Podcasts > We're Here to Help > 61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

By Headgum

The hosts of "We're Here to Help" delve into some unorthodox situations in this episode. First, Zach opens up about exacting revenge on friends for teasing him following an embarrassing outdoor bathroom incident. His solution? Serve laxative-laced food at a soccer game to elicit shared humiliation.

In a more lighthearted segment, Luke seeks advice for promoting his "Suits and Wigs" bar crawl event concept. The hosts offer tips on building buzz through social media, a dedicated website, and fostering a sense of tradition around the event. Their guidance aims to turn Luke's vision into an annual Los Angeles party tradition.

61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

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61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

1-Page Summary

Caller #1 Cooks Laxative-Laced Food for Friends to Get Them to Also Have to Defecate Outdoors

Zach, having been embarrassed by a prior situation where he had to defecate outdoors during a soccer game due to no available restrooms, becomes the butt of jokes among his friends. To counter the stigma, he orchestrates a soccer game resembling a camping trip at the same location of his humiliating event. Despite considering the use of laxatives as illegal, it is hinted that Zach's meal of sausages, meat patties, and brownies may have included laxatives. As a result, three of his friends suffer the same fate as Zach once did, leading to a shared sense of embarrassment within the group, which effectively diminishes the teasing directed at Zach for his original outdoor defecation incident.

Caller #2 Wants Advice on Promoting Annual Bar Crawl Event

Luke has conceived a "Suits and Wigs" themed bar crawl and is looking for ways to promote it. He recounts how the theme created a memorable Halloween night and hopes to turn the concept into a legendary annual event. The hosts suggest that Luke should delay the event to adequately market it and recommend launching a dedicated Instagram account and a website to garner interest. They also encourage creating varied annual themes and integrating promotional opportunities in their podcast. To foster a sense of tradition and inclusivity, the hosts advise setting a fixed yearly date and incorporating different types of bars while carrying extra costumes for spontaneous participants. This advice is expected to solidify "Suits and Wigs" as a thrilling, growing tradition in Los Angeles nightlife.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Zach organizes a soccer game that mimics a camping trip to create a new positive association with the location where he previously had an embarrassing outdoor defecation incident. This unconventional approach aims to reshape the narrative surrounding his past experience and reduce the teasing he faced from his friends. By recreating the setting in a different context, Zach attempts to reclaim control over the situation and change how others perceive his initial embarrassment. The strategy involves using humor and shared experiences to shift the focus away from Zach's past mishap towards a new shared memory among the group.
  • Zach, feeling embarrassed by a past incident, plans a soccer game to change perceptions. He considers using laxatives in the food he serves to recreate a similar situation for his friends. This leads to a shared experience that helps reduce the teasing he faced.
  • Zach's friends unknowingly consume food that may have contained laxatives, causing them to experience the same need to defecate outdoors as Zach once did. This shared experience of embarrassment helps the friends empathize with Zach's past situation and reduces the teasing he faced. The use of laxatives in the food is hinted at but not explicitly confirmed in the text.

Counterarguments

  • Zach's method of dealing with stigma through retaliation may not be ethically sound and could damage friendships.
  • Using laxatives without consent is not only illegal but also a violation of trust and could have serious health repercussions for those affected.
  • Shared embarrassment does not necessarily lead to a positive resolution of the issue and could exacerbate feelings of humiliation or lead to further conflict.
  • While creating a dedicated Instagram account and website can be effective, it may not be sufficient alone to promote the "Suits and Wigs" event without a strategic marketing plan.
  • Delaying the event for marketing purposes could result in a loss of initial enthusiasm or conflict with other events.
  • Varied annual themes might dilute the brand identity of the "Suits and Wigs" event, making it less recognizable year over year.
  • Integrating promotional opportunities in a podcast may not reach the intended audience if the podcast's listener demographic does not align with the event's target demographic.
  • Setting a fixed yearly date could limit flexibility and the ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances that may affect attendance.
  • Including different types of bars could be logistically challenging and may not appeal to all participants, potentially limiting the event's appeal.
  • Carrying extra costumes for spontaneous participants could be costly and may not be used, resulting in unnecessary expenses.

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61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

Caller #1 Cooks Laxative-Laced Food for Friends to Get Them to Also Have to Defecate Outdoors

Caller #1, named Zach, shares a past embarrassing incident of having to defecate outdoors during a soccer game due to a lack of public toilets, an event which became a source of stigma and teasing within his friend group.

Caller #1 previously had to defecate outdoors while playing soccer due to no bathrooms, got teased by friends

Zach recounts how there were no bathrooms available at the location where he was playing soccer, forcing him to relieve himself outdoors. This led to a certain stigma, as his friends teased him about the incident afterward.

Hosts suggest caller make friends also defecate outdoors to remove stigma

To eliminate the stigma, the show's hosts suggest that Zach might somehow entice his friends to have a similar outdoor defecation encounter.

Caller invites friends on camping trip

Zach organized an event to play soccer with friends in a setting not in their regular urban environment, hinting at an outing that would come close to a camping trip. It's at the same location where the uncomfortable incident occurred before.

Cooks meat and laxative-laced brownies for friends

Zach decided to cook for his friends during this outing, preparing a meal that included sausages, meat patties, and brownies. Though Zach initially considered using laxatives, there's mention that he found the act illegal and scrapped the idea. Nevertheless, the implication is that his friends' discomfort originated from the brownies he prepared, which may suggest that some laxative made its way into the mix covertly.

Three friends have to defecate outdoors during ...

