The Sincerity Episode

## Episode page

Dr. Gameshow Episode 72: The Sincerity Episode

## In-studio guests

Jon Ronson

Anna Drezen

#### Necessary background

In summer, the open-air night clubs of Odessa, Ukraine are the hottest spots in town. There are Egyptian-themed clubs, American Wild West-themed clubs, and clubs that look like child-sized roller rinks but are meant for adult-sized vomiting. But in winter, the clubs are closed and depressing-looking and the only revelry is in your imagination.

#### How to play

You will be given a name that may or may not be an accurate translation of a Ukrainian night club. Manolo is looking for a good time and wants to party, so describe what the club looks like and what is happening inside it. After each contestant has painted a word picture, Manolo will determine which club to attend.

### Blind Leading the Blind Tying Shoes

#### Necessary background

Hello, Jo Firestone and Mr. Manolo, Jr. This takes place in a world where everyone has been staring at the sun, causing them to go blind and a blind Manolo has forgotten how to tie his shoes. Jo is not blind because she has cool sunglasses.

#### How to play

Set up: 1) Manolo has to untie his shoes and put them on the table in front of him. Everyone except Jo closes their eyes. Contestants must give a detailed instruction to Manolo on how to tie his shoes. Manolo must follow these instructions to a T. Each contestant has thirty seconds to instruct Manolo on how to tie his shoes, Jo must make sure that no one is peeking or cheating, especially Manolo.

After Manolo has done this with each contestant, he must pick his favorite shoe tying technique. Whichever technique he chooses will become his new method for tying shoes going forward.

### Sincerity and Empathy in Post-War America

#### Theme song lyrics

> [whistling]
>
>

> Post-war has lots of feelings
>
>

> yep zippity yay
>
>

#### Necessary background

It has been said that irony is very useful in speaking truth to power, but poor at building something new. Can we step outside the feedback loop of American irony and detachment and build new powers to whom we can speak truth?

#### How to play

A contestant talks about something real. It doesn't have to be happy, or sad, or entertaining, or personal, it just has to be entirely factual. All opposing contestants harness the forces of American irony to speak truth to power (the opposing guest) and what they just spoke on.

The truth contestant wins a point if their gift helps to grow empathy in us all, and the irony contestants win points if they shatter the value of the truth contestant's statement, but at what cost?

House rule according to call screener Justin: you speak the truth, and the power is the opposing contestant, and you either try to win them over or tear them down. *[editor's note: I think?]*

House rule according to Jo: just say a fact, it doesn't have to be about you.

House rule according to Squizshy: give Anna advice before her birthday.

## Trivia

Jon doesn't like being touched.

Nobody wears a helmet on a city bike.

Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy. Squizshy.