Boy Throb

Summary

Flightless Bird: "Boy Throb" (June 16, 2026) – Episode Summary

Main Theme and Purpose

In this episode, David Farrier dives into the uniquely American phenomenon of the boy band, focusing on the rise of "Boy Throb," a new group gaining viral traction for both their music and their ongoing campaign to secure an American visa for their Indian member, Darshan. The episode unpacks the quirks of boy band culture, explores the blurred lines between authenticity and satire in the modern internet age, and follows David’s experience attending Boy Throb’s first live concert in New York City—a pivotal event both for the band and their devoted, unexpectedly diverse fanbase.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Reflections: Boy Bands and Childhood Fandom

• [00:08] David, Rosabelle, and Rob reminisce about their own exposure to boy bands, noting the odd targeting of young girls by fully grown men performing as “boys.”
  • “They're not boys. They're men. Right?” – David, [01:16]
  • “It must be so strange for those men to go do a little gig and there's 10 year old girls being horny for them.” – Rosabelle, [01:23]
• Brief foray into girl bands and the cultural semantics of calling adult performers “boys” or “girls.”
• Discussion of classic American versus international boy bands, as well as the concept of manufactured vs. organic groups.

American-ness of the Boy Band and Its Evolution

• Comparison of American boy bands to Korean K-pop and UK acts.
• “What constitutes a boy band? It's multiple males... harmonizing... not playing instruments, just singing.” – Rob, [04:01]
• Mention of “manufactured” origin stories:
  • O-Town was the first reality-TV-created boy band, made on ABC’s "Making the Band" with Lou Pearlman ([14:19]).
  • Recap of the odd drama, lawsuits, and the pursuit of fame over musical expression.

The Rise of Boy Throb: Background and Unique Story

• Boy Throb features three Americans and Darshan, who remains in India due to visa issues.
• The group's viral fame is partly driven by their campaign to get Darshan an O-1 visa (for "aliens of extraordinary ability"), making their quest part of their narrative and appeal ([02:00], [19:36]).
• The band’s formation on social media (Instagram, TikTok), their unconventional image, and the viral question of whether they are sincere or some elaborate joke (Nathan Fielder, anyone?).

“You have to prove you are an alien of extraordinary ability. That's the actual term. Which basically means you need to get famous enough for the US government to let you in.” – David, [02:44]

• “I'm going to play this documentary for you, who only knows about Boy Throb through me occasionally ranting to you about them.” – David, [20:53]

The NY Concert: Fan Dynamics and Live Experience

Pre-show Meetup in Washington Square Park ([21:46] – [23:59])

• Throbbers wear pink merch, gather around a cardboard cut-out of Darshan.
• Fans invested not only in the music but “the story of Boy Throb”—especially the visa quest.
  • “They're doing this…to show the government and get proof that this is a real band. He should really be allowed to come here on a performance visa.” – Mel, [22:48]
• Curiosity about how fans discovered the band: TikTok, Instagram, Idol/American dance backgrounds ([27:44]).

The Show at Bowery Ballroom ([30:17] – [41:39])

• Line wraps around the block; crowd is older and more diverse than anticipated (“More adult than I anticipated…more men than I anticipated as well, which I love. Boy Throb’s for everyone.” – [39:33])
• Boy Throb’s manager, Gino, opens the show — a tongue-in-cheek nod to boy band management tropes.
  • First chant: “Visa, Visa” – blending humor and real-world stakes ([33:37])
• US government’s skepticism about the group’s legitimacy integral to the show’s narrative.
  • “They think because of how big of stars the boys are online…that they're just like a viral [thing]. And we're like, nah, nah, nah, fuck that. We're a real band.” – Gino, [34:27]
• Set includes all three singles, covers featuring Darshan via Zoom, and a new Kesha remix—solidifying their appeal beyond novelty ([37:15]).

“It was a religious experience for me. That was the one real coolest thing I've ever done in my life. Genuinely like you can just feel the joy from everybody.” – Fan, [40:13]

Post-Show Insights: Authenticity, Gags, and Media Scrutiny

• Press swarms the band, questioning if Boy Throb is a legitimate project or “just a gag.”

  • “What you see is what you get. Hope you like it. If you don't, oh well.” – Band member, [43:02]
  • “If you're a gag or not, that annoys the fuck out of me. Like, if you're a joke, I'm so done with that shit… What else do we need to prove to people…” – Band member, [43:03]

• Emotional moment with Evan’s mum, underscoring real stakes:

  • “I am a beyond proud mother…The meaning and the love that was in that room was off the charts…I’ve never seen anything like that.” – Wendy, [43:31]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I want to figure out what makes this country tick. Now, back in October of last year, a new American boy band arrived on the scene called Boy Throbbing.” – David, [01:39]
• “I feel like, with so many—Like, another thing common with boy bands is the drama. Because you’ve got someone pulling the strings...a lot of them are getting like fucked over from the beginning.” – David, [15:44]
• “Are we meant to take any boy band seriously?” – David, [29:09]
• “At first I was like, yeah, sure, I’ll give this a follow on Instagram. I’m starting to really like these guys.” – Fan, [29:59]
• “What separates it from any boy band ever? Because every boy band leans into cliches.” – David, [49:54]
• “Even if this whole thing was a gag…even if Nathan Fielder invented the whole thing…these guys are realizing that we love what we do and we wish people would just appreciate what we do instead of the gag.” – David, [51:38]
• “If you’re listening to this and you are on the fence, I think their single ‘Finger,’ which is inherently just, as I say, a very funny name…but it’s a certified banger.” – David, [53:03]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening boy band/girl band nostalgia: [00:08] – [08:20]
• Deep dive into boy band culture & American-ness: [03:25] – [08:20]
• Origins and formation of Boy Throb: [12:05] – [20:41]
• Washington Square Park fan meetup: [21:46] – [23:59]
• Concert queue and scene at Bowery Ballroom: [30:17] – [33:30]
• Manager “Gino” and the “Visa!” chant: [33:37] – [34:46]
• Concert highlights (including Darshan’s Zoom and Kesha feature): [36:49] – [41:04]
• Fans and press reactions post-show: [39:33] – [44:27]
• Discussion on authenticity and satire: [47:10] – [52:50]

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Flow & Utility

Throughout the episode, David and Rob maintain their signature irreverent yet affectionate tone. The episode offers both a primer on the boy band phenomenon and a case study in modern fame—and the blurring of sincerity, irony, meme culture, and earnest artistry that defines Gen Z pop culture.

Listeners come away understanding Boy Throb’s meteoric, strange, and surprisingly endearing journey—and, more broadly, why Americans remain fascinated by boy bands as a cultural institution.

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Standout Memorable Moments (with Quotes & Speakers)

• The Park Meetup: “They have a fourth member that's in India right now, Darshan, and they're working hard to try to get his visa to be in America and be a four person boy band.” – Fan, [22:30]
• Manager Gino’s Visa Chant: “For the first chant to be about a visa is amazing to me.” – David, [33:44]
• Concert Crowd’s Diversity: “More adult than I anticipated, older than I thought. ...More men than I anticipated as well, which I love. Boy Throb’s for everyone.” – Fan, [39:33]
• Band’s Frustration at Authenticity Questions: “When people are always asking us, you know, are we organic or not? That gets old. It's like, look, what you see is what you get.” – Boy Throb member, [42:52]

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Conclusion

"Boy Throb" isn't just a story about a meme-turned-music group—it’s an exploration of American myth-making, fandom, and the irresistible, eternal charm of the boy band. David Farrier documents a modern pop anomaly with affection and curiosity, leaving listeners asking whether authenticity, sincerity, and self-parody can all share the same stage—and, ultimately, whether it matters if you’re having a great time.

