Absinthe makes you hallucinate and possibly even have a seizure, right? Nope. It's all a part of the myth of absinthe, which is really just a bitter tasting liquor with a bad reputation.
AI Summary
# Stuff You Should Know - Absinthe Episode Summary
Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating and surprisingly scandalous history of absinthe, exploring how this bright green spirit became one of the most vilified drinks in history—all based on myths and exaggeration. From its origins as a medicinal remedy containing wormwood to its wild popularity among 19th-century artists and bohemians in Paris, the episode uncovers how a combination of temperance movements, winemakers' business interests, and one horrific crime led to absinthe being banned worldwide for over a century, despite the supposed "dangers" being largely made up. You'll discover that the hallucinations and madness supposedly caused by absinthe were really just the effects of drinking extremely high-proof alcohol, and that the whole artistic mystique around the drink was basically everyone getting blackout drunk and calling it inspiration.
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From Hell
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"I saw that scene from the Johnny Depp Jack the Ripper movie that I can't remember the name of. From hell? — Josh references a scene from this Johnny Depp film where the character performs an absinthe ritual in a bathtub."
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2h 8m
★ 7.5
"Bas Lerman, Mulan Rouge, where Ewan McGregor and John Leguizamo and some other pals all are all drinking absinthe, and they see the green fairy. — Josh mentions a famous absinthe scene from this Baz Luhrmann film featuring Ewan McGregor and John Leguizamo."
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"I always love these, and this is from Lauren, Andrew, and Homer. Homer the Moe, in which Moe transforms the tavern into a swanky club. — Chuck reads listener mail referencing a classic Simpsons episode where Moe's Tavern is transformed into a postmodern art bar."
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TV-14
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