Chili's

Summary

Flightless Bird — "Chili's"

Host: David Farrier
Cohost: Rob (with contributions from Hayden and others)
Date: August 11, 2026
Main Theme:
David Farrier, a New Zealander living in America, dives into the cultural world of Chili’s—the ubiquitous American casual dining restaurant. With cohost Rob, he investigates the chain’s origins, pop-culture imprint, beloved menu items, listener nostalgia, and their own firsthand experience dining at Chili’s for the very first time.

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Episode Overview

David Farrier sets out to understand why Chili’s occupies such a unique place in American dining culture. The episode explores the restaurant's beginnings, pop-culture references, memorable advertising, listener stories, and the real "everyman" American experience that Chili’s both embodies and inspires.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Banter

• Opening (00:08–02:07): David and Hayden riff about famous Haydens, cricket vs. American sports, and New Zealand vs. American stadium food. The tone sets up the episode’s love of cultural quirks.
• Notable Quote:
  • "I'm in America. They don't give a shit about cricket over here, mate." — David (00:38)
• Quick Fact:
  • The notorious 52-beer David Boon flight legend—a running joke relating to Chili’s beer culture.

2. Chili's: Its Origins & Evolution

• History (02:07–02:51):
  • Founded in Dallas in 1975, Chili’s emerged from a repurposed post office, serving burgers, fries, and Mexican-influenced fare. Its name was inspired simply by its menu. The original location is now a 7-Eleven, but Chili’s has grown to over 1,600 U.S. locations and $3.5 billion in annual revenue.
• Fun Fact: Early Chili’s offered 75-cent beers and $50 margaritas.
• Notable Quote:
  • "He looked at the menu and saw that it served chili. So he called it Chili’s. That's a true story." — David (02:54)

3. Road Trips, Americana, & Sports

• Cultural Chitchat (04:06–15:11):
  • Rob recounts his U.S. road trip, noticing the prevalence of Chili’s on the highway landscape.
  • They compare American and Canadian cities, baseball traditions, and public transport.
  • David shares the uniquely American experience of being gifted bear meat by a listener in Wisconsin, with ensuing fears about trichinosis from undercooked bear.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "The amount of Chili’s out on the open road is impressive." — Rob (06:21)
  • "He had an ice box and he brought out two vacuum-sealed pieces of bear meat. And he said, 'Have you tried bear?'" — David (17:37)

4. Listener Stories: Chili’s Memories & Milestones

• Testimonials (25:20–27:53):
  • Listeners from Texas, California, and Ohio share deep connections to Chili’s: family dinners, first dates (which turned into marriages), and iconic menu items.
  • "I even had my first date at Chili’s…we’re still married after 16 years. We do try to go to Chili’s on our anniversary every year." — Angela, Toledo (27:14)
  • Tales range from drunken birthdays to raucous family outings.
  • Cultural touchpoints include endless chips and salsa, margaritas, and infamous menu items like the Quesadilla Explosion Salad.

5. The Chili’s Experience: Symbols, Pop Culture, & Tastes

• First Time at Chili’s (27:53–39:33):
  • David and Rob eat at a Chili’s outside Los Angeles.
  • The chain’s standard layout, the comforting nostalgia, and the unchanging familiarity are highlighted.
  • Key menu items sampled: baby back ribs, fajitas (“the fajita effect”), triple dipper appetizers, and the Love Island-themed “Bombshell” margarita.
  • Pop culture nods: Chili’s in The Office, The O.C., and Austin Powers (the jingle “I want my baby back…”).
  • "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs" — David, realizing the source of his jingle memory (31:53)
  • The “Awesome Blossom” (onion-based dish) is long-discontinued for its outrageous unhealthiness (2,700 calories!), but is fondly remembered.
  • Discussion of value, indulgence, and the peculiar feeling of being stuffed at big chain restaurants.
  • Both agree Chili’s is “better than Cheesecake Factory” and more consistent than other chains.
• Rating:
  • "This is a strong seven. Seven out of ten.” — David (38:56)
  • Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden are pinned as “fives.”

6. Afterthoughts, Corrections, & Digressions

• Reflection (41:17–44:45):
  • A correction on the “Awesome Blossom” vs. the Outback Steakhouse’s “Bloomin’ Onion.”
  • Discussion of the iPad-style table ordering system—Chili’s was an early adopter; some charm is lost.
  • Post-dining doubts: On reflection, Rob wonders if the meal was just “too positive,” possibly influenced by mood or environment (43:41).
  • "I stick by my seven...better than a Cheesecake Factory.” — David (43:28)

7. Community: Feedback, Gaming, and Nostalgia

• Feedback segment (45:25–51:31):
  • Listeners write in about cultural shocks in America, guilt and joy around gaming, and memories of Bebo and MySpace.
  • Nostalgia for early social media and a sidebar on the (alleged) MySpace reboot.
  • "If when MySpace makes this comeback they take all the archival accounts and bring them back...that would be..." — Rob (51:31)

8. Ms. Rachel and Episode Wrap-Up

• Closing feedback (51:43–54:29):
  • A listener shares meeting Ms. Rachel, the popular YouTube children’s entertainer, and her graciousness.
  • David invites listeners (especially in Toronto) to connect for future episodes.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• On American Sports:
  "American football, I love it, but it doesn't make any sense. Most of it is just waiting." — Hayden (00:42)
• On Chili’s Ubiquity:
  "Every major turnoff, you get that sign with six icons…and you see there’s so many Starbucks, so many McDonald’s, but there’s those things like Chili’s that start popping up more and more as well." — David (06:25)
• On Being Gifted Bear Meat:
  "He had an ice box...he bought out two vacuum seals, pieces of bear meat. 'Have you tried bear?'" — David (17:37)
• Listener's Marriage Origin:
  “I even had my first date at Chili’s…we’re still married after 16 years. We do try to go to Chili’s on our anniversary every year.” — Angela, listener (27:14)
• On Pop-Cultural Chili’s:
  "In The Office, Chili's is Michael Scott's favorite restaurant. It's where they shoot the Dundees award ceremony." — Rob (24:34) "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs…” — David (31:53)
• On Nostalgic Eating:
  "The chips and salsa are one of the things I remember most. We’d get the bottomless chips, and my mom would get mad at my dad because he would keep asking for more and eating..." — Rob (35:08) "I feel like our dads are so similar. My dad, if there's going to be value taken, he has to have every drop of value or he goes home feeling guilty." — David (35:40)
• Candid Review:
  "I feel like I feel full and disgusting, but I also feel good." — David (38:01)
  "I take this above like a Cheesecake Factory. This is above an Olive Garden. This has been, dare I say it? A good American dining experience." — David (38:39)
• Chili’s Table iPad Debate:
  "So many of its kind had the sort of the iPad-esque screen...which I'm not a fan of. It also feels gross...I don't know that they're cleaned all that often." — Rob (43:46–44:02)
• Post-Meal Doubts:
  "Listening back...maybe a little too positive about the food experience." — Rob (42:36)

