Sept. 27, 2025

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: The Regan Assassination Attempt

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: The Regan Assassination Attempt

Want to weigh in? Send us a text! Welcome back! On "Who Died This Week?" Megan and Lesley talk about the ever so talented and foxy, Robert Redford (1936-2025) (though we have a terrible time remembering his filmography). In this latest episode Megan asks, "Where were you when Reagan was shot?" For many Gen X kids, the 1981 assassination attempt marks our first collective news trauma—that shocking moment when regular programming was interrupted and the world seemed to pause. What began...

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Season 2

Want to weigh in? Send us a text!

Welcome back! On "Who Died This Week?" Megan and Lesley talk about the ever so talented and foxy, Robert Redford (1936-2025) (though we have a terrible time remembering his filmography).  

In this latest episode Megan asks, "Where were you when Reagan was shot?" For many Gen X kids, the 1981 assassination attempt marks our first collective news trauma—that shocking moment when regular programming was interrupted and the world seemed to pause.

What began as a routine presidential appearance spiraled into a national crisis when John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots in less than two seconds outside the Washington Hilton. As Reagan lost nearly half his blood volume, Washington descended into constitutional chaos. Secretary of State Alexander Haig's infamous declaration "I'm in control here" revealed dangerous gaps in crisis management, while networks scrambled to report accurate information in an era before instant updates.

Beyond the political dimensions, this episode uncovers the strange, forgotten details that made this event uniquely bizarre. Hinckley's obsession with 18-year-old Jodie Foster dragged the young actress unwillingly into a national nightmare. Nancy Reagan's subsequent turn to astrology for White House scheduling decisions became both fascination and mockery. Meanwhile, Reagan's humor during the crisis—reportedly telling his wife "Honey, I forgot to duck"—transformed his public image into that of an invincible "Teflon Ron."

Most significantly, we explore how this single event catalyzed lasting change across American institutions. The Secret Service rewrote protection protocols, medical teams developed presidential emergency response systems, Congress tightened insanity defense standards, and the Brady Bill eventually introduced meaningful gun control legislation.

Join us for this nostalgic yet substantive dive into a pivotal moment when Gen X kids first witnessed history unfolding in real-time, complete with our personal memories of where we were when the world briefly stood still. If you remember this moment or want to understand how it shaped a generation's consciousness, this episode offers both personal reflection and historical insight that resonates even t

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Follow us on ...

00:00 - Catching Up and Disney Plans

08:12 - Life-Changing Moments and Podcast Pivot

20:51 - Reagan's Attempted Assassination

28:03 - White House Chaos and Who's in Charge

31:51 - Hinckley's Obsession with Jodie Foster

35:19 - Nancy Reagan and Her White House Astrologer

43:42 - How the Shooting Changed America

51:30 - Closing Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

WEBVTT

00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:01.679
I'm Megan Bennett.

00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:02.720
I'm Leslie Meyer.

00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:06.320
And this is Gen X Women Are Sick of This Shit.

00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:12.720
Hi, Leslie.

00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:15.279
Hi, Megan.

00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:16.239
Hello.

00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:18.320
Hello, my friend.

00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.440
You're going to Disney World land soon.

00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:23.280
I am.

00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:24.719
I'm going to the DL.

00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:28.640
You could do that now that Disney's back on the on the okay list, right?

00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:31.280
There I just depends on the day.

00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:36.640
I still support the fact that there are people who make less than minimum wage that need jobs.

00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:37.200
Yeah.

00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:41.600
So I'm gonna go support those people in their character costumes.

00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:45.920
I hear that for like a couple of days with my family.

00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.399
Before my daughter moves away with her beloved.

00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:51.359
That is sad.

00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:54.000
It is, it is wonderfully happy.

00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:55.600
It's so happy.

00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:57.679
I can tell you're super happy about it.

00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:03.520
There's like the uh happy like video.

00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:06.239
I don't know, whatever, when things go viral.

00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:12.159
And there was one of a small child eating a mother's cooking of some sort.

00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.280
And it was disgusting, and it was obviously disgusting.

00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:23.920
And the kid was like not happy about it, eating it, and then like throwing up and then smiling and also crying.

00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:26.000
And the mom was like, Do you like it?

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And she's like, mm-hmm.

00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:30.640
Well, like while she's also like gagging and throwing up and crying.

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I love it so much.

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So I kind of feel like that.

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I'm not quite gagging and crying, but you know what I mean?

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Like so happy.

00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:52.640
And like there are just moments where it's like, oh, we're not gonna these things what happened are like moments where I'm like, oh, we just I feel like you got lucky because you had an extra little window of time that she was living here.

00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.760
And my daughter was like, went to college, gone, boom.

00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:59.359
Yep, you know, and then we had like the COVID break, right?

00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:02.159
Where she was back, and she's back.

00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:08.960
Um, but yeah, like we our kids got so fucked.

00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:10.000
Yeah, totally.

00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:11.840
We lost her when she was gone.

00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:14.400
She was gone, and now we get to go to New York and see her.

00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:17.120
That's just so awesome.

00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:22.240
Not we'll do that after you are back, probably from Disney.

00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:24.000
We'll be then in New York.

00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.039
And then I go to Disney World the next weekend.

00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:27.360
Right.

00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.319
You're whisking her away for a little Halloween trip.

00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:30.560
Yep.

00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:31.039
That's right.

00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.960
People probably think we have like money.

00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:36.319
Millions of dollars.

00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:38.719
We do not we have debt.

00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:40.319
That's what we do.

00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:41.039
It's true.

00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.479
Um, so please don't think that we're wealthy at all.

00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:55.759
We are not, we are normal, not classy, hustling, hustling the credit card shuffle to make life happen in this day and age.

00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:56.639
That's true.

00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:01.599
And I went ahead and bought myself an annual pass because I had already bought that trip.

00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.719
I already had a trip, and so I could apply that money towards the annual pass.

00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:05.280
Oh, smart.

00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:08.400
And so now it's like, well, shit, now I have to go.

00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:10.319
Well, because then you're wasting it.

00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:10.719
Right.

00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:12.000
I can't not go.

00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:12.560
Yeah.

00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:16.080
We were near to our um I have no lots.

00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:21.280
I don't have like a bunch of memberships, but I've had one for the shed, which is nowhere near, but I love aquariums.

00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:21.680
Yeah.

00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:25.599
And my daughter was going and I was like, Oh, you just use our membership, and it had expired.

00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:27.919
And I'm like, Oh, it'll save money if I just renew it.

00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:29.199
Because Tim and I all go.

00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:30.560
We haven't been yet.

00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:39.360
However, we did talk about it recently, and I'm like, we could drive up and back in a day because half of the cost of Chicago is spending the fucking night.

00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:50.240
Yeah, but part of the joy is spending the night too, because then you get like a groovy hotel and a nice dinner, but then I haven't saved any money buying my shed membership.

00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:52.879
The point is you can't use it when you're dead.

00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:55.280
You're there, you're here.

00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:56.960
We're here for experiences.

00:03:57.199 --> 00:03:57.599
That's true.

00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:58.080
Yes.

00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:00.080
If you want to go see the fish, you go see the fish.

00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.599
I love those fish.

00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:03.599
It's I love them so much.

00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:05.199
I love them so much.

00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:06.800
I really do love those fish.

00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:07.360
Oh, Jesus.

00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:09.919
I love menopause has got her bad.

00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:11.759
I love my daughter more.

00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.919
Uh menopause has caught her in a in its web.

00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:17.279
How have you been?

00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:18.160
I'm fine.

00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:26.160
Yeah, if I cough or like sound nasally, I didn't coming off of a cold, but it was it was just a weird end of summer.

00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:27.199
I'm so sorry.

00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:28.000
Stupid.

00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.279
Well, and you have to are you around people during the day?

00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:33.439
I'm around more people now than I used to be.

00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:33.839
Okay.

00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:43.439
So I think, and you know, you just I've got like all of the middle-aged women health things you can have that just weigh on your immune system.

00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:44.639
And so yeah, yeah.

00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:56.879
And a shitty diet and you know, propensity to drink and all the you know, all the all the things that are gonna make there's the list propensity for alcohol, yes, middle-aged women things.

00:04:57.279 --> 00:04:58.879
My immune system sucks.

00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.560
Uh so yeah, I think that I'm I'm better now.

00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.680
And the good news is I feel like I got it out of the way.

00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:08.639
Like it's I sure I'll buy that for a hundred Alex.

00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:09.199
Sure.

