The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong It's About Time
Dec 31, 2024
Dive into a wild ride through timekeeping as we explore Jamie Kennedy's quirky journey in Hollywood. Discover the chaos of his live New Year's special and the backlash from his prank show. Uncover the evolution of calendars, from Rome's early ten-month system to Julius Caesar's Julian reform. Learn how the Gregorian calendar emerged, and why it resonates globally. Plus, catch a glimpse of the fascinating yet failed attempts at decimal time during the French Revolution. It's a fascinating mix of history, humor, and the quirks of time!
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Jamie Kennedy's Self-Made Hustle
- Mark Chrysler recounts Jamie Kennedy's early hustle inventing a fake agent to get work and later notoriety from prank and New Year's shows.
- The stories illustrate how tenacity and irritating public persona shaped Kennedy's fleeting fame.
A New Year's Broadcast Trainwreck
- Mark Chrysler describes First Night's disastrously awkward New Year's Eve broadcast with bad sketches, technical errors, and a late countdown.
- The segment uses the episode as comic consolation for podcasting a New Year's special badly.
Countdowns Depend On Human Choices
- Mark Chrysler points out four parts needed for a countdown: the calendar, where year-end sits, how we delineate time, and how we define it.
- He frames these as arbitrary decisions, not natural laws.