105 - Assassins

Something something funny that the guys couldn't have known yet how presidential assassination attempts would have a comeback in Trump 2. But honestly as a non-USian I'm just fascinated how apparently every American knows Roger and Hammerstein musicals and you can activate them like sleeper agents to sing songs from them.

Coming back to this episode for no reason in particular.

The funny thing about Guiteau not achieving his dream of being remembered is that he has actually kind of been remembered, through all the retellings of his absurd life and actions, through this play, through a Sam O'nella video with 20 million views, and even now through a Netflix miniseries. He was remembered all right, just not for the reasons he expected.

This episode is the whole reason I subscribed to your Patreon and it might have driven me a little insane because I listened to it three times in a 24 hour period while traveling and got sick the next day. I had a lot of fun though, and the songs are great :)

Lowkey its ride the cyclone for president killers

enjoying your archive, it's back baby trump did it he brought the presidential assassin back

Now I know where that Allen Wake bit came from

When Josh brought up the idea of the balladeer being the liberal ego's interpretation of President McKinley's assassination, I raised a question in my mind: is today's re-imagining of Neo-liberalism in a semi-post Trump political landscape the manifestation of America's liberal ego death?

I'm so happy you guys decided to cover this. My mom actually took me to a community theater production of this show 5 years ago today, so I have fond memories of seeing this show.

Honk! The musical when?!

I have so many vital musical theater questions. For example. Are hot pockets tarts?!!?

I'm a fan of musical theater but a total rube, love learning about fascinating works like this through this pod. Pairs very nicely with holding a 2 day old!

Can confirm I immediately googled "scones recipe" and was baffled to find out it not only included sugar and vanilla extract, but wasn't ~40% sour milk by weight, which is the only type of scone I've ever known. I give this revelation 3 angry börks out of 5. Which isn't actually a word, but fun to play into

I hope that if you werent already, that THIS is the episode that puts TWOAPW on a government list.

Since I may never have a more topical opportunity, I'd like to share my favorite song about the Kennedy assassination: "Visitors From Indiana," by the tragically-underrated Eric Taylor (RIP). https://youtu.be/CE4GlqiOS1g?si=wBeOLlWLRKAxU2vt

An interesting comparison to this is the Manson family opera which is another musical about the cultural impact of an American tragedy

the 1990 recording is the one that burned into my "high school discovering Sondheim" brain, so going to the 2004 recording to refamiliarize myself with Something Just Broke, it's just very jarring to hear what feels like something out of the score of Passion interrupting the middle of a ludicrously powerful closing sequence. "I was out in the yard" just sounds like "he doesn't have a title but he does have a wife" to me.

Hell yeah. Maybe Sondheim's most prescient work--except now you rarely bother to shoot celebrities, just as many people as possible. The Assassins succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and were supplanted by the fruits of their success, thrown over by an infinite procession of infamy-seeking mass shooters.

Heh. "Ass"