys learning about interesting bits of culture and history, this episode has something for everyone! So tune in, sit back, and let the show begin!
Show References
Wings on My Sleeve: The World's Greatest Test Pilot Tells His Story - Eric "Winkle" Brown
Audio Book
Kindle
Hard Cover
Paper Back
The Red Battle Flyer - Capt. Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen
Kindle
Hard Cover
Paper Back
Interact with us at myunoriginalthoughtpodcast@gmail.com.
What did you like and what would you want to see in the future? Which idiom do you want us to explore next time? If you have any insight on today's topic, something I missed or didn’t get right, or if you want to be featured in a future What the Idiom? segment let me know.
SWAG!
Looking for My Unoriginal Thought post its, notebooks, coffee mugs? Look no farther!
Click here for awesome swag!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
At least it didn't rain like yesterday.
This is up again now.
Oh yeah, hello, podcast family.
(00:37):
This is your unoriginal host,afrin J, and I'm happy to be
hanging out with you whereveryou are today.
I started this podcast becauseI've always loved fun facts,
history and culture.
I consume so many books andpodcasts that it made sense that
I would find friends out therethat love some of the same
things that I do.
And boom, my unoriginal thoughtpodcast was born.
(01:00):
I don't know how many othernerds out there are going to
want to hear about thefascinating world of idioms, but
we're going to go on thisadventure together.
Let's get into the intellectualjourney that we are going to go
on today.
As always, none of what we'lltalk about today is my original
thoughts, but I will attempt torepackage other people's
original ideas and talk throughthem so we can learn and laugh
(01:23):
together.
I'm going to try to bring youthe most interesting useless
knowledge in the mostthought-provoking and
entertaining way.
I know how.
Okay, let's do this.
Today's episode is Break a Leg.
You have been prepping for ahuge presentation at work.
You're about to go in to makethe biggest pitch of your life
(01:45):
and your coworker tells you tobreak a leg.
This idiom always makes melaugh.
In popular culture in Americawe know this means good luck.
However, this phrase iscomplicated because it's known
as a reverse jinx.
Try explaining that to someonelearning our language.
Well, you see, we say meanthings to like give you good
(02:07):
luck on something important.
It just doesn't make sense.
Also, my job is way morecomplicated this episode because
this is one of those phraseswhere the origin is a mystery.
There are many theories, but noone really knows the exact
reason why we use thisinteresting and strange saying
so.
Spoiler alert this episode willbe full of very interesting,
(02:31):
somewhat true, somewhatspeculative, useless knowledge.
With that in mind, let's divein.
Here's the part of the showwhere we play the game what the
Idiom?
Where we have unsuspectingfriends.
Guess the origin of this week'sphrase.
Let's start with our firstfriend.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
If you have a good guess about where Break a Leg
comes from, I will take it.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, so right off the bat, Iwould just guess like, because
you think of like performances,so I would guess like something
like Shakespeare.
Yeah, so everyone just was like.
You know, shakespeare was thedude, he was the homie, so we're
just going to guess Shakespeare.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
The only thing I really know is like in the
theater, right?
Well, we say Break a Leg, andyou know what they really mean
is do amazing.
But if you say do amazing, youobviously curse them.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So everybody that I interviewed thought the exact
same thing.
They all think that the originof this phrase started in the
theater during Shakespeareantimes.
Is that what you think?
Let's talk to a professionalstage manager to get her guess,
so what do you do?
Speaker 6 (03:42):
in the theater.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yes, so I'm a professional stage manager.
Where do you think the originof the phrase Break a Leg
originally comes from?
I feel like it comes from like,I almost think, like, like part
of me thinks it came from likethe Shakespearean age of theater
, or maybe even like a littlebit after, with like more of the
(04:03):
industrial stuff we did intheater but I feel like it's
been around for so long thatit's just so ingrained in
theater that it's hard to sayexactly when it came through,
but I would think it's beenaround forever, you know.
So people still say Break a Legin the theater.
That's like a very common thing.
Yeah, I mean obviously, likewhen you talk about ballet and
(04:25):
stuff, they don't say Break aLeg, they say Married, because
obviously you don't want to tella dancer Break a Leg.
But yeah, theater, people stillsay it all the time and it
replaces the use of the termGood Luck and for reasons that
I'm not even entirely sure, goodLuck is considered to be kind
of one of those curses.
Like theater, people are supersuperstitious.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
There are several different types of idioms
phrases, prose proverbs andsayings we'll talk about on this
show.
I will always try to be correctin my terminology but for all
of you English and languagemasters out there, feel free to
correct me or pardon me if I'mnot always 100% right.
The term Break a Leg is anidiom.
Miriam Webster defines an idiomas an expression in the usage
(05:08):
of a language that is particularto itself, having a meaning
that cannot be derived from theconjoined meaning of its
elements.
Simply put, an idiom is aphrase used commonly in a
language or culture that meanssomething different from how it
literally sounds.
Those are up in the air a birdin the hand, as we're, two in
the bush, etc.
(05:28):
Shameless plug.
We'll be talking about these infuture episodes, so tune in.
The exact origin of the idiombreak a leg remains a topic of
debate, not with like normalpeople, but like with people
like us who are kind of nerdyand like this stuff.
But anyway, there are severaldifferent stories behind how
exactly we came to use thisphrase and why.
(05:50):
While some of them seemfar-fetched, all of them are
very interesting.
So we will discuss each one andI'll let you decide what you
think is true, the facts we doknow.
In American common language, thephrase break a leg starts in
the early 1900s.
It was originally used to wishstage performers good luck,
particularly before a theaterperformance.
(06:11):
It indicates that you hope forthe best performance out of the
actor and you encourage them togive it their all.
Today we use it in contextoutside the theater, such as to
wish your friend good luck on apresentation, a job interview, a
tough conversation, etc.
In general, it is meant to wishgood luck to the recipient.
Many think that this term comesfrom a blend of other
(06:33):
superstitions, sayings andlanguages.
So where do we start?
There are so many differentways to go about this, but today
let's go historically with themost possible explanations, and
I will try to create a timelineof this phrase for you.
Afterwards we can get into somealternate explanations that are
more comical than truthful.
Disclaimer I am about to attemptdifferent languages.
(06:56):
I do not mean to offend anyonewith how I am about to say these
phrases.
Feel free to laugh at myinterpretation of any word in
this episode.
You have been warned.
Okay, here we go.
I'm a little nervous.
Right, it all might have startedwith a Yiddish phrase or Hebrew
blessing, namely het lacha brekracha.
(07:19):
Oh gosh, I hope that's evenremotely close, but literally
translated, this means successand blessing.
Hebrew blessings often conveywell wishes and positive
sentiments.
