Occupational Envy
Topic: Television and Media
If you've never heard of Mythbusters, you're either living in a cave, or you don't have cable (it could be both). I suppose it's equally likely that you don't live in a cave, and you do have cable, but you just don't watch The Discovery Channel.*

If you're not familiar with it, The Mythbusters are one Jamie Hyneman and one Adam Savage. These individuals are special effects masters, capable of building anything out of anything else. They are the gadgeteer's gadgeteers, and the model crasher's model crashers. They take an urban myth, examine the basic premise behind it, and then try, under controlled conditions, to replicate it, in an attempt to prove or disprove it, often under personal pain. Adam's description of the show is a lot simpler; he says "It's Jackass meets Mr. Science."

And that's a pretty apropriate description. So far on the show, among other things, they have tested a duck to see if its quack echos, manufactured a cannon out of a tree trunk, mixed Pop Rocks with cola in order to see if they could explode a pig's stomach (it was no longer in the pig, and the pig didn't need it any more), welded rocket engines to a '66 Impala and remotely controlled it from a helicopter, milked a 'daddy long-legs' spider, constructed a pneumatic chicken gun (the gun was pneumatic, not the chickens. The chickens were ammo), buried Jamie alive, and tested toothbrushes for fecal bacteria (to quote Adam, "There's poo everywhere!").

It sounds strange, but they somehow manage to apply the scientific method to all their experiments. They use a 'control' whenever they can, and establish a baseline. They tested the possibility of poppy seeds causing you to test positive for drug use, and the first test they did was with a 'clean' sample (presumably drug-free, since they tested negative). After eating a very large amount of poppy seed confections and pastries, they tried again. As early as 3 hours later, they were testing positive, and it lasted well over 24 hours. Let this be a lesson to you: don't eat poppy seeds before a big 'test.'

Jamie is the founder of M5 Industries, as his link will show you. Adam's site will demonstrate to you his talents as well, ranging from sculpture and writing to his work in feature films. The two are to special effects today what Ray Harryhausen was to monster movies, and what Lon Chaney Jr. was to makeup.

Urban myths and legends hold a special place in our society, partly because we want them to be true, and partly because a good story is hard to keep to yourself. The job of these brilliant maniacs is to see if the myth is possible... they don't necessarily show if it really happened. But if it is found to be impossible, they know it didn't happen. If it is found to be possible, that just means that it might have happened. Remember, they approach it scientifically, and just because something is possible doesn't mean it is historical.

However, it is, often, hysterical. Just observing the events is amusing in itself, but their commentary only makes it funnier. Examples... "Jamie want big boom." "That was *beep*ing significant!" "That's the coolest toy ever!" And of course, Jamie's admission that he always enjoys seeing Adam in pain.

I decided that this was one of my all-time favorite shows with the very first episode I watched. It has science, humor, and it's just damned fun! I wanted their jobs the moment I saw what they did, although I know I could never do it as well.

Recently, they've added Christine Chamberlain to the show as an intern. My envy is palpable.

Check them out, watch the show, and enjoy yourself. Then, check out the (unofficial, but there's high hopes) Mythbusters Fan Club web site. Tell BlackWidowNor that I sent you. It won't get either of us anything, but it'll start some conversation, and she's worth talking to.

*You knob.