00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:14.480
It's like throwing throwing your kids in with a bunch of kids that have chicken pox because get it out of the way.

00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:15.360
Yeah, fuck it.

00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:16.480
They'll be fine.

00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:18.000
It's the fucking fucking.

00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:22.560
We don't worry about immune immunity and vaccines or anything like that anymore, anyway.

00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:24.959
So I did get my I got my COVID vaccine though.

00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:26.319
Did it hurt like a bitch?

00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:26.720
No.

00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:31.519
Okay, so I did, I made the mistake of doing the flu shot and the COVID shot in the same arm.

00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:32.079
Me too.

00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:33.040
And yours was fine.

00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:33.279
Yeah.

00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:34.000
Like your arm was fine.

00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:35.759
I mean, my next day was sore.

00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:37.759
Like I literally couldn't lift my arm.

00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:38.959
Oh no, not that bad.

00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:40.079
No, no, no, no, no.

00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:48.160
And I was at like a travel agent training situation, and there was the like, you might have to get a prescription, and I just didn't want to fuck with that.

00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.319
And so I found a CVS really close to where I was.

00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:52.480
Shoot me those fuckers so fast.

00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:53.439
Totally free.

00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.000
Yeah, that's mine was too totally free.

00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:58.319
I did, it did hurt like a son of a bitch.

00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.680
And they were like, Hey, you can get the RSV vaccine too.

00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:04.639
And I will, I absolutely am gonna go get it.

00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:06.639
But I was like, I don't think I'm on three of these.

00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:07.600
I'm gonna wait time.

00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:11.759
I need like, give me a little break, mostly because I'm pretty sure my arm would fall off.

00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:15.040
It's doing the other to pick it back up and take it with me.

00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:15.839
Tape it on.

00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.000
Straight on we could just link.

00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:20.480
I had gotten my tetanus a couple days before.

00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:21.360
I mean that one person.

00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:22.480
That's a little smaller.

00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:23.759
Let's just wait until your next ones.

00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:26.399
And then I was in Ohio and they were like, go now.

00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:27.439
And I was like, okay.

00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:27.839
Yeah.

00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:31.839
So I went, so I still have to get my pneumonia, my pneumococcal.

00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:33.199
That's a good one to have too.

00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:36.639
And the the one that, you know, I think we've talked about it before, like that shingle shot.

00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:37.120
Oh, yeah.

00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:38.399
Like I did that series.

00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:40.160
I mean, that's it sucks.

00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:40.800
Totally.

00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:42.160
Oh Jesus, totally.

00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:43.439
Do not get the shingles.

00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:44.800
Do not get the shingles.

00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:45.519
Not good.

00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:46.399
So terrible.

00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:52.160
I don't know if they are the shingles or shingles, but I love thinking that they're the shingles.

00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:54.160
I think they've got the shingles.

00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:55.120
The shingles.

00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:57.519
I think it, yeah, it gives them more personality.

00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:58.000
Yeah.

00:06:58.160 --> 00:06:59.519
You know, watch out for those.

00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.439
Don't get the pneumonia.

00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.199
Or as my grandmother would have said, the pneumonia.

00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:06.959
The pee pneumonia.

00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:08.480
On purpose, which she humorous.

00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:10.319
I think the pneumonia.

00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.000
Either way, funny, funny.

00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:17.439
However, let's see how much longer we can like riff off of uh vaccines that we get as we age.

00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:19.040
I don't know what else is out there.

00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:23.199
I think you can probably RSV, is that the hand, foot, and mouth one?

00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:25.040
No, that's a respiratory virus.

00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:25.920
Oh, okay.

00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:26.319
Yes.

00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:31.120
So it's like pneumonia, but it's a different type of respiratory virus.

00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.319
Pneumonia, what you get when you're just tired of penis.

00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.600
You're like, oh, sorry, I got the pneumonia today.

00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:38.959
Take it off me, husband.

00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:40.160
I got the penonia.

00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:40.639
But what?

00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:42.160
Yep, it's highly contagious.

00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:42.959
Watch out.

00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:44.639
Take it off.

00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:46.560
You're sleeping in the guest room.

00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:47.839
I got the pneumonia.

00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:49.920
I don't know what's wrong with my spouse.

00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.800
They've said they've had the pneumonia all week long.

00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.319
Hilarious in my own mind.

00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.000
Let me just touch my microphone some more.

00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.360
So that are pretty good.

00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:00.319
Very exciting.

00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:02.959
Well, it's the pneumonia conversation.

00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.079
I just couldn't help touching my microphone.

00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:07.040
I love it.

00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:07.920
Why are we here?

00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:09.120
What are we here for today?

00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:10.000
I have no clue.

00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:11.040
What are we doing?

00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:12.800
We are having a podcast.

00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:14.480
Here we are.

00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:15.279
Fives.

00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:17.439
We're having a podcast.

00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.480
And we did a little podcast pivot.

00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:32.320
We were we're picking up like some behind the scenes or like a story, which we did last week with nope, two weeks ago with satanic panic.

00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:32.960
That's right.

00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:34.399
I was there for that.

00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:35.519
I had that conversation.

00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:40.559
I have since then read uh like the Duffer Brothers.

00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.080
Duffer, Duffy, Duffer?

00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:43.120
Duffer Brothers.

00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:44.000
Duffer?

00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:45.279
Producer Tim.

00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:49.840
This the the dudes that did uh you know the TV show.

00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:50.799
Yes, Duffer.

00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:51.360
Those guys.

00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.120
Maybe who knows?

00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:54.080
I'm making this up.

00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:54.480
Yeah.

00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:55.519
Matt and Ross.

00:08:56.080 --> 00:08:56.399
Thank you.

00:08:56.799 --> 00:08:57.440
Yeah.

00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:59.759
So the Stranger Things guys.

00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:00.799
Oh, they have a lot of things.

00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:02.720
Sat's like now I know you're talking about.

00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:03.360
Yes.

00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:08.879
So because Satanic Panic, and I think of Eddie from Of course.

00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:11.759
Super fucking dreamy.

00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:12.960
He better come back.

00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:13.840
He better come back.

00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:21.840
Anyway, they are talking about the next, like the last season, which you get in November.

00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:24.000
Yeah, you get multiple episodes on Thanksgiving.

00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:25.200
Two parts, right?

00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:25.759
Three.

00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:29.279
You get multiple shows on Thanksgiving.

00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:33.200
Then you get a couple or two or three on Christmas Day.

00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:33.679
Okay.

00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.399
And then you get the final on New Year's Eve.

00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:42.320
So you get to ring in New Year's Eve with the finale of the street.

00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:45.279
Sorry, I can't be at the bar on New Year's Eve now, Jim.

00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:46.159
I have to not be there.

00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:47.120
No shit.

00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:49.759
Like I will be in my basement.

00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:55.919
Like I'll be watching at the phone in the basement of the bar for New Year's.

00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.799
And they said it's going to be I can't wait.

00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:00.559
We're fucked up.

00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:01.440
Oh yeah.

00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:11.519
They're like, they're they wouldn't say much, but they were like anyway, so I'm thinking about like the whole Stranger Things thing and Satanic and amazing.

00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.159
But yes, that was the last episode that we dropped.

00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:14.720
Yeah.

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:18.960
And we're going to continue with this variation on this.

00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:19.360
Yeah.

00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.799
This is like life-changing moments.

00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:23.279
Right.

00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:33.039
Shit we remember, life-changing moments, and then going into a little bit of history about those things just because I don't know about you, but my memory does suck.

00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:42.080
So well, and we have memories from our like seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, fourteen-year-olds that wouldn't have a lot of information.

00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:47.200
We wouldn't have had the details that we have now because why were we little nubbins?

00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:48.480
There was no internet.

00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:49.120
Nope.

00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.200
There was only the nightly news.

00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:52.639
And it was boring.

00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:53.279
We got 10.

00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:55.679
Maybe read the paper.

00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:56.480
Maybe.

00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.080
Uh when I was over 10.

00:10:58.320 --> 00:10:59.440
Yeah, not at 10, though.

00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:01.440
No, not like maybe like 1213.

00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:02.879
I'd be curious at least.

00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:03.440
Sure.

00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.600
Like, and we could get inform, like our parents might share information or something like that.

00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:10.720
You'd see the headlines and you'd be like, oh, I don't think that pertains to me.

00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:11.279
Right.

00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:11.840
Yes.

00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:13.279
Where's my Atari?

00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:16.720
Um why are we here again?

00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.120
Because we're going to talk about some life-changing moments.

00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:19.759
Yes, we are.

