1 00:00:02,402 --> 00:00:04,203 - So the Cherry Sisters were like, 2 00:00:04,205 --> 00:00:04,903 "Let's put on a show." 3 00:00:04,905 --> 00:00:08,474 It was really, really, really bad. 4 00:00:08,476 --> 00:00:09,141 [laughs] 5 00:00:09,143 --> 00:00:10,776 - Outside is pandemonium. 6 00:00:10,778 --> 00:00:12,344 "Start firing into the crowd!" 7 00:00:12,346 --> 00:00:15,381 And meanwhile, William Macready is up on stage. 8 00:00:15,383 --> 00:00:17,049 [hissing] 9 00:00:17,051 --> 00:00:19,151 [continues hissing] 10 00:00:19,153 --> 00:00:20,552 - Steve Dahl is a DJ. 11 00:00:20,554 --> 00:00:21,687 We're gonna destroy disco. 12 00:00:21,689 --> 00:00:24,156 I will put your explosives together for you. 13 00:00:24,158 --> 00:00:26,692 [imitates explosion] 14 00:00:26,694 --> 00:00:30,095 [patriotic music] 15 00:00:30,097 --> 00:00:34,466 ♪ ♪ 16 00:00:38,405 --> 00:00:41,774 [solemn bluegrass music] 17 00:00:41,776 --> 00:00:45,778 - So how would you describe a [bleep] show? 18 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:46,412 - Ugh. 19 00:00:46,414 --> 00:00:48,514 I [bleep] my pants in the rug section of IKEA. 20 00:00:48,516 --> 00:00:50,382 So I had to, like, go through the other parts of IKEA 21 00:00:50,384 --> 00:00:52,384 with [bleep] in my pants... - [laughs] 22 00:00:52,386 --> 00:00:54,620 - But I also was, like, concerned about buying things 23 00:00:54,622 --> 00:00:55,687 for my home, so I still did. - [laughs] 24 00:00:55,689 --> 00:00:58,357 - I went to the bathroom. Total pro. 25 00:00:58,359 --> 00:00:59,758 I, like, cleaned my butt, 26 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,260 and the second I got back in line, 27 00:01:01,262 --> 00:01:05,531 like, with other people, I was like, "I [bleep] my pants!" 28 00:01:05,533 --> 00:01:07,332 both: [laughing] 29 00:01:07,334 --> 00:01:09,401 - I had the flu, and I sneezed. 30 00:01:09,403 --> 00:01:13,705 both: [laughing] 31 00:01:13,707 --> 00:01:15,140 - [bleep] show. 32 00:01:15,142 --> 00:01:17,609 Hi. [laughs] 33 00:01:17,611 --> 00:01:19,144 - [chuckling] 34 00:01:19,146 --> 00:01:20,312 - Oh, boy. I love to be happy. 35 00:01:20,314 --> 00:01:22,815 Why else am I here? 36 00:01:22,817 --> 00:01:23,615 - [laughs] 37 00:01:23,617 --> 00:01:24,416 - I'm Jenny Slate. 38 00:01:24,418 --> 00:01:28,487 And today we are going to talk about the Cherry Sisters, 39 00:01:28,489 --> 00:01:31,623 the worst act on vaudeville... 40 00:01:31,625 --> 00:01:34,526 ever...ever. 41 00:01:34,528 --> 00:01:35,894 The very worst. 42 00:01:35,896 --> 00:01:37,129 [mellow folk music] 43 00:01:37,131 --> 00:01:40,466 Our story begins in the 1890s. 44 00:01:40,468 --> 00:01:41,733 The Cherry Sisters 45 00:01:41,735 --> 00:01:44,203 were living on a farm in Iowa 46 00:01:44,205 --> 00:01:46,705 that had been left to them. 47 00:01:46,707 --> 00:01:49,741 Their names were Ella, 48 00:01:49,743 --> 00:01:53,378 Elizabeth, Effie, 49 00:01:53,380 --> 00:01:55,747 Addie, and Jessie. 50 00:01:55,749 --> 00:01:58,183 They had a brother, Nathan, 51 00:01:58,185 --> 00:01:58,884 and he just peaced out. 52 00:01:58,886 --> 00:02:01,787 He was like, "Uh, actually, definitely not. 53 00:02:01,789 --> 00:02:03,922 I'm not, like, even doing this." 54 00:02:03,924 --> 00:02:04,790 And all the sisters were like, 55 00:02:04,792 --> 00:02:07,259 "Boo! What the hell?" 56 00:02:07,261 --> 00:02:10,162 Or "heck," actually, 57 00:02:10,164 --> 00:02:11,363 'cause they were very prim. 58 00:02:11,365 --> 00:02:13,232 They were like, "Our farm's gonna fail. 59 00:02:13,234 --> 00:02:14,766 "We truly don't get how to do this, 60 00:02:14,768 --> 00:02:17,202 and we don't have enough money to operate the farm." 61 00:02:17,204 --> 00:02:21,607 "Let's just try to get money from that by-- 62 00:02:21,609 --> 00:02:22,474 for that--am I right?" 63 00:02:22,476 --> 00:02:23,942 And they were all like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 64 00:02:23,944 --> 00:02:26,678 yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. Let's put on a show." 65 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,814 So they, like, rented out a theater. 66 00:02:28,816 --> 00:02:33,352 These sisters were just, like, "We're putting on a play. 67 00:02:33,354 --> 00:02:35,554 "Uh, the play is going to consist of 68 00:02:35,556 --> 00:02:37,456 "a lot of segments that are boring 69 00:02:37,458 --> 00:02:39,291 "and also will make you feel nervous 70 00:02:39,293 --> 00:02:40,425 about what you're doing in your life." 71 00:02:40,427 --> 00:02:42,361 So it would be like, 72 00:02:42,363 --> 00:02:45,330 there's a young lady just, like, free in the world. 