Podcast Summary: "Ripley's Believe It Or Not - 'Human Top'"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: 1 Minute Episodes xx-xx-xx (327) Human Top
Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This brief yet fascinating episode from the Golden Age radio series "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" dives into a remarkable human feat involving extreme endurance and cultural tradition. The segment centers on a legendary tribal chief known as "La Comalo," celebrated for his superhuman spinning ability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Strangeness of Truth (00:30)

• The episode opens with the signature "truth is stranger than fiction" theme, introducing an unbelievable fact:

  "A fly alighting on a steel bar will cause the steel to bend under its weight. An instrument called an interferometer can detect the deflection. Believe it or not."
  (A, 00:32)

• This sets the stage for the focus on astonishing yet factual stories.

The Story of La Comalo, the Human Top

• Setting:
  • The Bashalili tribe in the Republic of the Congo, near Lupungu.
  • Cultural tradition: Tribal chiefs wear an 18-yard-long dancing skirt made of raffia palm leaves.
• Dance Preparation:

  "While dressing for a dance, the chief has two attendants hold up the 18 yard long skirt. He spins into it by performing 18 pirouettes."
  (A, 00:48)

• Incredible Feat:
  • La Comalo, a chief renowned for his nimbleness, executed an extraordinary demonstration.

    "A chief named La Comalo demonstrated his nimbleness by performing a total of 58,000 pirouettes. The non stop exhibition required 18 solid hours. Believe it or not."
    (A, 00:55–01:05)

• The segment closes with the phrase "Believe it or not," emphasizing the incredibility of the feat.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the sensitivity of steel:

  "A fly alighting on a steel bar will cause the steel to bend under its weight. An instrument called an interferometer can detect the deflection. Believe it or not."
  (A, 00:32)

• On the ritual of the raffia palm skirt and spinning:

  "He spins into it by performing 18 pirouettes."
  (A, 00:48)

• The staggering achievement:

  "A chief named La Comalo demonstrated his nimbleness by performing a total of 58,000 pirouettes. The non stop exhibition required 18 solid hours."
  (A, 00:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:30 — Start of Ripley's Believe It Or Not segment
• 00:32 — Fact about the deflection of steel by a fly
• 00:48 — Description of Bashalili chief's skirt and dance ritual
• 00:55–01:05 — La Comalo's 58,000 pirouettes in 18 hours

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a tone of wonder and incredulity, using succinct yet vivid narration to capture the audience's imagination. The language is factual but colored with awe—typical of classic Ripley's storytelling.

Summary

This episode stands out as a compact showcase of the wild and wondrous—introducing listeners to both micro-level marvels (a fly bending steel) and astonishing acts of human endurance. The incredible story of La Comalo, the "human top," wraps cultural tradition and physical prowess into a memorable minute, epitomizing the Ripley's ethos to always "Believe it or not."