00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:21.759
I think we're doing two episodes, right?

00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:22.240
Yeah.

00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:26.639
That are life-changing moments, which we'll probably be rolling to we're talking about.

00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.960
Significantly more life-changing moments.

00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:30.480
They're going to be so many of them.

00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:35.840
But we should, at the beginning of this one, talk about who died this one.

00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:36.799
Yeah, who died.

00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:37.840
Because this was a big one.

00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:39.279
This was a really sad one.

00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:44.480
And interestingly enough, these are actors I associate with Gen X, but who are definitely not Gen X?

00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:45.120
Hit me.

00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:45.759
Who you got?

00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.720
We just lost Robert Redford.

00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.600
He was a very, very pretty man.

00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:52.799
He was a very pretty man.

00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:53.840
Excellent actor.

00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:55.440
Very, very pretty.

00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:58.960
And Robert Redford was born in 1936.

00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.600
So he was actually Silent Legend, right?

00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:02.399
Yeah.

00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:03.360
He was.

00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:12.399
Like, are there any that stand out?

00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:16.960
Probably a River Run.

00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:17.360
No.

00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:18.000
River Run?

00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:18.799
Was that him?

00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:19.360
I think so.

00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:20.159
Was that him?

00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.960
I can't remember.

00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:28.320
I feel like it well, Butchcasty and the Sundance Kids were was probably them.

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.200
I don't think a River.

00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:30.320
Maybe not.

00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:30.879
That wasn't him.

00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.519
But it feels like it should be in his category.

00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:33.919
Yeah.

00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.759
But I don't believe it is on the list.

00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:38.639
Like also, like English patient, I feel like should be him.

00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:40.480
Yeah, but I don't think so.

00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:44.799
But there was an era of filmmaking that okay.

00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:45.519
So sorry.

00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:46.720
Felt like him.

00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:49.679
English patient.

00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:50.960
Let's see.

00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:52.399
Okay.

00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.320
Oh, so that was 96.

00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.080
That was 10 years later.

00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.360
My brain connects this with Out of Africa.

00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.840
And it which was in the 80s.

00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:02.559
Right.

00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.879
That was Robert Redford and Merrill Street.

00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:11.039
But there were these sort of sweeping romances in other countries.

00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:11.679
Yes.

00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:21.440
Which had a undertone for a lot of Gen X kids of as being a super boring adult movie, right?

00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.159
Like I loved Out of Africa.

00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:24.639
Did you?

00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:25.519
Oh my God.

00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.879
But I was also a weird kid and I fucking loved watching Gandhi.

00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.639
I watched that movie probably 10 times.

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.200
Wow.

00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:33.600
Okay.

00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:34.159
Yes.

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:34.960
No, not me.

00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.200
How about how about Chariots of Fire?

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.279
Was that a hot one for you?

00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:43.360
I watched that so many times with my mom.

00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:45.200
I just loved like this.

00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:46.639
There was something about the sweeping.

00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:49.279
I feel like it's more about the movie making, right?

00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:50.480
Than it was.

00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.720
I just really liked them both.

00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:53.279
I don't know why.

00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.240
River Runs through it.

00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:55.279
Brad fucking Pitt.

00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:56.720
We another blonde sister.

00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.279
Blonde kid.

00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.000
There we go.

00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:00.000
That had Tom Scaret.

00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:01.200
92.

00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:01.519
Okay.

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:02.000
College.

00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:02.559
All right.

00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:03.120
All right.

00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:10.080
Um, but for Robert Redford, of course, Jesus Christ, words just leave my fucking brain.

00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:14.240
Established film festival in Sundance Film Festival.

00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:15.200
There we go.

00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:15.919
Yep.

00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:20.559
Um, to usher in a new era of filmmakers.

00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:24.559
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, we studied in my film as art class.

00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.440
That was definitely about the filmmaking itself.

00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:27.679
Yeah.

00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:29.360
I remember watching The Sting.

00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:30.879
Oh, The Sting was great too.

00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:35.519
All the President's Men, very important movie, particularly right now.

00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:41.279
Did not care about at the time, but then much later I was like, oh my God, this is an amazing movie.

00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:42.799
Yes, The Natural.

00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:44.480
Also an excellent movie.

00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.600
My husband uh is a super fan of that particular movie.

00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:48.320
Oh, but baseball.

00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:50.559
Oh, got you, got you.

00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.480
That makes sense so much sense.

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:57.679
Um, so I think kind of like All the President's Men and Out of Africa.

00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:02.879
Like I remember, I'm sure I watched All the President's Men when I was young, but not three years old young.

00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.440
Out of Africa was 85.

00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:07.840
But I loved that fucking book.

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:09.519
I was a weird kid.

00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:13.840
I probably read it when I was like 10.

00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:14.559
Okay.

00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.440
I think as well.

00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:19.840
I mean, most of us were reading like you know Flowers in the Addict.

00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.559
Flowers in the Attic.

00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.879
That was exactly where I was going on forgotten.

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.000
And then came back earlier.

00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.399
Oh god, it's me, Marie Margaret.

00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.399
And all the Judy Blooms.

00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:29.039
Yes.

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.000
All of those.

00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:34.399
Oh wait! Liars! He wasn't a river runs through it.

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.279
It is here.

00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:35.840
It's right here.

00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:36.320
Okay.

00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:36.799
Okay.

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:42.960
So was he like wasn't he like the guy who was supposed to like I don't know.

00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:45.200
I don't know, but I don't think I ever watched that movie.

00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:49.279
I think based on everything you said, I think you'd like it.

00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:50.320
Maybe so.

00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:51.600
That was 92.

00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.320
I was in college.

00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.240
I didn't have time to watch movies then.

00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:02.240
I am just really wondering how many people are like screaming at us as they're listening to us, going, no, he wasn't a river runs through it.

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.600
Didn't you watch that movie?

00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:04.879
God, Leslie.

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:05.919
I don't know.

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:07.200
I didn't watch that movie.

00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.320
I'm so sorry.

00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.519
It's we should stop talking about this and we're gonna talk about it forever.

00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.440
Was he in it or did he direct it?

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.559
Oh, that would probably be even better if that's true.

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.799
Oh my god, this is just us like falling all over all over ourselves, right?

00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:22.320
Let's see if that's true.

00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:24.639
Yes, he was the director.

00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:26.240
Thank you.

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:33.600
I hope that you have enjoyed this very amusing journey through us reading words.

00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:36.080
But really, we do like you, Robert Radford.

00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:37.279
I promise.

00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.840
No, I yes, we just don't have your filmography memorized.

00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:58.559
No, and I will say, like, I think he directed so many amazing films after the like as he got older and kind of you, you know, as you do, you sort of age out of the the handsome number, you know, I don't know, main character role.

00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:02.080
And yes, he was in a version of the great Gatsby.

00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:02.960
Yes, he was.

00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.279
Pretty boxy in that one, too.

00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:05.920
Yes.

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:09.200
Um Leo, love him or hate him.

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.440
I really love that version.

00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.680
The uh Rebt Redford one, the Leonardo DiCaprio one.

00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.319
Yeah, too.

00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:17.519
Super good by you.

00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.319
Awesome.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.440
Uh we could probably beat this to death a little bit more.

00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.240
Let's not.

00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:26.559
But I think that we have done we've done damage to thoroughly.

00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:32.559
And if you followed that conversation and it made total logical sense to you, you too have ADHD.

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.920
You are a Gen X woman.

00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:39.119
Thanks for being women's women's women's women's.

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.039
Oh god.

00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.119
I think we right now might be a good time to pause.

00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.000
Oh, please.

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:53.200
And we'll prepare ourselves for the next thing where I have more notes that I will probably get greatly confused on.

00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.079
Okay, sweet.

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.279
See ya, see you in a minute.

00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:56.079
Okay, goodbye.

00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.480
Bye.

00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:00.480
Gen X Women Are Sick of the Shit is supported by Lilass.

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:03.039
Love you like a sis, a Gen X women's social club.

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.799
What's Lilas, Megan?

00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:13.599
Lilas is our uh off platform, off uh the Books of Faces, off all of the other traditional social media.

00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:20.319
Uh, it is our space and place for Gen X women to come together, have conversations, meet each other.

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.440
It's a social club.

00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:22.480
It is a social club.

00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.079
It's a membership-based club.

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:26.799
Memberships are$10 a month.

00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:31.440
Um, that does help support us in growing the platform.

00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:40.720
We purchased a platform that would host a network of women so that you could come together and meet each other in real time.

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:48.799
In a safer space, yes, than a traditional social media platform and a much more personal space.