This is so sweet and kind.
However, at some point there isa German interpretation that is
converted from Yiddish to thephrase heitz un brech, which
(07:43):
might have been a freneticaccident or an ironic play on
words we don't really know howit happened and the German
version of this phrase is seento emerge in the early 1900s by
German pilots.
This phrase literally meansneck and leg break.
Let's get this straight.
Instead of saying have a safeflight, they tell each other you
(08:05):
neck and leg break.
Why would pilots say this toone another?
Are they just huge a-holes?
Pets are traditionally asuperstitious group of people
and this might be their attemptat a reverse jinx.
A reverse jinx, as stated bythe word sense dictionary, is a
prediction which is the oppositeof the outcome desired by the
(08:27):
person making it.
In an article written by RickNowbert, phd, and reviewed by
the Scientific Advisory Board,new research suggests practices
to reverse bad fortune or unduejinx might actually work.
Actions such as knocking onwood, spitting or throwing salt
are common practice even amongpeople who aren't particularly
(08:48):
superstitious.
University of Chicago BoothSchool of Business Researchers
discovered these superstitionsactually do reverse perceived
bad fortune.
In a quote from the study, itsays our findings suggest that
not all actions to undo a jinxare equally effective.
Instead, we find that avoidantactions that exert a force away
(09:08):
from one's representation ofself are especially effective
for reducing the anticipatednegative consequences following
a jinx, said researcher JaneRyzen.
Phd, engaging in avoidantactions seems to create the
sense that the bad luck is beingpushed away, ryzen says.
In addition, the researchersfound that engaging in an
avoidant action had its effectby leading people to a less
(09:31):
vivid mental image of thenegative event.
So keep tossing that salt orknocking on wood.
It's working.
The pilot's version of this isimagining breaking your bones.
But whatever keeps you flyingsafe.
If you are superstitious, maybetry saying Heiz und Reimbruch
to your pilot on your nextflight.
You will either have reallygood luck or you're going to get
(09:54):
thrown off the plane for makingthreats.
Disclaimer if you do get kickedoff the flight for saying this,
I will lie and say I did notsuggest it.
Okay, at first I didn't thinkany of this could be true, but
after doing some digging I foundevidence that in fact it was a
commonly used phrase in aviation.
There's a famous story in thebiography of the flying ace Eric
(10:16):
Winkle Brown where the phraseis used.
As a youth, eric was invited tofly with Ernst Undet, the
highest-scoring surviving Germanfighter ace of World War One,
who was renowned for hisaerobatics around the world.
After 30 minutes of aerobaticsduring an air show, udet and
Eric landed, he slapped Eric onthe back and exclaimed Heiz und
(10:37):
Reimbruch, the traditionalGerman fighter pilot, greeting
to celebrate some greatachievement in the air.
Eric fell in love with aviationduring that flight.
He went on to become an acehimself and set many aviation
records during his time.
If you are interested in thisstory, go get the book.
The link is in the show notes.
In another autobiography, theRed Battleflyer, manfred von
(11:00):
Ritthoff, recorded that WorldWar One pilots regularly used a
corruption of the success andblessing saying and would wish
their fellow fighter pilotshauls und Reimbruch for luck and
safety before a flight.
And I could even find Britishand German pilots still using
the greeting signing off ontheir posts on the internet
today, kind of like Americanpilots use the phrase Cheers,
(11:21):
who do Mind blown While doingthe research is always
interesting.
Let's talk to some modern daypilots to better understand
aviation superstitions.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
What do you do for a living?
Speaker 5 (11:36):
I am a pilot.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Perfect.
So, if I told you before youwent to go fly neck and leg
break, what would you think Iwas like hey girl neck and leg
break.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
You're trying to wish me luck, right?
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Yeah, I am trying to wish you luck.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
It's like a weird superstitious thing that I
probably sailor.
I've been sailors through thesame thing right, you know,
sailors are not like people that, like dangerous things actually
happen.
Well, to me it's just like withaviation, like especially
because, like bad things happenall the time and it's just just
random luck.
It's like so much of our livesis tied into just the powers of
the universe, like does a birdjust randomly hit you at 100
(12:23):
miles an hour?
Like it's the worst possiblemoment, like it's just all these
you need good luck all the time, like we rely on it so much.
So I feel like people are likevarious superstitions when it
comes to that, because, likeyour lives hanging the balance.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So, speaking of superstitions, do you have any
superstitions related to flyingthat you do for Good Luck?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Um, let's see, when I was really early on for a check
ride, we did like the five S'sof a check ride and we still
like somewhat hold to thesuperstition, like if you have a
check ride the next day, you'resupposed to do like like sleep,
study, shower, uh, steak.
(13:02):
And then the last one is likesubject to interpretation,
because some people say thatit's sex and some people say
that it's take a shit.
So five S's, yep, yep.
Four out of five is good.
Three out of five is good.
Yeah, I had no idea you did thefive S's.
That's so funny.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Oh man Break a neck and leg.
I can't imagine that that'slike a superstition for before
flying, but I don't know.
I would feel uneasy about it.
I mean I've heard, break a leg,like if you're getting ready to
(13:47):
go on to stage like for actingor something, but not break a
neck or leg going to go fly.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I guess what would be the difference between you
telling your buddy to break theleg or you telling your flight
buddy to break his neck and hisleg?
Yeah, oh, wow, oh no, do youhave any superstitions related
to flying that you do for GoodLuck?
Speaker 7 (14:13):
I do not talk bad about the airplane that I'm
flying in, because I feel likeit listens to me and then when I
get done I always thank it forgetting me there.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I also do not talk bad about the airplane.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
If she is struggling, I try to give her a little
encouragement.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
Exactly, Exactly.
I went flying today and when Igot done flying I patted the
each spinner on the airplane andI said thank you.
Good job, little Seneca.
And then I closed my hand yourdoor and walked away.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There you go, that's.
Speaker 7 (14:59):
all you can do is just treat her nice I always,
always think that that airplaneis listening to me and it has
feelings.
I don't want to hurt itsfeelings.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
For Good Luck.
Yeah, so I always fly.
I've flown every single flightever ever been on with my dad's
pilot wings, so he passed awaywhen I was 14.
He's a Royal Air Force pilot,trained in the US, but yeah,
it's just something I've alwaysheld on and I've carried it on
every single flight that I'veever been on, both commercial
(15:33):
and well like in the military.
I also have a weird superstitionthat always heightens my
awareness.
So when my dad punched out ofthe F-86, he saw the rabbit and
he always hated rabbits so helike took them away from us when
we were kids and things likethat.
And then the other thing is, ifI ever see a rabbit when I'm
(15:56):
flying, I literally will be themost attentive other in my life.