73 00:02:45,332 --> 00:02:47,332 How dangerous. 74 00:02:47,334 --> 00:02:50,536 And then a Don Juan comes out, and he's like, 75 00:02:50,538 --> 00:02:55,674 "Ah! I want you for sex," you know? 76 00:02:55,676 --> 00:02:57,876 And then a gypsy woman would come out, 77 00:02:57,878 --> 00:03:01,213 and she'd be like, "Don't do it! 78 00:03:01,215 --> 00:03:03,382 Don't, 'cause he's gonna take your morality." 79 00:03:03,384 --> 00:03:05,918 And, like, that was, like, the whole thing. 80 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:07,986 And it was, like, baffling to everyone. 81 00:03:07,988 --> 00:03:08,921 They were like, "Ha-ha. 82 00:03:08,923 --> 00:03:10,789 "I can't believe these ladies showed up 83 00:03:10,791 --> 00:03:12,524 and, like, even are here and, like, did this." 84 00:03:12,526 --> 00:03:15,327 After they were done, they were so shocked, 85 00:03:15,329 --> 00:03:19,665 because they were like, "This is an ass-load of money." 86 00:03:19,667 --> 00:03:20,933 They made $250. 87 00:03:20,935 --> 00:03:23,402 So the Cherry Sisters, they were like, 88 00:03:23,404 --> 00:03:25,737 "We should take this on the road." 89 00:03:25,739 --> 00:03:29,808 Even though it was really, really, really bad. 90 00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:33,779 So they went on the road all across Iowa. 91 00:03:33,781 --> 00:03:35,547 They did a show in Cedar Rapids. 92 00:03:35,549 --> 00:03:39,351 One of their songs was called "Corn Juice." 93 00:03:39,353 --> 00:03:42,754 ♪ Corn Juice, let me tell you about it ♪ 94 00:03:42,756 --> 00:03:45,857 [laughter] - It was just like, 95 00:03:45,859 --> 00:03:46,858 "What are you talking about? 96 00:03:46,860 --> 00:03:49,761 "You definitely can't make juice out of corn. 97 00:03:49,763 --> 00:03:50,562 Like, I've had it." 98 00:03:50,564 --> 00:03:53,999 - Yeah. - "There's no juice in there." 99 00:03:54,001 --> 00:03:54,866 "5, 6, 7, 8." 100 00:03:54,868 --> 00:03:57,603 ♪ If you're lost and you're corn ♪ 101 00:03:57,605 --> 00:04:00,572 ♪ I will find juice ♪ 102 00:04:00,574 --> 00:04:02,507 both: ♪ Corn after juice ♪ 103 00:04:02,509 --> 00:04:06,311 - Beautiful. both: [giggling] 104 00:04:06,313 --> 00:04:10,415 - Everyone's like, "You suck! Ha-ha-ha." 105 00:04:10,417 --> 00:04:11,583 - [chortling] 106 00:04:11,585 --> 00:04:15,287 - So the next day, the newspaper was like, 107 00:04:15,289 --> 00:04:16,488 "This is a bad show. 108 00:04:16,490 --> 00:04:18,523 "These ladies truly don't know what's up. 109 00:04:18,525 --> 00:04:19,992 "You probably shouldn't see this show, 110 00:04:19,994 --> 00:04:21,593 "unless you wanna see it, because it's so very bad 111 00:04:21,595 --> 00:04:23,462 that it's like kind of confusing all of us." 112 00:04:23,464 --> 00:04:27,733 And they marched right down to the "Cedar Rapid Gazette." 113 00:04:27,735 --> 00:04:31,870 And they were like, "How dare you...say this?" 114 00:04:31,872 --> 00:04:33,472 And the "Cedar Rapid Gazette" was like, 115 00:04:33,474 --> 00:04:35,907 "What? You're, like, incredulous? 116 00:04:35,909 --> 00:04:37,976 You can't, like, understand why we said this?" 117 00:04:37,978 --> 00:04:39,511 And they're like, "You know what? 118 00:04:39,513 --> 00:04:40,579 We're gonna sue you for libel." 119 00:04:40,581 --> 00:04:42,481 And the newspaper was like, "[scoffs] 120 00:04:42,483 --> 00:04:45,517 "That's actually hilarious. 121 00:04:45,519 --> 00:04:47,753 "But if you want to sue us, 122 00:04:47,755 --> 00:04:50,389 you're gonna have to sue us during your show." 123 00:04:50,391 --> 00:04:53,025 And so they did. 124 00:04:53,027 --> 00:04:54,926 They got a real judge to sit there, 125 00:04:54,928 --> 00:04:56,628 being like, "Ooh!" 126 00:04:56,630 --> 00:04:57,596 Like, "Order, order. 127 00:04:57,598 --> 00:04:59,531 "I'll be the judge of how bad they are, 128 00:04:59,533 --> 00:05:01,967 plus newspaper, you telling the truth." 129 00:05:01,969 --> 00:05:04,636 And at the end, the editor of the newspaper 130 00:05:04,638 --> 00:05:09,074 was found guilty and sentenced to marry 131 00:05:09,076 --> 00:05:10,409 one of the five sisters. 132 00:05:10,411 --> 00:05:13,679 - [bleep] off. - Yeah. It really happened. 