Episode 56: ABBA’s Comeback, A Tired Irish Walrus, & The Angel of Notre Dame

Kathleen opens the show drinking a Natty Daddy Lemonade Seltzer , which she doesn’t like because she enjoys a beer FAR more than seltzers ;-) She discusses the current state of her St. Louis Cardinals and Lewis Black’s terrible Baltimore Orioles, and the sheer awesomeness of Tony LaRussa as a coach and GM. Kathleen then talks about her Fantasy Football league, and her repeat move to draft Tom Brady as her starting quarterback. TERMITE SHOUTOUTS: Kathleen gives thanks to the Termites who leave notes at shows and send mail to her PO Box. She begins by thanking Termite Cheryl from Oregon for the Baby Shoe Madigan Christmas ornament and “Calm Down Karen” t-shirt, and Termite sisters Steph & Jen from Edmonton who sent a box of Canadian fun that Kathleen samples as part of her junk food tasting session. “GOOD BAD FOOD”: In her quest for new and delicious not-so-nutritious junk food AND in continuing her search for the best Ranch, Kathleen samples a few Canadian treats from Termite sisters Steph & Jen, beginning with Hawkins Cheezies , which is one of her all-time favorite snacks. She then tastes President’s Choice Cheesy Garlic Bread rippled chips , which are a little too “garlicky” for her preference. She finishes her tasting with Keg Steakhouse Ranch dressing , which she LOVES and rates in her top 3 of all Ranches tasted so far. UPDATE ON KATHLEEN’S QUEEN’S COURT: Kathleen provides an update on the Queens, reporting that Queen Stevie Nicks has recorded a duet with Elton John called “Stolen Car” as part of his “ Lockdown Sessions ” album. Queen Tanya has canceled the remainder of her 2021 Tour dates, stating that she needs to concentrate on rehabilitating her hip after her recent surgery. ELIZABETH HOLMES JURY SELECTION UNDERWAY: In continuing with her updates on the Elizabeth Holmes’ Theranos trial, Kathleen provides an update on how the jury selection process is going leading up to the commencement of the trial. QAnon SHAMAN PLEA DEAL: Kathleen laughs while reading an update on the infamous “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley, who was originally charged with six federal crimes pertaining to the US Capitol insurrection. He plead guilty to one of the most serious charges and could face a maximum of 20 years in prison, though his lack of a criminal record means he'll likely receive much less. As part of the plea agreement, Chansley agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution for damage to the Capitol and could also face a fine of up to $250,000. BEYONCE’S BLOOD DIAMOND: Kathleen reads an article surrounding the controversy surrounding Beyoncé and Jay-Z after she made history posing alongside a rare art piece from the late, great artist Jean-Michel Basquiat as the first Black woman to wear an iconic Tiffany & Co. Yellow Diamond. After critics bashed the Beyonce for wearing a ‘blood diamond,’ a source stated that “Beyonce is aware of the criticism and is disappointed and angry that she wasn’t made aware of questions about its history.” In an effort to pivot the narrative, she appears to be focused on promoting the $2,064,600 that Tiffany has pledged toward internship and scholarship programs for historically Black colleges and universities. BRITNEY’S CONSERVATORSHIP ENDS: Kathleen is thrilled to read that after months of following the #FreeBritney movement, her conservatorship with her father has finally ended. Father Jamie Spears has served as conservator of his daughter's estate since it was established in 2009 and recently stated in a court filing that he intends to step down as conservator. Kathleen applauds the efforts of “the children” who have supported Britney, and encourages them to celebrate ☺ ABBA’S GREATEST COMEBACK: As is the case with many music lovers, Kathleen LOVES ABBA’s music and is absolutely thrilled to read an article announcing that nearly four decades after disbanding and vowing never to get back together, the Swedish superstars are making a musical comeback with a new album and a London show featuring their performances captured by digital avatars. The group, all in their seventies, described how they were photographed in leotards to create the avatars for a new show called “ABBA Voyage” which will play at a theatre being built close to the presentation venue in east London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The show will