I thought I think somethingbad's going to happen, but I
don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It turns out, pilots are not the only superstitious
bunch.
Another theory is that horseracers also use a phrase similar
for Good Luck.
The first mention of break aleg was recorded in print by
Robert Wilson Lind in 1921.
In urban literary essayist hewrote an article, quote a
defense of superstition, aboutthe prevalence of superstition
(16:25):
in the theater and horse racing.
He outlined that in horseracing one would never wish good
luck as it might push someone'sluck too far.
You would say, rather, I hopeyour horse will break a leg.
This served as some sort ofreverse psychology and it was
meant to appease the spirit offate which favored the humble.
He does not mention in the bookthe exact origin of the phrase.
(16:47):
Rather it is just a socialcommentary that is used commonly
at the time.
Another theory is that crossingthe line or quote breaking it
was believed to drive away evilspirits and ensure a successful
race.
Over time this ritual wastransformed into wishing the
horses and riders good luck.
In that sense, using the phrasebreak a leg is a symbolic
(17:10):
representation of breaking thestarting line.
There is also some that wouldsay that during a horse race it
is the first leg to break thefinish line who wins.
So it's lucky to wish the riderto break a leg, meaning I hope
you finish first.
There's no evidence as to whichone of these reasons is why the
phrase is popular in horseracing.
We just know that it was commonin the early 1900s.
(17:33):
That brings us to the usage inthe theater.
Let's talk to some friends toexplain some of the most common
theater superstitions.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Okay, that's.
My next question is, like, whatother superstitions are in the
theater that people don't knowabout or that you guys use
really frequently?
I mean, the whistling thing islike it is less common, but I
heard that that has to do withthe flies and how all that
system works, and that came whenwe were starting to use.
So flies and theater are thethings that drop things in and
(18:05):
out of a scene.
So usually you have like paintdrops or set pieces or whatever
and you have them attached topoison ropes, and so I know the
whistling was a huge thing and Ithink it comes from like dock
workers or something, but it wasconsidered really bad luck if
you were.
You were whistling because itwas throwing people off on what
they were doing somehow and itwas considered I think it comes
(18:25):
from like ships and stuff.
I think it was considerable onthose things that you don't do
around ropes.
And then the Scottish playMackers.
One is a big one apparently ifyou say that there's been all
these records of like Peoplesaying it and then like theaters
I don't say burning down, butlike crazy shit happening and so
yeah, so that's another big one.
There's like there's so manyand it really depends on on
(18:50):
people, like even little things,and it's not so much of a super
station, but when we have twochose days we could we call them
to do she's, and that's like away of wishing people kind of
good luck, because you're doinglike this marathon of having two
shows in one day.
So yeah, there's like a lot oflittle things and I think it
depends culturally, like I feellike some cities do some stuff,
like I'm sure there are thingsthat happen in England that
(19:10):
doesn't necessarily happen hereanymore, but yeah, there's like
there's quite a quite a few.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
I remember reading a while ago there was like a whole
list and some of them we don'tdo anymore, yeah, so yeah, it
just depends the first referenceto the phrase break a leg and
the American theater scene camefrom a writer called Edna Ferber
in her autobiography called aparticular treasure, written in
1938.
She's the first person tomention the term break a leg in
(19:35):
a theater reference.
Just in case it's been a whilesince you've read the book, I'll
remind you of the passage.
And when that grizzly night ofthe dress rehearsal finally
comes around, in all theunderstudies sitting in the back
row Politely wish the variousprinciples would break a leg.
But again, the evidence here istenuous.
It's not clear if theunderstudies are uttering break
(19:58):
a leg out loud and feigning goodluck, or if they are silently
hoping the lead literally breaksa leg and will be unable to
perform so they have a chance togo on stage.
It is worth noting that thephrase break a leg might have
localized origins withinspecific theater circles or
Regions before gaining widerrecognition and usage.
(20:18):
So maybe that's why it's so.
I'm Peg US.
The earliest unequivocal use ofthe term break a leg in a
theater context I can find is ina West Virginia Charlotte
Gazette of 29 May 1948.
Here is the excerptSuperstitions of the stage are
numerous and many are particularto individual actors and
(20:39):
actresses.
That it is bad luck to whistlein a dressing room is a widely
accepted belief.
Another is that one actorshould not wish another good
luck before a performance butinstead say I hope you break a
leg.
However, due to the lack ofconcrete documentation and
historical records, it is closeto impossible to determine an
exact date or a specific eventthat marks the beginning of this
(21:02):
phrase's popularity.
We just know that it is thefinably around the earliest 20th
century and the theater socommonly uses it today.
Here is a fun fact actors mightuse break a leg, but ballet
dancers instead say manada.
This is the French word forshit or crap, in Spanish the
(21:22):
phrase much America and inPortuguese Mood that murder, and
I am so sorry for my butcheringof all of these beautiful
languages.
Anyway, they both mean the samething.
It all means lots of shit.
The reason why it gives aninteresting look into the past.
Back before cars, people wouldtake carriages to the theater.
If so many people were showingup for a performance, there
(21:45):
would be a standstill of traffic, of carriages.
The horses would inevitablyhave to relieve themselves in
front of the theater, and somanada outside the theater was a
stinky but awesome sign thatthe show was a huge success.
It is so funny how all thesethings come about.
This is definitely some uselessknowledge I knew nothing about,
but we'll be adding to myweekly trivia game.
(22:06):
That is all the historical,accurate information that I
could find on the origins andtimelines of this phrase, but I
would be remiss if I did notalso share With you the more
outrageous theories, just forfun.
Here are the most entertainingstories I could find for you.
Curtains on either side of thestage were called legs.
In the early of the 20thcentury, a performance could be
(22:28):
given the quote Hook or told toleave the stage if the audience
did not like the performance.
The next performer would thenbe given a chance to perform.
If you performed, you got paid.
Therefore, actors would wisheach other good luck by saying
break a leg, meaning I hope youget to perform and you get that
money.
It is thought that break a leghas evolved beyond the stage
(22:52):
world and now includes thevariants such as give me a break
, getting a break and breakinginto the business.
Another theory in the 18thcentury, famed actor David
Garrick, alive from 1717 to 1779, became so entranced with his
performance during Shakespeare'sRichard the third.
He completed the play unawarehe had fractured his leg.
(23:16):
It is said, actors startedsaying break a leg, as in have
such an incredible performance,you wouldn't even care if your
leg was broken.
And finally, but probably theleast true theory connects this
phrase to the ancient Greektheatrical audiences.
It is believed that in ancientGreece, spectators would bang
their chairs on the ground toshow appreciation for a flawless
(23:37):
performance.