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Important Timestamps for Segments

• Chili's history & intro: 02:07–02:51
• Rob's American road trip / Chili's on the road: 06:02–08:29
• Listener Chili's stories: 25:20–27:53
• Dining at Chili's (first-hand): 27:53–39:33
• Pop-culture impact & jingle revelation: 31:04–31:55
• Nostalgia & food evaluation: 35:08–39:14
• Afterthoughts & corrections: 41:17–44:45
• Listener feedback (gaming, Bebo, Ms. Rachel): 45:28–54:21

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Takeaways

• Chili’s is more than just food—it’s nostalgia and Americana. Listeners and hosts alike connect the chain to personal milestones, pop-culture memories, and a sense of comfort.
• Chain dining can be both critically and sentimentally enjoyed, with the hosts candid about its pleasures, pitfalls, and post-meal mixed feelings.
• Pop-culture permeates the Chili’s brand, with jingles and TV references cementing its status as American cultural shorthand.
• David’s outsider perspective highlights what’s weirdly charming about American institutions, even (and especially) when they seem unremarkable to locals.
• Listener contributions are central, lending the podcast a crowdsourced warmth and collective nostalgia.

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Closing Notes

The "Chili's" episode is an affectionate, humorous deep dive into one of America’s favorite family restaurants. With personal stories, cultural commentary, and hands-on research, David and Rob paint Chili’s as an icon of casual American connection—a place where, for better or worse, you know exactly what you're going to get.

Listeners are encouraged to send stories about their own favorite chains (or suggest the next stop for “Flightless Bird”).

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For feedback or suggestions (especially for Toronto or future chain restaurant topics):
flightlessbreadchatmail.com

Transcript

[A]

Oh, hey, man.

[B]

Hi, Hayden. I've been looking at some famous Haydens throughout history. There's Hayden Christensen, Hayden Panettieri, and Sterling Hayden. And I think that's pretty much it. Just, there's three famous Haydens and you're not on the list.

[A]

Was this all just a setup to. To you telling me that I'm not popular or famous?

[B]

I mean, take. Take from this what you will, young Hayden.

[A]

There's Matthew Hayden, who was an opening batter for the Australian cricket team.

[B]

We're in a. I'm in America. They don't give a shit about cricket over here, mate.

[A]

We have to give a shit about baseball, and that's an equally stupid sport. American football, I love it, but it doesn't make any sense. Most of it is just waiting.

[B]

Actually, I've got a question. When you're watching a game of cricket in New Zealand, what is this Typ. Typical stadium food that you'd eat?

[A]

Bates Beer.

[B]

Just a beer.

[A]

So you drink about 24 of those and then so you can stand pretty close to the guys in the outfield and then you can sort of belligerently insult them and they can definitely hear you because they're just standing there all day. And then mostly what you do after that is you would. You would vomit somewhere and pass out on a. On a. On a street nearby, actually. Fun cricket fact. David Boone, another Australian batsman. I. I can't. Someone please write to me with the exact number, but I think he drank something like 60 beers on a flight one time. Oh, it's a famous sort of story.

[B]

You know what, Hayden? You're famous to your kids.

[A]

You know, I really appreciate that, David. That makes me feel a lot better. Not everyone wants to be famous like you, you sad, cloying loser. Some people want to just live a good, fulfilling life and contribute to society. They don't move to Hollywood, away from all their friends, just so that they can be close to Jeff Goldblum, who they don't even know and wouldn't even care if you existed or died. I care.

[B]

I'm David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America, far away from Hayden Donnell. And I want to figure out what makes this country tick. And yes, I realize I completely forgot to talk to Hayden about what today's episode is actually about because we got too distracted with cricket. For the record, David Boone, legendary for drinking 52 cans of beer on an 89 flight from Sydney to London. Today we're here to tell the story of a post office on Greenville Avenue in Dallas that Closed down in the 70s and reopened as a casual dining restaurant in 75, serving burgers and fries along with items influenced by Mexican cuisine like tacos and chili. Back then they also had 75 cent beers. David Boone would have had 52 of them.

[A]

And.

[B]

And they also sold $50 margaritas. The founder, Larry Levine, just needed a name for it, so he looked at the menu and saw that it served chili. So he called it Chili's. That's a true story. I'm not making that up. These days, that original converted post office Chili's is no longer standing. It's replaced by another American institution, a 7 11. But not to worry. Chili's is now found at over 1600 locations around the United States and brings in around $3.5 billion per year. Rob and I probably should have gone to Chili's last year when it celebrated its 50th birthday, but we were busy. So this week we're here to remedy that by going to Chili's. So grab some baby back. Baby back. Baby back ribs. Get that reference there. And a giant margarita and 52 beers. Because this is the Chili's episode. Flagness. Flagness. Flightless bird Touchdown in America. I'm a flightless bird. Touchdown in America. Rob, we haven't been sitting in the studio together in a little while.

[C]

Yeah, it's been a couple weeks.

[B]

You took a very rare thing for you, and we talked about a bit about this on our Patreon bonus episodes, but you took a very rare and I would argue needed holiday.

[D]

I did.

[E]

I did.

[B]

Where did you. Where did you go? Just briefly teach us.

[C]

I don't know if I can make it brief because I went to a lot of places.

[B]

You did. I mean, I was blown away by this because legitimately you don't take holidays.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And also you're not a big flights for fun guy because you don't love flying. And this involved a few of those things.

[C]

Yeah, it also involved some. Not flights. Yeah. Normally summer break for me. We'll book some live shows and.

[B]

Yeah, we'll work.

[F]

Turn it.

[C]

Turn it into work.

[B]

Yeah, fun work, but work.

[C]

Yeah, fun work, but work.

[B]

Natalie gave you the side eye this holiday and was like, you're not taking off with Dave.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You're taking off with your family.

[C]

So I took a couple weeks. Yeah. Vinnie and I, by ourselves, drove from Los Angeles to Chicago.

[B]

That's a big ass drive.

[C]

Yeah. We stopped at Zion national park, which was awesome. He climbed. He climbed a mountain with me.

[B]

I mean, we've clambered around some of those peaks. And I remember getting freaked out.

[C]

We climbed the same exact path that you and I did.

[B]

Oh, that's so scary.

[C]

And yeah, it was a little scary because he's four and he's tiny. Really keep an eye on him. We had to hold hands the whole way up.

[B]

Yeah. I'm not pleased. Yeah.

[C]

But the bridge that we passed that you got freaked out on, he just strolled by.

