Topic: Bing Crosby

A PBS NewsHour segment reveals that Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" was originally written as a parody. The deleted opening verse described a person sitting by a pool in Beverly Hills among orange and palm trees, dreaming of a snowy northern Christmas. The song only became a sentimental classic in 1942 when it resonated with American military personnel serving overseas during World War II.

The hosts recall historical legal cases where Bing Crosby successfully sued copycats for imitating his distinctive crooning voice. They joke about whether Joe Rogan could sue other podcasters like Lex Fridman or Theo Von for mimicking his interview style and guest selection.

A historical legal precedent involving Bing Crosby is cited to show that "vibe" and voice likeness can be protected in advertising. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has threatened to sue Microsoft, alleging the company illegally scraped Twitter data to train its AI models.

The 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes has seen a resurgence in popularity among younger viewers due to syndication on MeTV and free-to-air television. The show, produced by Bing Crosby and DesiLu Productions, was considered controversial at its launch in 1965 for its mockery of Nazis. Discussion shifts to the technical standards of Over-the-Air (OTA) television, including the lack of 4K broadcasting and the potential for interactive streaming features in future standards.

A recording of Ella Fitzgerald using the word "devosh" is presented as a linguistic fractal. The segment also explores the historical trend of long, spoken introductions in music from the 1930s and 1940s, featuring artists like Bing Crosby.

A vast collection of Paul Whiteman and Bing Crosby recordings from 1925-1935 was discovered on archive.org. This led to a recommendation for OTR Cat, a catalog specializing in obscure old-time radio plays, including rare episodes of "The Fat Man."

The hosts give a first-birthday shoutout to a listener's son, Sammy, at the request of his mother, Lisa Stelter. They also discuss the "Mutton and Mead" theme of the knighthood ceremony, with Dvorak requesting that a producer create a song based on old Bing Crosby and Bob Hope "road show" tunes.

The show concludes with a "deconstruction" of the song "White Christmas," revealing that Irving Berlin originally wrote it as a parody set in Beverly Hills. The hosts sign off with their traditional catchphrases and a "John Galt" audio mix that references "Atlas Shrugged." They remind listeners of the upcoming New Year's Eve episode and the "Value for Value" model.

A discussion regarding a recurring voice imitation reveals its similarity to the character Towelie from South Park. The conversation clarifies that imitating a voice does not constitute plagiarism, as the term refers to stealing material rather than vocal style, using Bing Crosby as a historical comparison.

A list of famous historical figures who used cannabis includes Bing Crosby, who reportedly used it to maintain his mellow demeanor, and Queen Victoria, who used cannabis tinctures for medicinal purposes. The segment cites an 1890 article from The Lancet where the Queen's physician praised cannabis as a valuable medicine.