Transcript

[Rosabelle]

Hi, David.

[David Farrier]

Hi, Rosabelle. How are you?

[Rosabelle]

I'm good.

[Rob]

How are you?

[David Farrier]

I'm good. Look, I know we're both a little bit stretched for time right now, so I'm going to cut straight to the chase. Today's episode looks into the American boy band. And I'm just wondering, growing up in New Zealand, did you ever have a boy band that you particularly gravitated towards?

[Rosabelle]

Backstreet Boys? Five.

[David Farrier]

Five. I remember five.

[Rosabelle]

I think five were from the UK maybe.

[David Farrier]

I think they were, actually. That's okay.

[Rosabelle]

But then Backstreet Boys. Nick Carter had a little brother called Aaron Carter and he had songs as well.

[David Farrier]

I might be wrong, but there was an American drama that was Christian based and I feel like he played one of the Christian sons.

[Rosabelle]

Oh, okay.

[David Farrier]

Which is a side dish. Were you attracted to the music or were you like a little bit horny for the people?

[Rosabelle]

Yeah, of course horny. Musically attracted, physically attracted. It's the whole package.

[David Farrier]

Did you have any posters on your wall?

[Rosabelle]

Of course I did. You know, it's quite weird for like the music industry to target 10 year old girls.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Because they're not. I mean, they call them boy bands, but they are. They're not boys. They're men. Right.

[Rosabelle]

They're fully grown men.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rosabelle]

And then it must be so strange for those men to go do a little gig and there's 10 year old girls being horny for them.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. That is weird, actually. I hadn't really thought about it like that, but that is really. It's really odd. Okay. Thanks, Rosabelle.

[Rosabelle]

You're welcome.

[David Farrier]

I'm David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America, and I want to figure out what makes this country tick. Now, back in October of last year, a new American boy band arrived on the scene called Boy Throbbing. Now, whether you're deeply aware of Boy Throb or have never heard of them before, I like to think this episode will have something for you. Because the idea of boy bands is just inherently kind of fascinating. And because the members of Boy Throb have all been chasing fame for some time. From auditioning on American Idol to creating huge social media followings on their own for their singing and dancing. And the story of Boythrob is also a story close to my heart. Because while three members are Americans, they. Their fourth member, Darshan, is in India. And ever since the formation of the group, they have been heavily campaigning to get Darshan an O1 visa so he can join his bandmates in the United States of America to get an O1 visa. You have to prove you are an alien of extraordinary ability. That's the actual term. Which basically means you need to get famous enough for the US government to let you in. So while Boy Throb want to get famous for all the usual reasons, they also want to get famous to get Darshan an American visa. Recently, as part of this journey, they played their first ever live show at an iconic music venue in New York City. So of course I had to go. So prepare to become a throbber and join the Throb mob, because this is the Boy Throb episode.

[Rosabelle]

Flagless. Flagless Flagless Bird Touchdown in America.

[Rob]

I'm a flagless.

[David Farrier]

Now, I'm deeply aware that this is a very specific topic.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

But I think boy bands in general are kind of interesting.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And very American, too.

[Rob]

Very American. At one point, I feel like other cultures. I mean, K pop is a little adjacent to that and totally.

[David Farrier]

And have taken the popularity away.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Cause we haven't had. I guess that's part of the thing about Boy Throb that's kind of fascinating is it's a boy band. And since I guess One Direction in my mind was like the last big boy band. Boy band. I guess.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Maybe.

[Rob]

I mean, what. What constitutes a boy band? It's multiple males, multiple boys harmonizing.

[David Farrier]

Yes. They have to have. Share different parts and then do crossovers.

[Rob]

And it's. They're not playing instruments, they're just singing.

[David Farrier]

That's a good point. It's all vocal cords and dance moves.

[Rob]

Almost like a. Extension of an acapella group, kind of. With tracks. Maybe sometimes a live band, depending on what size.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. And I think some real legitimate bangers. And I also feel like in a boy, like, because they all have their own skills, I feel one of them is always going to rise to the top and maybe be more talented than the others.

[Rob]

So the Justin Timberlakes, the Harry Styles.

[David Farrier]

Although a fascinating thing has happened with Timberlake where. I don't know, he was amazing for quite a while. I remember him being a good dancer and a great singer and charismatic. I feel since that DUI he got where he was pulled over. His current tour is a train wreck. It's popping up on my feeds and he's just kind of lost the ability to be what he was. Sloppy.

[Rob]

The shows you're seeing.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. He's dancing, but it's like if I was trying to dance. It's really. For some reason, Timberlake side dish has really gone south.

[Rob]

I mean, he's also getting older, so he's getting older. The expectations of how he can dance on stage, this is true, maybe need to be lowered. But I will say, if it's as awful as you're saying, it's pretty tragic. Maybe someone should have flagged it to him. They need to during rehearsals.

[David Farrier]

That they need to.

[Rob]

That's not the route to go.

[David Farrier]

As a side dish to this. I just thought I'd mention because I was thinking growing up, if I was into any boy bands, Boys to Men were weird. That's a boy band. I weirdly was really into them, like very Souley and very. I know for whatever reason they captured my attention. Other than that, it was mostly Christian boy bands like the Newsboys. And as a side dish. Is that a boy band? They're playing instruments. Maybe it's not a boy band.

[Rob]

I mean, you had NSYNC and Backstreet

[David Farrier]

Boys and we had all of them in New Zealand. I just wasn't actively a fan of.

[Rob]

Are you sure?

[David Farrier]

I'd admit it if I was.

[Rob]

Okay.

[David Farrier]

But as a side dish with the Newsboys, we did that Christian Chaos episode about how the Newsboys were falling into disreputability because of their singer. Yeah, Just wanted to leave a note. They are suing the out of everyone at the moment. This is an article from Ministry Watch, which is a Christian website. And if you remember, in that episode, Christian Chaos, we talked about their manager, Wes Campbell, who we described as the devil. He's like this very ginger nightmare looking man. So this is from Ministry Watch. Wes Campbell and the musicians of the Christian band News Boys have filed a federal lawsuit against World Vision, the Royce Report, who broke the story, and concert promoters for an orchestrated campaign to drive Campbell and Newsboys out of the Christian concertma. So Newsboys have gone full batshit insane.

[Rob]

They've gone nuclear.

[David Farrier]

They've gone nuclear. Anyway, they were probably the boys that I loved the most as a kid and they have really fallen.

[Rob]

There was LFO also, and new kids on the block and 98 degrees.

[David Farrier]

I don't know. 98 degrees.

[Rob]

Oh, 98 degrees.

[David Farrier]

It's very hot.

[Rob]

Hot, hot. Great.

[David Farrier]

I really like that name.