[B]

I mean, it does speak to that phenomenon that I believe in where the older you get, the more scared you get of things at times.

[C]

I agree.

[B]

I lived during a time when I wasn't as scared of heights as I am now. It's getting worse.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, that's how it wasn't flying with me when I was a kid. I did not care about flying.

[B]

How's it like taking an American road trip with a small child?

[C]

He was perfect. Oh, yeah. I mean, we had a blast. We. We ended up then Aspen to Denver. Hung out in Denver for two days. Then to Des Moines, Iowa, then to Chicago, which we passed. So many chilies. I took a couple pictures for you.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

The amount of chilies out on the open road is impressive.

[B]

Yeah, I. One of the favorite things I think for me about driving through America is every major turnoff. You get that sign where it just shows what is present, like six icons and you see there's so many Starbucks, so many McDonald's, but there's those things like Chili's that start popping up more and more as well.

[C]

Yeah. And then from Chicago, left the kids there, Natalie and I flew up to Toronto for a couple days. Canada, which you're going. You need to go. I ate at we. My favorite meal of the trip was at this place, Quetzal, in Toronto, which was incredible. Which with you and Rosabelle have to go when you're there.

[B]

So little segue here. This episode as it airs on a Tuesday. I'm going to be in Toronto for a week. Friend of the show, Rosabelle produced a dance show with a bunch of New Zealanders and that dance show was on Friday and Saturday. I should do a post about that on Instagram. So you can go if you want, but if you. I'll be recording a Canadian based episode while I'm there. So email me flightless breadchatmail.com if you are either in Toronto. Just let me know you're there. Maybe we can do some sort of flightless bird meetup also. Just any. You know, inevitably, I will work in a flightless bird episode in regards to Canada versus America and opinions of but if you have any particular incredible insight into a part of. I'm going to be primarily in Toronto. If you've got a story there, please email me.

[C]

Yeah, I feel like the Canada versus America thing is a little unfair to America right now.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So it's.

[B]

Yeah. And it's also.

[C]

It's not a hot take currently.

[B]

No. I mean, I think the take is so obvious and so on the nose. So if you've got any specific, I mean, you know the sorts of stories I like and that Rob likes. If you've got a specific little niche in Toronto, I've got my audio gear with me. It was a last minute trip because I wanted to go and see Rosabelle show, so. Flightless breadchat gmail.com Abe, how was your Canadian time?

[E]

Great.

[C]

I love Toronto. Saw friend of this show. Anthony Green was playing a show.

[B]

Oh, nice throwback to a session. Anthony Green.

[C]

And then we went Toronto to New York. Spent a week in New York. Went to very American and also Canadian baseball. Three baseball stadiums for games on this

[B]

trip for a specific team or just.

[C]

Well, we did Chicago Cubs because the White Sox were not playing while we were there. I hadn't been to that stadium in 15 years, so thought why not? Cool Toronto Blue Jays game. Which. Okay, just quickly. Yeah.

[B]

The only ferry family trip we've ever taken was to Canada. When I was 8, we went to my first baseball game. It was the Blue Jays.

[C]

It's a.

[B]

And I just thought stadium.

[E]

So cool.

[C]

We were sitting in the outfield and the center fielder for the, for the Tampa Rays after they, they like warm up in between innings and then they throw the balls into the stands. And so kids are lining up like right on the wall, hoping to get a ball thrown to them that they can catch. Exciting. So there's a big group of kids to my left, big group of kids to my right. They've been, this is like fifth inning. So they've been getting balls thrown

[G]

and

[C]

center fielder turns around to throw it and for some reason I just stood up.

[B]

Rob. Rob. I hate where this is going.

[C]

So much like I wanted it. He just makes direct eye contact with me, goes to throw the ball to me, come in right to me. And some woman in front of me to my left, she's got a glove, just decides to reach over and grab it.

[B]

She grabbed it, grab it.

[C]

Took. Took the ball from me.

[B]

I'll rob him.

[C]

And then proceeded to spend the next three innings calling and texting everyone she knows about how she caught this ball and saved her friends that it was about to hit them in the face.

[B]

So you could read her phone or it was just very clear that she

[C]

was, she was calling people and taking pictures that she was sending to people.

[B]

Made in locking eyes and getting the trajectory of that ball. You made her weak.

[C]

I did.

[B]

You made her. Yeah.

[C]

So it did annoy me a ton. Cuz I, I did want that ball.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

No. Can I just say I was afraid that you were going to run. Like grab kids. I thought you were that guy.

[C]

No, I wouldn't have done that. But that I did realize I've gotten enough baseballs at baseball games. I didn't really need another one. This, this woman like saw her texting her dad.

[B]

Oh, this is ador. I, I, I'm. What is the, what is the right thing to do when. Because if it's she didn't know or like, can you put your, you know what I mean? Like, what are the rules? Is what I'm trying to say with ball catching. Because mine is. I, if I see a ball anywhere near me, my reaction is to hide because I'm scared of it.

[C]

I, if they're very clearly throwing to someone, you don't jump ahead. I don't think she was paying enough attention.

[B]

Yeah. Muscle memory.

[C]

Or if it's it. But if it's like a group of seven people all standing.

[B]

Why the fuck was she, did she have a glove? She was ready.

[C]

Yeah. People bring gloves to baseball games.

[B]

I didn't know that.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

For catching balls.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Didn't know that was a part of it.

[C]

Yes. Which if I had a glove, I would have been able to get it out of her.

[B]

Yeah. But I'm also glad you didn't like something about that.

[C]

And if I caught it, I would have given it to a kid that was nearby. Like, I don't need another ball. She kept it.

[B]

I will say, yeah, give it to the kid.

[C]

But so then a couple innings later, there are a group of teenage boys behind me. Center fielder for the Blue Jays turns at this point, everyone's standing up, whole group. So fair game.

[B]

Okay. Everyone's here.

[C]

He throws it to between my row and the row behind me.

[B]

Oh no, Rob.

[C]

I go to grand and it is, I think my hand is almost in like the teenage. Not. It wasn't teenagers. These were like 20 year olds. These are like 20 year old. Not teenagers.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

20 year old punk.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Kids.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I swat it so it stopped them from getting it.

[B]

You did exactly what she did to them.

[A]

I did.

[B]

That's the best it did.

[C]

You little and then I realize I couldn't be mad at her anymore. I did deflect it and it did go down by a kid and the kid got it. So I was happy about that.

[B]

So you're saying you're accidental. I mean, you were going for that ball for you.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It worked out well that you didn't catch it and a kid got it in that time.

[C]

I was like, well, I. I didn't get it the last time. I'm going to be aggressive getting it this time. Like I'm. I'm jumping up and reaching.

