The Absurdists

By: Mary Murphy & Marlo Anderson
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  • Summary

  • The Absurdists is a weekly podcast where co-hosts Marlo Anderson and Mary Murphy take you on a hilarious and thought-provoking journey through the bizarre, the whimsical, and the downright absurd aspects of modern life. Whether they’re discussing peculiar inventions, absurd laws, or the quirks of daily communication, Marlo and Mary bring humor, curiosity, and light-hearted banter to every episode. With a focus on finding joy in life’s oddities, The Absurdists is a show that embraces the weird and invites listeners to laugh at the unexpected. Tune in for engaging conversations, amusing stories, and a reminder to embrace the absurdity in your own life!
    Copyright 2024 Marlo Anderson LLC
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Biographies & Memoirs Comedy & Humour Social Sciences World
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Episodes
  • The Absurdity of Numbers: From Friday the 13th to Missing Donuts and Decimal Mishaps

    The Absurdity of Numbers: From Friday the 13th to Missing Donuts and Decimal Mishaps
    Dec 19 2024
    Numbers: we use them to measure time, count calories, and set speed limits. They’re supposed to bring order to the chaos of life—but what happens when numbers get a little too absurd? In this laugh-filled episode of The Absurdists, co-hosts Mary Murphy and Marlo Anderson unpack the bizarre world of numbers with stories so ridiculous, they’ll have you checking your calculator twice. “It’s Just One More Donut—Relax!” Mary kicks things off with a story about the Baker’s Dozen. Why 13 instead of 12? Turns out, bakers in medieval England had good reason to throw in an extra loaf (or donut). If they shortchanged customers, they’d face severe penalties, from public ridicule to fines—so to be safe, they’d toss in a bonus baked good. Marlo chimes in with his own vision of modern bakers yelling, “Fine, take 13, just don’t sue me!” A sweet deal, if you ask us. Speed Limits That Don’t Make Sense Imagine cruising down a road, only to see a speed limit of 29 mph. Why not 30? Mary and Marlo explore these bizarre laws, pointing out places where 29, 31, or even 8 mph speed limits exist. Marlo jokes, “Is there some mystical traffic safety wizard who insists on prime numbers?” Whatever the reason, they agree—these signs are as confusing as a pie chart on a pizza box. Friday the 13th: A Recipe for Suspicion Ah, the dreaded Friday the 13th. Mary dives into the ancient superstition that has made hotel elevators skip the 13th floor and brides shiver when a wedding lands on this date. With its origins linked to Norse mythology, the Last Supper, and sheer human paranoia, it’s no wonder Marlo quips, “If 13’s so unlucky, why don’t bakers just skip it?” Decimal Points: Tiny Mistakes, Huge Absurdities The duo takes a hilarious detour into the world of decimal disasters. Did you know Popeye’s love of spinach—and the supposed iron content of the leafy green—was all thanks to a misplaced decimal point? One little error turned spinach into the superhero of vegetables, skyrocketing sales by 33% and cementing Popeye’s biceps into cartoon legend. Mary muses, “How many kids had to suffer through spinach dinners because of a math error?” Why 12 Ounces for Soda? Marlo then pops open the can on soda sizes—specifically, 12 ounces. Why not 10? Why not 13 (lucky or not)? The pair unravels the quirky history of the 12-ounce can, rooted in imperial measurements and packaging efficiency. “Twelve might sound random,” Mary jokes, “but it’s perfect for making you feel bad when you finish one and immediately want another.” The Five-Second Rule: Science Ruins Everything If you’ve ever dropped a cookie on the floor and yelled, “Five-second rule!”, you’re not alone. But Mary and Marlo dig into the science that debunks this age-old tradition. Turns out, bacteria don’t care about time limits—they’re faster than you reaching for that fallen French fry. Still, Marlo stands firm: “I’ll take my chances for a donut.” Absurd Number Trivia: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know From base-12 math (why do clocks use it but schools don’t teach it?) to marketing’s love for prices ending in $0.99 (“It’s practically free!”), this episode takes you on a whirlwind tour of number absurdities. Mary and Marlo even poke fun at unusual holidays tied to numbers—because why shouldn’t March 14th (3.14) be a day to eat pie? Why You Should Tune In If you love numbers, hate math, or just want a reason to laugh at the silly systems humans invent, this episode of The Absurdists is for you. Mary Murphy and Marlo Anderson keep things light, funny, and endlessly entertaining as they unravel the numerical nonsense all around us. Find us at wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Stay absurd!
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    28 mins
  • Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza: Unraveling the Mandela Effect

    Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza: Unraveling the Mandela Effect
    Dec 10 2024
    The Mandela Effect: When Our Collective Memory Plays Tricks On Us Remember when Darth Vader said, "Luke, I am your father"? Or when Captain Kirk would regularly say, "Beam me up, Scotty"? Well, prepare to have your mind blown – neither of these iconic phrases was ever actually said in their respective franchises. Welcome to the fascinating world of the Mandela Effect, where our collective memories don't quite match up with reality. What is the Mandela Effect? The term "Mandela Effect" was coined in 2009 by Fiona Broome when she discovered that many people shared her false memory of Nelson Mandela dying in prison during the 1980s (he actually passed away in 2013). This phenomenon occurs when large groups of people share the same incorrect memories of past events or details. Pop Culture's Greatest Hits (That Never Were) Movies and TV Shows Star Wars: The actual line is "No, I am your father" – not "Luke, I am your father" Star Trek: "Beam me up, Scotty" was never uttered in the original series I Love Lucy: Ricky never said "Lucy, you have some explaining to do" – it was actually "Lucy, explain that to me" Snow White: The famous line is "Magic Mirror on the wall" not "Mirror, Mirror on the wall" Silence of the Lambs: Hannibal Lecter never says "Hello, Clarice" – he simply says "Good morning" Music Memories Queen's "We Are the Champions" doesn't end with "of the world" in the studio version Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" is often misheard as "doesn't make a difference if we're naked or not" instead of "doesn't make a difference if we make it or not" Madonna's "Like a Virgin" has been misheard as "touch for the 31st time" instead of "touch for the very first time" Brand Misconceptions The Monopoly Man never wore a monocle Fruit of the Loom's logo never included a cornucopia Oscar Mayer is often remembered as "Oscar Meyer" Why Do We Experience the Mandela Effect? Scientists studying false memory through the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm have found that our brains often fill in gaps with what we expect to hear or see. This explains why we might collectively misremember details in ways that seem to make more sense to us. The Impact on Popular Culture These shared false memories have become so ingrained in our culture that they often overshadow the original versions. Take "Beam me up, Scotty" – while never actually said in Star Trek, it's become the go-to phrase for referencing the show and appears on countless pieces of merchandise. What This Tells Us About Human Memory The Mandela Effect reminds us that human memory isn't like a video recording – it's more like a collaborative storytelling process where our brains fill in details based on context, expectations, and collective cultural experiences. This doesn't make our memories less valuable; it just makes them more interesting! In Conclusion The next time you're absolutely certain about a quote, detail, or fact from popular culture, you might want to double-check – you could be experiencing the Mandela Effect. And remember, as Darth Vader never said, "Luke, I am your father"! Want to hear more fascinating discussions about the unexpected and absurd? Tune in to The Absurdist Show, where we explore the weird and wonderful aspects of our world that make life interesting.
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    1 hr
  • Autocorrect Fails, Graffiti Tales, and Velvet Confessions: The Absurdists Unleashed

    Autocorrect Fails, Graffiti Tales, and Velvet Confessions: The Absurdists Unleashed
    Nov 26 2024
    From Velvet and Big Cucumbers to Absurdist Graffiti: A Wild Ride with Marlo and Mary On the latest episode of The Absurdists, Marlo Anderson and Mary Murphy take us on another rollercoaster ride of hilarity and peculiar musings. From wardrobe confessions (blue velvet, anyone?) to the accidental messages that left their senders red-faced, the duo keeps the laughs coming. Marlo reminisces about the unexpected texts and voicemails that left an indelible mark—like the infamous "big cucumber" text sent to a professor and a mysterious woman’s microwave notification from her phone company. Meanwhile, Mary shares her take on bathroom stall graffiti trends (spoiler: "Toy Story 2 is okay" is surprisingly popular). Not to be outdone, the pair dives into cats' antics with autocorrect mishaps, bizarre motion-detection emails, and even pranks involving printing hundreds of "Hello" pages. Plus, we learn about Marlo's personal autocorrect disaster involving a bamboo-related text (don’t ask). Highlights include: A CEO bombarded with 600 banana bread recipes—thanks to a cat on the keyboard. A sleepwalking contest entrant who accidentally claimed a prize months later. The accidental breakup text that was sent… to a mom. As always, Marlo and Mary bring their absurdist lens to life's everyday oddities. Want to join in the fun? Share your absurd stories with The Absurdists crew and let the hilarity unfold.
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    1 hr and 6 mins

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