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.039
So what do we do there, Leslie?

00:18:51.359 --> 00:19:03.920
We host movie nights where we live stream some of our favorites as they are available to us for group watches of films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.119
We host a space for a monthly book club.

00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.599
We host trivia nights.

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:11.839
Trivia nights once a month.

00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:13.839
We have a live text chat.

00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:14.880
Four prizes, even.

00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.079
Four prizes.

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:17.119
That's true.

00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:24.640
Um, we the space is able to host like weekly text chats so that you can kind of check in in real time with people.

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:36.079
I would say the critical difference between kind of what this space is and any other social media space that I've experienced is that it is active.

00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:41.039
You will have to engage in it or be engaged in it by other people.

00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.759
So it's not like a passive consumption thing.

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.839
It's like making connections.

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.160
Yep.

00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:53.680
And if that's what you're looking for, the opportunity to meet other people, to find people who are maybe in the same similar spaces as you are.

00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:02.240
Like-minded, same time phase of life, navigating all of those transitions, then this might be the right place for you.

00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.680
So check out Laddie Lass.

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.519
You can learn more about it at Genxwomenpod.com.

00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:21.680
And we're back.

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.640
Back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back.

00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:34.960
Okay, so I think we were gonna talk about those moments that are uh memorable in our childhood.

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.440
Yes.

00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:47.519
And you know, whether they're like fresh as a daisy in your mind, or whether it's just like those little snaps of memory that you're like, Yes, I have a visceral memory of blah blah blah, right?

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:54.880
So mine that I was gonna share with you is um Reagan's assass attempted assassination.

00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:55.920
Oh yeah.

00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:57.200
Do you remember?

00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:01.440
So I know factually that it happened.

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.440
I don't rem I don't have like a snapshot memory about it.

00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:05.759
Okay.

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:09.839
I was probably what year was it?

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.559
So it was March 30th, 1981.

00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:13.039
Okay.

00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.799
So I was seven.

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.079
I was like two months away from turning eight.

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:18.720
Okay.

00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.240
So young, young, young.

00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:20.480
Yeah.

00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:21.119
So seven.

00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:24.960
So I was probably maybe like second grade.

00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:25.519
Okay.

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.599
Getting ready to go into third.

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.480
So yeah.

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:28.960
Yeah.

00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:31.680
So I was, uh it was March 30th.

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:34.160
I was uh my birthday is in June, so I was nine.

00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:34.799
Okay.

00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.720
So not quite 10.

00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.440
Gotcha.

00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:49.680
Um, but I but it was one of those things that um like they broke into general hospital, for example, to like talk about it, right?

00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:58.559
So your screen cuts out, you don't have Luke and Laura anymore, you've got Walter Cronkite and Frank Reynolds, and they're saying, like, you know, the president was shot.

00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.039
Okay.

00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:00.880
Kind of like, wait, what?

00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:07.279
Um, and I think for me, I do remember that break-in, of course, because I'm a general hospital nerd.

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.039
So I remember that happening.

00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:17.759
So anyway, it was just one of those things where you like it, it was just real life and something that you absolutely would never have like expected to happen.

00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.759
So it was 69 days into his pregnancy pregnancy.

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:24.799
I mean, it's like a pregnancy.

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.720
His uh parental pregnant and his what?

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:31.680
His parential parental pregnancy.

00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:33.759
He was getting ready for the parental.

00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:34.880
Okay, let's try this again.

00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:35.599
Whew!

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:45.920
We went boy! So 69 days into his presidential pregnancy or his like first term, right?

00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:50.799
So he was 69 days into being president.

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.880
Leslie's loving this.

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:54.720
Oh my god.

00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:57.680
I just think it's hilarious that it was 69 days.

00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:01.279
Well, because I'm a 12-year-old boy that's naughty.

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.559
69.

00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:03.440
Okay.

00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:09.519
He had uh he had just given a speech at the Washington Hilton and he was heading out.

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:09.839
Okay.

00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:18.799
And John Hinckley Jr., who was 25 years old old at the time, he pulled out a revolver, he fired six shots in less than two seconds.

00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:21.039
So that's like quick shooting.

00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:27.599
Um, a cop went down, a secret service agent, then took a bullet to the chest.

00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:28.160
Okay.

00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:32.400
Um, the presidential presidential secretary James Brady was hit in the head.

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:32.640
Yes.

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:35.519
So we're maybe we'll talk about that here in a minute.

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:41.680
But um, and one of the bullets then actually ricocheted off the limo, and that's what hit Reagan.

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.240
So he wasn't shot directly, it was a ricochet.

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:44.720
Okay.

00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.480
And it got him right in the chest.

00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:47.200
Oh shit.

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:47.599
Yep.

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:50.480
So Reagan didn't realize that he had been shot at all.

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:54.640
Um, he thought his ribs were sore because he had been shoved down to the ground.

00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:55.359
Sure.

00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:57.440
Um, but he coughed up blood.

00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:01.920
Oh so that's when everybody was like, holy shit, let's get him somewhere.

00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:05.680
So they took him to Washington University Hospital.

00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:11.200
He walked in the door, like on his own power into the hospital.

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.960
Well, he used to make cowboy movies.

00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:18.559
I like so he comes into the hospital.

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:20.960
Apparently, he looks like complete horseshit.

00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:21.279
Sure.

00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:23.039
Pale, blood loss.

00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:23.680
You're in shape.

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:26.640
He literally lost almost half of his blood.

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:27.599
No fuck.

00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.559
No, no shit.

00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:31.359
So the doctors were like, dude's close to dying, right?

00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.880
Oops, we have a problem.

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:33.759
We have a problem.

00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:40.079
For those of us at home, they're like watching this, the networks all lose their minds.

00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:40.640
Okay.

00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:41.039
Right?

00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:43.200
Because nobody knows what's happening.

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:43.839
Sure.

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:46.960
They reported initially that he was fine.

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:47.599
Okay.

00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:52.000
Then they report that James Brady was dead, which he was not.

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:52.960
Oh no.

00:24:53.359 --> 00:25:00.319
On uh ABC, the anchor was Frank Reynolds, and he completely loses his composure live on air.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:05.039
He snaps to everybody, let's get it nailed down, somebody find out.

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:09.519
Let's get the word here, let's get it straight so we can report this accurately.

00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:10.400
Good job.

00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:16.400
So, like it's the in real time, stumbling over all the pressure of like trying to figure out the facts.

00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:16.880
Yeah.

00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:20.480
And let's not like say things like just off the cuff.

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.640
Stop giving me false information.

00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:27.599
Which of course now we live through on a moment by moment basis.

00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:29.279
We just make up shit as we go.

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:29.920
Uh-huh.

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:30.799
For clicks.

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:31.359
Yeah.

00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:32.880
Which is bonkers.

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.599
Yes.

00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:43.279
Um, so I think for a lot of us uh that are in the Gen X era, this is kind of like our first collective news shock.

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:43.759
Yeah.

00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:46.240
Like our parents had Kennedy.

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.920
Like they vividly remember that.

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.160
And we had this president who's suddenly interrupting our soaps.

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:56.640
Um, and you know, that's just a big I to me, it's a really big deal.

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.720
It's like that moment where you're like, holy crap.

00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.039
Yeah.

00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.599
And there's something on the news that I'm not going to forget.

00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.119
Yes, absolutely.

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.079
Oh my gosh.

00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:04.960
Yeah.

00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:10.480
So here's where the story kind of shifts a little bit because Reagan survives his surgery, right?

00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.200
Oh, okay.

00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:11.759
Of course.

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.240
Sure.

00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:21.839
And uh instead of images of weakness, the press starts talking about all of these jokes that he was making, apparently at the hospital.

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:22.799
Oh, funny.

00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:27.920
He told his wife, he said, he said, told Nancy, honey, I forgot to duck.

00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.680
And that like became a big thing.

00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.079
They're like, oh, wacky, wacky Ronnie.

00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.319
Yeah, like with these bunny paha jokes.

00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:34.799
Yeah.

00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:41.680
Apparently, before he went into surgery, he asked all of his doctors if they were Republicans.

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.559
Like, like, like, what do you say to that if you're his surgeon?

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.319
Like, you say, Yes, sir.

00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:48.720
Sure.

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:52.640
I'm sure he was like, Yeah, I voted for you.

00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:53.680
Yeah.

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:54.880
We are now.

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:55.920
Right this minute.

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:56.799
Right this minute.

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.440
We are.

00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:03.039
Um, so all the humor though, it kind of made him look invincible, like he was this big tough, strong guy.