[Rob]

That was Nick Lachey.

[David Farrier]

Okay. I don't know who that is. I feel like this is a whole other world probably that I should delve into.

[Rob]

Yeah, there were lots of boy bands and then there were the girl bands too, which are. Can you say girl bands? Women bands.

[David Farrier]

I think girl. Yeah. I mean, I think of the first single I ever bought on tape as a kid was tlc, Waterfalls. And I feel that Was like an iconic girl group, obviously, that went on to certain members. Went on to do what? I'm. Amazing things.

[Rob]

Are they. Should we call them women? Because. Yeah, it depends on the age, but I also feel totally fine. And girl bands calling NSYNC a boy.

[David Farrier]

They're definitely. And that's the other thing. Boy. They're not men, you know, they're sort of boyish.

[Rob]

Well, I think they were probably men at that time.

[David Farrier]

I mean, they were technically men. But it's this thing of like, they're innocent in a way. They're presentable to all ages. It's not like boy bands are never. They're not out having a lot of promiscuous, crazy times that time. Right. That's part of the deal.

[Rob]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Farrier]

And that's so kids can hang the posters up on the wall. Remember those books used to get those teen magazines? And we have posters of all the latest people you could put on the wall.

[Rob]

No, I had. I had Sports Illustrated. So it was.

[David Farrier]

Oh, wow.

[Rob]

I mean, instead it was it man dunking or.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Hitting a baseball.

[David Farrier]

Wow. Another thing I was thinking about while thinking about boy bands, I know this technically doesn't count, but Michael Jackson, who was a big star.

[Rob]

Well, he was in a boy band, the Jackson 5. Oh, my God. Okay.

[David Farrier]

You're completely right. This is very valid. Michael Jackson watching the reaction to him. We've talked a bit about this.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

But his. The fact that the movie Michael has come out and people are flooding to it and loving it. It's really funny. Well, not funny. Strange. Watching this generation basically forgive him. And the estate has done this. The Daily did a really fascinating deep dive on this. And essentially Michael Jackson towards the end of his career was obviously not doing well. He was hooked on a bunch of drugs. The pedophilia allegations were everywhere. He was dangling babies off the roof. That was a particularly horrific thing to watch. But the estate, when Michael was alive, they had a really hard time because he was just out being a maniac. With him dead, the estate has done this really amazing thing where they've rehabilitated his image because he isn't around to constantly be saying and doing crazy shit. And it's worked.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Like, there's a whole bunch of people out there that are kind of like, maybe he wasn't a pedophile, you know, and that's a real thing now. And that just blows my mind.

[Rob]

Yeah. I mean, that's the age old we're living through now of separating the art from the artist. And at this point if him being gone changes your ability to appreciate. Because the doc is more about him as a musician and an artist.

[David Farrier]

It is. I haven't watched it. I think it cuts off way before the allegations even start. There was a whole other cut of the film where they wrote in the allegations and actually essentially shut those down within the film. So allegations are made against him and they reference those in the film, but then they're about to release it and they found out that. That that victim had given an interview previously. And part of that deal was they weren't allowed to disparate. Like the network wasn't allowed to disparage that victim.

[Rob]

Ah, yeah.

[David Farrier]

And they built that into the film. And then they went, oh, God, we signed this contract ages ago. We're not allowed to clap back against these allegations. And so they basically redid the whole thing, which is mad. The backstory to that Michael movie is crazy.

[Rob]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Farrier]

But I think he's different because you're not just separating the artist from the artist. I think there's a bunch of people out there that have just don't think he did anything wrong again. It's like they've erased that part of the story, which is mad to me.

[Rob]

Yeah. The whole denying thing is another interesting aspect to all of it.

[David Farrier]

You can't get the Neverland documentary that was on hbo. You can't get it anymore. It's dropped off the map. Like the estate has taken it offline.

[Rob]

It's crazy. All right. Well, not.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Not an awful boy band story is boy throb.

[Rob]

This seems like a story crafted by you.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, it feels. This is built for me in a way.

[Rob]

Yeah. Because when. When did they come onto the scene? This has to be like. This has to be a newly being fueled by the current politics.

[David Farrier]

So New October is when they first popped up. I can't remember if it was Instagram or TikTok, but what struck me is that these. The whole setup is so riveting because you've got these three boys, these three Americans who are. I think they're in their early, sort of mid-20s, late-20s. They are all very talented on their own, but they're also not the picture perfect kind of image that you expect. So they're all a little bit. I don't know, it's hard. They're just not as polished as you would expect. And that's really fascinating.

[Rob]

They're not in sync.

[David Farrier]

They're not in sync. They're not perfect, but they're very, very likable. And they're like they're amaz with their own specific skills. Like, one of them's a great dancer, one of them's a great singer.

[Rob]

But then, of course, only one of them is a good singer.

[David Farrier]

Just one.

[Rob]

Okay.

[David Farrier]

No, they're all good. Few of them have particular points where they're particularly better, I think.

[Rob]

And what is their history like? Because with. With NSync, you had Justin Timberlake coming from the Mickey Mouse Club, Everyone kind of had storied backgrounds and origin and origins. Yes. And then, I mean, I think a lot of the. I wouldn't say controversy, but controversy of boy bands, too, was that it felt like a label just placing these people together and it. And.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Manufacturing this friendship.

[David Farrier]

And I think that's something that you've hit on with boy bands that is unique to them is that they don't form organically. They're not friends jamming or. They don't have this love of music that bring them. That brings them together. It's someone going, hey, meet this person. You should do something.

[Rob]

Or. We auditioned all of these people, and we're gonna pick these five to go together. Yeah. We have these writers and these producers that are gonna make all the music.

[David Farrier]

Yes.

[Rob]

There was a band, O Town.

[David Farrier]

Oh. And that was part of the story of them, kind of.

[Rob]

I. I think the peak of this. I think they did it publicly on making the band on mtv. They created O Town. And it. Okay, was this band that came out of that, Right.

[David Farrier]

And they were big ish.

[Rob]

They were big ish. I mean. Yeah, I found some history. O Town were the first boy band created and launched by a reality TV show.

[David Farrier]

Oh, holy shit. So this is pre Idol and all this stuff.

[Rob]

In 1999, ABC produced a musical reality show called Making the Band. So not. Not mtv, huh? So it was with Lou Perlman, who created Backstreet Boys and nsync.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

They had a thousand people audition to be in the band, which is a

[David Farrier]

lot, but probably by today's standard isn't that many.

[Rob]

So the series actually goes through the audition process and. Okay, all of that.

[David Farrier]

Do you remember how old were you in. 99.

[Rob]

I was 11, yeah.

[David Farrier]

So you were aware of this, like, being a thing?

[Rob]

I was aware. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

I don't.

[Rob]

I don't know that I watched it,

[David Farrier]

but I was aware of it.

[Rob]

There were apparently legal battles between Lou Perlman, who was convicted of embezzling over $300 million, which.

[David Farrier]

300. Jesus Christ.

[Rob]

Which I think eventually killed the band.

[David Farrier]

I feel like, with so many. Like, another thing common with boy bands is the drama.

[Rob]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Because you've got these. Because you've got someone pulling the strings. There's these people come in excited to be famous, but a lot of them are getting like fucked over from the beginning.

[Rob]

Well, I think you also have this thing where the drive for it is to be famous. They. It was not this. This thing where they're trying to make music for the pure sake of expressing themselves. They're doing.

[David Farrier]

No, there's no message. Besides, we are hot and we are

[Rob]

famous and you have the egos of. I mean, front. Front. People in any band have to have somewhat of an ego.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

To think that you are good enough to go on stage and lead.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. To have that confidence.

[Rob]

Right. Yes. So when you put four to five of them together.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

There's gonna be. Everyone probably thinks that they are the lead completely. And unless you have people that are comfortable settling because it'll Naturally. Someone rises as.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

The favorite completely.

[David Farrier]

Someone is. Just has that extra X factor or a better voice or better talent or whatever.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

But you're right. That's the other thing with boy band. There's no specific focus. All of them in the beginning are meant to be. Same with the girl band. Like, they're meant to be. You pick which one you like.

[Rob]

Yeah. Spice Girls are the same. You had your favorite Spice Girl that you liked.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God, I remember how much my granddad, who's very, very British. He's dead now, but he fucking loved the Spice Girls so much.

[Rob]

I wonder why.

[David Farrier]

And he's just like. No, I don't think. If you're insinuating that Grandpa Phil was horny pervert. No, he wasn't. No, he wasn't a pervert. That's the thing. He was straight lace. But something about the Spice Girls just bought this very repression. She's got excited by like, Baby Spice and shit and spots and sposh posh sposh. The mem. We don't know about. It's. He got so excited. And that's what it's about. It's about becoming a fan of your favorite member. So that does relate to Boythrob, because the one thing that we know about Boy Throb is that some of the members have auditioned on American Idol. So these are kids that have wanted to be successful for a long time. They largely haven't been. They haven't won Idol. You know, they've been on there. They got rejected and they've. Somehow these three guys have found each other and they're trying to make it. We don't know how they got bought together. There's like a big theory. Like that's like one of the big things is like who is behind Boythrob? Like, what is this? Exactly. And then the other main element, which is. It depends what way you look at it. Like it's incredibly heartwarming and it's also incredibly sort of entertaining. Is this idea that there's another influencer in India, the Shah member. There's a fourth member.

[Rob]

Fourth member of a band.

[David Farrier]

That and a message. No, it's kind of wild. And.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And his whole thing, which is clearly gimmicky. Right?

[Rob]

Yeah. I'm feeling a little skeptical, like.

[David Farrier]

And he. Dashan has made his career from singing. He has an incredibly high pitched beautiful voice. And his whole thing on TikTok and he's a star in India. He's got his own thing going on.

[Rob]

He's already. He's already established in India.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Okay.

[David Farrier]

And his whole thing is covering huge pop songs. Like I know Rose or something. He'll cover one of her songs but in the most high pitched voice sort of imaginable. And he harmonizes with these three Americans. And so in all of Boy Throb's Instagram and TikToks, Dashan is just like on a green screen and kind of his face just appears as he sings and. But following the journey of this band, trying to get him in 01 for me. Because every three years. I mean, I just emailed you the other day. Can you please fill in a form to help me get my new O1 visa? I do this every three years.

[Rob]

Yeah, I'm aware.

[David Farrier]

Because you have to fill in all this fucking paperwork.

[Rob]

The third one.

[David Farrier]

But it's just watching this band try and, you know, so you're kind of rooting for them not just because you like them as people and you kind of want them to do well. You want this guy to get a visa.

[Rob]

That's what I meant by it being just perfect political thing to be happening right now because that's also.

[David Farrier]

Oh, it's getting harder to do.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

No, I mean I'm looking at the list of things they're checking off on O1s now that they never used to. You know. For instance, I now have to go back to New Zealand to. To apply for an O1. I used to just have to leave the country, but I didn't have to go all the way back to New Zealand.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

The social media checks now with the green card trump's added on that you can no longer apply for A green card within the United States. You've got to leave and go back to your country of origin. It's getting harder and harder for a non American to come here. And so it wasn't this intense when they started this in October. But as this campaign's gone on, obviously, politically, it's gotten crazier and crazier, which has made it more and more riveting to watch.

[Rob]

Yeah. More and more relevant. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

But look, I went to see them in New York. I'm going to play this documentary for you, you who only knows about Boy Throb through me occasionally ranting to you about them.

[Rob]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

I'm deeply curious just to know what you make of them. After experiencing what I experienced in New York city. It's about 5pm and I'm in Washington Square Park. I'm here because Boy Throb have announced on social media they're doing a fan meetup a few days before their first ever live performance. I've been wandering around the park for about 10 minutes, trying to spot where this thing is happening. It's a public park, so there are buskers. There are some protests going on as well. And then I see a throng of about 50 people, some of them wearing the pink merch of Boy Throb. As I head towards them, I see a large cardboard cutout of Deshan, the member of the band who can't be here because he's in India. Do you know what's going on up here?

[Rosabelle]

No idea.

[David Farrier]

No idea. Do you know what's happening? You have no idea at all? You're just here.

[Rosabelle]

No idea.

[David Farrier]

You came here for this today?

[Rosabelle]

Oh, absolutely not. No.

[David Farrier]

You just stumbled into it.

[Rosabelle]

I stumbled into it, but my partner and I both love them. And so I'm about to call him

[David Farrier]

and tell him, can you explain what's happening here?

[Rosabelle]

These gentlemen here are a new boy band called Boy Throb. There's four members in the band. They've got a guy called Darshan who's in India and he's trying to get a US Visa.

[David Farrier]

Are you going to the show tomorrow?

[Rosabelle]

Unfortunately, I did not get a ticket and I also have to fly back to Dublin, but that's why I'm here.

[David Farrier]

One thing that strikes me about the fans here is how invested they are not just in the music of Boy Throb, but in the story of Boy Throb. This is a independent boy band called Boy Throb.

[Rosabelle]

They all met each other on the

[David Farrier]

Internet, specifically through Instagram. Their first post was like, we're like

[Rosabelle]

a new boy band and like we're gonna win a Grammy.

[David Farrier]

They have a very infectious energy and

[Rosabelle]

they have a fourth member that's in India right now, Darshan, and they're working hard to try to get his visa to be in America and be a

[David Farrier]

four person boy band. I got more information from Jonathan and Mel. Between them, they could only secure one ticket for the show in a few days time. The tickets went that fast.

[Rosabelle]

So right now there is this new band, boy throb. They are hosting Throbchella. It's like their first big concert that they're doing. They are from California. There's actually four people in the band. It is Ethan, Zach, Darshan and Anthony. So Darshan is unfortunately in India. So they're currently doing all of this actually to get him a visa to come here. Unfortunately at the start of their career, a lot of people thought of it as like a satirical band when they're actually a real band trying to get popular. So they're doing this in order to not only perform and be a band, but to show the government and get proof that this is a real band. He should really be allowed to come here on a performance visa. Of course. This is like the meetup before the concert, which is on Tuesday at 7.

[David Farrier]

Are you guys going tomorrow? I wish I tried.

[Rob]

I didn't get tickets.

[David Farrier]

Tickets have gone. You've got a ticket?