[B]

I actually didn't know this is something that you have done. I mean, it doesn't surprise me because you go to so many games, but I didn't think of the politics of ball catching. And I like that you had it from every possible angle. It's really good. You became the victim, became the perpetrator by the end of that. It's really, really good.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

What are the kids, the punk kids think? Do you hear them mumbling about you getting in the way?

[C]

They're like, oh, that was my ball in my glove.

[A]

And

[B]

this sounds like a really amazing trip.

[C]

Yeah, it was fun.

[B]

The other thing I do just briefly want to focus on, and we'll get to some feedback later from the trash episode. But you spent some time in New York. We were texting back and forth and I think both you and I came to the embarrassing conclusion for someone that lives in la, that New York's actually pretty fucking great and magical and we like it.

[C]

Yeah. The week I spent there. I have a whole new love of New York.

[B]

I think I speak out of jealousy when I shit on it for its, like, messy streets. It has, like such a charm and it looks good in the. And I feel like you leave the front door and just magic happens because it's so. Everyone is out. The public transport is so especially related to a lot of other cities. So good. And you just like, spill out and have magical times.

[C]

And it's such a beautiful city.

[B]

They do their parks. Right.

[C]

And how old it is and how much history seems to be there, which we don't have as much of that in la.

[B]

It's a mess here.

[C]

It's horrible. And the, like, public works that they have, like, you're saying the parks and the bridges and just how lively.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

The city feels.

[B]

Yeah. I think we both came to the conclusion that we like New York.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

A lot.

[B]

Some brief news before we get into Chile's boy throb, who we did an entire episode around DeShawn got his O1 visa. The visa has been granted. If you are confused about what that means. Boy throbbing It's a boy band in America. Their whole shtick is that one of their members is in India. So their entire time they've been a band. They've been trying to advocate to get him an O1 visa. The US government rejected him a few times, but he's now got it. Very exciting for the Throb mob and

[C]

may or may not be produced by Nathan Fielder.

[B]

There's a big theory out there that Nathan is behind it.

[C]

Which weirdly, when I went through Chicago, they happened to be playing these same. I was there for three nights. Nights, yeah, they were playing one of the nights I was there at Lincoln Hall.

[B]

It is a small world thing, right? When you do a topic and then suddenly, oh boy, Throb's playing in the city I'm in.

[C]

Well, and I took. I took Calvin to dinner that night. And the place we went was a mile from where they were playing.

[B]

Oh, you would probably see Throb.

[C]

We drove by, I drove by.

[B]

Was there a line?

[C]

And there was a line of people and yeah, it's kind of whatever that

[B]

project is, I'm very into it. And one bit of personal news that I just thought was kind of felt deeply American and quite weird. I was in Wisconsin. We have an upcoming episode about the Dalles coming for the show. But I met up with a bunch of flightless bird listeners at a dye bar. And at the end of the meeting, guys who like, come to my truck, I've got something for you. I was like, okay, this is good. So I go to the truck. He had an esky in the back. Oh, what do you call him here? Like an ice box? Okay, yeah, he had an ice box and he bought out two vacuum seals, pieces of bear meat. And he said, have you tried bear? To which I said, no, I haven't even thought. You know, I was sort of. I was hit by so many emotions. It's like, this is quite, I don't know, just someone giving you bear meat. It was a fascinating thing. He had shot. He had hunted a bear two weeks prior. He had taken it to a facility that basically professionally cuts the carcass and does all the treatment of the bear. He said, this is bear sausage. It's been pre cooked, so it's okay. And the other one I think he said was pre cooked as well. But when I took it back on the plane and it sort of melted, it did look very juicy. Yeah, I didn't have I forgot to bring. Look, that's another story.

[C]

Did you eat it?

[B]

No, that's my point. I had this bear meat sitting there. I was conflicted emotionally because I loved Yogi Bear. I love Yogi Bear. But then also realized how full of bullshit I am because I eat other meat. Why is bear suddenly repulsive to me? It had been given to me. The bear had given its life for us to eat it. Anyway, I asked a few friends and did a bunch of googling. And I'm sure this bear meat from the flightless bread listener was safe and it was cooked and treated. But primary threat with bear meat, I've learned, is something called trichy nelosis. And when you consume raw or undercooked bear meat, and my worry is that one of these, when it melted, did look a bit raw, your stomach acid releases the dormant larvae of this particular beast, which is already in us.

[C]

A bear grows inside your stomach.

[B]

Let me say it again. When you consume raw undercooked bear meat, the bear meat contains this threat. The acid in your stomach releases the dormant larvae that have been sitting in that bare meat. They mature in your intestines, they reproduce, and they migrate through your bloodstream into your muscles where they form cysts. So at this point I'm like, there's no way I'm just risking any of this eating cooler. Initial symptoms. Early signs appear within two days and include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and vomiting. Sometimes as the larvae migrate into your muscles, they cause fever, muscle pain and facial swelling, fatigue and headaches. And in certain severe cases, the larvae just dig into your heart, lungs and brain, which can lead to other issues. So I'm not eating the beer meat. It is frozen again in my freezer.

[C]

Well, can you just cook it?

[B]

No. Once it's. Maybe I'm too.

[C]

You gotta anxious about Michael Voltaggio.

[F]

Prepare it.

[A]

I'll text.

[B]

Obviously I've got some bear meat in

[C]

a certain way to make sure that it doesn't kill you.

[B]

If you've got any expertise around bear meat flight the [e-mail]. and yes, I'm aware that we shouldn't eat meat for a variety of reasons and we need to do better.

[C]

That is a very Wisconsin thing though. I remember one of the first tours I did with the band. They were all vegan and it was up to Wisconsin.

[B]

Also you're trying to eat on the road.

[C]

Well, that. That was its own thing. But it was hunting season, so every car had a giant dead deer strapped to the top of it or a trailer behind it.

[B]

Yeah. Right.

[C]

Where we must have seen 100 plus deer that had been hunted and were strapped to cars.

[B]

It was just like quite a jarring thing to see.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And that's something I don't. You'd see a dead deer occasionally on the road.

[B]

Yeah, I mean my dad hunted when I was a kid and would like bring back deer and carve it up. We'd eat all the meat and everything. But seeing it en masse like that is kind of wild.

[C]

Every car on the highway has a dead deer except with its tongue hanging out and like some had like blood splattered on like the window from it.

[B]

Yeah. Just completely part of the culture there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You don't see that in Los Angeles.

[C]

No.

