Episode 51: Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street

Walter Benjamin (source)

Single cover for Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" (source)

The episode for "Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street" was originally released on 58:26 and is #49. **You can listen to it here.** This episode is February 13, 2017 long.This week's ghostwriter: Peter Lerangis.

*Previous:* Episode 50: Jessi's Wish | *Next:* Episode 52: Dawn’s Big Date | *Or,* see all episodes.

## Official Episode Description

Let go of your hearts this week, Baby Nation, and for good measure let go of your heads as well, because this episode is a giant trust fall through space and time into a strange and glorious future. If that worries you, here are some discussion questions to keep you grounded: Is Claudia's art derivative or is she making a deliberate point about the anxiety of influence? Can Janine be stopped before she creates an artificial intelligence that destroys the world? And did you know that when it snows my eyes become large and the light that you shine can't be seen? See you on the other side, Baby Nation!

## Music Credits

* ”The Son of Blacksmith,” by Charles Chulainn
* “The Mysterious World 2,” by Staruss Stuff
* “Atoms,” by Spire Wolf
* “Don’t Leave Me,” by Lionel Schmitt
* Original Intro by Scott Lamb
* Superbrat Outro by Superbrat

## Book Description

Jack: Rosie Wilder and Claudia Kishi are different in every way but for one shared, secret gift. Claudia must teach Rosie to use this secret gift before it destroys everyone around her.

Tanner panics, but does okay.

## Segments

###  Alan Gray Will See You Now

Alan Gray is Banksy, an agent of chaos. He brought his own renegade pirate art (a terrible drawing of a toothless man eating a candy bar, and saying "Mmm") to Claudia's art show, and turned the art gallery into a minefield of chewed bubblegum (environmental art).

###  Burn Of The Week

Tanner notes how Pete punched up this book.

Tanner: “The first time Janine mentioned calculus, I thought she was talking about a Roman emperor.” (Jack intellects that she’s not too far off and is talking about Caligula.)

Jack: Rosie, to Claudia: "Didn't you take third grade science? Did you pass it?"

###  The Future

Roleplay: Mikayla (Jack) and Lakelan (Tanner) are talking. Tanner bursts into a wild rendition of Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose” which is the National Anthem of the future…Tanner Sings and Jack Sings too.

"—I’m not interested in the news, Jack."

 ###  Lerangis Moment

Jack notes that you know this book is written by Pete because he allows the characters to step outside themselves and possess knowledge they wouldn't have for the sake of burns.

Tanner: Greg Louganis, the Olympic swimmer?
Jack: What’s the name of the guy who wrote the book with her?
Tanner: “The author grateful acknowledges Peter Lerangis.” (Tanner pronounces this to rhyme with “derange+is”.)
Jack: That’s how we know, Ann.
Tanner: I think Pete just came in and infused a little humor into these books. Claudia was all of a sudden very self-deprecating.

 ###  Tanner Googles

Tanner Googles a quote: “to imitate” was shoddy, and “to steal” was praiseworthy. It is then revealed that this is a T. S. Eliot quote; Tanner thought it was Andy Warhol; Tanner finds out that foxes don’t hibernate; the lyrics to "Kiss From a Rose"

###  Tearful Moment

Jack: when Rosie knows the perfect art teacher (Claudia) to keep taking art classes from.

## Theories

###  Bread Theory

“Let go of your art, let go of your bread.”

###  Doll Theory

Janine Kishi has been building a sentient AI since the beginning of these novels, which may be Claudia. Rosie Wilder calls Janine Kishi to ask about a two-letter word for a three-toed sloth: AI.

Tanner refers to this subsection of Doll Theory as "AI Theory."

###  Factions

Eleven-letter crossword clue for dinosaur (apatosaurus)

## Jack's References

* "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" and Ansel Adams - how do you create authentic art when art can be reproduced?
* Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice* ("A pound of flesh")
* Roland Barthes and early "lit crit"
* Bauhaus: art and band; Dadaism, Duchamp
* Don’t participate in the death of the subjunctive.

## Tanner's References

* *The Ring* (movie)
* Tanner refers to Rosie Wilder as Rosie Perez
* Frankenstein's monster
* Oscar Wilde
* Bart Simpson (this is the second BSCC episode in a row where Tanner says "Don't have a cow, man.")
* Tanner Sings a song about Walter Benjamin (Parody of "Jammin" by Bob Marley and the Wailers)
* Claudia's art show ”Disposable Comestibles,” is a direct copy of Andy Warhol
* Bands: P.O.D. and Guster
* *Batman Returns* (he meant *Batman Forever*)
* Mufasa (from *The Lion King*)

## Notes

* Jack and Tanner reference an old Taco Bell commercial about enchiritos. They play it in The Stinger.
* Callback to the mistake in Episode 1: Kristy's Great Idea re: Stoneybrook’s location.
* The boys are wearing matching shirts (“you probably saw us tweet it three weeks ago”) and are salty about it.
* Tanner’s middle school brought in BMX “rude dudes”. Jack’s high school: had a monk who taught religion, who read his correspondence with Ezra Pound
* My Nights with Ezra: A Pound of Flesh (an erotic memoir)
* The man in a tweed coat: he's the f\*\*\*ing BOMB.

Jack: Alan Gray.
Tanner: What’d I say?
Jack: David Gray.
Tanner Sings: *Satellite*
Jack: No, that’s Dave Matthews. (Laughter) No, I’ve got it.
Tanner: I’m pretty sure “Satellite” is David Gray.
Jack Sings: In your heart…
Tanner Sings: Let go your head, let go your heart…

## References & Links

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMD2TwRvuoU
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg\_Louganis
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Work\_of\_Art\_in\_the\_Age\_of\_Mechanical\_Reproduction
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock#In\_the\_play
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland\_Barthes
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus
7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus\_(band)
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel\_Duchamp
9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Ring\_(2002\_film)
10. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie\_Perez
11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein's\_monster
12. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart\_Simpson
13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFRbZJXjWIA
14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy\_Warhol
15. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P.O.D.
16. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guster
17. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman\_Returns
18. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman\_Forever
19. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Lion\_King
20. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikutOiQSQJ8
21. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra\_Pound
22. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAamgBPebsk
23. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI\_SBAkdKzc

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