133 00:05:13,681 --> 00:05:16,481 [laughs] So sad. 134 00:05:16,483 --> 00:05:18,517 So, after this, 135 00:05:18,519 --> 00:05:19,918 they toured all the time. 136 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:20,952 It was kind of the first, like, 137 00:05:20,954 --> 00:05:24,022 "It's so bad it's good" situation. 138 00:05:24,024 --> 00:05:25,090 Groups of people were like, 139 00:05:25,092 --> 00:05:27,759 "The Cherry Sisters are coming to town." 140 00:05:27,761 --> 00:05:29,661 "Let's get together all the people that we know 141 00:05:29,663 --> 00:05:31,730 "and like, buy a [bleep]-load of vegetables, and-- 142 00:05:31,732 --> 00:05:34,466 and find a lot of cans so that we can throw them at them." 143 00:05:34,468 --> 00:05:37,069 And this was a sketch that they did. 144 00:05:37,071 --> 00:05:38,670 They sat in a bathtub, and they were like, 145 00:05:38,672 --> 00:05:40,872 "Uh, don't get horny. 146 00:05:40,874 --> 00:05:43,608 "Be careful, 'cause this is, like, arms, 147 00:05:43,610 --> 00:05:44,710 "but you have to be careful, 148 00:05:44,712 --> 00:05:48,547 "'cause if you show your forearm to someone, 149 00:05:48,549 --> 00:05:50,549 their penis can go inside of you." 150 00:05:50,551 --> 00:05:51,683 - And you die if they-- 151 00:05:51,685 --> 00:05:54,553 - And then you'll die... of being cool. 152 00:05:54,555 --> 00:05:56,822 [snickers] 153 00:05:56,824 --> 00:05:58,924 People would be like, "You suck!" 154 00:05:58,926 --> 00:06:03,428 So after the sisters had really been on the scene for a while, 155 00:06:03,430 --> 00:06:04,596 just stinking it up consistently, 156 00:06:04,598 --> 00:06:07,499 this man named Oscar Hammerstein, 157 00:06:07,501 --> 00:06:10,035 he had a theater, and he was like, "Well... 158 00:06:10,037 --> 00:06:12,070 "I've tried all the best [bleep] there. 159 00:06:12,072 --> 00:06:13,638 Maybe I'll try the worst." 160 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,774 So he got in touch with the Cherry Sisters. 161 00:06:15,776 --> 00:06:20,112 And he's like, "Listen, we'll bring you to New York. 162 00:06:20,114 --> 00:06:21,680 "You can do whatever you want. 163 00:06:21,682 --> 00:06:23,715 We'll pay you $100 a week." 164 00:06:23,717 --> 00:06:24,850 Four of them were like, 165 00:06:24,852 --> 00:06:26,985 "Yep, yep, okay, yes." 166 00:06:26,987 --> 00:06:29,588 And then, like, the fifth one was like, "No." 167 00:06:29,590 --> 00:06:30,722 [laughs] 168 00:06:30,724 --> 00:06:32,858 She stayed there, like, whatever, 169 00:06:32,860 --> 00:06:35,127 brushing the pigs or whatever you do on a farm. 170 00:06:35,129 --> 00:06:37,729 And they went to New York, and everyone was like, 171 00:06:37,731 --> 00:06:39,631 "You're the worst! 172 00:06:39,633 --> 00:06:41,967 You're horrible! What a weird thing." 173 00:06:41,969 --> 00:06:45,604 And they sold out. Ten weeks, sold-out show. 174 00:06:45,606 --> 00:06:47,672 And they made a lot of money. 175 00:06:47,674 --> 00:06:50,876 And then, you know, they went home. 176 00:06:50,878 --> 00:06:52,611 And then they died in obscurity. 177 00:06:52,613 --> 00:06:55,881 But, um, that's what we think. 178 00:06:55,883 --> 00:06:58,483 That's not what they thought. 179 00:06:58,485 --> 00:06:59,050 And honestly, 180 00:06:59,052 --> 00:07:03,488 what they thought is kind of all that matters. 181 00:07:03,490 --> 00:07:05,824 Don't you think? [laughs] 182 00:07:05,826 --> 00:07:07,025 - Aww. That was nice. 183 00:07:07,027 --> 00:07:08,860 - Thanks, Derek. - That was really nice. 184 00:07:08,862 --> 00:07:13,031 - Well, I'm an American woman, and I love corn juice. 185 00:07:13,033 --> 00:07:16,535 both: [laughing] 186 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:22,607 - So when did you design that shirt? 187 00:07:22,609 --> 00:07:25,076 - [chuckles] 188 00:07:25,078 --> 00:07:27,078 Well, I'd heard about eagles. - Right. 189 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,714 - And I--I had people describe an eagle to me. 190 00:07:29,716 --> 00:07:31,817 - Mm-hmm. - And then I went into-- 191 00:07:31,819 --> 00:07:34,920 I locked myself in a sweater factory. 192 00:07:34,922 --> 00:07:36,822 And then this was what I came up with. 193 00:07:36,824 --> 00:07:40,192 - What a vision. - Since then, I've seen 194 00:07:40,194 --> 00:07:43,195 actual, uh, bald eagles. - Mm-hmm. 195 00:07:43,197 --> 00:07:44,796 - And apparently I was-- I was dead on. 196 00:07:44,798 --> 00:07:47,165 both: [laughing] 197 00:07:47,167 --> 00:07:49,000 - Hello, I'm Allan McLeod, 198 00:07:49,002 --> 00:07:50,735 and today we're gonna talk about... 