[B]

You might see a deer, deer that's been hit on the side of the road and that's about it. Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Article Now Article is essentially the easiest way to create a beautiful modern space. I've been trying to make the space around me where I live much more beautiful and that's where Article comes in. For instance, I've never had a mirror in my place. I just got a really beautiful mirror off article. I also got a throw for my bed which I really like and they have really amazing pillows. But really, Article does so, so much and they make it easy to create a stylish, long lasting home at an unbeatable price. So they offer a curated range of mid century, modern, coastal and scandi inspired pieces that not only shine on their own, but they also pair seamlessly with nearly every other article product. Their design approach makes it incredibly easy to mix and match, meaning you create a space that feels both cohesive and stylish. It's also just really good quality, from the weight and feel of what you get to the meticulous packaging that it comes in. And on top of that it offers fast, affordable shipping across the US and Canada with options for professional assembly. If you prefer a hands off experience and if you have questions or need help with the choices you're making, then Article's customer care team is available seven days a week. Curating what's in your house is really important and if you need help, the support is there. They offer knowledgeable support and even free interior design services to help you get your home just for right. And they also have a 30 day satisfaction guarantee so you can shop with confidence knowing if you're not completely in love with what you get. You can easily return it. Right now, Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit article.combird and the discount will automatically be applied at checkout. That's article.combird for $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. Speaking of meat. Chili, Chilies. I mean, it is funny because it was its 50th birthday last year, which would have been the time to go. But 51st birthday is still good.

[C]

But you'd never been to Achilles.

[B]

Never.

[C]

You've seen them, though.

[B]

I've seen the sign.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I've driven past one a few times in my travels. Just never been inside just for that. I think that reason of. I don't really have a reason. I didn't really know what it was.

[H]

Yeah.

[B]

What did you.

[C]

What were your.

[B]

In my mind, Chili's was like, obviously a chain elevated above a Taco Bell was in my mind. I didn't know where it sort of sat when it went to like a. Comparing it with a P. F Chang's or a Cheesecake Factory. Chili's felt big to me, but I also didn't. I didn't know anything specific and nothing specific enough to make me think I must go and try this. Whereas certain restaurants, they have a certain charm. Like Hooters, for instance.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm like, that's an iconic thing in my brain. It's in films. I know it from pop culture. Whereas Chili's.

[C]

Chili's is right.

[B]

Well, we get. We get into this slightly in the doc. I think there's a certain song that I referenced in the intro.

[C]

There are. In the Office. Chili's is Michael Scott's favorite restaurant. And it's where they shoot the Dundees award ceremony.

[B]

Okay. Embarrassingly, I've only watched the British Office didn't do the American one, which I know is very good.

[C]

The OC oh, really Has a scene with Summer and her dad grabbing Ms. Thanksgiving meal at a Chili's at the airport.

[B]

My God, I also miss the OC

[C]

growing up crime, that 90s show, due date, Austin Powers.

[B]

It's crept into some shit.

[C]

Yeah. Not quite Hooters, but not quite Hootersville.

[B]

Yeah, I just didn't have an image. And so, I mean, obviously we had to go and we did.

[G]

Hi, this is Nancy. The majority of my life was spent in Texas and that's where I was introduced to Chili's.

[B]

Ever since we mentioned going to Chili's, we've been hearing from listeners who love Chili's.

[G]

Fifty years ago in the late 70s, the original Chili's on Greenville Avenue was where you wanted to go. It was great. It was new and novel. Had a one page menu and you didn't have to think too much about what you wanted to order. You knew what you were getting. A great chicken taco, an old Timer with cheese, great French fries, beer. Margaritas was kind of hard to beat.

[H]

Hi, my name is Brittany and I'm from San Diego, California.

[E]

Hi, David. It's Angela from Toledo, Ohio.

[B]

These stories come from all across the United States. People that are either just telling us how good Chili's is or about some memorable event that's happened there.

[H]

My boyfriend almost always gets a margarita. And this time, since it was my birthday, I wanted to get a margarita. And I never drink. So I was like, I'm gonna relax and have a margarita and this is gonna be a great time at Chili's. So I had one. It was so good. I think I want to say it was like the Mexican lollipop or something. It was delicious. I had to have another one. Got a second one. And usually I'm like, cut off second drink. I will not drink anymore after that. So I finished the margarita, we have a good time. We eat our food and we go home. And as soon as I get in the house and sit down, the room just starts spinning and I just bolt to the bathroom and puke my fucking brains out.

[B]

There were a lot of stories about drinking and eating. A lot of them quite funny and dramatic. But there were some stories that were also just really sweet.

[E]

I even had my first date at Chili's, which even though I didn't kiss him at the end cause I was too nervous, it was still very successful because we're still married after 16 years. I don't remember much about the date except I ordered the Quesadilla Explosion salad. Which is a pretty hilarious name and something you can still order off of the menu today. We do try to go to Chili's on our anniversary every year. So I hope it never closes.

[B]

If Chili's could work for Brittany and her now husband, it could work for me and my work husband, Rob. And so we set sail for Chili's. And by sail I mean a 30 minute drive on the freeway to Arcadia, A place I haven't been to since our pickleball episode. We pull into the parking lot in front of a giant red chili logo. A Chili's appropriate today because it's very hot. It's so, so hot. The kind of hot where it's a Relief to step inside and sit down. We're sitting in a booth. It is very big in here. I can see a margarita bar over there. It's good to be in out of the extreme heat. Rob, talk me through what's going on here. What's the plan?

[F]

Weirdly, this Chili's is exactly like the Chili's I grew up going to outside Schaumburg. The layout is the exact same, so walking in here felt like I was back in the Midwest.

[B]

It's like a form of time travel in a way. And I think a feeling like why these places seem to do so well. I feel like they are just this safe, unchanging domain.

[F]

Yes.

[B]

Our server arrives. She has amazing nails and pink and purple hair. It's my first trip to Chile, so I'm documenting the process. I'm very excited. I look at the bar and think of Angela's vomiting story. I just. I'm not used to having bars and restaurants. Is there a particular drink the famous

[D]

for alcoholic wise Presidente Margarita or El Nino. So our El Nino is one of our stronger drinks. There's a limit of two on there because they're so strong. Presidentes, which are really good, is my favorite. We also right now we have the bombshell margarita for $6. It's gonna be for the Love island theme.

[B]

Oh, this is really, really good. I mean, I feel like I could kind of do that. I'm sort of on a date with my producer, Rob, so I think maybe the Bombshell could be the way to go.

[D]

Sure. Let me get that for you.

[B]

With drink order placed on my Chili's date, I decided to consult with a culinary expert in front of me. Also, Rob used to come here as a kid.

[F]

We also were a family with four kids, so a lot of it was what's affordable for a family of six to go eat a dinner on a Wednesday night.

[B]

Okay, Rob, talk me through this menu, because it is extensive.

[F]

Okay. For me, when I think of Chili's, there's a few items. One is the awesome Blossom, which is discontinued, which you maybe should ask her about.

[B]

Awesome Blossom.