00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.720
I mean, yes, he does a cowboy movie.

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.319
You're dealing with stress.

00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:10.400
You're like, so Ronald Reagan deals with stress by cracking jokes.

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.200
By cracking jokes.

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:14.799
Inappropriate jokes that some people might find inappropriate.

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.839
Why you just got shot?

00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.880
Why are you making those jokes?

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:19.440
But I gotta say, good coping skills.

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:21.359
Sometimes that's how I react to things too.

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:24.640
It's like okay, I don't want to address this straight on, so I'm just gonna make a joke.

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:27.599
Forgot to draw to duck a whole.

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:37.759
Um, but he got this this um kind of reputation as being Teflon Ron, is what they started calling him because he was like super tough.

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:39.039
Teflon Ron.

00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:42.319
He made movies with monkeys.

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.680
Let's be clear.

00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.039
Chimpanzees.

00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:45.519
That's sorry.

00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.119
That is no offense to monkeys.

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:51.599
He made a movie with a chimpanzees, or to chimpanzees, yeah, or to chimpanzees.

00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:52.319
Either one.

00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.200
We don't want to.

00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:56.079
But Teflon, I don't remember the one.

00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:57.279
Oh, that's amazing.

00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:58.880
So that was a little nickname that he got.

00:27:59.119 --> 00:27:59.920
Hilarious.

00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:00.559
Yep.

00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:06.559
So uh behind the scenes, Washington loses its mind in complete chaos.

00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.960
Because what happens if the president is shot?

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:09.680
Correct.

00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:11.680
I mean, theoretically, we have a plan.

00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:15.039
You well, constitutionally, you have a plan, right?

00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.519
But he was unconscious in surgery.

00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:22.799
The vice president was currently was at that time on a plane back from Texas.

00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:25.200
Oh, so you've got that happening.

00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:27.279
Were we presidentless for a minute?

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.640
Well, kind of.

00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:32.720
So at the White House press briefing, uh, Leslie Stahl.

00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:34.160
Oh my goodness, right?

00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:43.359
Leslie Young, young Leslie Stahl, she asks Deputy Press Secretary Larry Speaks point blank, who is running the government?

00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:47.440
And he he admitted, I cannot answer that question at this time.

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.599
That's not good.

00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:52.000
Honesty is nice though, it's refreshing.

00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:53.279
I'm like, I guess.

00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:56.640
I mean, just be honest, like, I cannot okay.

00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:05.359
Well, so I guess, but Secretary of State Alexander Haig then walks into the press room at that time.

00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:09.920
Ooh, he hands speaks a note to step aside.

00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:13.200
So he tells this guy, hey, move aside.

00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:21.599
And he walks up to the mic and he says, as of now, I'm in control here in the White House, pending the return of the vice president.

00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:22.480
Got you.

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:24.319
So he knew the rules.

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:26.400
No, you you can't do that.

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:29.119
Like you can't like just say, I'm in charge.

00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:30.240
I am no.

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:34.559
So constitutionally, uh-huh, it should have been the speaker of the house.

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.160
Well, right.

00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:36.960
Well, right.

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:39.119
That's like it's another step away from that.

00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:45.359
So constitutionally, the vice vice president is next in line, then it's the speaker of the house and not the secretary of state.

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:45.680
Yeah.

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:46.240
Oh, fuck.

00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:49.359
Secretary of State's just foreign relations.

00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:50.000
Exactly.

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:52.160
Where was the speaker of the house?

00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:53.920
Why that's a good question.

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.200
I don't know where the hell he is.

00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:57.759
No one knows like we I mean now, who know?

00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.759
We'd have to look into it, but yeah, like I don't.

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.279
I don't know.

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:04.400
I do not remember this piece of this, and it is shocking.

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.519
Yeah, I know, right?

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:08.559
Like, Haig totally looks like he's staging this wacky.

00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.000
Like a coup, right?

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:11.279
Yeah, a power grab.

00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:12.319
Really?

00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:15.200
Like, would I have known that at 10 years old?

00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:15.599
No.

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.640
I would not.

00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:18.000
Such drama.

00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:18.319
Yeah.

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:20.079
How did it resolve?

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:26.480
Uh, you know, I I presumably your vice president lands the plane, everything's fine.

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:32.799
But like for that high on their back, it's it's like, hey, we're just gonna make shit up, I guess.

00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:35.839
Constitution, smartstitution.

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:40.960
The better thing would have been to just stick with I cannot answer that question at the correct moment.

00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:44.079
I think you just say let your press secretary handle it.

00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:48.640
Well, by the constitution, you think so and so is in charge, but yes, yeah, whatever.

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:50.240
But this is happening in real time.

00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:54.480
No cell phones, no cell phones, no internet, nope, nope.

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:57.519
Maybe a couple car phones with the richest of the rich.

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:59.440
Waiting for that guy's plane to land.

00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:02.079
We're like, who's in the building?

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:06.240
Like, here's whoever's last, turn out the lights.

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:10.400
Here's the York chart, and they're just like going through it.

00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.200
Phone tree.

00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:12.000
Are they here?

00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:12.960
Are they here?

00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:13.599
Are they here?

00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:19.920
I'm calling about the cakewalk and to see if you want to run around.

00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:26.880
We're doing a fundraiser here at the spring play.

00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:29.359
It's a bake sale.

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.240
So all that's happening.

00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:32.480
Okay.

00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:35.839
And then you gotta think about like the dude who did it, right?

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:40.160
So why did he shoot the president in the first place?

00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:43.680
So Hinckley, it was not about politics.

00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:45.759
It was not about ideology.

00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:48.559
He was obsessed with Jody Foster.

00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:49.759
Oh, say more.

00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:53.519
So yeah, so here you have draw the line, create the picture.

00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:54.640
I wish I could.

00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.920
It's a little weird.

00:31:56.160 --> 00:32:02.640
Like he was, he watched Taxi Driver over and over and over and over again.

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.039
Yes.

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:07.119
So he identified with Robert De Niro's character a lot.

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:08.000
Oh, that movie.

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:11.200
Who is a loner who stalks a politician?

00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:11.920
Right?

00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:13.440
That's what he does.

00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:17.839
And Jodie Foster, who was just 18 years old.

00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:18.559
So young.

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.359
Super young.

00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:20.799
I think she was even younger than that.

00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:22.799
I don't, I she just started Yale.

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.039
Oh.

00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:24.480
Just started Yale.

00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:28.079
Um, and she like is now the center of the story.

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.599
Oh my gosh.

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.720
He had been leaving her notes at Yale.

00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.400
Oh, creeposaurus.

00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:35.759
Calling her.

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:36.400
Ew.

00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:39.440
He called her like hours before the shooting.

00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:47.200
He wrote a letter saying, Jody, I would abandon this idea of getting Reagan in a second if I could only win your heart.

00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:47.920
Oh no.

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:52.160
That is, I mean, that is a way to ask for a date.

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:56.160
I don't know if it is the best way to ask for a date.

00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.039
Totally not.

00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.759
Totally not.

00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:02.079
What is what are these dramatic gestures that some men make?

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:04.559
Send her candy.

00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:05.680
I don't know.

00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:07.279
Like, I don't know.

00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:08.160
She's the president.

00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:10.000
Probably not the right way to go about it.

00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:11.759
I mean, you will get attention.

00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.160
Yeah.

00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:13.519
It just may not be the outcome.

00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:16.000
I mean, it messed her up for years.

00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:17.359
Oh, that'd be fucking terrifying.

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:19.359
Imagine being an 18-year-old girl.

00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:21.359
I remember what that was like.

00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:24.640
And you have some fame as an actor.

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:26.640
You're also smart as fuck.

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:26.960
Yeah.

00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:28.160
Because Yale.

00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:28.960
Yeah.

00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:32.960
And you're gay, so no dudes.

00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:35.839
I mean, I don't know if she was out at that point in her life.

00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:38.559
Uh, and somebody's sending you all these.

00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:40.400
I'm sure that did they collect evidence from her?

00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:41.440
Sure.

00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:41.759
Yeah.

00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:44.160
I remember there was like hearings and all kinds of stuff.

00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:52.079
She was like called in to answer questions because she was at the heart of this, the like his reason why.

00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:55.759
So I guess they had to rule out whether she had literally anything to do with it.

00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.759
Sure, that makes sense.

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:58.960
But what the farts.

00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:04.880
And if you get a whacked-out letter like that, moments before this dude goes and shoots the president.

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.839
Unhinged.

