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S03.E11: Inventors


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Alexander Graham Bell beats Elisha Gray to the patent office for the telephone; sick of wearing an uncomfortable corset, Mary Phelps Jacob (A.K.A. Caresse Crosby) makes herself a brassiere and starts a fashion revolution; and Thomas Edison endeavors to launch a filmmaking monopoly.

 

Featuring: Martin Starr as Alexander Graham Bell, Jason Ritter as Elisha Gray, Henry Winkler as Zenas Fisk Wilbur, Parker Posey as Mary Phelps Jacob, Chris Parnell as Thomas Edison, Michael McKean as Carl Laemmle, Dr. Drew Pinsky as The Judge.

 

Retellers: JD Ryznar on Inventing the Telephone; Paget Brewster on Inventing the Bra; Duncan Trussell on Inventing Films.

Paget Brewster was a great narrator, but I was kind of thrown by Dr. Drew Pinsky being an actor in the last story. A comedic show called "Drunk History" doesn't seem like something an addictions doctor would want to support in any way, but this is the "Celebrity Rehab" guy. Good episode, besides that WTF moment. And Henry Winkler is a national treasure.

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Drew loves the show. He's been talking about it for a year on his radio show and Derrick has been on multiple times.

 

His reasoning for being on this episode is: I like to have fun too. Do what you want with drinking, we're all adults. If you think you have a problem and want help, there are people to help you. If you don't want help, you can't be forced to change. 

 

This was one of the better episodes. I haven't enjoyed this season as much as the last.

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I'd never heard of Mary Phelps Jacobs! I knew Trivial Pursuit's answer was a joke--supposedly they planted several fake answers as a copyright ploy or something--but not who actually invented bras. It stuns me that handkerchiefs were big enough, and strong enough, for anyone because they wouldn't be for me.

 

The other, Gray and Laemmle, I knew about. Edison was an asshole.

I only just got around to watching this episode and agree, it was a really good one.  Seeing Henry Winkler (Zenas, rhymes with penis) was a delightful treat, and laughed when he pulled out a cordless phone to call Bell about the telephone patent.  Also, I am developing a girl crush on Paget Brewster.  "My boobles are free to roam!"  I will totally start working that phrase into conversations. 

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Edison, on the other hand, is widely agreed to have been a huge credit-stealing jerk.

It was curious to me that the simple solution was for his key competitors to move to California. What kept him from moving to LA as well and continuing the fight?

 

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kind of thrown by Dr. Drew Pinsky being an actor in the last story

That was my reaction too. Since when is he a regular actor?

Just in case anyone is wondering, these two sources say it's true that they considered re-naming Caresse Crosby "Clytoris"-- apparently they did in fact name their dog "Clytoris" after the Lady Crosby changed her own name to Caresse:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/5549090/The-Crosbys-literatures-most-scandalous-couple.html

http://ahistoryblog.com/2013/08/22/harry-crosby-1828-1929-rich-and-different/

 

How does anyone know this, though? Did they keep a diary documenting the names they considered and rejected? Was there a gossip mill that took on stories such as this?

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