199 00:07:53,940 --> 00:07:56,208 [stifled laughter] 200 00:07:56,210 --> 00:07:57,642 The Shakespeare Riots. 201 00:07:58,878 --> 00:08:01,179 So our story begins in 1837. 202 00:08:01,181 --> 00:08:03,615 Edwin Forrest, who's a Shakespearian actor 203 00:08:03,617 --> 00:08:04,316 who lives in New York, 204 00:08:04,318 --> 00:08:06,718 he goes to London, and he starts hanging out 205 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,788 with one of the top Shakespearian a--actors, 206 00:08:09,790 --> 00:08:11,690 William Macready. 207 00:08:11,692 --> 00:08:13,892 William's like, "Welcome to London! 208 00:08:13,894 --> 00:08:16,194 "Have fun. Perform--do Shakespeare here. 209 00:08:16,196 --> 00:08:18,129 "You know, we do it a little differently here. 210 00:08:18,131 --> 00:08:20,832 I'm a little more refined than you are, maybe." 211 00:08:20,834 --> 00:08:23,168 "Well, my style's a little bigger than yours 212 00:08:23,170 --> 00:08:24,269 "and I'm a big muscly guy. 213 00:08:24,271 --> 00:08:27,072 And, you know, people like that in America." 214 00:08:27,074 --> 00:08:29,941 So Edwin Forrest and William Macready 215 00:08:29,943 --> 00:08:31,877 developed a bit of a rivalry. 216 00:08:31,879 --> 00:08:34,012 They would start sending their fans 217 00:08:34,014 --> 00:08:35,847 over to the other shows to kind of mess with them. 218 00:08:35,849 --> 00:08:40,752 Some of Macready fans start hissing at Edwin Forrest. 219 00:08:40,754 --> 00:08:44,890 [hissing] 220 00:08:44,892 --> 00:08:46,758 [sharp hissing] 221 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:51,129 [hissing continues] 222 00:08:51,131 --> 00:08:52,898 - [chuckles] 223 00:08:52,900 --> 00:08:55,133 - So then Macready is performing. 224 00:08:55,135 --> 00:08:56,234 He's in the middle of a performance, 225 00:08:56,236 --> 00:08:58,403 when somebody goes a little nuts 226 00:08:58,405 --> 00:09:01,172 and throws a dead sheep onto the stage. 227 00:09:01,174 --> 00:09:03,174 - Inappropriate. - Inappropriate. 228 00:09:03,176 --> 00:09:06,912 It was the thing that crossed the line for their rivalry. 229 00:09:06,914 --> 00:09:07,679 So then, 230 00:09:07,681 --> 00:09:09,180 William Macready goes to New York, 231 00:09:09,182 --> 00:09:10,382 and he's got a ten-show run 232 00:09:10,384 --> 00:09:12,884 over at the Astor Place Opera House. 233 00:09:12,886 --> 00:09:15,387 He's gonna do "Macbeth," 234 00:09:15,389 --> 00:09:16,821 the cursed play. 235 00:09:16,823 --> 00:09:17,389 Lo and behold, 236 00:09:17,391 --> 00:09:20,926 Edwin Forrest is also do-- gonna do "Macbeth" 237 00:09:20,928 --> 00:09:21,793 over at the Bowery Theatre, 238 00:09:21,795 --> 00:09:23,995 the theater for his fan base. 239 00:09:23,997 --> 00:09:26,865 And so they're both doing "Macbeth" in New York. 240 00:09:26,867 --> 00:09:29,367 So William Macready says, "Okay, 241 00:09:29,369 --> 00:09:31,703 "I'm going to Astor Place Opera House 242 00:09:31,705 --> 00:09:33,171 "to do my last 'Macbeth.' 243 00:09:33,173 --> 00:09:37,275 And this is gonna be the most 'Macbest' ever seen." 244 00:09:37,277 --> 00:09:39,811 both: [laughing] 245 00:09:41,948 --> 00:09:44,950 - Okay, so William Macready is up on stage. 246 00:09:44,952 --> 00:09:48,753 And as soon as he starts in with his first line, 247 00:09:48,755 --> 00:09:51,990 "Lady Macbeth, what's going on? What's for dinner tonight?" 248 00:09:51,992 --> 00:09:54,359 "We love Forrest! We love Forrest!" 249 00:09:54,361 --> 00:09:56,728 And then, you know, Lady Macbeth comes out, 250 00:09:56,730 --> 00:09:58,129 and they're like, "Who's this bitch?" 251 00:09:58,131 --> 00:10:00,065 They're throwing all kinds of [bleep] at him. 252 00:10:00,067 --> 00:10:02,901 Pennies, [bleep] apples, and potatoes. 253 00:10:02,903 --> 00:10:05,804 Popcorn, fruit, and apples. 254 00:10:05,806 --> 00:10:10,241 They're throwing rotten eggs and churros. 255 00:10:10,243 --> 00:10:11,309 - [giggles] 256 00:10:11,311 --> 00:10:13,211 - Macready is like, "I'm done. 257 00:10:13,213 --> 00:10:14,813 "I'm breaking my contract. 258 00:10:14,815 --> 00:10:17,248 I'm heading back to London." 