00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:14.559
Are you thinking, if you put yourself in Jody Foster's shoes, are you thinking, like, I should probably reach out to the police about it?

00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:17.360
No, like I don't even know if you'd take it seriously.

00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:19.679
At 18, I would not have taken that seriously.

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:21.360
I would be like, ooh, gross.

00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:22.880
This guy's insane.

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:25.280
Especially if there have been multiple notes left.

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:37.119
Well, and if there had been multiple, like, like I think now, if it happens in the political world that we live in now, I think you would probably feel like, I you know, I probably should alert someone about this.

00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:41.519
I'm gonna like grab the red phone and call somebody up.

00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:43.599
Just doesn't everybody just have a red phone?

00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.280
This is the emergency phone.

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:49.760
When something happens and we're like, oh shit, I don't know exactly what to do with this.

00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:52.239
Hello, who's on the end of the red phone?

00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:52.559
Right.

00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.280
I have a perplexing situation here, sir.

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:56.880
Like uh this is a phone.

00:34:57.360 --> 00:35:02.159
Wackadoo dudes been leaving me notes about something something with the president.

00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:03.280
So yeah.

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:04.320
Anyway.

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:07.119
Uh so anyway, that's like her side of things.

00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:09.599
And then there's Nancy, right?

00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:10.400
Oh, sure.

00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:15.760
You got Point of View, camera shifts, don't do drugs, Nancy Reagan.

00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:16.159
Sure.

00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:18.719
Or Jody Foster movies.

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:23.519
After the shooting, she was really shaken up, obviously.

00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:26.000
And you're gonna love this.

00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:28.559
She started consulting an astrologer.

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:30.559
Oh, is this the impetus?

00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:33.840
This is one of my favorite things in the world.

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:36.079
I want to hear all about the White House astrology.

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:41.280
Let me let me tell you, yes, let me, I'll set the stage and talk more about this because this is fun.

00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:44.159
So the astrologer's name was Joan Quigley.

00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:44.800
Okay.

00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:50.960
And she asked Joan to actually start planning Reagan's schedule.

00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:53.039
Right on, sure.

00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:55.199
How did she get her clearance?

00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:57.039
I she's a psychic.

00:35:57.119 --> 00:36:00.880
I guess she could like did she know it wasn't.

00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:02.320
Did she know that Nancy was good?

00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:03.360
Well, I don't know.

00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:06.559
That's see, that's always been my big question about this.

00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:08.480
Has always been my question about psychics.

00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:16.239
If you go to a psychic and you knock on the door and they don't answer it by saying, Oh, I was expecting you, then you should turn around and leave.

00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:22.639
Because they're a shitty, shitty psychic.

00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:26.480
No disrespect to psychics everywhere.

00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:28.480
I know that's not how it works.

00:36:28.800 --> 00:36:29.920
Just answer the door.

00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:31.360
Oh, I was expecting you.

00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:33.119
That's all you have to say.

00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:37.039
Ah, I thought you would have been here earlier.

00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:37.679
Okay.

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:40.559
Oh, did you get held up by the train?

00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:41.280
So good.

00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:44.320
Okay, I was Joan.

00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:46.400
So so late 70s.

00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:47.679
Yeah.

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:52.639
Because in the late 70s and the early 80s, uh astrology was huge.

00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:53.119
Yeah, sure.

00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:53.840
Like it was everywhere.

00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:00.400
And Linda Goodman had a book called Sun Signs on like probably everybody's coffee table.

00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:03.760
Like our moms probably had that book.

00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:07.599
So if you picture it, you know, if you can picture it, that's great.

00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:10.719
So Nancy was basically doing the exact same thing.

00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:16.000
She, you know, was consulting her psychic, her astrologer.

00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:17.119
Like you do.

00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:20.079
Because, you know, the nuclear codes are on the line, right?

00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:23.760
Like, these things consult your astrologer before.

00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:25.440
So, what do you remember about like?

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:40.719
I just remember like the sort of like scandal of the fact that there was a White House astrologer and just people trying to reconcile the fact because my parents were Carter Democrats, right?

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:42.320
Like through and through.

00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:47.679
And there was always a bit of like okay, Reagan.

00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:50.559
Like they just didn't buy it, you know?

00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:52.880
And so then that extra layer.

00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:57.199
And then so my grandmother just thought it was ridiculous.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.000
That's awesome.

00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:04.639
I mean, just the preposterousness of having like a White House.

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:09.119
I love the fact that you're like, I don't really remember Ronald getting out.

00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:10.239
I do remember this.

00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:16.800
But I could tell you all about there was some sass about that in our house.

00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:20.719
Just a lot of like sort of, you know, eye rolling and okay.

00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:22.159
You know, I don't know.

00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:24.320
So that's I do remember that.

00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:25.440
It's a little ridiculous.

00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:36.320
And the fact that it was presented like so matter-of-factly as the truth of things, like this is advising in an official capacity.

00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:36.719
Yes.

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:40.239
I mean, the eye rolling in my household was profound.

00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:40.639
Yes.

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:42.559
You could hear that from far away.

00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:44.079
So it was awesome.

00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:44.559
Yeah.

00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:45.440
It's pretty brilliant.

00:38:45.519 --> 00:38:49.679
But I, you know, I mean, Rasputin, hey, worked out really well.

00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:50.639
Did it though?

00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:51.199
No.

00:38:51.760 --> 00:38:59.280
I mean, every I mean, I'm just in my Russian history, which albeit I admit, is a little limited.

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:00.559
But I don't think it worked out.

00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:01.360
That's a fair way.

00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:04.079
We all need a good mystic here and there.

00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:11.519
But whatever works, it gave her a sense of safety and security in a very out of control situation.

00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:13.119
Freaked out wife.

00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:15.440
And it was important to her before that.

00:39:15.599 --> 00:39:17.920
It wasn't like she just picked it up that day.

00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:20.960
She'd had a psychic for a while.

00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:25.679
So we just didn't get the inside scoop until then.

00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:28.480
No disrespect to all of the psychics.

00:39:28.880 --> 00:39:32.480
Speaking of those red lines that you can like, you know, pin to the wall.

00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:45.599
I wonder if you could pin a line between Nancy Reagan and like Dion Warwick and the whole like pick up the phone and get online psychic help.

00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:48.800
Oh, I don't know.

00:39:49.039 --> 00:39:50.320
I feel like this is a future episode.

00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:52.880
That's another future episode.

00:39:53.920 --> 00:39:55.920
Cause that was a whole thing.

00:39:56.079 --> 00:40:01.280
Anything where you were spending$1.99 a minute online in the 80s, unhinged.

00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:02.000
Correct.

00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:04.000
That is an insane amount of time.

00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:05.840
Oh, we are gonna make we're going deep.

00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:06.800
We should do that.

00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:07.760
That's good.

00:40:08.239 --> 00:40:14.000
So like Nancy's freaked out, Nancy's got her psychic, but it actually changed uh right.

00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:17.760
It actually changed the way that America operated.

00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:23.360
So the Secret Service re rewrote their entire playbook around what had happened.

00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:23.920
Okay.

00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:34.400
So originally the idea was to surround the president with bodies, and then after he gets shot, obviously the bodies didn't really do the work that they were supposed to do, I guess.

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:36.400
The bodies hit the floor.

00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:37.360
Oh God.

00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:43.199
So the focus then became to the um the cover and evacuate immediately.

00:40:43.280 --> 00:40:45.920
So like the throw them down, blah, blah, blah.

00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:47.679
Get them in a car, get him out of there.

00:40:47.840 --> 00:40:48.239
Right.

00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:50.079
Um, the Hilton driveway.

00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:51.360
Yeah, right.

00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:52.880
Duck and cover.

00:40:53.280 --> 00:41:00.800
The Hilton Driveway where it happened, uh, nerd earned a nickname after that called the the Hinckley Hilton.

00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:02.159
Oh, wait.

00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:08.079
Oh, oh comfortable.

00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:09.280
Got it, got it.

00:41:09.519 --> 00:41:14.559
It is to this day, though, still considered the safest hotel in DC for presidents.

00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:15.599
Oh, right on.

00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:17.599
Figured it the fuck out, I guess.

00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:18.159
Yeah.

00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:20.239
They knew how to lock that shit down.

00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:26.719
So hospitals were also super unprepared at the time for things like this.

00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:27.519
Oh.

00:41:27.760 --> 00:41:30.719
When a person of import is injured in a random.

00:41:30.880 --> 00:41:35.519
And then comes walking in, dripping blood everywhere, practically bleeding out.