[F]

Yes. So it was whole onion that I think they'd cut in a certain way, then batter and deep fry it, and then you would just kind of peel off the layers of onion.

[B]

I've never heard anything like it. That sounds fucking incredible.

[F]

Yeah, they're like onion rings, essentially.

[B]

Rob tells me there's another iconic thing that, luckily for me, is still on the menu.

[F]

Then, the baby back ribs, which I think you may know the song for

[B]

the Baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back ribs I don't know where that's from. Is that the song?

[F]

Chili. Chili's. The rest of that is Chili's Baby Rain back ribs with barbecue sauce.

[B]

Wait, that was an ad.

[F]

Or that was an ad for Chili's.

[D]

I feel.

[B]

I don't know how I know that, because I didn't grow up with that in New Zealand. How do I know that song? It really bugged me how I could place the jingle for an American chain. Like, I realized I'd had this thing in my head from when I was a teenager in New Zealand, how it

[F]

was a jingle for Chili's, and then eventually they had NSYNC do a version

[B]

of it for a commercial, but it wasn't that either. Then it hit me. I used to be obsessed with Austin Powers. A movie that, for the record, still holds up. And there's a scene where Fat bastard is in Dr. Evil's underground lair. He sees Mini Me and tries to eat him. Then he sings the Baby Back Ribs song. Except back then, I had absolutely no idea what it was referencing. I want my baby back, baby back,

[F]

baby back, baby back, baby back ribs

[B]

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back ribs Excuse me. Chili baby back ribs with that mystery solved, onwards. Does that mean we have to get the baby back ribs, or is that too intense?

[F]

No, I think it means we have to get that. The other thing is the fajitas here. So there's apparently a fajitas effect that I've heard about that happens at Chili's is when someone or orders fajitas and

[C]

you see it and you smell it

[F]

and you hear it. It's kind of this thing that you will notice happening around the restaurant. It triggers a bunch of other people in the restaurant to then order the fajitas.

[B]

Our server returns, and I ask her about the fabled awesome Blossom. Is it true? Is there a thing you used to do? It's like an onion. Like, layers of onion.

[C]

Lemon onion.

[D]

Yeah. We haven't had that in, I want to say, like, maybe 18 years.

[B]

Where did it go?

[D]

I have no idea. They took it off the menu a long time ago. I think when I started working for chiles, which was 18 years ago, they already had it off the menu.

[B]

You've been here for 18 years?

[H]

Yeah.

[D]

Not at this location. This is my third location.

[B]

I did some further research on the awesome Blossom. Curious why it had been nuked off the menu. And it turns out it was axed 18 years ago. I guess a Short time before our server started working at Chili's, it was battered, deep fried, and served with a lot of ranch. Apparently too unhealthy, even for America. 200 grams of fat, 6,000 milligrams of sodium, 2,700 calories. As I ponder this lost relic, my margarita arrives. We like this. And look at this drink. This is huge. The bombshell, right?

[D]

I know.

[B]

And for $6, this is outrageous. I slurped down some of this giant pink Love island themed drink. The Bombshell margarita is more sugar than I've ever had in my life. I'd say very little alcohol, which is fine, but the sugar in there, crazy. It's like syrup. How is that salsa tasting for you, Rob?

[F]

Very nostalgic. It's very generic red salsa, but fond memories of it.

[B]

Finally, Rob and I decide on the baby back ribs and fajitas. We also get something called the triple dipper. And more food that's recommended to us.

[D]

Our South Sina rolls. Those have chicken, cheese, bell peppers, spinach, and mozzarella inside.

[B]

Fuck, yes.

[F]

This is 18.79 for the triple dipper. The ribs are 30 and the fajitas are 27.

[B]

If we split that between us, that's not too crazy. We can get some little takeaway boxes.

[F]

I would say we probably can skip the shrimp.

[B]

You and I are both not big shrimp heads. You're unaware of this, but there are times in America where I do attempt to kind of semi diet and eat less. And then we do an episode like this. And I've had a week, I'm not lying. A week of eating mostly salads. And then I come here, Rob, and I see this, and I feel like I'm undoing all of that.

[F]

Yeah, I don't think you're gonna feel great after.

[B]

It doesn't take long for our food to start arriving.

[F]

So the chips in salsa are one of the things I remember most When I would come here when I was younger, we would get the bottomless chips, and my mom would get mad at my dad because he would keep asking for more and eating because they're bottomless. He wants to get what he paid for and beyond. And fajitas. I just remember eating these thin, salty tortilla chips and salsa and getting so

[B]

full before the meal probably even arrives. Yeah, this is the biggest plate of chips I've seen at an American establishment before. It's big. Also, I feel like our dads are so similar. My dad, if there's going to be value taken, he has to have every drop of value or he goes home feeling guilty. Yeah, I think where you see your dad being like, oh, I'm so full. But he's still shoving it in. Just like, stop eating. Stop.

[F]

Yeah, Eating the scraps of chips at the bottom too and shoveling them in.

[B]

By the time the ribs arrive, there's no space left on our table. Okay, Rob, our food has arrived and it's an accurate thing to say that our entire table is occupied by food. What have we got?

[F]

Yeah, we've got the Chili's baby back ribs with barbecue sauce. A trio dipper, some chicken. The Southwest egg rolls with cheese.

[B]

Deeply strange.

[F]

A mozzarella. It's a kind of mozzarella stick, but it's a rectangle.

[B]

It's not a stick. That's the size of like three McDonald's hash browns, but it's a mozzarella stick.

[F]

Yeah, it's a block.

[C]

And then we have.

[F]

You might hear it sizzling. The sizzling fajitas,

[B]

which smell really fucking good. Rob and I set to work. I'll spare you the details of the eating noises, the size and the heavy breathing. For Rob, I think this was a trip down nostalgia lane to him sitting across from his dad as he tried to clear a massive bowl of chips and salsa. For me, this is a brand new American dining experience. Sure. The familiar things you hear. Sports on the tv, endless refills of already giant drinks, and a stomach that threatens to burst. Okay, Rob and I are at the end of, I think what we're physically able to eat. There is so much food left on the table. Gonna box it up and give it to a friend or something.

[H]

Boxes.

[B]

Yes, yes, please. You're the best. Thank you. Yeah, we might have over ordered just a little. Thank you.

[D]

Get the best of all of it.

[B]

Oh, hell yeah. Thank you so much. Okay, Rob, highlights lowlights for you. I feel like for me, that chicken, that sweet drizzled chicken was friggin great. I thought the ribs are fantastic. All of it though. I feel like I feel full and disgusting, but I also feel good.

[F]

The winner for me. I mean, these tortilla chips are still great.

[B]

Dad will be glad to hear that.