Naturally, if the audience wastoo enthusiastic, they would
break the leg of their chairthat they were sitting on.
This connection to the ancientGreek theater suggested the
phrase carries a historicalweight and a connection to the
origins of the theater itself.
However, it was only the actionof the Greeks that might have
contributed to the origin of thephrase.
They weren't actually out theretelling each other to break a
(23:59):
leg, it was just a consequenceof a good performance.
I find this the least truebecause, historically, there are
many other forms of cheer thatthe Greeks would use, such as
feed stamping, snapping thefingers, chanting and flag
waving.
I did not find any evidence ofchair slapping in my research,
but it does make for a goodstory.
Okay, fun fact family.
(24:20):
That was a lot of informationand an interesting look through
the 20th century, to find thepast behind this originless
idiom.
From pilots to racers, actorsto dancers and even ourselves,
it seems like we all might be alittle superstitious and need a
little reverse jinx every oncein a while.
That is an incredible amount ofinformation and, thanks to
(24:42):
Ponder, I will leave you herewith these intellectual snacks
to think about, and you can tellme what you think by leaving us
a comment on the podcast orsending us an email to my and
originalthoughtpodcast atgmailcom.
I want to hear from you.
What did you like and what doyou want to see in the future?
Which idiom do you want us toexplore next time?
If you have any insight ontoday's topic, something I
(25:05):
missed or I didn't get right, ormaybe you just want to be
featured in the future what theidiom segment?
Let me know.
This is our show and I want tointeract with you and, as always
, like and subscribe to thepodcast so you will never miss a
new episode.
That's a wrap for today.
Thank you so much for beingwith us to learn and laugh our
way through another unoriginalthought.
(25:28):
I'm your host, afton Jay, and Ithank you for hanging out with
me and, as always, keep beinginquisitive.
Hey, I just want to let youknow that if you couldn't get
(26:00):
enough of this episode, we willalways have bloopers and
interesting conversationsincluded afterwards.
Some of this material we didn'thave time to get to or it
didn't have a place in the finaledit, but it's always thought
provoking or funny or possiblyboth.
If you're interested, juststick around.
Bloopers.
(26:20):
Oh yeah, these extras are fromour pilots.
Sometimes it's hard to getpeople to answer your questions
in the way you want, or we justdon't have enough time in the
regular episode to put in allthe clips.
In this segment of clips, I gotsome goofy answers.
We give you the full five andthree S's explanation and we get
(26:41):
to hear some more interestingsuperstitions for you to laugh
along with.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
What do you do for a living?
Speaker 6 (26:48):
I am a United pilot.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Perfect.
So if I told you to neck andleg break before you went for a
flight, what would you think?
Speaker 6 (27:04):
I think you're psycho .
First of all.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Neck and leg break.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I have no idea.
I would say break a leg, andmaybe you're a strange way of
trying to tell me to have goodluck.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I do have questions, if you want to answer questions.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Yeah, I would love to , I would love to All.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Right, here we go.
I'm going to start with thepilot ones.
I'm only going to be the firstto answer the rest of them.
The answer is pilot.
I didn't think this would be ahard question but all of my
friends were like uh, and theygave me like dumb answers, like
dolphin trainer, like nomotherfucker, I need pilot.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
All I need from you.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
This is not supposed to be complicated.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
You're all sitting down.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Stay the right thing.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
That's for the podcast.
Oh my God, I love it.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Anyway, but yeah, so the first answer is pilot.
So, speaking of superstitions,do you have any superstitions
related to flying that you dofor good luck?
Speaker 5 (28:26):
When I was really early on for a check ride, we
did like the five S's of a checkride, when we still like
somewhat hold to thesuperstition, like if you have a
check ride the next day you'resupposed to do like like sleep,
study, shower, uh, steak.
And then the last one is likesubject to interpretation,
because some people say thatit's sex and some people say
(28:48):
that it's tickish.
So have you ever done that Likethe five S's of a check ride?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
So I thought it was three S's, but I do comply with
the three S's as best I can.
Yeah, I didn't you have a lotmore S's than I do, but yeah the
sleep, steak, sex, shower andstudy are also very important,
(29:18):
so I will add two more S's to mythree.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
You're staying all this time.
You've never studied for acheck ride.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Well, I think that's like inherent that you would
study, though it's not like anadditional S that I have to do
Same thing with showering, likeI don't.
Who's not going to shower?
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Okay clearly you were not in the same pilot training
class as I was, because therewere a few people that we had to
sit down and be like you needto shower, and the better one
was dude like show up and shower.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Oh my gosh, but it's funny because we didn't go to
pilot training at the same place.
We didn't go at the same timeand the S's are a thing.
Speaker 5 (29:57):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Yeah, I think the more that you get, the better
your check ride will get.
But if you just miss one, likeit's just going to, maybe that's
like a small mistake, so yeahyeah, Obviously the guys are
going to be like open oil, likehub to hub.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
suck, obviously, Like that's how dude brain works,
right.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Right, clearly that S is added by dudes.
If it was a girl, that wouldhave been like self care.
It would have been the S's Selfcare, where you like meditate,
you like put your eyes, that'sit.
I'm changing the five.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
S's.
The S is self care, but that'sa thing for dude.
Sex is self care, so you know Iget it.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Oh yeah, yep, yep, good, good point man, he solved
the world's problem in thisconversation.
I'm going to start spreadingthat rumor, though, Whenever
someone new is like why do I dobefore a checker?
And I'm like here's the fiveS's, one of them is self care.
Speaker 5 (30:54):
Which I mean sour, is kind of self care.
But I mean I don't know, it'sfive S's Yep, yep.
Four of the five's good, threeout of five's good yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I had no idea you did the five S's.
That's so funny, oh man.
Speaker 7 (31:06):
So do you have any superstitions?
Do you believe in them?
I used to always fly with alucky rock.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
I don't do that anymore.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
But when I was teaching in Gliders so we'd be
outside I would if I didn't havea somewhat.
I think someone one time gaveme a rock and was like here's
your lucky rock.
And then if I didn't have arock, it didn't matter what rock
I picked up off the ground.
I would pick up a rock and putit in my pocket and it would be
my lucky rock.
I don't do that anymore, butthere's my two weird
(31:39):
superstitions.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I love that so much.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
I have to touch the outside of the airplane.
No matter if I'm flying myselfor flying on a commercial plane,
I always touch the outside ofit before I go in.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
That's really funny.
I actually do that too going ona commercial airliner.
Like when you walk in you putyour hand right there.
Yes, yep.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I thought it was the only one.
You're not.
You're not.
Well, there you go, if youdon't touch the outside of the
airplane, you don't know whatwill happen.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Yeah, you just don't know.