259 00:10:17,250 --> 00:10:20,885 The, um, wealthy elite of New York heard about this, 260 00:10:20,887 --> 00:10:24,289 and they all cosigned a letter saying, 261 00:10:24,291 --> 00:10:28,093 "Please don't let these rabble-rousers scare you away. 262 00:10:28,095 --> 00:10:29,894 "Do 'Macbeth' one more time. 263 00:10:29,896 --> 00:10:31,930 Nail it." 264 00:10:31,932 --> 00:10:33,765 So Macready reads this letter, 265 00:10:33,767 --> 00:10:36,034 and he says, "You know what? I'll stay. 266 00:10:36,036 --> 00:10:40,805 I'll stay and do 'Macbeth' one more goddamn time." 267 00:10:40,807 --> 00:10:43,441 It was the makings of a major clash 268 00:10:43,443 --> 00:10:46,811 between the rich and the poor. 269 00:10:46,813 --> 00:10:47,512 The day of the show, 270 00:10:47,514 --> 00:10:51,249 Macready is ready to hit the stage. 271 00:10:51,251 --> 00:10:54,185 Meanwhile, outside... 272 00:10:54,187 --> 00:10:55,987 - You gonna burp? 273 00:10:55,989 --> 00:10:57,422 - [exhales] 274 00:10:57,424 --> 00:10:58,990 No. 275 00:10:58,992 --> 00:11:00,358 It was a little gas. 276 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,061 Uh...meanwhile, outside, 277 00:11:03,063 --> 00:11:04,195 the Bowery Boys show up. 278 00:11:04,197 --> 00:11:07,098 And the Astor Place people at the door are like, 279 00:11:07,100 --> 00:11:10,502 "There's a dress code. You can't come in here." 280 00:11:10,504 --> 00:11:12,971 So they're like, "Oh, [bleep]." 281 00:11:12,973 --> 00:11:15,540 And that really pissed off the mob. 282 00:11:15,542 --> 00:11:16,808 So they hung out outside. 283 00:11:16,810 --> 00:11:20,211 People are just--a real crowd is gathering out there. 284 00:11:20,213 --> 00:11:22,414 Meanwhile, all the fancy people are inside. 285 00:11:22,416 --> 00:11:24,916 Curtain comes up, and there's the witches. 286 00:11:24,918 --> 00:11:26,985 "A bubble, toil, and trouble. 287 00:11:26,987 --> 00:11:30,955 "Witches burn, and cauldron-- [bleep]--to bubble--" 288 00:11:30,957 --> 00:11:33,358 I can't [bleep]--[laughs] 289 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,494 [bleep]. I [bleep] it up. Wait, wait, wait. 290 00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:38,129 No, no. 291 00:11:38,131 --> 00:11:40,999 "Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble. 292 00:11:41,001 --> 00:11:44,836 "Cauldron burns, and here's Macbeth. 293 00:11:44,838 --> 00:11:46,171 Here he comes." 294 00:11:46,173 --> 00:11:48,106 Macready comes in, and he's Macbeth, 295 00:11:48,108 --> 00:11:51,576 and he's like, "Here I am." 296 00:11:51,578 --> 00:11:53,912 And then everybody starts hissing at him. 297 00:11:53,914 --> 00:11:54,512 [hissing] 298 00:11:54,514 --> 00:11:56,948 He's like, "Oh, [bleep], here we go." 299 00:11:56,950 --> 00:12:00,185 So outside, this mob of 10,000 people, 300 00:12:00,187 --> 00:12:04,055 they start picking up rocks and--and cobblestones 301 00:12:04,057 --> 00:12:06,324 and start throwing 'em at the cops. 302 00:12:06,326 --> 00:12:08,359 And then a militia guy is saying, 303 00:12:08,361 --> 00:12:12,130 "Start firing into the crowd! Fire, fire, fire!" 304 00:12:12,132 --> 00:12:17,001 And so they start firing their muskets into the crowd. 305 00:12:17,003 --> 00:12:18,870 And then all hell breaks loose. 306 00:12:18,872 --> 00:12:21,306 It's just a goddamn massacre out there. 307 00:12:21,308 --> 00:12:22,207 People are dying. 308 00:12:22,209 --> 00:12:25,009 They're just like, "Burn this place down." 309 00:12:25,011 --> 00:12:26,177 They keep on battling, 310 00:12:26,179 --> 00:12:30,115 trying to find their way into the opera house. 311 00:12:30,117 --> 00:12:30,882 And it's ridiculous 312 00:12:30,884 --> 00:12:32,550 'cause the play is over at this point. 313 00:12:32,552 --> 00:12:35,453 The mob is infiltrating the opera house. 314 00:12:35,455 --> 00:12:38,857 And so Macready decides to put on a disguise. 315 00:12:38,859 --> 00:12:42,594 And he's just like, "I'm a New York hot dog man. 316 00:12:42,596 --> 00:12:44,028 "No big deal. 317 00:12:44,030 --> 00:12:45,964 Hot dog! Get your hot dog!" 318 00:12:45,966 --> 00:12:47,932 And he actually escapes. 319 00:12:47,934 --> 00:12:51,436 And when the dust settles, 30 people are dead, 320 00:12:51,438 --> 00:12:52,237 100 people are injured, 321 00:12:52,239 --> 00:12:54,005 and it's the first time that a militia 322 00:12:54,007 --> 00:12:58,243 has ever fired on a mob of American citizens. 323 00:12:58,245 --> 00:13:02,113 Edwin Forrest, he finds out about the whole riot, 324 00:13:02,115 --> 00:13:03,148 and he can't believe it. 325 00:13:03,150 --> 00:13:09,587 In 1871, Edwin Forrest played his last Shakespearian role 326 00:13:09,589 --> 00:13:10,522 of King Lear. 327 00:13:10,524 --> 00:13:14,125 "Hey. Here I am playing King Lear. 328 00:13:14,127 --> 00:13:16,461 "Can you believe it? 329 00:13:16,463 --> 00:13:20,064 We're here. We're Lear. Get used to it." 330 00:13:20,066 --> 00:13:22,667 both: [laughing] 331 00:13:26,672 --> 00:13:27,505 - This is tequila, right? 332 00:13:27,507 --> 00:13:29,440 - Mm-hmm. Yeah. 333 00:13:29,442 --> 00:13:31,075 - To Steve Dahl. 334 00:13:31,077 --> 00:13:33,511 Teenagers everywhere. 335 00:13:33,513 --> 00:13:34,746 - Mm-hmm. 336 00:13:34,748 --> 00:13:38,650 Thanks. Thanks, Steve. - Down the hatch, buddy. 337 00:13:38,652 --> 00:13:39,517 - Mmm. 338 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:40,185 - Yeah. - Mmm. 339 00:13:40,187 --> 00:13:42,253 - Once every 35 years... 340 00:13:42,255 --> 00:13:45,023 - Is that right? - I drink tequila. 341 00:13:45,025 --> 00:13:46,424 - You're like a--a cicada. 342 00:13:46,426 --> 00:13:49,494 - Keep those companies, you know, rolling and doling. 343 00:13:49,496 --> 00:13:50,728 - Yeah. 344 00:13:50,730 --> 00:13:53,031 - [chuckles] 345 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:55,300 Hello, I'm Bob Odenkirk, 346 00:13:55,302 --> 00:13:59,637 and today we're gonna talk about Disco Demolition. 347 00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:00,772 - Cheers. 348 00:14:00,774 --> 00:14:01,406 - Cheers. 349 00:14:01,408 --> 00:14:03,241 - Thanks, Bob. You okay? 350 00:14:03,243 --> 00:14:05,610 - My first [bleep] sip. [laughter] 351 00:14:05,612 --> 00:14:08,046 [disco music plays] Well, I guess our story 352 00:14:08,048 --> 00:14:10,582 really begins in 1977 353 00:14:10,584 --> 00:14:14,319 with the massive success of [bleep] disco, 354 00:14:14,321 --> 00:14:17,388 which is a terrible form of music. 355 00:14:17,390 --> 00:14:18,623 both: [snickering] 356 00:14:18,625 --> 00:14:22,660 - Anyway, 1977, "Saturday Night Fever." 357 00:14:22,662 --> 00:14:23,595 Very popular movie. 358 00:14:23,597 --> 00:14:24,796 Blah, blah, blah. Everyone loved it. 359 00:14:24,798 --> 00:14:29,267 "At WDAI in Chicago, we're Disco DAI. 360 00:14:29,269 --> 00:14:32,136 All disco, all day and all night." 361 00:14:32,138 --> 00:14:35,473 Okay, so Steve Dahl is a DJ, 362 00:14:35,475 --> 00:14:37,609 24 years old, at The Loop, 363 00:14:37,611 --> 00:14:39,344 WLUP 97.9. 364 00:14:39,346 --> 00:14:41,112 And it's a rock 'n' roll station. 365 00:14:41,114 --> 00:14:42,046 Steve Dahl, uh, says, 366 00:14:42,048 --> 00:14:45,216 "[bleep] you, I'm not gonna play disco music." 367 00:14:45,218 --> 00:14:46,751 And Steve is having a good time, 368 00:14:46,753 --> 00:14:48,286 and he's blowing up disco records. 369 00:14:48,288 --> 00:14:50,221 So on the radio, he'd go, "I got a disco-- 370 00:14:50,223 --> 00:14:51,789 "lookit, KISS made a disco record. 371 00:14:51,791 --> 00:14:52,824 I'm gonna blow it up." 372 00:14:52,826 --> 00:14:54,459 Then he'd play it, and then scratch the... 373 00:14:54,461 --> 00:14:57,061 [imitates record scratch] The needle on the record, 374 00:14:57,063 --> 00:14:58,463 and then press a cart tape and... 375 00:14:58,465 --> 00:15:00,398 [imitates explosion] Explosion sound. 376 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,333 And then laugh, and then do other dumb [bleep]. 377 00:15:02,335 --> 00:15:05,303 - Like my favorite, Imus. 378 00:15:05,305 --> 00:15:08,172 - [laughs] 379 00:15:08,174 --> 00:15:09,240 - What? 380 00:15:09,242 --> 00:15:10,441 - Not like Imus. 381 00:15:10,443 --> 00:15:10,875 - Okay. 382 00:15:10,877 --> 00:15:13,811 - Very much like Stern, I mean, truly, 383 00:15:13,813 --> 00:15:16,514 but actually, before Stern. 384 00:15:16,516 --> 00:15:17,682 So it's 1979. 385 00:15:17,684 --> 00:15:20,652 Jeff Schwartz is the promotions kid. 386 00:15:20,654 --> 00:15:23,388 And he goes to--sorry. 387 00:15:23,722 --> 00:15:25,623 He goes to Mike Veeck at the White Sox, 388 00:15:25,625 --> 00:15:27,759 and he goes, "Let's do a Disco Demolition 389 00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:31,129 at White Sox Comiskey Park for your team night." 390 00:15:31,131 --> 00:15:34,666 Mike Veeck is like, "Great! I love Steve Dahl." 391 00:15:34,668 --> 00:15:37,201 They hire a guy to, uh, 392 00:15:37,203 --> 00:15:39,837 put the explosives in. 393 00:15:39,839 --> 00:15:41,839 "We need you to blow up records." 