feature 22 songs, mostly the group’s classic hits, and last 90 mins. Kathleen CANNOT wait to buy tickets…. WENDY’S UPGRADES FRENCH FRIES: Kathleen agrees that fast-food French fries need to be upgraded, and still hasn’t gotten over McDonald’s move to change its iconic fry recipe back in 1992. She’s excited to hear that Wendy’s has announced that the chain is upgrading its French fries in mid-September 2021, keeping more skin on the potato in order to “drive more flavor.” Stay tuned for a tasting from Mama T, Termites. WALLY THE WALRUS GETS HIS OWN BOAT: Kathleen laughs out loud reading an article out of Ireland where a massive Arctic walrus whom locals refer to as “Wally” was first spotted in March . Since then, he has traveled over 2,485 miles and has been spotted in France, Spain, and across the U.K. According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), due to his colossal weight, Wally has been sinking one or two boats in every harbor he enters when he attempts to climb on watercraft anytime he gets tired from swimming. In an effort to offer assistance, the Irish have built Wally his own pontoon boat which will remain in a harbor in West Cork. NAZI ARTIFACTS FOUND STASHED IN GERMAN HOUSE: Kathleen reads an article detailing a cache of Nazi artifacts that have been found in the wall of a German house. Found by a schoolteacher, the trove was most likely hidden as U.S. troops took the city of Hagen in April 1945. STONEHENGE IS INDESTRUCTIBLE: Kathleen is fascinated with history and can’t believe the results of a recent scientific analysis from a piece of England’s Stonehenge monument. The core sample is helping experts better understand the makeup of the mysterious prehistoric structure, and how the stone’s geochemical composition may have made it uniquely well-equipped to stand the test of time. The structure is made from 99.7 percent quartz crystals making the stones are practically indestructible, according to a new study published in the journal Plos One . 100-YEAR-OLD NAZI ON TRIAL FOR HATE CRIMES: Kathleen believes in karma and consequence, and reiterates these sentiments when reading an article about a 100-year-old former guard at the Sachsenhausen Nazi concentration camp near Berlin. The guard will face trial this Fall, 76 years after the end of the Second World War. ITALIAN VILLAS FOR A EURO: Kathleen reads an article about Italy's ongoing clearance sale of €1 houses that have been historically centered around rural areas. However, a town in Rome’s Latium region has joined the efforts with stricter parameters for those applying to purchase including timelines to complete any renovations and preference going to those who wish to reside in the area on a longer-term basis. THE RICHEST WOMEN IN THE WORLD: Kathleen is fascinated reading an article listing Forbes’ richest women in the world, and by what means they attained their wealth. The group founded their wealth in everything from construction to technology, including the inventor of the Bumble dating app (which causes Kathleen to laugh when telling the story of her friend Ron White’s “Bumble fumble.”) She is particularly excited to discuss the philanthropic endeavors of the women who currently holds the status of the world’s wealthiest female: Françoise Bettencourt Meyers of the L’Oreal brand, who was raised as a strict Catholic and has pledged over €200M to restore Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after it was damaged in a horrible fire in 2019. Kathleen loves the city of Paris and tells listeners about her high school French exchange trip when she spent 6 weeks in the French countryside smoking cigarettes with her friend Marie Paul. THE LONGEST EMBRACE: Kathleen closes the Pubcast with a story of true love, reading an article from China where archaeologists have discovered two ancient skeletons holding each other with their arms wrapped around the other's waist and the woman pressed up against the man's shoulders. In studying the remains, historians feel that the remains likely belonged to a man and woman from the Northern Wei period – 1,500 years ago, when Buddhism was heightening. WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK: Kathleen recommends watching the ABBA documentary “When All Is Said And Done” “ The White Lotus ” with Connie Britton on HBO Max, and “ The Defeated ” on Netflix. Happy binge-watching, Termites! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .