Cool Weird Awesome with Brady Carlson

Today in 1972, a break-in at the Watergate hotel that kicked off a huge political scandal... and also, somehow, gave a gelatin dessert the name "Watergate salad." Plus: in 2022, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington hosted an exhibit called “Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue.” Jell-O Journalism: Investigating the Origins of Watergate Salad [https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/watergate-salad-recipe-history] (Mental Floss) Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue [https://npg.si.edu/exhibition/watergate] (National Portrait Gallery) This podcast is not a crook, but it is backed by our listeners on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/Bradycarlson]

There's a new musical work that is, maybe, kind of, sort of from a composer who’s been gone three years. Plus: rice farmers in Gyoda, Japan turn their paddies into large-scale works of art. Musical Composer’s Brain Matter Is Still Making Music Three Years After His Death [https://mymodernmet.com/alvin-lucier-brain-matter-revivification-installation/] (My Modern Met) Tanjiro Emerges in the Fields as Gyoda Unveils 2025 Rice Paddy Art [https://spoon-tamago.com/tanjiro-gyoda-rice-paddy-art/] (Spoon + Tamago) Our show is powered by our backers on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/Bradycarlson]

Today in 1923, the birthday of Cordell Jackson, a guitarist who rocked out exactly the way she wanted to for over half a century. Plus: today in 2023, a Florida woman apparently took a fire truck out for a ride. Jackson, Cordell [https://www.womeninrockproject.org/reference/jackson-cordell/] (Women In Rock Project)  Woman accused of impersonating firefighter after stealing firetruck, Florida cops say [https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article277435088.html] (Miami Herald) Help our show rock out every day as a backer on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/Bradycarlson]

A decade before Mariner 4 got to Mars (on this day in 1965), a company famous for its advertising jokingly offered its customers a chance to go to the Red Planet - and a very serious customer tried to get them to follow through. Plus: a design studio in France builds a walk-through installation out of nearly 800 old baguettes. Did Burma-Shave Offer to Send a Contest Winner to Mars? [https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-read-planet/] (Snopes) 780 leftover baguettes turn into public pavilion by MERO studios in montpellier [https://www.designboom.com/art/780-leftover-baguettes-public-pavilion-mero-studios-montpellier-paysage-de-pain-07-04-2025/] (designboom) Help this show keep keeping on / as a backer on Patreon [https://www.designboom.com/art/780-leftover-baguettes-public-pavilion-mero-studios-montpellier-paysage-de-pain-07-04-2025/]

Today in 1983, Quiet Riot released its massive hit single "Cum On Feel The Noize," though they kind of tried to tank the recording session at the time.  Plus: for 7/11, a story about a 7/11 with a tree in the middle of the store. Cum On Feel The Noize by Quiet Riot [https://www.songfacts.com/facts/quiet-riot/cum-on-feel-the-noize] (Songfacts) This 7-11 in Monterrey Mexico has a tree growing through it. [https://www.instagram.com/p/C0FVbhgvUqr/?img_index=1] (lostfoundartny via Instagram) Rock out with us as a backer on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/Bradycarlson]