394 00:15:41,841 --> 00:15:44,142 "How many records?" 395 00:15:44,144 --> 00:15:46,244 "Uh, well, I don't know. 2,000?" 396 00:15:46,246 --> 00:15:48,446 "Okay, hold on a second. Slow down. 397 00:15:48,448 --> 00:15:51,416 I need some goddamn real explosives here." 398 00:15:51,418 --> 00:15:53,351 "All right, well, whatever you need. 399 00:15:53,353 --> 00:15:54,385 You're the pro." 400 00:15:54,387 --> 00:15:55,486 "Hell yes, I am. 401 00:15:55,488 --> 00:15:59,757 "Just got back from the 'Nam about five years ago. 402 00:15:59,759 --> 00:16:01,359 "Anyhow... [clears throat] 403 00:16:01,361 --> 00:16:04,395 I will put your explosives together for you." 404 00:16:04,397 --> 00:16:07,598 So Steve's on the radio for weeks going, 405 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,600 "I got Disco Demolition coming up. 406 00:16:09,602 --> 00:16:13,471 "Come to Comiskey Park and bring a disco album. 407 00:16:13,473 --> 00:16:16,774 "They'll take your album; they'll put it in a bin. 408 00:16:16,776 --> 00:16:19,210 "You'll pay 98¢ for a ticket. 409 00:16:19,212 --> 00:16:20,611 "And then in between games, 410 00:16:20,613 --> 00:16:22,647 "I'm gonna blow up all those albums. 411 00:16:22,649 --> 00:16:25,316 We're gonna destroy disco. Ha-ha-ha." 412 00:16:25,318 --> 00:16:29,320 So the night of the event comes. 413 00:16:29,322 --> 00:16:31,389 July 12, 1979. 414 00:16:31,391 --> 00:16:34,559 Steve's, like, watching. "Holy [bleep]." 415 00:16:34,561 --> 00:16:37,328 Kids are showing up-- like, showing up in droves. 416 00:16:37,330 --> 00:16:38,229 Showing up, showing up. 417 00:16:38,231 --> 00:16:41,399 15,000. 20,000. 30,000. 418 00:16:41,401 --> 00:16:43,334 [bleep] "A." 419 00:16:43,336 --> 00:16:45,470 The first game is nuts. 420 00:16:45,472 --> 00:16:46,471 Kids in the stands have records. 421 00:16:46,473 --> 00:16:48,206 They're throwing them. 422 00:16:48,208 --> 00:16:51,209 Record albums come flying out of the stands. 423 00:16:51,211 --> 00:16:51,642 Shoop! 424 00:16:51,644 --> 00:16:52,410 Cutting into the grass. 425 00:16:52,412 --> 00:16:55,380 Harry Caray's kind of liking it, you can tell. 426 00:16:55,382 --> 00:16:59,250 "Hey! All right, everybody, calm down!" 427 00:16:59,252 --> 00:17:02,353 And Jimmy Piersall is taking it way too seriously. 428 00:17:02,355 --> 00:17:04,856 "These kids... Look at this. 429 00:17:04,858 --> 00:17:07,225 This is a disgrace." 430 00:17:07,227 --> 00:17:08,860 Anyhow... - [hiccups] 431 00:17:08,862 --> 00:17:12,230 - Game ends. First game ends. Sox lose. 432 00:17:12,232 --> 00:17:12,897 That's not helpful. 433 00:17:12,899 --> 00:17:17,769 And Steve--they drive out to, like, center field. 434 00:17:17,771 --> 00:17:19,570 This crate has been set up. 435 00:17:19,572 --> 00:17:22,507 So, uh, he gets on a mic. 436 00:17:22,509 --> 00:17:27,345 And he goes, "Party! 437 00:17:27,347 --> 00:17:29,647 "Yeah! 438 00:17:29,649 --> 00:17:31,749 Okay, disco sucks!" 439 00:17:31,751 --> 00:17:33,651 "Disco sucks!" They start chanting. 440 00:17:33,653 --> 00:17:34,786 "Disco sucks!" There's big banners. 441 00:17:34,788 --> 00:17:37,588 "Disco sucks!" And it's kind of intense. 442 00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:41,426 So Steve's like, "All right, I'm gonna blow 'em up." 443 00:17:41,428 --> 00:17:42,527 both: [laughing] 444 00:17:42,529 --> 00:17:44,962 - He puts way too much... 445 00:17:44,964 --> 00:17:46,931 real explosive. 446 00:17:46,933 --> 00:17:48,866 [laughs] Perfect storm. 447 00:17:48,868 --> 00:17:51,602 So Steve pushes the thing. 448 00:17:51,604 --> 00:17:54,672 Then... [imitates explosion] 449 00:17:54,674 --> 00:17:55,606 Big explosion. 450 00:17:55,608 --> 00:17:56,407 [bleep] flying everywhere 451 00:17:56,409 --> 00:17:57,975 in center field. 452 00:17:57,977 --> 00:18:00,812 You can't play another whole game in that. 453 00:18:00,814 --> 00:18:03,247 That alone is the end. 454 00:18:03,249 --> 00:18:03,815 That's the end. 455 00:18:03,817 --> 00:18:06,551 Only that isn't the end. 456 00:18:11,023 --> 00:18:12,457 - [claps] - But what happens 457 00:18:12,459 --> 00:18:13,224 after it explodes? 458 00:18:13,226 --> 00:18:17,128 - All right--what do you mean, what happens after it explodes? 459 00:18:17,130 --> 00:18:18,096 It's a [bleep] disaster. 