[F]

And the block of cheese, deep fried I think was my other favorite. But overall, yeah, like you said, I think this is one of the better chain experiences and I feel like a lot of them over the years have gone down in quality. When you go to chain restaurants and revisit them, I feel like Chili's has stayed pretty consistent and kind of is what it always has been, a big

[B]

part of me was dreading doing this just because I thought it would be awful. I think this has been a real positive. I take this above like a Cheesecake Factory. This is above an Olive Garden. This has been, dare I say it? A good American dining experience. A good American dining experience. What more could one ask for? This is a strong seven. Seven out of ten.

[F]

Wow. Not a ten out of ten from David, though.

[B]

I'm changing. I realize that I say 10 out of 10 far too often. It's time to get real. We don't live in a 10 out of 10 world. If everything is a 10 out of 10, then what does it even mean? This is a 7 and I'm putting a Cheesecake Factory at. I'd say a five.

[F]

Okay. That was gonna be my follow up because for a place that you enjoyed to then be the first place, you. You don't give a 10 out of 10.

[B]

The rating system in my mind gets deeply confusing. And let's not latch onto it too strongly. But I'd say if we think cheesecake's about a five, I'd say this is about. This is a seven. As far as your American dining kind of experience goes.

[F]

Where's Olive Garden? Fall then.

[B]

So another five. Strong five. I just left both those places. I had fun while I was there, but I left feeling like I wanted to die.

[C]

There's still time for that here.

[B]

Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Helix. Now, Helix has been a sponsor of this podcast since the very beginning. And so I've had my Helix mattress for about five years now. It's a midnight luxe. I got matched up to it with a sleep quiz and I have been sleeping better ever since. So if you're thinking of upgrading your mattress or having a different sleep experience, maybe you haven't been sleeping so good. Then it's time to upgrade your home with a Helix mattress. Also, as I record this ad, it's really hot where I am at the moment. Helix has cooling upgrades so you can get the best rest even on hot nights. I have a dicey back. My Helix mattress has been really good for that. It also comes with 120 night sleep trial and limited lifetime warranty. And the Happy Helix guarantee means you can rest easy with seamless returns and exchanges. The Happy with Helix guarantee offers a frisk free customer first experience designed to ensure you're completely satisfied with your new bed. We spend so much time in bed and in the right Mattress is so, so important. And that's where Helix comes in. So go to helixsleep.combird for 20% off site wide. That's helixsleep.combird for twenty percent off site wide. Helixsleep.combird.

[C]

I do have a correction I need to make. I need to correct our server.

[B]

Oh, yeah. What?

[C]

We were talking about the awesome Blossom. Yeah, she mentioned the Bloomin Onion. Oh, that's what she called it. The Bloomin Onion is the Outback Steakhouse version of the awesome Blossom. Awesome Blossom was Chili's Bloomin Onion. Is the Outback Steakhouse similar product? I think pretty much the same. But the Outback Steakhouse does still sell the Bloomin Onion. They are still on the menu. So I think we have a follow up out of.

[B]

This is another establishment where I have no idea really what it involves beyond, I assume, some steak.

[C]

It's Australian though, right? Outback.

[B]

I don't even. Yeah, well, you said it would be.

[C]

You claim New Zealand is also the Outback?

[B]

No, Australia, only Outback. So what is an Australian themed American restaurant?

[C]

We'll find out.

[B]

Find out. Jesus. Any other reflections from our day? I mean, I left feeling pretty full. Full. I'm a fan of it. I haven't been back since we went about a month ago now.

[C]

Yeah. I feel like listening back.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

A little. Maybe a little too positive about the food experience.

[B]

Think we were too hyped.

[C]

I think. I don't know what happened.

[B]

Just in like I've. We were in a good mood that day.

[C]

Yeah. Because I don't remember the ribs being particularly great.

[B]

You got. I think in the moment. Those were honest reactions.

[C]

I think whatever was in dry and

[B]

do you think that just something about that place, maybe it was fact. It was such a hot day. We went into this cool environment where it decided just to be somewhere. Yeah, maybe it was. Maybe it was the mood. We got tricked.

[C]

Although I mean, that block, that deep fried block of cheese, I still. I still stand by that.

[B]

It was big.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That block, that was so. I haven't seen you go back for more and more and more like you did with that cheese. I know you're a cheeseman.

[C]

Only two of them. They weren't that big. David.

[B]

I was shocked. That's what I'm gonna say. I stick by my seven. I think it's better than a Cheesecake Factory. I stick by my enthusiasm. My margarita was huge. Our server was fucking lovely. One thing we did discuss briefly, which I didn't touch on there, is that like so many of its Kind it had the sort of the iPad esque screen.

[F]

Yes.

[B]

We order through and pay and that takes some of the charm out.

[C]

Which I believe they were one of the first to pioneer.

[B]

Right.

[C]

That system pads at the table. Which I'm not a fan of.

[B]

The iPad.

[C]

I'm not a fan. And it also feels gross. I. It feels dirty and grimy.

[B]

Yeah. It's been a million little fingers.

[C]

Everyone's touching it with food on their fingers. I don't know that they're cleaned all that often or. Well yeah, I agree, but all. But is that an illusion? It's not like the table's touched any less. And there's something about a screen.

[B]

Cuz fingers are on screens, you know, like, I mean everything's probably disgusting in there. We were hyped, weren't we?

[C]

Yeah, I don't know.

[B]

We were like kids. What happened?

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

That's weird. Yeah, that is weird. Something happened to us in there. Interesting. I wonder what it was. Probably all the sugar in the margarita.

[C]

We did have a margarita.

[B]

If you have thoughts on the Outback Steakhouse Chili's, any other establishment. Flightless breadchatmail.com.

[C]

yeah. Let us know where we should have David try next because I think it is fun for us to go to kind of some of these staple establishments.

[B]

Yeah. And to the flightless bird listeners as well that share their stories. Thoroughly enjoyed those. I love the idea of someone going on a first date. I mean maybe they got hyped on whatever the fuck was happening there. Like when they had their first date, they fell in love, they got married,

[C]

they've never left that Chili's way.

[B]

They're still there.

[C]

I will say too, if you're recommending other chains and you have good stories or connections about them or would like to be interviewed.

[B]

Yes please.

[C]

Because you have a unique experience with them. Let us know that in your feedback.

[B]

Speaking of feedback, we have a lot to catch up on.

[C]

We do.

