3304: Primal Scream w/ Maddy Smith

[Keith]

Computer giggles; Honey Boy reviewed; Father Malley October death tricks; Iceland’s public scream therapy; 51-year-old Wendy Wein falls for RentaHitman.com; how to commit crimes safely; the largest library overdue-book fine; Bolivian boys provoke spider bites to become Spider-Men; Keith’s childhood paddlings

Guest:
Maddy Smith



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[Archimedes_Screw]

This episode really hit home (pun intended). My mom would twist our pants to make them tight and then hit us with a piece of door trim. The best is getting a spanking for hitting a sibling. “ don’t hit your brother *whack!

[Apia resurrected]

My parents are hard to describe.
There are some things in the past they did, that sound awful especially from today’s point of view.

Like hitting me. Maybe not for pretending to be Spider-Man, especially because we lived in socialist Poland and no one knew who Spider-Man was.
But for accidentally destroying something in the house for example.
Than again, in Poland in the 80-ies it was absolutely normal to hit your kids. I remember talking with my classmates about different methods and intensity.
Still it was awful.

They were very strict and had extremely high expectations. Only As were acceptable for them, and even when we moved countries and I had to learn a new language, the expectations didn’t adjust. They compared me to everyone they thought was more successful. My father has some racist tendencies, but at least he shuts up when I tell him that I don’t tolerate it. My mother is a very dominant woman who would control my life if I wouldn’t be able to set boundaries. But she is also funny.

On the other hand they told me that they loved me and I knew they did. They are extremely supportive, financially responsible, very good with money, no alcoholics. They took our dogs on when we traveled somewhere we couldn’t take them for 2-3 weeks, because they loved to see us see the world. They helped us to buy our first house ( a loan without interest) and they say now that they are proud and even admitted to past mistakes. Now in pandemic times they helped a lot with the kids, so Mr. Apia and I could work in a normal way)

Now retired, they moved to a place about 1 km from us, and the relationship got better. I think because now it’s possible to see them more often for a shorter time, like visiting them for coffee on Sunday for an hour and not feeling guilty for leaving. They know they will see us soon again so not every heavy topic must be talked about every time. Now it’s often uncomplicated when we see each other.
My mother and I text often ( or do voice messages) and it’s easy. She gets jokes, luckily.
My father was never creepy in any way that I have seen.
So I have to say overall it’s ok? Especially compared to others?

[Keith]

Oh Chemda’s gooooood...

[Sorin Markov]

If thousands of random people send condolence letters from around the world... would this convince father Malley to move to an old folks home with Keith’s mom for security reasons?

Maybe Keith can use this to help his mom....

[FingerLakes]

HONEY BOY WAS GREAT
I CRIED SO MUCH
SHIA WAS GREAT
THAT GINGER WHO'S DAD IS FAMOUS WAS GREAT
THAT CHILD ACTOR WAS AMAZING

I really got into the making of Honey Boy after it was snubbed at the oscars. The director is a friend of Shia's who's also been in therapy/support groups for survivors of abuse. Shia started sending her the letters and script that his therapist makes him write in the movie. The director told him to keep doing the work and sending more and before he even was done with his mandated time she was like "We have got to make this movie." If I remember correctly Shia wasn't originally going to play his dad but during a reading it was so perfect he HAD to.
That scene with the Big Brother and the BBQ really fucked my shit up

Keith!! Check out Custody next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaSst0b_0i8

[ThePinkSuperhero]

Sadly, I don’t think the local paper will print the obituary unless Dad actually dies. And I love the letter idea BUT it’s probably not fair to share their home address with the world.

[FingerLakes]

if the paper won't print the letter without him being dead, two upgrades:

1)Take out an ad in the paper that is structured like an obituary or invitation to his eventual funeral.

2)Just get a phony paper printed with the obituary in the correct place and send it to his house (or hand deliver it to make sure he doesn't get the real one).

If you're going with 2, please also include one of the ads the historian listener found that your dad put in the paper to grift locals.

[O'Ryan]

If you go with condolence letters, could we address them to Father Melnik?

If you go with an obituary, will you just make up a bunch of outlandish shit, just like he does?

[Piscean]

If I understand Chemda's concern with the condolence letters, it's that you are sharing FM's home address with the world. What if you have all the letters sent to the KATG PO box, then you bundle them all up and ship to FM?