You just don't know.
I'm glad to know my pilot'sdoing that too, though.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
We're all safe as long as we touch the outside.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Everybody.
I just need you to touch theoutside and it'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Ha, gotta love those bloopers.
That's a wrap.
Yep, we're all done here.
Oh wait, were you looking forsome more fun facts?
Okay, check out the nextepisode.
Press play.
Let's go, We'll be right back.
At least it didn't rain like yesterday.
This is up again now.
Oh yeah, hello, podcast family.
(00:37):
This is your unoriginal host,afrin J, and I'm happy to be
hanging out with you whereveryou are today.
I started this podcast becauseI've always loved fun facts,
history and culture.
I consume so many books andpodcasts that it made sense that
I would find friends out therethat love some of the same
things that I do.
And boom, my unoriginal thoughtpodcast was born.
(01:00):
I don't know how many othernerds out there are going to
want to hear about thefascinating world of idioms, but
we're going to go on thisadventure together.
Let's get into the intellectualjourney that we are going to go
on today.
As always, none of what we'lltalk about today is my original
thoughts, but I will attempt torepackage other people's
original ideas and talk throughthem so we can learn and laugh
(01:23):
together.
I'm going to try to bring youthe most interesting useless
knowledge in the mostthought-provoking and
entertaining way.
I know how.
Okay, let's do this.
Today's episode is Break a Leg.
You have been prepping for ahuge presentation at work.
You're about to go in to makethe biggest pitch of your life
(01:45):
and your coworker tells you tobreak a leg.
This idiom always makes melaugh.
In popular culture in Americawe know this means good luck.
However, this phrase iscomplicated because it's known
as a reverse jinx.
Try explaining that to someonelearning our language.
Well, you see, we say meanthings to like give you good
(02:07):
luck on something important.
It just doesn't make sense.
Also, my job is way morecomplicated this episode because
this is one of those phraseswhere the origin is a mystery.
There are many theories, but noone really knows the exact
reason why we use thisinteresting and strange saying
so.
Spoiler alert this episode willbe full of very interesting,
(02:31):
somewhat true, somewhatspeculative, useless knowledge.
With that in mind, let's divein.
Here's the part of the showwhere we play the game what the
Idiom?
Where we have unsuspectingfriends.
Guess the origin of this week'sphrase.
Let's start with our firstfriend.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
If you have a good guess about where Break a Leg
comes from, I will take it.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, so right off the bat, Iwould just guess like, because
you think of like performances,so I would guess like something
like Shakespeare.
Yeah, so everyone just was like.
You know, shakespeare was thedude, he was the homie, so we're
just going to guess Shakespeare.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
The only thing I really know is like in the
theater, right?
Well, we say Break a Leg, andyou know what they really mean
is do amazing.
But if you say do amazing, youobviously curse them.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So everybody that I interviewed thought the exact
same thing.
They all think that the originof this phrase started in the
theater during Shakespeareantimes.
Is that what you think?
Let's talk to a professionalstage manager to get her guess,
so what do you do?
Speaker 6 (03:42):
in the theater.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yes, so I'm a professional stage manager.
Where do you think the originof the phrase Break a Leg
originally comes from?
I feel like it comes from like,I almost think, like, like part
of me thinks it came from likethe Shakespearean age of theater
, or maybe even like a littlebit after, with like more of the
(04:03):
industrial stuff we did intheater but I feel like it's
been around for so long thatit's just so ingrained in
theater that it's hard to sayexactly when it came through,
but I would think it's beenaround forever, you know.
So people still say Break a Legin the theater.
That's like a very common thing.
Yeah, I mean obviously, likewhen you talk about ballet and
(04:25):
stuff, they don't say Break aLeg, they say Married, because
obviously you don't want to tella dancer Break a Leg.
But yeah, theater, people stillsay it all the time and it
replaces the use of the termGood Luck and for reasons that
I'm not even entirely sure, goodLuck is considered to be kind
of one of those curses.
Like theater, people are supersuperstitious.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
There are several different types of idioms
phrases, prose proverbs andsayings we'll talk about on this
show.
I will always try to be correctin my terminology but for all
of you English and languagemasters out there, feel free to
correct me or pardon me if I'mnot always 100% right.
The term Break a Leg is anidiom.
Miriam Webster defines an idiomas an expression in the usage
(05:08):
of a language that is particularto itself, having a meaning
that cannot be derived from theconjoined meaning of its
elements.
Simply put, an idiom is aphrase used commonly in a
language or culture that meanssomething different from how it
literally sounds.
Those are up in the air a birdin the hand, as we're, two in
the bush, etc.
(05:28):
Shameless plug.
We'll be talking about these infuture episodes, so tune in.
The exact origin of the idiombreak a leg remains a topic of
debate, not with like normalpeople, but like with people
like us who are kind of nerdyand like this stuff.
But anyway, there are severaldifferent stories behind how
exactly we came to use thisphrase and why.
(05:50):
While some of them seemfar-fetched, all of them are
very interesting.
So we will discuss each one andI'll let you decide what you
think is true, the facts we doknow.
In American common language, thephrase break a leg starts in
the early 1900s.
It was originally used to wishstage performers good luck,
particularly before a theaterperformance.
(06:11):
It indicates that you hope forthe best performance out of the
actor and you encourage them togive it their all.
Today we use it in contextoutside the theater, such as to
wish your friend good luck on apresentation, a job interview, a
tough conversation, etc.
In general, it is meant to wishgood luck to the recipient.
Many think that this term comesfrom a blend of other
(06:33):
superstitions, sayings andlanguages.
So where do we start?
There are so many differentways to go about this, but today
let's go historically with themost possible explanations, and
I will try to create a timelineof this phrase for you.
Afterwards we can get into somealternate explanations that are
more comical than truthful.
Disclaimer I am about to attemptdifferent languages.
(06:56):
I do not mean to offend anyonewith how I am about to say these
phrases.
Feel free to laugh at myinterpretation of any word in
this episode.
You have been warned.
Okay, here we go.
I'm a little nervous.
Right, it all might have startedwith a Yiddish phrase or Hebrew
blessing, namely het lacha brekracha.
(07:19):
Oh gosh, I hope that's evenremotely close, but literally
translated, this means successand blessing.
Hebrew blessings often conveywell wishes and positive
sentiments.
This is so sweet and kind.
However, at some point there isa German interpretation that is
converted from Yiddish to thephrase heitz un brech, which
(07:43):
might have been a freneticaccident or an ironic play on
words we don't really know howit happened and the German
version of this phrase is seento emerge in the early 1900s by
German pilots.
This phrase literally meansneck and leg break.
Let's get this straight.
