Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – "Cuenta con Bob | Viajar a 1975 con un móvil 5G"

Host: Àngels Barceló
Guest: Bob Pop
Date: November 24, 2025
Podcast: SER Podcast

Main Theme

In this lively and reflective episode, Àngels Barceló invites recurring guest Bob Pop and listeners to explore the intriguing question: “If you could travel back to 1975 with your modern 5G mobile phone, what would you do with it?” The discussion seamlessly mixes social commentary, personal memories, and humor as callers imagine the possibilities and implications of bringing future technology into Spain at a pivotal historical moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Spain, 1975

• Contextual Introduction: Bob Pop highlights two significant anniversaries that frame the episode’s deeper themes:
  • Anniversary of the publication of Darwin's "Origin of Species" (1859)
  • Discovery of “Lucy” the australopithecus (1974)
  • The death of Spain's only albino gorilla "Copito de Nieve" (2003)
  • The day is recognized as World Evolution Day, juxtaposed with “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” (Nov 25).
  • Calls out rising denialism and threats to societal consensus on evolution and gender violence.

    “Dos días seguidos para que el negacionismo haga pleno un doblete de asco y miedo.”
    (04:01, Bob Pop)

2. The Core Question

• Prompt to Listeners:
  • “Una fantasía que tengo recurrente. Viajas con tu teléfono móvil 5G y cargador a 1975. ¿Qué haces?”
    (05:13, Bob Pop)
• Discusses possibilities: Not just taking photos—a 5G phone brings immense capabilities: recording, internet, storing media, and more.

3. Bob Pop’s Own Fantasy

• Bob’s tongue-in-cheek answer:

  “Yo me bajaría todas las pelis de Almodóvar y entonces transcribiría los guiones y le robaría toda su filmografía. Un beso, Pedro.”
  (06:32, Bob Pop)

  • Introduces humor and the idea of exploiting foreknowledge for personal gain.

4. Listener Calls: Diverse Uses for the Phone in 1975

• Nancy (Valencia): Documenting Iconic Events

  • Would attend the 1975 premiere of “Jesucristo Superstar” with Camilo Sesto and record it for posterity, as very little footage exists.
  • Also mentions recording the dramatic protests outside the theater.

  “Grabaría Camilo, Ángela Carrasco, a todos... para verlo ahora que estaría una viejecita...”
  (09:41, Nancy)

  • Bob Pop jokes about needing to mute the phone but praises the idea:

    “No corre el riesgo de que le llamen y suene en medio del teatro.”
    (10:33, Bob Pop)

• Jorge (Tenerife): Changing History

  • Jokingly suggests preventing the births of certain historical “personajes y personajillos” to avoid today’s problems (a play on time travel’s ethical dilemmas).

  “Buscaría los padres de determinados personajes... para que no nacieran...”
  (11:11, Jorge)

  • Bob responds with irony, referencing risks of “mejor o peor pareja” and how unintended consequences might emerge.
  • They share light banter on time travel paradoxes and the futility—and danger—of such interventions.

• Luis (Eibar): Preserving Family Memory

  • Would use the phone to record grandparents and parents so younger generations could know them.

  “Me dedicaría a grabar a mis abuelos y a mis padres. Primero para que mis hijos, que no conocieron a mis abuelos, los conocieran...”
  (13:46, Luis)

  • Bob and Àngels reflect on the emotional value of capturing intergenerational memories in multimedia format.

• Anabel (Bilbao): Recording Traditions

  • Would film her mother preparing traditional foods, especially baking rosquillas for the neighborhood, to preserve culinary traditions and memories.

  “Yo grabaría a mi madre cocinando... me he acordado cuando mi madre hacía una mesa llena de rosquillas...”
  (15:30, Anabel)

  • Bob playfully chides:

    “Que estés ahí frente a una mesa llena de rosquillas y te limites a grabarlo... coge unas pocas...”
    (16:23, Bob Pop)

  • Reflection on how recipes and tastes are intricately tied to moments and people, not just techniques.

• Toni (Vallehermoso, La Gomera): Celebrating Youth and Change

  • Would record a legendary party from her youth, where the Guardia Civil amusingly joined in celebration.

  “Yo vivía al lado del cuartel de la Guardia Civil... el vacilón fue terrible...”
  (17:57, Toni)

  • Importance of documenting moments of joy and unexpected camaraderie during years of great change.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bob Pop (on current denialism in society):

  “La iluminación navideña de las ciudades muestra el rostro de quienes niegan las teorías evolutivas al tiempo que son incapaces de entender que la violencia casi nunca es solo violencia a secas.”
  (03:55)

• Àngels Barceló (on lost social consensus):

  “Consensos que pensábamos que ya teníamos superados están en más peligro que nunca.”
  (04:22)

• Listener Luis (on family heritage):

  “Me dedicaría a grabar a mis abuelos y a mis padres. Primero para que mis hijos... los conocieran.”
  (13:46)

• Anabel (on traditional recipes):

  “Mis padres vinieron de Salamanca, Bilbao, y eran esas comunidades de vecinos que estaban las puertas abiertas, que todos éramos familia...”
  (15:38)

• Bob Pop (on human motivations):

  “Me estoy dando cuenta que soy un ser muy mezquino, porque yo solo lo haría para mi beneficio personal. Y todos los demás lo haréis por el bien de la humanidad.”
  (12:17)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:37 – Start of conversation with Bob Pop
• 04:01 – Bob Pop links evolution and gender violence days; commentary on denialism
• 05:13 – Introduction of fantasy question: traveling to 1975 with a 5G phone
• 06:32 – Bob Pop's own (humorous) answer: stealing Almodóvar’s films
• 08:10 – Listener calls begin
• 09:41 – Nancy records "Jesucristo Superstar" for historical preservation
• 11:11 – Jorge proposes “preventing” problematic historical figures
• 13:46 – Luis documents his ancestors for family memory
• 15:30 – Anabel captures her mother baking and neighborhood traditions
• 17:57 – Toni recalls a 1975 party with the Guardia Civil
• 19:03 – Show wraps up with closing remarks

Episode Flow & Tone

The conversation maintains a light, humorous, and reflective tone, blending nostalgia, social critique, and playful speculation about technology and history. Listeners bring warmth and emotion, sharing heartfelt motives for documenting personal and cultural heritage—while Bob provides wit and reflections on our relationship with technology, memory, and desire for personal legacy.

Final Thoughts

This episode encourages listeners to reflect not only on how revolutionary technology can be a tool for change or preservation but also on the value of recording the everyday moments and social advancements that make up our shared history. It’s an engaging testament to memory, the power of storytelling, and the ongoing need for critical thinking—wrapped in humor and the cozy camaraderie of morning radio.