00:41:35.840 --> 00:41:37.360
Candy striper at the front desk.

00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:37.679
Right.

00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:38.880
Hello, Mr.

00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:39.760
President.

00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:43.280
Candy cramps, candy quality.

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:58.000
So the so the government decides they they started uh that they needed to develop trauma teams around this to be ready and have portable equipment that now travels everywhere with the president.

00:41:58.159 --> 00:41:58.320
Oh.

00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:01.440
So he doesn't just have the nuke football.

00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:04.559
He's got this trauma stuff with him wherever he goes.

00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:05.119
Okay.

00:42:05.360 --> 00:42:10.800
So wherever a president goes today, there's a mini ER and a supply of his own blood.

00:42:10.960 --> 00:42:13.119
Well, not his own blood, like that blood type or whatever.

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:16.480
That is that is close by.

00:42:16.639 --> 00:42:18.480
So you can start to do that.

00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:22.639
Just bring your own blood round refrigerated case.

00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:24.960
What's in your backpack, Leslie?

00:42:25.280 --> 00:42:25.840
My own blood.

00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:28.719
Oh, but for years.

00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:30.639
And this is my trauma team.

00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:33.920
You probably have to like get a refresh now and then if you don't use it.

00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:34.960
Does it go bad?

00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:35.440
I assume.

00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.000
How long can you keep that in a mini cooler?

00:42:38.239 --> 00:42:39.760
I've watched a lot of vampire movies.

00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:41.119
I think you have to keep it cold.

00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:41.679
Okay.

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:44.800
So I don't know if it goes bad, but I know you gotta keep it cold.

00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:50.639
So I'm curious now, like, if if we had like a staff researcher.

00:42:51.199 --> 00:42:52.079
We'll get one of those.

00:42:52.159 --> 00:43:10.880
Uh like what the change what changes were made in response to, I mean, I know some of them, but to Kennedy's shooting, because of I'm just thinking of the medical, like it took this shooting to initiate that kind of like, mind you, Kennedy was pretty fucking dead.

00:43:11.119 --> 00:43:14.960
But that that didn't prompt a like, oh, I know there were lots of other changes.

00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:18.880
Well, I think that stopped the whole open car driving around, right?

00:43:19.039 --> 00:43:20.800
Like well, yes, that was a big one.

00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:27.679
That the medical response, I guess when someone is just dead dead, they aren't thinking about the medical response.

00:43:28.639 --> 00:43:30.159
That was prompted in the 80s.

00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:30.639
Yeah.

00:43:30.719 --> 00:43:32.400
So I just think that's fascinating.

00:43:32.559 --> 00:43:32.719
Yeah.

00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:33.920
Oh, gosh.

00:43:34.320 --> 00:43:36.880
So that, so obviously the medical stuff changed.

00:43:37.039 --> 00:43:39.199
It also changed things that were happening in the courts.

00:43:39.440 --> 00:43:40.719
Oh, oh, say more.

00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:45.280
So Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

00:43:45.519 --> 00:43:45.840
Okay.

00:43:46.079 --> 00:43:48.000
And that pissed everybody off.

00:43:48.159 --> 00:43:48.320
Uh.

00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:51.920
Because they were like, dude knew exactly what he was doing.

00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:52.400
Uh-huh.

00:43:52.559 --> 00:43:54.719
He was trying to like impress Jody.

00:43:55.199 --> 00:43:56.960
You know, that's such horseshit.

00:43:57.119 --> 00:43:57.360
Sure.

00:43:57.519 --> 00:44:02.480
So in 1984, the qu the Congress actually tightened up the insanity defense.

00:44:02.639 --> 00:44:02.880
Okay.

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:07.039
So not just anybody could like claim it in a federal case.

00:44:07.360 --> 00:44:10.079
You had to really prove insanity in a federal case.

00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:10.559
Okay.

00:44:10.719 --> 00:44:12.000
So that was a big change.

00:44:12.079 --> 00:44:13.760
And then there was James Brady.

00:44:14.239 --> 00:44:14.480
Sure.

00:44:14.719 --> 00:44:14.880
Yes.

00:44:15.119 --> 00:44:15.920
The Brady laws.

00:44:16.159 --> 00:44:16.400
Right.

00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:17.519
So he survived.

00:44:17.679 --> 00:44:19.519
He had permanent disabilities.

00:44:19.679 --> 00:44:20.960
He was shot in the head.

00:44:21.039 --> 00:44:21.280
Yeah.

00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:30.079
Um, his wife, Sarah Brady, then became a powerhouse behind the Brady bill and created background checks for handguns in 1993.

00:44:30.239 --> 00:44:32.159
So Reagan.

00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:32.719
Yes.

00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:34.320
A Republican.

00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:35.119
Hello.

00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:36.639
Endorsed it.

00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:37.440
Amazing.

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:37.920
Yes.

00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:40.960
Back when common sense made sense.

00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:41.280
Yeah.

00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:41.760
Yes.

00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:46.559
So he broke with the conservative base and was like, yeah, gun law is not a bad idea.

00:44:46.880 --> 00:44:51.679
Having having just experienced that myself, not me personally.

00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:53.599
I'm speaking as if I'm Reagan.

00:44:54.000 --> 00:44:55.679
Having just experienced that myself.

00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:57.519
I don't have a Reagan impression.

00:44:57.840 --> 00:44:58.719
Wait, Tim does.

00:44:58.880 --> 00:44:59.360
Oh no.

00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:01.199
Talk about jelly beans, Tim.

00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:03.519
No disrespect.

00:45:03.760 --> 00:45:04.639
Oh, all the disrespect.

00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:05.519
To Reagan.

00:45:05.599 --> 00:45:05.920
Do it.

00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:06.480
Do it.

00:45:07.679 --> 00:45:08.800
He's giggling.

00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:10.079
He can't do it.

00:45:10.559 --> 00:45:13.599
Well, I really like the purple ones.

00:45:13.840 --> 00:45:15.360
They're my favorite.

00:45:15.760 --> 00:45:16.800
And I said, Mr.

00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:21.119
Gorbachev, keep your hands off my purple jelly beans.

00:45:23.440 --> 00:45:24.320
Well done, sir.

00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:25.280
Nicely done.

00:45:25.440 --> 00:45:29.039
I don't think Reagan's getting enough sex if his jelly beans are purple purple.

00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:30.239
Oh oops.

00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:35.920
Somehow I think that they were pretty freaky.

00:45:36.239 --> 00:45:36.800
You think?

00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:37.519
I do.

00:45:37.760 --> 00:45:39.199
You think Nancy and Ronnie were.

00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:40.159
I do.

00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:41.440
I do think so.

00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:47.519
There are some reports from her contemporaries back in her Hollywood days.

00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:48.320
Oh yeah.

00:45:48.480 --> 00:45:52.159
I think she was a good time in the old bedroom.

00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:53.920
Do you think they had a room?

00:45:54.880 --> 00:45:55.360
Special room.

00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:56.079
Maybe.

00:45:56.320 --> 00:45:58.320
They could have had special friends too.

00:45:58.639 --> 00:46:00.800
Oh, I just swapping.

00:46:01.679 --> 00:46:07.599
There was a story that indicated that she could like suck the chrome off of the truck hitch, basically.

00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:12.400
For those of us who know what that means.

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:14.320
You lucky bastard.

00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:15.119
Who knows?

00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:17.199
The pressures of public life.

00:46:17.760 --> 00:46:20.159
Um rest in peace, both of them.

00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:22.480
I hope they're having a grand old time together.

00:46:23.119 --> 00:46:23.599
Right.

00:46:23.920 --> 00:46:24.320
Yep.

00:46:24.639 --> 00:46:29.039
Reagan assassination, not just an attempt at a political story.

00:46:29.280 --> 00:46:30.559
Media frenzy.

00:46:31.920 --> 00:46:36.159
You know, the president joking around, turning turning into a myth himself.

00:46:36.480 --> 00:46:36.719
Sure.

00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:37.119
Right?

00:46:37.199 --> 00:46:38.079
Like a man of myth.

00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:39.280
Devonron.

00:46:39.840 --> 00:46:43.840
An actress, poor Jody caught in this freaking nightmare.

00:46:44.239 --> 00:46:45.119
So much drama.

00:46:45.360 --> 00:46:47.679
First lady and her psychics.

00:46:48.159 --> 00:46:50.639
Secret service tactics changed.

00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:52.079
Big darn deal.

00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:53.760
Tougher insanity laws.

00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:57.119
All of that came because somebody should make a movie.