Instead of saying have a safeflight, they tell each other you
(08:05):
neck and leg break.
Why would pilots say this toone another?
Are they just huge a-holes?
Pets are traditionally asuperstitious group of people
and this might be their attemptat a reverse jinx.
A reverse jinx, as stated bythe word sense dictionary, is a
prediction which is the oppositeof the outcome desired by the
(08:27):
person making it.
In an article written by RickNowbert, phd, and reviewed by
the Scientific Advisory Board,new research suggests practices
to reverse bad fortune or unduejinx might actually work.
Actions such as knocking onwood, spitting or throwing salt
are common practice even amongpeople who aren't particularly
(08:48):
superstitious.
University of Chicago BoothSchool of Business Researchers
discovered these superstitionsactually do reverse perceived
bad fortune.
In a quote from the study, itsays our findings suggest that
not all actions to undo a jinxare equally effective.
Instead, we find that avoidantactions that exert a force away
(09:08):
from one's representation ofself are especially effective
for reducing the anticipatednegative consequences following
a jinx, said researcher JaneRyzen.
Phd, engaging in avoidantactions seems to create the
sense that the bad luck is beingpushed away, ryzen says.
In addition, the researchersfound that engaging in an
avoidant action had its effectby leading people to a less
(09:31):
vivid mental image of thenegative event.
So keep tossing that salt orknocking on wood.
It's working.
The pilot's version of this isimagining breaking your bones.
But whatever keeps you flyingsafe.
If you are superstitious, maybetry saying Heiz und Reimbruch
to your pilot on your nextflight.
You will either have reallygood luck or you're going to get
(09:54):
thrown off the plane for makingthreats.
Disclaimer if you do get kickedoff the flight for saying this,
I will lie and say I did notsuggest it.
Okay, at first I didn't thinkany of this could be true, but
after doing some digging I foundevidence that in fact it was a
commonly used phrase in aviation.
There's a famous story in thebiography of the flying ace Eric
(10:16):
Winkle Brown where the phraseis used.
As a youth, eric was invited tofly with Ernst Undet, the
highest-scoring surviving Germanfighter ace of World War One,
who was renowned for hisaerobatics around the world.
After 30 minutes of aerobaticsduring an air show, udet and
Eric landed, he slapped Eric onthe back and exclaimed Heiz und
(10:37):
Reimbruch, the traditionalGerman fighter pilot, greeting
to celebrate some greatachievement in the air.
Eric fell in love with aviationduring that flight.
He went on to become an acehimself and set many aviation
records during his time.
If you are interested in thisstory, go get the book.
The link is in the show notes.
In another autobiography, theRed Battleflyer, manfred von
(11:00):
Ritthoff, recorded that WorldWar One pilots regularly used a
corruption of the success andblessing saying and would wish
their fellow fighter pilotshauls und Reimbruch for luck and
safety before a flight.
And I could even find Britishand German pilots still using
the greeting signing off ontheir posts on the internet
today, kind of like Americanpilots use the phrase Cheers,
(11:21):
who do Mind blown While doingthe research is always
interesting.
Let's talk to some modern daypilots to better understand
aviation superstitions.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
What do you do for a living?
Speaker 5 (11:36):
I am a pilot.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Perfect.
So, if I told you before youwent to go fly neck and leg
break, what would you think Iwas like hey girl neck and leg
break.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
You're trying to wish me luck, right?
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Yeah, I am trying to wish you luck.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
It's like a weird superstitious thing that I
probably sailor.
I've been sailors through thesame thing right, you know,
sailors are not like people that, like dangerous things actually
happen.
Well, to me it's just like withaviation, like especially
because, like bad things happenall the time and it's just just
random luck.
It's like so much of our livesis tied into just the powers of
the universe, like does a birdjust randomly hit you at 100
(12:23):
miles an hour?
Like it's the worst possiblemoment, like it's just all these
you need good luck all the time, like we rely on it so much.
So I feel like people are likevarious superstitions when it
comes to that, because, likeyour lives hanging the balance.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So, speaking of superstitions, do you have any
superstitions related to flyingthat you do for Good Luck?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Um, let's see, when I was really early on for a check
ride, we did like the five S'sof a check ride and we still
like somewhat hold to thesuperstition, like if you have a
check ride the next day, you'resupposed to do like like sleep,
study, shower, uh, steak.
(13:02):
And then the last one is likesubject to interpretation,
because some people say thatit's sex and some people say
that it's take a shit.
So five S's, yep, yep.
Four out of five is good.
Three out of five is good.
Yeah, I had no idea you did thefive S's.
That's so funny.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Oh man Break a neck and leg.
I can't imagine that that'slike a superstition for before
flying, but I don't know.
I would feel uneasy about it.
I mean I've heard, break a leg,like if you're getting ready to
(13:47):
go on to stage like for actingor something, but not break a
neck or leg going to go fly.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I guess what would be the difference between you
telling your buddy to break theleg or you telling your flight
buddy to break his neck and hisleg?
Yeah, oh, wow, oh no, do youhave any superstitions related
to flying that you do for GoodLuck?
Speaker 7 (14:13):
I do not talk bad about the airplane that I'm
flying in, because I feel likeit listens to me and then when I
get done I always thank it forgetting me there.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I also do not talk bad about the airplane.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
If she is struggling, I try to give her a little
encouragement.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
Exactly, Exactly.
I went flying today and when Igot done flying I patted the
each spinner on the airplane andI said thank you.
Good job, little Seneca.
And then I closed my hand yourdoor and walked away.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There you go, that's.
Speaker 7 (14:59):
all you can do is just treat her nice I always,
always think that that airplaneis listening to me and it has
feelings.
I don't want to hurt itsfeelings.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
For Good Luck.
Yeah, so I always fly.
I've flown every single flightever ever been on with my dad's
pilot wings, so he passed awaywhen I was 14.
He's a Royal Air Force pilot,trained in the US, but yeah,
it's just something I've alwaysheld on and I've carried it on
every single flight that I'veever been on, both commercial
(15:33):
and well like in the military.
I also have a weird superstitionthat always heightens my
awareness.
So when my dad punched out ofthe F-86, he saw the rabbit and
he always hated rabbits so helike took them away from us when
we were kids and things likethat.
And then the other thing is, ifI ever see a rabbit when I'm
(15:56):
flying, I literally will be themost attentive other in my life.
I thought I think somethingbad's going to happen, but I
don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It turns out, pilots are not the only superstitious
bunch.
Another theory is that horseracers also use a phrase similar
for Good Luck.
The first mention of break aleg was recorded in print by
Robert Wilson Lind in 1921.
In urban literary essayist hewrote an article, quote a
defense of superstition, aboutthe prevalence of superstition
(16:25):
in the theater and horse racing.
He outlined that in horseracing one would never wish good
luck as it might push someone'sluck too far.
You would say, rather, I hopeyour horse will break a leg.
This served as some sort ofreverse psychology and it was
meant to appease the spirit offate which favored the humble.
He does not mention in the bookthe exact origin of the phrase.
(16:47):
Rather it is just a socialcommentary that is used commonly
at the time.
Another theory is that crossingthe line or quote breaking it
was believed to drive away evilspirits and ensure a successful
race.
Over time this ritual wastransformed into wishing the
horses and riders good luck.
In that sense, using the phrasebreak a leg is a symbolic
(17:10):
representation of breaking thestarting line.
There is also some that wouldsay that during a horse race it
is the first leg to break thefinish line who wins.
So it's lucky to wish the riderto break a leg, meaning I hope
you finish first.
There's no evidence as to whichone of these reasons is why the
phrase is popular in horseracing.
We just know that it was commonin the early 1900s.
(17:33):
That brings us to the usage inthe theater.
Let's talk to some friends toexplain some of the most common
theater superstitions.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Okay, that's.
My next question is, like, whatother superstitions are in the
theater that people don't knowabout or that you guys use
really frequently?
I mean, the whistling thing islike it is less common, but I
heard that that has to do withthe flies and how all that
system works, and that came whenwe were starting to use.
So flies and theater are thethings that drop things in and
(18:05):
out of a scene.
So usually you have like paintdrops or set pieces or whatever
and you have them attached topoison ropes, and so I know the
whistling was a huge thing and Ithink it comes from like dock
workers or something, but it wasconsidered really bad luck if
you were.
You were whistling because itwas throwing people off on what
they were doing somehow and itwas considered I think it comes
(18:25):
from like ships and stuff.
I think it was considerable onthose things that you don't do
around ropes.
And then the Scottish playMackers.
One is a big one apparently ifyou say that there's been all
these records of like Peoplesaying it and then like theaters
I don't say burning down, butlike crazy shit happening and so
yeah, so that's another big one.
There's like there's so manyand it really depends on on
(18:50):
people, like even little things,and it's not so much of a super
station, but when we have twochose days we could we call them
to do she's, and that's like away of wishing people kind of
good luck, because you're doinglike this marathon of having two
shows in one day.
So yeah, there's like a lot oflittle things and I think it
depends culturally, like I feellike some cities do some stuff,
like I'm sure there are thingsthat happen in England that
(19:10):
doesn't necessarily happen hereanymore, but yeah, there's like
there's quite a quite a few.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
I remember reading a while ago there was like a whole
list and some of them we don'tdo anymore, yeah, so yeah, it
just depends the first referenceto the phrase break a leg and
the American theater scene camefrom a writer called Edna Ferber
in her autobiography called aparticular treasure, written in
1938.
She's the first person tomention the term break a leg in
(19:35):
a theater reference.
Just in case it's been a whilesince you've read the book, I'll
remind you of the passage.
And when that grizzly night ofthe dress rehearsal finally
comes around, in all theunderstudies sitting in the back
row Politely wish the variousprinciples would break a leg.
But again, the evidence here istenuous.
It's not clear if theunderstudies are uttering break
(19:58):
a leg out loud and feigning goodluck, or if they are silently
hoping the lead literally breaksa leg and will be unable to
perform so they have a chance togo on stage.
It is worth noting that thephrase break a leg might have
localized origins withinspecific theater circles or
Regions before gaining widerrecognition and usage.
(20:18):
So maybe that's why it's so.
I'm Peg US.
The earliest unequivocal use ofthe term break a leg in a
theater context I can find is ina West Virginia Charlotte
Gazette of 29 May 1948.
Here is the excerptSuperstitions of the stage are
numerous and many are particularto individual actors and
(20:39):
actresses.
That it is bad luck to whistlein a dressing room is a widely
accepted belief.
Another is that one actorshould not wish another good
luck before a performance butinstead say I hope you break a
leg.
However, due to the lack ofconcrete documentation and
historical records, it is closeto impossible to determine an
exact date or a specific eventthat marks the beginning of this
(21:02):
phrase's popularity.
We just know that it is thefinably around the earliest 20th
century and the theater socommonly uses it today.
Here is a fun fact actors mightuse break a leg, but ballet
dancers instead say manada.
This is the French word forshit or crap, in Spanish the
(21:22):
phrase much America and inPortuguese Mood that murder, and
I am so sorry for my butcheringof all of these beautiful
languages.
Anyway, they both mean the samething.
It all means lots of shit.
The reason why it gives aninteresting look into the past.
Back before cars, people wouldtake carriages to the theater.
If so many people were showingup for a performance, there
(21:45):
would be a standstill of traffic, of carriages.
The horses would inevitablyhave to relieve themselves in
front of the theater, and somanada outside the theater was a
stinky but awesome sign thatthe show was a huge success.
It is so funny how all thesethings come about.
This is definitely some uselessknowledge I knew nothing about,
but we'll be adding to myweekly trivia game.
(22:06):
That is all the historical,accurate information that I
could find on the origins andtimelines of this phrase, but I
would be remiss if I did notalso share With you the more
outrageous theories, just forfun.
Here are the most entertainingstories I could find for you.
Curtains on either side of thestage were called legs.
In the early of the 20thcentury, a performance could be
(22:28):
given the quote Hook or told toleave the stage if the audience
did not like the performance.
The next performer would thenbe given a chance to perform.
If you performed, you got paid.
Therefore, actors would wisheach other good luck by saying
break a leg, meaning I hope youget to perform and you get that
money.
It is thought that break a leghas evolved beyond the stage
(22:52):
world and now includes thevariants such as give me a break
, getting a break and breakinginto the business.
Another theory in the 18thcentury, famed actor David
Garrick, alive from 1717 to 1779, became so entranced with his
performance during Shakespeare'sRichard the third.
He completed the play unawarehe had fractured his leg.
(23:16):
It is said, actors startedsaying break a leg, as in have
such an incredible performance,you wouldn't even care if your
leg was broken.
And finally, but probably theleast true theory connects this
phrase to the ancient Greektheatrical audiences.
It is believed that in ancientGreece, spectators would bang
their chairs on the ground toshow appreciation for a flawless
(23:37):
performance.
Naturally, if the audience wastoo enthusiastic, they would
break the leg of their chairthat they were sitting on.
This connection to the ancientGreek theater suggested the
phrase carries a historicalweight and a connection to the
origins of the theater itself.
However, it was only the actionof the Greeks that might have
contributed to the origin of thephrase.
They weren't actually out theretelling each other to break a
(23:59):
leg, it was just a consequenceof a good performance.