[B]

Jeremy listened to the Trash episode based in New York. I referenced Topsy, the elephant that got electrocuted as part of a public display about the power of electricity. He offered a slight correction about what that experiment was about. Edison, at the request of the SPCA of all people, conducted experiments to see if electrocution was a humane and efficient way to euthanize animals. Edison Electric, which made its money selling electricity using direct current technology, used their competitors winning distribution technology, alternating current AC to kill Topsy. The film was a last ditch effort by those invested in the DC system to cast fear about the dangerous nature of ac, even though either system would have been equally effective. Painful and horrific. Nowadays DC power distribution is typically regarded as more deadly because there's no point in time where the voltage is zero. That means a person who has grabbed onto a high powered DC conductor will have less ability to let go because the brain signals to relax the muscles are much weaker. So there you go. Acdc Jorg writes in I'm a longtime listener. I've always enjoyed the premise of the show, especially because I'm originally from Colombia but lived in the US for many years. I had plenty of my own culture shock moments along the way, learning all the little differences in how things are done over there. I'm writing in response to the gaming episode. I'm what you would probably call a gamer. I've been playing games since I was about six or seven years old. I wanted to talk a little bit about something you guys mentioned during the episode, the guilt that sometimes comes with spending a couple of hours playing video games. I've had this conversation with several close friends. They tend to take the same argument. I completely understand where they're coming from, but honestly I don't think gaming is any different from any other hobby. Some people read books, some watch tv, some garden, others spend their free time doing any number of things. But I think there's an assumption that playing video games is inherently bad for you when there actually studies suggesting that certain types of gaming can have cognitive benefits. This is true, including improvements in attention and visual perception, physio spatial skills, memory and cognitive. Cognitive control. Cognitive control, which I don't have. Also, the social aspect of gaming I think is really good, especially with online games. You can find or create communities, meet people and make friends. Thank you George for your good recommendations in regards to gaming. A lot of people wrote in that definitely wanted to point out that gaming isn't lazy. I'd argue Rob and I weren't saying it was lazy. We just personally have a little issue with feeling like we're having too much fun for too long.

[C]

Right. I think we were also trying to call out something that we see as a fault of our own.

[B]

Completely. We want to relax.

[C]

Yes. That anything that isn't seen as work production.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Is in our mind is too leisurely and big time. We both like. I think we both have paths where we like games a lot and we

[B]

wish we could get back into it.

[C]

Yes. And throw it into that category of we just have too much work to do all the time. We cannot take a break to do something else completely.

[B]

There's actually a game. I'm a big fan of the Hellraiser franchise. There's a Hellraiser video game coming out in August. I saw a trailer for that. It made me think maybe it's time to dust off an Xbox.

[F]

Yes.

[C]

You probably need to buy a council. That's the new game. No, Damn it.

[B]

I think it was in the gaming episode we mentioned. Bebo is a social media platform and quite a few people wrote in about Bebo. This is Brian.

[C]

This was the YouTube for Kids.

[B]

Oh, this is. That was on YouTube for Kids episode. Yeah. Brian is from Ireland and he says, not sure if it was the case with MySpace, but the only way to message someone on Bebo was by writing on their wall. So anyone who clicked that person's page could see any messages that were sent to them. Any messages that they sent to you would appear on your wall as well. It was horrifying because if you're in secondary school at the time you're messaging someone you knew from another school on Bebo, everyone in your class could see it and speculate on what was happening, even if it was just put on.

[C]

Yeah, that was a MySpace thing. He'd write on people's walls.

[B]

I forgot about that.

[C]

I read recently they're bringing MySpace back.

[B]

Tom, was it Tom from MySpace?

[C]

I don't know who's doing it, but I read a headline that MySpace is coming back.

[B]

I wonder what the appeal. I wonder if it's still got that thing of bringing in musical interests being more prominent.

[C]

So, yeah, MySpace is planning to come back. The platform's current owners confirmed they intend to relaunch a new version of the Histor social media site, aiming to capture nostalgia while offering an algorithm free alternative to modern platforms.

[B]

What they're going to get is a bunch of 40 year olds all hanging out, thinking back to like when they were teenagers.

[C]

I feel like they tried to relaunch MySpace years ago.

[B]

No, I agree. As a. As more of a music service.

[C]

Yes. And I don't think that went well, but they're doing it again.

[B]

That's very funny. Brian wrapped up by saying that when Facebook came around, it was seen as a cooler, more adult version of Bebo. Eventually everyone's profiles there on Bebo became dormant. I also remember that when I first started Facebook because my friend Dan in New Zealand will occasionally scroll down and find our very first posts on Facebook. And I think I was using it like Bebo, where I would just post deeply, like just what would be a DM today? I would just post on Dan's wall. Like are you going to the movie tonight? Shit like that. Deranged. How we use that technology when it first came out. Yeah, uploading entire A night out. You take photos and you just upload every single photo from the night into an album. Deranged behavior.

[C]

Can you imagine if when MySpace makes this comeback, they take all the archival accounts and bring them back with all of the activity that would be.

[B]

I mean I never deleted my account. I assume it's sitting on a hard drive somewhere in the world. I wonder how many like marriages would be like ruined or like lives destroyed by MySpace launching all their archive. Fuck, that's funny. They should do it. Finally, in regards to our children's YouTube entertainers episode, Vanessa wrote in the episode was so timely. Just last week I ran into Ms. Rachel at a local children's museum in Boulder, Colorado. I spotted her on our way out and weighed my options. Ultimately we made eye contact. Much like that baseball player allegedly made eye contact with you before throwing you the ball and that rude person caught it. Anyway, I awkwardly said hi, I know exactly who you are. I wouldn't have not that line myself. Vanessa sounds like a lovely person and I'm sure in context, but I don't suggest that line exactly.

[C]

You are when you're approaching anyone that

[B]

you've never met before. But it worked for her. Rachel was gracious, kind and even told me to take a selfie which I've attached my 3 year old son could not compute and frankly didn't care. My 1 year old was intrigued when Rachel did her iconic voice, but still nothing clicked. So I was Ms. Rachel's biggest fan. During the celeb sighting, Rachel said it's a common occurrence without her outfit and off the screen kids just don't recognize her. Anyway, just wanted to say Ms. Rachel was awesome. Despite all the controversy around her lately, I was pleasantly surprised to see her so open to public interaction. Still, we stan Ms. Rachel and her outspokenness fist emoji in a way that solidifies her as the Mr. Rogers of today. I thought it was really nice. If you have any feedback flightless bird chatmail.com if you are in Toronto especially email immediately telling me who is currently there as this is where to go, what to do, any topics I should bring back. Thank you for listening.

[C]

If you want more, David and I we're on Patreon.

[B]

David and Rob. Is there a name for both of us?

[C]

Drob No, I don't think so.

[B]

Drob. No, they call us a drop. We have a Patreon bonus episodes every week. Patreon.com Flightless Bird come and join in. We've got various threads running, we've got bonus episodes and of course ad free epis as well. And if you just want to support the show, it's a nice place to hang out with like minded people. So we hope to see you over there. Have a wonderful week. We'll see you soon.

[C]

See you next week.

[D]

Ra.