460 00:18:18,098 --> 00:18:19,530 both: [chuckling] 461 00:18:19,532 --> 00:18:22,867 - So then these seven kids climb over the wall. 462 00:18:22,869 --> 00:18:24,035 More kids, more kids. 463 00:18:24,037 --> 00:18:25,169 [bleep]'s getting un--unhinged. 464 00:18:25,171 --> 00:18:27,371 There's too many kids on the field. 465 00:18:27,373 --> 00:18:31,209 "Holy [bleep], I'm on the-- what--Comiskey Park, 466 00:18:31,211 --> 00:18:34,312 the field where Babe Ruth hit home runs." 467 00:18:34,314 --> 00:18:36,414 They're running around the bases. 468 00:18:36,416 --> 00:18:39,550 "Look at me! I'm gonna slide!" 469 00:18:39,552 --> 00:18:40,384 Kids are pitching. 470 00:18:40,386 --> 00:18:42,286 "I'm a pitcher. Whoo-hoo!" 471 00:18:42,288 --> 00:18:45,623 Meanwhile, crazy Vietnam vet, on his motorcycle, 472 00:18:45,625 --> 00:18:47,258 going like, "Ah-ha-ha-ha. 473 00:18:47,260 --> 00:18:50,128 I did it. I really did it." 474 00:18:50,130 --> 00:18:52,330 And Harry Caray is up in the booth going, 475 00:18:52,332 --> 00:18:56,000 "Hey, it's a good time, everybody. 476 00:18:56,002 --> 00:18:59,137 "Let's sing a song together. 477 00:18:59,139 --> 00:19:03,174 "♪ Take me out to the-- ♪ You know this. 478 00:19:03,176 --> 00:19:04,575 "Sing along! 479 00:19:04,577 --> 00:19:10,314 "Okay, let's all get off the field now. 480 00:19:10,316 --> 00:19:11,415 How 'bout it?" 481 00:19:11,417 --> 00:19:12,350 [laughter] 482 00:19:12,352 --> 00:19:13,918 And the kids are like, 483 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,053 "Well, no. Not that." 484 00:19:16,055 --> 00:19:17,388 They call the Chicago police. 485 00:19:17,390 --> 00:19:20,091 They sent riot police. Full riot gear. 486 00:19:20,093 --> 00:19:20,892 The cops come... 487 00:19:20,894 --> 00:19:23,060 "Man, I'll teach you to be a teenager! 488 00:19:23,062 --> 00:19:25,263 A whack in the head." 489 00:19:25,265 --> 00:19:27,064 And, um, arrested 39 people 490 00:19:27,066 --> 00:19:29,567 for vandalism and [bleep]. 491 00:19:29,569 --> 00:19:30,468 They call the game. 492 00:19:30,470 --> 00:19:33,237 The White Sox are forced to forfeit. 493 00:19:33,239 --> 00:19:35,106 [bleep] "A." 494 00:19:35,108 --> 00:19:36,174 [laughter] 495 00:19:36,176 --> 00:19:38,409 They say it killed disco. It did not kill disco. 496 00:19:38,411 --> 00:19:41,946 What it did, potentially, that was actually meaningful-- 497 00:19:41,948 --> 00:19:46,050 this event was like one massive tweet 498 00:19:46,052 --> 00:19:49,086 sent out by a generation of kids. 499 00:19:49,088 --> 00:19:51,289 And they pressed a button and said, 500 00:19:51,291 --> 00:19:55,560 "We don't like disco that much. 501 00:19:55,562 --> 00:19:56,627 Okay?" 502 00:19:56,629 --> 00:19:57,428 both: [snicker] 503 00:19:57,430 --> 00:19:59,163 - That's essentially what the event was. 504 00:19:59,165 --> 00:20:01,199 And, uh, if it killed disco, 505 00:20:01,201 --> 00:20:04,502 it just sent a message that said, 506 00:20:04,504 --> 00:20:08,039 "Maybe everybody doesn't love this [bleep] 24/7." 507 00:20:08,041 --> 00:20:09,106 ♪ ♪ 508 00:20:09,108 --> 00:20:12,610 I would like to do some disco lyrics right now. 509 00:20:12,612 --> 00:20:13,311 - Okay, go ahead. 510 00:20:13,313 --> 00:20:16,180 - [imitates disco music] 511 00:20:16,182 --> 00:20:18,616 [falsetto] ♪ Baby, oh, yeah ♪ 512 00:20:18,618 --> 00:20:20,551 ♪ Tonight's the night ♪ 513 00:20:20,553 --> 00:20:21,385 [scatting] 514 00:20:21,387 --> 00:20:24,088 ♪ Tonight's the night ♪ - ♪ Nights ♪ 515 00:20:24,090 --> 00:20:27,692 - ♪ The night of nights, tonight, all right ♪ 516 00:20:27,694 --> 00:20:30,027 ♪ A night-- ♪ All right, I get it. 517 00:20:30,029 --> 00:20:31,395 - [laughing] 518 00:20:31,397 --> 00:20:33,264 - Duly noted. Thank you. 519 00:20:33,266 --> 00:20:34,432 - [laughing] 520 00:20:34,434 --> 00:20:37,201 - It's just [bleep]. Just the worst. 521 00:20:37,203 --> 00:20:40,538 [dramatic patriotic music] 522 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:46,978 ♪ ♪ 523 00:21:07,366 --> 00:21:08,399 - Picture the Bee Gees 524 00:21:08,401 --> 00:21:09,200 in their bedroom. 525 00:21:09,202 --> 00:21:12,169 The alarm goes off, and disco music plays. 526 00:21:12,171 --> 00:21:14,672 And the Bee Gees all pop up, and one of them's like, 527 00:21:14,674 --> 00:21:16,641 "Turn that [bleep] off." 528 00:21:16,643 --> 00:21:18,142 - [laughs] - Even they don't wanna hear 529 00:21:18,144 --> 00:21:21,412 disco music at 6:00 a.m.