I find this the least truebecause, historically, there are
many other forms of cheer thatthe Greeks would use, such as
feed stamping, snapping thefingers, chanting and flag
waving.
I did not find any evidence ofchair slapping in my research,
but it does make for a goodstory.
Okay, fun fact family.
(24:20):
That was a lot of informationand an interesting look through
the 20th century, to find thepast behind this originless
idiom.
From pilots to racers, actorsto dancers and even ourselves,
it seems like we all might be alittle superstitious and need a
little reverse jinx every oncein a while.
That is an incredible amount ofinformation and, thanks to
(24:42):
Ponder, I will leave you herewith these intellectual snacks
to think about, and you can tellme what you think by leaving us
a comment on the podcast orsending us an email to my and
originalthoughtpodcast atgmailcom.
I want to hear from you.
What did you like and what doyou want to see in the future?
Which idiom do you want us toexplore next time?
If you have any insight ontoday's topic, something I
(25:05):
missed or I didn't get right, ormaybe you just want to be
featured in the future what theidiom segment?
Let me know.
This is our show and I want tointeract with you and, as always
, like and subscribe to thepodcast so you will never miss a
new episode.
That's a wrap for today.
Thank you so much for beingwith us to learn and laugh our
way through another unoriginalthought.
(25:28):
I'm your host, afton Jay, and Ithank you for hanging out with
me and, as always, keep beinginquisitive.
Hey, I just want to let youknow that if you couldn't get
(26:00):
enough of this episode, we willalways have bloopers and
interesting conversationsincluded afterwards.
Some of this material we didn'thave time to get to or it
didn't have a place in the finaledit, but it's always thought
provoking or funny or possiblyboth.
If you're interested, juststick around.
Bloopers.
(26:20):
Oh yeah, these extras are fromour pilots.
Sometimes it's hard to getpeople to answer your questions
in the way you want, or we justdon't have enough time in the
regular episode to put in allthe clips.
In this segment of clips, I gotsome goofy answers.
We give you the full five andthree S's explanation and we get
(26:41):
to hear some more interestingsuperstitions for you to laugh
along with.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
What do you do for a living?
Speaker 6 (26:48):
I am a United pilot.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Perfect.
So if I told you to neck andleg break before you went for a
flight, what would you think?
Speaker 6 (27:04):
I think you're psycho .
First of all.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Neck and leg break.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I have no idea.
I would say break a leg, andmaybe you're a strange way of
trying to tell me to have goodluck.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I do have questions, if you want to answer questions.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Yeah, I would love to , I would love to All.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Right, here we go.
I'm going to start with thepilot ones.
I'm only going to be the firstto answer the rest of them.
The answer is pilot.
I didn't think this would be ahard question but all of my
friends were like uh, and theygave me like dumb answers, like
dolphin trainer, like nomotherfucker, I need pilot.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
All I need from you.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
This is not supposed to be complicated.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
You're all sitting down.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Stay the right thing.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
That's for the podcast.
Oh my God, I love it.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Anyway, but yeah, so the first answer is pilot.
So, speaking of superstitions,do you have any superstitions
related to flying that you dofor good luck?
Speaker 5 (28:26):
When I was really early on for a check ride, we
did like the five S's of a checkride, when we still like
somewhat hold to thesuperstition, like if you have a
check ride the next day you'resupposed to do like like sleep,
study, shower, uh, steak.
And then the last one is likesubject to interpretation,
because some people say thatit's sex and some people say
(28:48):
that it's tickish.
So have you ever done that Likethe five S's of a check ride?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
So I thought it was three S's, but I do comply with
the three S's as best I can.
Yeah, I didn't you have a lotmore S's than I do, but yeah the
sleep, steak, sex, shower andstudy are also very important,
(29:18):
so I will add two more S's to mythree.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
You're staying all this time.
You've never studied for acheck ride.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Well, I think that's like inherent that you would
study, though it's not like anadditional S that I have to do
Same thing with showering, likeI don't.
Who's not going to shower?
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Okay clearly you were not in the same pilot training
class as I was, because therewere a few people that we had to
sit down and be like you needto shower, and the better one
was dude like show up and shower.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Oh my gosh, but it's funny because we didn't go to
pilot training at the same place.
We didn't go at the same timeand the S's are a thing.
Speaker 5 (29:57):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Yeah, I think the more that you get, the better
your check ride will get.
But if you just miss one, likeit's just going to, maybe that's
like a small mistake, so yeahyeah, Obviously the guys are
going to be like open oil, likehub to hub.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
suck, obviously, Like that's how dude brain works,
right.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Right, clearly that S is added by dudes.
If it was a girl, that wouldhave been like self care.
It would have been the S's Selfcare, where you like meditate,
you like put your eyes, that'sit.
I'm changing the five.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
S's.
The S is self care, but that'sa thing for dude.
Sex is self care, so you know Iget it.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Oh yeah, yep, yep, good, good point man, he solved
the world's problem in thisconversation.
I'm going to start spreadingthat rumor, though, Whenever
someone new is like why do I dobefore a checker?
And I'm like here's the fiveS's, one of them is self care.
Speaker 5 (30:54):
Which I mean sour, is kind of self care.
But I mean I don't know, it'sfive S's Yep, yep.
Four of the five's good, threeout of five's good yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I had no idea you did the five S's.
That's so funny, oh man.
Speaker 7 (31:06):
So do you have any superstitions?
Do you believe in them?
I used to always fly with alucky rock.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
I don't do that anymore.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
But when I was teaching in Gliders so we'd be
outside I would if I didn't havea somewhat.
I think someone one time gaveme a rock and was like here's
your lucky rock.
And then if I didn't have arock, it didn't matter what rock
I picked up off the ground.
I would pick up a rock and putit in my pocket and it would be
my lucky rock.
I don't do that anymore, butthere's my two weird
(31:39):
superstitions.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I love that so much.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
I have to touch the outside of the airplane.
No matter if I'm flying myselfor flying on a commercial plane,
I always touch the outside ofit before I go in.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
That's really funny.
I actually do that too going ona commercial airliner.
Like when you walk in you putyour hand right there.
Yes, yep.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I thought it was the only one.
You're not.
You're not.
Well, there you go, if youdon't touch the outside of the
airplane, you don't know whatwill happen.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Yeah, you just don't know.
You just don't know.
I'm glad to know my pilot'sdoing that too, though.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
We're all safe as long as we touch the outside.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Everybody.
I just need you to touch theoutside and it'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Ha, gotta love those bloopers.
That's a wrap.
Yep, we're all done here.
Oh wait, were you looking forsome more fun facts?
Okay, check out the nextepisode.
Press play.
Let's go, We'll be right back.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.