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Caller #1 Cooks Laxative-Laced Food for Friends to Get Them to Also Have to Defecate Outdoors

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Caller #1, Zach, shared a personal story on a radio show where he discussed an embarrassing incident involving outdoor defecation during a soccer game. The hosts of the show suggested a controversial solution to help Zach overcome the stigma associated with the incident. Zach then organized an outing with his friends, where a peculiar incident occurred, leading to a shared experience among the group.
  • The hosts suggested this to help Zach normalize the experience for his friends, potentially reducing the stigma associated with his past incident. By having others share a similar experience, it could create a sense of camaraderie and understanding within the group. This shared experience might help shift the focus away from Zach's original incident and distribute any resulting embarrassment more evenly among the friends.
  • The connection between cooking laxative-laced food and removing the stigma is that the caller, Zach, attempted to create a shared experience among his friends by having them also face the discomfort of outdoor defecation. By orchestrating a situation where multiple friends had to deal with a similar embarrassing scenario, Zach aimed to normalize the experience and reduce the focus on his own past incident. This shared experience potentially helped in breaking down the stigma associated with Zach's original outdoor defecation incident.
  • The friend group had teased Zach about his outdoor defecation incident during a soccer game, creating a stigma around it. This teasing behavior stemmed from the embarrassment Zach felt due to the lack of public toi ...

Counterarguments

  • The suggestion to make friends defecate outdoors to remove stigma is ethically questionable and could be considered a form of revenge rather than a constructive solution to the problem of stigma.
  • Intentionally causing others to defecate outdoors by lacing food with laxatives is illegal and morally wrong, as it involves deception and can harm others' health.
  • The idea that shared negative experiences necessarily lead to empathy and the dissolution of stigma is not always true; it could potentially lead to more conflict or discomfort within the group.
  • The hosts' advice may not be responsible or ethical, as it encourages behavior that could be harmful and illegal.
  • The resolution of the stigma through such means might not address the underlying issues of respect and understanding among friends.
  • The act of cooking laxative-laced brownies, if it occurred, is a violation of trust and could have lon ...

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61: Are You Going To Do This Madness?

Caller #2 Wants Advice on Promoting Annual Bar Crawl Event

Caller #2, known as Luke, has come up with a unique "Suits and Wigs" themed bar crawl event and is seeking advice on how to promote it successfully.

Caller has idea for "Suits and Wigs" themed bar crawl event

Luke, the caller, has an idea for a bar crawl event called "suits and wigs night." The concept involves a group of men dressing up in their finest suits paired with "silly ass" wigs as they hop from bar to bar. Luke explains that the idea originated a couple of years ago on Halloween when he dressed as Tommy Wiseau from "The Room," complete with a wig which he says boosted his confidence. He aims for the event to grow in popularity over the years and wants the first one to be "really legendary," but some people have hesitated to join, citing a lack of suit or wig. Luke, however, has extra wigs in his trunk. Luke’s friend already organizes an annual bar crawl encompassing ten bars, but he is keen on starting this new, distinct event.

Hosts suggest postponing event and creating website/Instagram to promote it each year with new themes

The hosts provide some valuable suggestions to Luke to maximize the promotion of his bar crawl event. Considering the need for a successful launch, they recommend that Luke postpone the event to give himself more time to effectively promote it. They advise starting an Instagram account and setting up a website through a platform like Squarespace to create buzz around the bar crawl.

Additionally, the hosts suggest setting a specific annual date for the event, one that doesn't clash with other holidays, to avoid confusion and build a tradition. They also propose that Luke runs promotions on their podcast to generate further interest. They encourage the idea of having different themes each year, like "nuns with swords," "doctors with capes," or "gymnasts wi ...

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Caller #2 Wants Advice on Promoting Annual Bar Crawl Event

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Tommy Wiseau is a mysterious and eccentric filmmaker known for creating the cult classic movie "The Room." The film, often dubbed as one of the worst movies ever made, gained a massive following for its unintentional humor and bizarre storytelling. Wiseau, the writer, director, and star of the film, has become a pop culture icon due to his enigmatic personality and the unique charm of "The Room."
  • Squarespace is a company that offers a platform for building and hosting websites using pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop tools. Founded in 2003, it has grown significantly over the years and provides various services like e-commerce tools and domain name services. Users can create and customize webpages without needing to code, making it accessible for individuals and businesses to establish an online presence. Squarespace went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 and is used by a notable percentage of the top websites globally.
  • Los Angeles residents are individuals who live in the city of Los Angeles, which is a major city in California known for its diverse population, cultural significance, and economic importance in Southern California. Los Angeles is a bustling metropolis with millions of residents and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors.
  • Podcast promotions involve advertising or featuring a product, service, or event on a podcast to reach the show's audience. This can include mentions, sponsored segments, or dedicated episodes focused on promoting the subject. Podcast promotions are a way to leverage the engaged listenership of a podcast to raise awareness and generate interest in the promoted content. Promotions on podcasts can be effective due ...

Counterarguments

  • The theme "Suits and Wigs" may not appeal to everyone and could limit the diversity of participants.
  • Relying on a single theme might make the event less inclusive to those who do not feel comfortable in suits or wigs.
  • The success of the event is not guaranteed just by postponing it for better promotion; other factors such as location, pricing, and competition from other events also play significant roles.
  • Creating a website and Instagram account requires consistent effort and engagement to be effective, which might be challenging for someone without experience in digital marketing.
  • Setting a specific annual date could conflict with participants' personal schedules, potentially reducing attendance.
  • Promoting the event on a podcast may not reach the intended audience if the podcast's listener demographic does not align with the event's target demographic.
  • Having different themes each year could complicate logistics and planning, making it harder to establish a consistent brand identity for the event.
  • Including various bar environments might not be feasible if bars are not interested in participating ...

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