[Rosabelle]

I got a ticket. But he didn't get one.

[Rob]

Yeah, we signed up. It just, it wasn't in the cards.

[Rosabelle]

Didn't happen.

[David Farrier]

But we're gonna stage door so we're gonna try and it's nice regardless that one of you gets to go. That's good.

[Rosabelle]

Exactly. And he has work until 7. And the concert starts at 7. So, you know,

[David Farrier]

stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Zazzle. Now I find it really hard to find gifts, or I did until I found Zazzle. I had a friend's birthday coming up. I know that they love, love, love where the Wild Things Are. And I knew they needed a new pillow. I went to Zazzle. I got a Where the Wild Things are pillow for my friend. Also got them some ph and good God, that birthday gift gifts, I should say, went over so, so well. Zazzle is a custom marketplace where you can take basically any product, a mug, a tote bag, a card, a phone case, a pillow and make it mean something. You're not buying a gift, you're making one. You can browse millions of designs or start from scratch and build something completely your own. Either way, you're the designer. That's how it felt when I was putting together this where the wild things are present for my buddy. Now everything is made on demand. There's no out of stock. You pick it, you customize it. Done. Over 30 million customers have trusted Zazzle with their most important gifts. Yours is next. They have some really good peanuts stuff on there. That's what I'm going to get for another friend very soon. So right now save 25% on your first order at zazzle.com that's 25% savings on your first order at zazzlez.com go make something zamazing zazzle.com support for flightless Bird comes from Shopify. Now I don't know if you've ever started your own business, but it can be incredibly overwhelming and lonely thanks to all the hats you suddenly have to wear. Like setting up this podcast. We had to figure it all out from scratch. Pretty much the way we scripted things, the setup, how we'd film things in the studio, our logo, all of those things. Fonts even. It was super overwhelming. And every day seemed to introduce a new decision that needed an answer. And finding the right tool that not only helps you out when you're doing something like this, but simplifies everything can be such a game changer. And for millions of businesses, that tool is Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses all around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US. And when you use Shopify, you get the word out like you have a whole marketing team behind you. You can easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. Best yet, Shopify is your commerce expert with world class expertise in everything from managing inventory to international shipping and processing returns and beyond. And if you get stuck, Shopify is always around to share advice with our award winning 24. 7 customer support. So start your business today with the industry's best business partner, Shopify and start hearing. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.combird that's shopify.combird shopify.com bird this episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block. Or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it, ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required compatibility and availability.

[Rosabelle]

Various 18.

[David Farrier]

One thing I was curious about was how these fans found out about Boythrob in the first place. A band that only formed last year. A band that doesn't appear to have a label or any major backing. Where did you hear about them originally? How did it come to you?

[Rosabelle]

On TikTok? Yeah, we found them on TikTok.

[David Farrier]

I saw clips of Anthony on American Idol five years ago or something.

[Rob]

Before I knew Boy Throttle was a

[David Farrier]

thing I knew about Zach's dancing videos. I was like, this is incredible. I'm enthralled.

[Rosabelle]

I'm here. So.

[David Farrier]

But they're great artists, they're very fun.

[Rob]

It's very wholesome good time.

[David Farrier]

You know, we need wholesome right now.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah, I agree. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

It's at this moment that I start to hear screams. Walking through the park in their distinctive pink velvet tracksuits and yellow shoes are 3/4 of boy throbbing. Evan, Zach and Anthony. They joined Darshan's life size cardboard cutout on a small podium in front of the crowd, saying how grateful they are before meeting fans and signing their stuff. Ashlyn was beaming. You just met Boythrob.

[Rosabelle]

Yes, I did.

[David Farrier]

What was the experience like?

[Rosabelle]

It was really awesome. They all signed my juggling balls. Super sweet people. Really grateful for their fan base. Awesome time.

[David Farrier]

Now, Jonathan and Mel referred to this earlier, but because certain elements of Boy Throb are just quite funny. I mean, just the name Boy Throb, how seriously are we meant to take them? Which for the record is sort of a weird question in the first place, because are we meant to take any boy band seriously? But I think because this band was born on the Internet and we live in a sort of post truth world, people are trying to figure out if there's something else going on here. How legit is it versus elaborate Nathan Fielder esque gag?

[Rosabelle]

Right. Well, a lot of people link them with Nathan Fielder, right. So if there is some sort of prank going on and if it's some sort of gag, I believe these three dudes legitimately want to do this as well. I think there's a little bit of both. There's no denying, like, the stuff is hilarious. I look at these three guys and I'm like, two of them off American Idol didn't get through all of that stuff. And Darshan obviously is the big gimmick or whatever, but these three guys are serious. I don't know about the rest of the whole charade. But these three guys are legit.

[David Farrier]

I think there's a lot of people that think it's satire because their first posts have a lot of elements of comedy in it. But they're really passionate about music and dance and they're really good at singing

[Rob]

and dancing and songwriting.

[David Farrier]

They only have three songs out now.

[Rosabelle]

They're each getting better than the last.

[David Farrier]

At first I was like, yeah, sure, I'll give this a follow on Instagram. I'm starting to really like these guys.

[Rosabelle]

But it originally started as a joke of can we do this? So I think they actually can. But it's been a journey to get there. And that's part of why they've become so likable, because the question of what are they actually capable of? And they do seem very talented.

[David Farrier]

After about an hour, the meet and greet is done. The fans disperse to do whatever New Yorkers do after 6pm on a Sunday, and Boy Throb wander off into the park. The Day After Tomorrow is their first ever live show. Throb Challor the first thing I notice as I approach the Bowery Ballroom is the line. There's a really long line. I follow it around the block, around the corner, around another corner and then another. It goes around the entire block. It's 6:30 on a Tuesday night and doors open at 7. The Bowery Ballroom is a pretty amazing place to play. Paddy Smith, Coldplay, Kanye West, Radiohead, Metallica, Amy Winehouse, the Strokes, Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga, they've all played here. And shortly, Boy Throb. Inside, downstairs by the bar, people are buzzing. We are at Boy Throb's first ever live concert. Are you excited about this?

[Rosabelle]

I don't even have words to describe it. I'm so thrilled to be here. I thought I wasn't going to get in. I thought there was already too many people. When I got in line, that line was crazy. I heard it wrapped around the whole block. Boy Throb is, you know, the new band of our generation. So I'm excited to be here. I hope you are too.

[David Farrier]

For Lisa, she feels personally invested in this whole thing.

[Rosabelle]

I saw them on TikTok and as an immigrant, I really saw Darshan's issues with immigration and it really resonated with me. And they just seem like a group of really nice people. So I'm kind of obsessed. Well, it's Boy Throb, you know, There is social media sensation trying to get Darshan a visa to bring him over

[David Farrier]

to the US Talking to Max and Tessa, I realize I'm not the only press in the room should tell you,

[Rosabelle]

since you're making the podcast, we are press as well.

[David Farrier]

The Washington Post is here, and so is a local Fox News affiliate.

[Rosabelle]

Honestly, I have to say, the more research I've done, I've listened to these guys in a couple of other podcasts and interviews, and the more that I listen to them, the more that I am convinced that they actually love it and they want the success in music. Since they had such explosive viral success so quickly, that is what gives a lot of people pause and thinking, you know, could this possibly be legit? But just because they have a goofy, campy, seemingly very authentic presentation doesn't necessarily mean that an inside job or that they're being propped up. So I have the same questions as you, my friend. We shall see. This is just a testament to how much they care about immigration rights as well, because this is a person that they care about and is integral to their sound and their group. And they want him here as fast as possible. And they'll do anything to prove that it's legit. Did you see the line? It was all the way around the block. I'm. I'm not talking around the corner. It was around the four corners.

[David Farrier]

Upstairs, a DJ is hyping the crowd up. Big, big hits. And the room is packed. And just before 8pm, Boy Throb's manager, Gino takes to the stage. Ladies and gentlemen,

[Rosabelle]

please remove your hats

[David Farrier]

from the national anthem

[Rosabelle]

presented by Visa.

[David Farrier]

Visa.

[Rosabelle]

Visa.

[David Farrier]

Visa.

[Rosabelle]

Visa. Visa.

[David Farrier]

Okay, okay. For the first chant. To be about a visa is amazing to me. And Gino, who fans know from the band's social media, goes into more details. Apparently their first application for Darshan's 01 was turned down. Essentially the US government not convinced all this was legit. That Boy Throb was a real band. Which is sort of an interesting thing to think about, considering said band is about to play to a room packed full of fans. We're here because the US Government sent us an rfe, which means they have a request for further evidence. They think because of how big of stars the boys are online.

[Rosabelle]

I know.

[David Farrier]

Because of how good they are just being themselves and effortlessly marketing themselves. Cause they're just so funny and great and talented.

[Rosabelle]

The government.

[David Farrier]

I know, I know. The government thinks that they're just like a viral. Oh, well, it's just like a viral. And we're like, nah, nah, nah, fuck that.

[Rosabelle]

We're a real band.

[David Farrier]

Not only a real band. It's the hottest boy band in the world right now. I mean, we're here for our boy to show. We're here to show the government.

[Rosabelle]

Yes,

[David Farrier]

we're here to show the government that this is a real goddamn band. And not only a real band, but they're stars and we need our boys. We need our full grow here. Then just before 8pm, boy throb come on stage. It's like the excitement from the park two days ago, but times a thousand. Things go quiet as Boy Throb open their set with the national anthem. What follows is a tight hour long show, which is quite a feat when you realize they only have three singles so far. It's one of the most high energy concerts I've ever been to. The crowd was loud, like my ears were ringing afterwards. What did they play? Well, there were quieter acoustic versions of song.

[Rosabelle]

The players are gonna to let them take off my crown. Am I ever going to let them

[David Farrier]

hear there's no sound? Later they do the song again, but on full blast.

[Rob]

My.

[David Farrier]

There are also covers, but inserting Dashan into the narrative. And then about halfway through, they brought out a laptop on stage and zoomed Daran live. People went nuts. Yes, I can hear you guys. It was pretty surreal having that fourth member on the big screen from India. He even got to sing a solo in the show. And as if to further prove the legitimacy of all this, the show ended on a power move playing a new Boy Throb remix from Kesha. A giant, giant star. I mean that has to count towards the next Visa attempt, right? We spill out onto the street. Throbbers still buzzing from what just happened. Their favorite Internet band suddenly real and fully formed in front of them. So a question. Cause this is like not a visual medium. How would you describe the crowd? Like who are the fans?

[Rosabelle]

Millennials. More adult than I anticipated, older than I thought. Which as a 35 year old and a mother of three, I totally support that. As a 24 year old, I was expecting. I was expecting teeny boppers, 8 to 17 year olds and more men. More men than I anticipated as well, which I love. Boy Throb's for everyone. And I think that's what's so nice, is that it's literally for everyone.

[David Farrier]

Do you have a good time in there?

[Rosabelle]

I did.

[David Farrier]

I'm actually with the Washington Post, so I'm. I'm here working as well. No, no. What do you make of it? Like as a member of the press, obviously you're here with a bunch of fans that love them for a variety of reasons. What do you make of it you'll have to read tomorrow.

[Rosabelle]

But I loved it. Yeah, it was great.

[David Farrier]

What's your name? David.

[Rosabelle]

David Shane.

[Rob]

Nice to meet you.

[David Farrier]

Nice to meet you.

[Rosabelle]

It was amazing. Better than I thought it was going to be. So honestly, highlight for you the acoustic version of Finger. Honestly, it was really genuine, really raw. I very much enjoyed that. And also just finding out that KE do's on the new song was fantastic. That was so fucking cool. Sorry, should I curse? I would have absolutely paid. A lot of people did pay for like resell of the tickets. A lot of people paid for the black market for tickets. I know someone paid like, like $75 for like one of the resold tickets. Did they get in? I hope so. Well, that was a religious experience for me. That was the one real coolest thing I've ever done in my life. Genuinely like it was purely like you can just feel the joy from everybody that it was, it was amazing the energy that they bring and like the genuine likeness that they actually, you can tell they genuinely love to do what they do, you know. Endearing.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[Rosabelle]

You can't help but root for them. You can't because you could tell that this is like a dream for them and that we're like helping make it happen. In a way it was really special and seeing like from what like we've seen of Evan and Anthony and how they all like you know, started as influencers or on you know, American Idol or whatever it was and now to see, now to see them here. I love it. I'm so proud of them.

[David Farrier]

Most fans drift off into the night to do whatever New yorkers do. At 9pm on a Tuesday night, some of us head to the after party howled at a bar a 15 minute walk away. Inside we're greeted by a small boy throbbi sculpture, some drinks and some fried chicken. This whole night has felt like a bit of a blur. And at some point during the afterparty I bump into the boys themselves, Evan, Zach and Anthony. They're in good spirits but also look utterly dishevelled and exhausted.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[Rosabelle]

Oh, I love your accent.

[David Farrier]

Thank you. I'm from New Zealand. Did you have expectations of what tonight would be and was this what you expected or was it different? I think there was a little bit of. We just didn't know it could have been a sold out show or maybe had 20 people. We really didn't know this was really

[Rob]

the first test run to see do

[David Farrier]

we have fans that would show up for a show and boy did they.

[Rosabelle]

Wow.

[Rob]

So thrilling.

[David Farrier]

So Exciting. Like, my adrenaline is high. Most surprising thing for you tonight. Was there something that jumped out at you that you didn't expect?

[Rosabelle]

I would say the amount of people there. Honestly, I am such a pessimist sometimes. And I never know how many people are gonna show up to stuff and who did they show. And the line. The line outside is insane.

[David Farrier]

Most annoying question you've had so far in all this press that you've done tonight.

[Rosabelle]

All tonight or in all of life?

[David Farrier]

In all of your career in Boythrob, maybe. When people are always asking us, you know, are we organic or not? That gets old. It's like, look, what you see is what you get. Hope you like it. If you don't, oh, well.

[Rosabelle]

Oh, if you're a gag or not, that annoys the fuck out of me. Like, if you're a joke, I'm so done with that shit. What else do we need to prove to people to tell you that we're not a gag? We just sold out the Bowery and got a line outside the fucking door.

