Summary
The podcast explores a variety of intriguing topics, starting with the surprising fact that in 15th century Europe, people consumed mummies as a supposed remedy for various ailments, including headaches and cancer. This practice stemmed from a misunderstanding of the term "mumia," which referred to a substance used in embalming, leading to a mix-up between this substance and actual mummies. As a result, Western Europeans began to believe that consuming mummified bodies could confer health benefits.
The conversation shifts to the bizarre phenomenon of mummy unwrapping parties in Victorian England, where the public would gather to witness the unwrapping of mummies brought back from Egypt. This morbid curiosity reflects the era's fascination with ancient cultures and the lengths to which people would go for entertainment, including the consumption of ground mummy powder. The hosts humorously speculate on the absurdity of these practices and the historical context behind them, highlighting the strange intersection of medicine and cannibalism in past societies.
Additionally, the episode touches on the peculiarities of Australian wildlife, including the phenomenon of "hairy panic," where towns experience severe tumbleweed build-up, and the unique challenges faced by residents in remote areas. The hosts engage in light-hearted banter about the differences between life in Australia and Ireland, illustrating the cultural contrasts and shared humor in their observations.
Show Notes
Neil takes the wheel this week with a triple bill of facts. Why the coyote could catch the roadrunner. Why gullible 15th century Europeans thought ancient mummies were a health food. And what exactly is a Hairy Panic?
Australia town consumed by 'hairy panic' https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-35600546
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mummy-eating-medical-cannibalism-gory-history
New full episodes every Thursday. Bonus mini-eps on Sundays and Tuesdays.
To see Neil on tour check out https://www.neildelamere.com/reinventing-the-neil-tour https://www.neildelamere.com/neils-on-wheels-tour
To listen to Dave on the radio check out https://www.todayfm.com/shows/dave-moore-1499732
You can watch the podcast on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@WhyWouldYouTellMeThatpodcast
Presented and Produced by Neil Delamere and Dave Moore Edited by Diarmuid O'Brien Music by Dave Moore Artwork by Ray McDonnell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Why Would You Tell Me That?
Neil is just back from gigs in England, where he had business in the iconic BBC Television Centre, and adds an exclusive new mug to the WWYTMT’s studio's stack of mugs.
Dave is stranded at Neil’s for the hours it’ll take his car to charge so they may as well bonus. They discuss running out of fuel before Neil recounts a recent moral quandary he faced.
A treatise on cutting deli rolls in half is Dave’s way of setting up the eye-opening tale of how a scientist firing experimental lasers at his Thanksgiving leftovers led to one of the most remarkable advances in modern medicine. (It also spares this episode from being titled “Ablative Photodecomposition”)
Back during our six week Patreon experiment, Dave and Neil played a weekly game where they'd be given the name of a celebrity and they had to guess said celebrity’s follower count. Please enjoy this high-stakes, high-performance tournament of The Instagram Game.
This is a remastered reissue of one of the first WWYTMT episodes, prompted by last last week's Tippi Hedren fact. It's a film special as Dave explores on-set disasters from the movies you know and love, including tyrannical directors and wild animal attacks. And in Part 2, Hollywood casting agent, Aly Horn, backs up Dave's claim that a weird, 2004 indie comedy broke Netflix.