00:46:57.679 --> 00:46:59.280
Oh, wait, I think they did.

00:46:59.440 --> 00:46:59.920
Did they?

00:47:00.000 --> 00:47:00.400
I didn't.

00:47:00.800 --> 00:47:01.599
I'm sure there are movies.

00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:02.639
I feel like there is.

00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:09.039
I think somebody should take the storyline and just make like a different movie and pretend like it doesn't have anything to do with this.

00:47:09.280 --> 00:47:13.199
Like it's just like a totally different, I don't know, different storyline.

00:47:13.360 --> 00:47:17.039
Like you just transpose it and then just act like you don't know what they're talking about.

00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:18.159
I don't know what you're talking about.

00:47:18.400 --> 00:47:18.480
What?

00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:19.360
Really?

00:47:19.599 --> 00:47:20.320
Ronald Who?

00:47:20.559 --> 00:47:22.000
That's wild.

00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:24.079
I don't I just made this up.

00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:25.360
This storyline.

00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:28.239
This script came from my imagination.

00:47:28.559 --> 00:47:29.440
Profound.

00:47:29.920 --> 00:47:30.239
Yeah.

00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:33.920
So you remember being at home?

00:47:34.239 --> 00:47:34.719
I do.

00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:35.119
Yeah.

00:47:35.360 --> 00:47:36.960
Like I remember, yes.

00:47:37.039 --> 00:47:43.119
And I remember like the the just the couple of days after that, just the news, of course, everywhere.

00:47:43.280 --> 00:47:43.519
Okay.

00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:50.079
And I don't remember the misinformation, like what was true and what wasn't true, because I probably wasn't really paying that much of attention.

00:47:50.320 --> 00:47:50.559
Sure.

00:47:50.719 --> 00:47:50.880
You know?

00:47:51.199 --> 00:47:57.840
But I but you know, that whole like the world will never be the same, kind of feel.

00:47:58.639 --> 00:47:59.280
Absolutely.

00:47:59.679 --> 00:48:00.639
Totally gonna be the same.

00:48:00.719 --> 00:48:03.760
But and how short our memories are, right?

00:48:03.920 --> 00:48:11.440
Like these are moments that are pivotal in our lives that we remember that should be remembered forever.

00:48:11.840 --> 00:48:12.079
Yeah.

00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:16.880
Like our memories are quite short and now focused, I think.

00:48:17.519 --> 00:48:20.000
Um nice job.

00:48:20.239 --> 00:48:21.519
Yeah, digging that up.

00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:26.000
That was uh that was my wacky memory of that's my ute.

00:48:26.480 --> 00:48:29.440
Um, does uh did you ever talk to your mom about it?

00:48:29.519 --> 00:48:31.280
Like, does she remember what happened?

00:48:31.440 --> 00:48:36.000
I just I should just have a conversation with her and ask her, like, what do you remember about all this?

00:48:36.320 --> 00:48:37.039
I would be curious.

00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:40.960
Do it and give us a little update and see if she like remembers something.

00:48:41.039 --> 00:48:50.079
Oh, I'm because I'm sure like it was because she was in radio then or was she at some yeah, no, I think she was in radio then.

00:48:50.559 --> 00:48:51.760
I think that's right, yeah.

00:48:52.079 --> 00:48:55.039
So they probably were like breaking news, yeah.

00:48:55.280 --> 00:48:59.440
So let's see if if Terry knows anything, yeah, and she might be like, What?

00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:00.559
I don't know what you're talking about.

00:49:00.719 --> 00:49:02.480
Well, that would be the best answer ever.

00:49:02.639 --> 00:49:04.960
That I that is not an impression of you.

00:49:05.199 --> 00:49:05.519
Who?

00:49:05.840 --> 00:49:06.239
Mama.

00:49:06.800 --> 00:49:08.719
I Ronald, who?

00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:13.519
I don't, I don't actually know her voice well enough to do an impression.

00:49:13.760 --> 00:49:14.960
I probably sound a lot bigger than that.

00:49:15.199 --> 00:49:15.840
No disrespect.

00:49:17.360 --> 00:49:18.400
That's awesome.

00:49:18.559 --> 00:49:20.159
Well done, ma'am.

00:49:20.719 --> 00:49:22.559
Uh yeah, we'll have to do a few of these.

00:49:22.719 --> 00:49:23.599
These will be a good time.

00:49:23.760 --> 00:49:25.360
Yes, let's do you next.

00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:26.559
We'll do that.

00:49:26.639 --> 00:49:26.960
Okay.

00:49:27.280 --> 00:49:28.159
Let's do you next.

00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:28.880
Hey, hey.

00:49:29.280 --> 00:49:30.800
We will do my next.

00:49:30.960 --> 00:49:34.480
We'll do my story on our next episode.

00:49:34.800 --> 00:49:35.440
Yeah, let's do that.

00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:36.719
We'll do a little one.

00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:37.199
Yeah.

00:49:37.440 --> 00:49:42.239
So um, I yeah, I will just totally save all of mine for next time we talk.

00:49:42.480 --> 00:49:43.679
All right, I like it.

00:49:44.400 --> 00:49:48.159
Um, hey, have an amazing rest of your weekend.

00:49:48.400 --> 00:49:49.039
You too.

00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:49.519
All right.

00:49:50.480 --> 00:49:51.119
We'll be back.

00:49:51.360 --> 00:49:56.880
We will be back with more traumatic fun from our childhoods.

00:49:58.639 --> 00:50:00.320
Gen X Women are sick of this shit.

00:50:00.559 --> 00:50:04.239
You have been listening to Gen X Women Are Sick of This Shit.

00:50:04.639 --> 00:50:05.599
Hey Megan.

00:50:05.679 --> 00:50:06.719
Hey Leslie.

00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:09.039
What do people do if they want to find us?

00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:16.800
Well, we have a website that people can find us on, and that is GenXwomenpod.com.

00:50:17.280 --> 00:50:19.760
We also have a Facebook page.

00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:22.480
We have an Instagram account as well.

00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:28.800
We have a YouTube account where we put YouTube shorts and other little tidbits up there.

00:50:29.039 --> 00:50:30.320
We have a TikTok account.

00:50:30.559 --> 00:50:31.679
I don't talk the tick.

00:50:32.480 --> 00:50:33.280
I you know TikTok.

00:50:33.840 --> 00:50:37.920
I I barely talk the tick, but I did put a TikTok account.

00:50:40.639 --> 00:50:41.360
That's okay though.

00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:43.440
We need to know how to make that work.

00:50:44.159 --> 00:50:45.519
Can people buy merch?

00:50:45.760 --> 00:50:46.639
They absolutely can.

00:50:46.719 --> 00:50:50.159
We have a merch store on the website itself.

00:50:50.400 --> 00:50:52.480
And we also have an Etsy store too.

00:50:52.559 --> 00:50:54.000
So it's pretty easy to find.

00:50:54.320 --> 00:50:56.000
It's just Gen X Women.

00:50:56.800 --> 00:50:57.360
Etsy.

00:50:57.840 --> 00:51:02.639
And if you are listening to this podcast, presumably you found it somewhere.

00:51:02.800 --> 00:51:05.360
And while you're there, give us a review.

00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:05.840
Yeah.

00:51:06.159 --> 00:51:07.360
Let us know what you think.

00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:08.800
Throw some stars at us.

00:51:09.039 --> 00:51:09.599
That'd be great.

00:51:09.840 --> 00:51:12.320
Egg one, two, three, four, or five.

00:51:12.559 --> 00:51:13.280
Ooh, five.

00:51:13.440 --> 00:51:13.679
Maybe.

00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:19.840
And and also make sure that you are hitting subscribe so that you're notified whenever a new episode breaks.

00:51:20.559 --> 00:51:21.360
Most important.

00:51:21.840 --> 00:51:25.199
We also have a five minutes of fame that I think we should tell people about it too.

00:51:25.440 --> 00:51:26.159
Hell yes.

00:51:26.320 --> 00:51:29.039
We want to know your stories, your five minutes of fame stories.

00:51:29.199 --> 00:51:31.599
You can send those stories in on the website.

00:51:31.920 --> 00:51:41.840
Or you can call 1888 Gen X COD and leave your story for us and we will play it live in our next episode.

00:51:42.079 --> 00:51:42.239
Yep.

00:51:43.039 --> 00:51:46.159
We'll listen to it on a little red phone, just like Batman.

00:51:48.000 --> 00:51:48.719
That'd be great.

00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:53.119
I think that's it.

00:51:53.280 --> 00:51:54.400
I think great.