[David Farrier]

I say good night, but before I go, there's one last person I want to talk to. A woman who's quietly sitting in the corner of the after party, a giant grin plastered on her face. She's Wendy, Evan's mum.

[Rosabelle]

Oh, I am a beyond proud mother, and you're gonna make me cry again. I already cried two or three times during the show.

[David Farrier]

How was snaila? Did you know what to expect?

[Rosabelle]

You know what? This was beyond anything I could have imagined. I mean, his. Just the reception from the crowd and the meaning and the love that was in that room was off the charts. I've been to so many concerts, I've never seen anything like that.

[David Farrier]

Highlight of your night tonight, the elation

[Rosabelle]

is seeing my son, who's been doing this since he was three. Evan has been doing this since he

[Rob]

was three years old.

[Rosabelle]

I was so proud of him and he stuck to his dreams. Nothing has deterred him. If you want to achieve something, you can it if you set your mind to it. And he's done that. This is, like, for me, it's, you know, it's not my dream come true that I wanted him to do this, but that his dream came true.

[Rob]

For any mother, that is, like, what

[Rosabelle]

you're all about, you know?

[David Farrier]

Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Grow Therapy. Now, I don't know if you've heard these words or maybe you've said them yourself. Therapy is way too expensive. That used to be the end of the conversation, but it shouldn't be. Grow Therapy works to help people find care they can afford that's insurance friendly and easy to start and stay with. There's no subscriptions, just support that fits your life and your budget. Whether it's your first time in therapy or your 50th. Grow makes it easier to find a therapist who fits you, not the other way around. Around they connect you with thousands of independent licensed therapists across the US offering both virtual and in person sessions, nights and weekends. You can search by what matters like insurance, specialty, identity or availability and get started in as little as two days. And if something comes up, you can Cancel up to 24 hours in advance at no cost. There are no subscriptions, no long term commitments, you just pay per session. Grow helps you find therapy on your time. So whatever challenges you're facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans. Sessions average $21 with insurance and some pay as little as $0 depending on their plan. Visit growththerapy.combird today to get started. That's growththerapy.combird availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan.

[Rob]

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[David Farrier]

So I took my New Zealand friend George to that show who had never heard of Boy Throb. Yeah, and we were breaking it down afterwards and just reflecting on how it was a fucking amazing show. The energy that was packed into a small space. My ears were still ringing the next day because it was just so loud.

[Rob]

Yeah, and there's something so that says

[David Farrier]

something completely just people's screams and I went there kind of with the attitude of how I'd watched a lot of their online stuff, which is like, this is a bit funny and very self aware.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

But then when I was in that room, I kind of realized, holy shit, people are really into this. Everyone in that room was on the same page. They're really fucking likable. And they have some bangers of songs. The songs are good.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

What did you make of it as an outsider who loves. You don't love this type of music, but you've been to a lot of shows. And the Bowery, as I said, like Radiohead had played there.

[Rob]

Yeah. I've seen shows, I've seen as tall lions at Bowery Ballroom. It's an iconic old venue. I'm still skeptical. Yes. You interviewed them and they said that's not a gag.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Or a joke.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. So adamantly. And I think. What do I think about them?

[Rob]

I just think it's so perfect that whether or not they're. I don't know how to say it. Whether or not they're doing it with pure intentions, there is a gimmick to it.

[David Farrier]

Absolutely. The fact a member is in India trying to get a visa is inherently gimmicky.

[Rob]

Yeah. And the fact that a manager is introducing. I haven't seen a manager introduce a band before on stage.

[David Farrier]

Now I think about it, I imagine radio. Before radio comes on, their manager comes out.

[Rob]

Character of the band is the manager, which though, like leans into the storied past of boy bands in a fun way, I guess. I guess whether or not it started as a gimmick or a gag almost doesn't matter.

[David Farrier]

That's the exact feeling I took away. I think they're incredibly self aware of what's going on and they are riffing on so many different things that make boy bands interesting in a really funny way.

[Rob]

And in its satirical way it feels. But then really blurring the lines of that. Like, they have to be aware of some of these cliches and things that they're leaning into.

[David Farrier]

Which again, does that trippy thing where, like, what separates it from any boy band ever? Because every boy band leans into cliches.

[Rob]

Which is then, though, what makes it even more brilliant as a whole. Because what they're being criticized for doing is exactly what a boy band is.

[David Farrier]

What Harry Styles has done.

[Rob]

Yes. And every. Every incarnation of them in the past.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Was the feeling I got from them afterwards because I just kind of turned up very late notice. They had a bunch of interviews lined up and there's press with them all over the place now. Like, Pace Magazine had them, Fox had them, Washington Post had them. Even though that reviewer wouldn't tell me what that review was.

[Rob]

I did. I did like that. It. He implied that you were gonna take

[David Farrier]

his story

[Rob]

and release it a month later on a podcast.

[David Farrier]

Very funny. But so I was right at the end and I sort of slipped in and I think whatever is going on, I think they genuinely love what they do and they're making something they believe in. And I think for them constantly getting a question of are you just a joke kind of negates the fact that they are talented and they have really catchy songs and they have really good moves and they love their art. So even if this whole thing was a gag, right? Say the whole thing is a gag. Say Nathan Fielder has invented the whole thing, which is a big theory on many Reddits. Even if he had, I think these guys are realizing that we love what we do and we wish people would just appreciate what we do instead of the gag, which on that night in the Bowery Ballroom, everyone was on board.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And I think afterwards, to have a bunch of press come to them and say, oh, so you're just Nathan Field a joke, they're kind of like, no, fuck you. Like, we love this and we're really good at it, and can't you just appreciate that? And as I am rambling onto you about this, I think that's what made that room so magic, is that for one night, everyone fucking was on the same page. No one was like, they bought into the story and it was really magnetic and hypnotic. And if you're watching the video for this on YouTube or Spotify or whatever, you can see that in the room. It's just packed and so thrilled. And the guys are grinning their heads off. They're loving it.

[Rob]

Well, I guess, like, even to play devil's advocate, say this was all concocted by Nathan Fielder for the new season of rehearsal.

[David Farrier]

Rehearsal. Yeah.

[Rob]

It doesn't change much.

[David Farrier]

No. Yeah. What would it change, really?

[Rob]

It wouldn't change.

[David Farrier]

That's still.

[Rob]

It's a band marketing themselves. And whichever way that they can get it out to people and would with whatever gimmicks they're doing, which is every

[David Farrier]

band ever in the history of music, there's always something there to get you across to people.

[Rob]

And the, like, record label auditioning process, like, all of that of any other boy band, like, if that's how they were drawn up, doesn't change it either. Doesn't change Yeah.

[David Farrier]

I think if you. If you're listening to this and you are on the fence, I think they're their single finger, which is inherently just, as I say, a very funny name. But the whole. The whole line is like, if you're pointing a finger at someone accusing them of something, you're pointing three fingers back at yourself. That's the message of the song. It's a certified banger. Yes. It's very funny that it's called Finger. Just like Boy Throb. They're very. Is it just me or are they quite sort of. They have some slight sexual connotations to Throb and. Right.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

It's not me being dirty.

[Rob]

No, no, those are.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Again, that's like a very self aware element of them. And so they also probably have to get used to people going, are you for real? Because Throb.

[Rob]

Well, I'm sure everybody, every boy band was getting that question too.

[David Farrier]

Completely 100 sure.

[Rob]

They had to answer the same.

[David Farrier]

I think, I think even bands like I think of My Chemical Romance, like Peak Emo, whatever, at the time I remember thinking like, are you like, are you serious? Is this just like a bit of bullshit?

[Rob]

This is back to that conversation we had on Geese.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

The band Geese. It is how people thought Geese.

[Rosabelle]

Real.

[Rob]

They real thing really went back to Birds aren't real of like this. They were part of this big marketing.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Campaign.

[David Farrier]

And does that, does that change anything? Even if they are. As we wrap up, Rob, I want you to do one thing for me and listeners. You can play along. Just turn up Finger in the car really loud. I want Natalie in the car with you. I want the kids and I just want you to see how you feel that song. And whether you like it or not, I'm pretty confident that finger is gonna be in your brain for the rest of the year.

[Rob]

Were you the manager that went on stage?

[David Farrier]

I'm Gino. That's my alter ego. Okay, very quickly, a little bit of feedback. Tom, who wrote in his email name is Tom Pinball. He was involved in our Pinball episode a while ago. How will the new rules affect you in the show when it comes to time to renew your visa and or green card? He's writing in in regards to the Trump's new things about green card rules. It won't affect me at all because I'm not going for a green card, so that's good. It's always the case with me that I've had to leave the country to apply for an O1. Been that way for the last year. So nothing too crazy. Corey. It's an unusual name. C O R, R I E. Have

[Rosabelle]

you heard that before?

[Rob]

Not spelled like that, but Corey.

[David Farrier]

I've heard Corey, just not. Oh, I guess maybe this is Corey. Yeah, I'm reading as Corey.

[Rob]

It's Corey. It's just spelled in a unique way. Long time. You just said the two same. Two of the same names. Were you?

[David Farrier]

In my head they sounded very different. Okay. Just believe me.

[Rob]

Long.

[David Farrier]

Timeless now. Pretty much my favorite pod. First time. Email. Email it from Canada with the focus on Wisconsin in your recent episode. There is something going on there that is far more important than cheese or supper clubs. The beagles at Ridgeland Farms.

[Rob]

I have heard about these beagles. Have you heard about these beagles?

[David Farrier]

I haven't even read this email yet.

[Rob]

Wow. All right, buckle up.

[David Farrier]

As someone who has been vegan or vegetarian for many years and always tries to purchase cruelty free products, sometimes I don't because of price, convenience, or some other dumb reason. I've just the videos of the dogs being rescued from this horrible place. Okay. I assume it's some kind of puppy farming mill. Some behind the scenes footage of the facility and really putting a face to animal testing. Animal testing. My heart breaks for the dogs. And I'm angry that people who go there every day to work who probably have a pet dog at home. I'm angry at the companies who still use animals for testing. Okay. So obviously there's some kind of animal testing on beagles at Ridgeland Farms. I'm remembering a headline where someone went to prison for this for a long time maybe. Or maybe that's another story. And they recently got out. But I feel like something around animal testing is certainly worth an episode because that is something that people aren't aware of.

[Rob]

It's a breeding and research facility that has roughly 2,000 beagles. 2,000 beagles that they use for scientific and medical research.

[David Farrier]

See, this is a minefield to get into because it's funny how we think about animals in general. I feel like people are kind of okay with them testing shampoo on mice. A beagle takes it to a different level because we know what a pet dog is. But is there a difference?

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Has this recently come out in headlines?

[Rob]

Yeah. And there were a bunch of protests happening there where they were. I think they were all gonna storm this facility and break all the dogs out.

[David Farrier]

So many dogs.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

So beagles, they're just like one of the cutest dogs imaginable. Like, how could this not turn on that company at some point.

[Rob]

Do you want to do a story on this or do you want me to give you some of the simple things?

[David Farrier]

Oh, do I feel like it's a story? Okay, if you're listening to this now and you have info on these specific beagles or animal testing in general, Flightless BirdchatMail.com would love to hear from you.

[Rob]

Yeah, that'd be a good episode.

[David Farrier]

Nat Rodin saying, hi, guys, listening to your Anna Conkle episode and the chat about Waymo food delivery services and thought you'd enjoy this video. I'm in Melbourne and for the last two years we've had an automated flying drone food delivery service in my area.

[Rob]

Whoa. Flying drone.

[David Farrier]

That's fucking cool. I'm going to be in Melbourne in a month. I'm going to see if I can get something flowing in. That's cool. I feel. I've seen videos of this. Maybe in America. Anyway, Amazon dropped shit off.

[Rob]

Yeah, I think they were testing that. It's. I mean, there's only certain, I think parts of the country. You could do flying drones. You can't have flying drones in a city.

[David Farrier]

I don't want. I feel like in la, drones willy nilly would be a nightmare. Yeah, they'd explode. The fucking LAPD police chopper that's always flying over my house, It'd be a disaster. Okay, I'm gonna do one more. Megan says, hi, Rob. Hi, David. I've been a listener since beginning a few times now. I've heard some feedback and wanted to write in, but I mostly listen in the car and by the time I get on my phone, thought of this, out of my head this time, I had to pause and send this. Okay, so Megan has been listening. She's pulled over the car, she's typed out this email. Thank you, Megan, for your for doing this. I'm in the middle of the Anaconko Pen 15 episode and you're discussing the American traveling circus. The town I grew up in is known as the cradle of the American circus. Hatchaliah Bailey purchased an elephant named Old Bet and toured her around the region in the 1800s. He's not the Bailey of Barnum and Bailey, which I also don't want the fact that it is, by the way,

[Rob]

Barnum and Bailey is like a iconic circus.

[David Farrier]

Okay, so a separate thing, but he's a relative of those people. The center of town features the Elephant Hotel, an old hotel that now houses the town offices. There's a statue with an elephant at the top in honor of Old Bet. Growing up, there were rumors that old Bet was buried under the statue. But there's probably no truth.

[Rob]

Only one way to find out.

[David Farrier]

Okay. I think it's. I mean, I think the history of circuses is a fascinating thing and especially because they still sort of exist in some areas, but with animal rights now, they're much less prominent.

[Rob]

Yeah. I do think you should head there and dig under the statue and see if there's an elephant.

[David Farrier]

I have something else that someone wrote in about and I made a mental note of this. Rob, it's been a pleasure. You remember what you have to do this week. You have to listen to a song called Fingers Finger Finger Single Finger by a new boy band called Boy Throb.

[Rob]

Okay.

[David Farrier]

And we will discuss at a later date.

[Rob]

Yeah. We'll put our review over on patreon patreon.com Flightlessbird where we have a bonus

[David Farrier]

episode for you this week. And also if you have any feedback, as always, flightless bird chat gmail.com. we'd love to hear from you. Have a really wonderful week and we'll see you in exactly seven days.

[Rob]

One week. Bye.

[Rosabelle]

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[Rob]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with

[David Farrier]

a message for everyone. Paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway.

[Rob]

Give it a try.

[David Farrier]

@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for

[Rosabelle]

3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees, extra seeful [e-mail].