Rocketman: I have to go now. My planet needs me. (Note: Rocketman died on the way back to his home planet.) Meanwhile, the book returns, unfortunately for us and for everyone involved, to some of its go-to subjects. And no, not just toilets.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, and 3.18 or pp. 476-500 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at patreon.com/pynchonpals and follow us @pynchonpals.bsky.social.
For the month of August’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Fritz Lang’s The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933).
Show Notes:
“Toilet sketch from Not the Nine O'clock News,” by (https://youtu.be/j2b-wTJ8x3E)
“Gravity’s Rainbow fan art — The Toiletship,” by (https://www.reddit.com/r/ThomasPynchon/comments/cbjdfy/gravitys_rainbow_fan_art_the_toiletship/)
“Head (ship’s restroom) of Navy Destroyer USS Kidd that sailed from 1943 to 1967. One seat is painted red: This was called the "Hot Seat" and it was reserved for crew who had sexually transmitted diseases,” by (https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/rrcfbj/head_ships_restroom_of_navy_destroyer_uss_kidd/)
“Whistled language of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands), the Silbo Gomero,” on YouTube (https://youtu.be/PgEmSb0cKBg)
“‘A Suspension Forever at the Hinge of Doubt’: The Reader-trap Of Bianca In Gravity’s Rainbow,” by Bernard Duyfhuizen SPOILER ALERT (https://www.pomoculture.org/2013/09/26/a-suspension-forever-at-the-hinge-of-doubt-the-reader-trap-of-bianca-in-gravitys-rainbow/)
“What Was the Deal With Graham Greene Calling Shirley Temple ‘a Fancy Little Piece’?” by L.V. Anderson (https://slate.com/culture/2014/02/graham-greene-and-shirley-temple-what-to-make-of-the-novelists-sexual-review-of-wee-willie-winkie.html)
“The Party. Tomi Ungerer (Les Cahiers Dessinés),” by Pedro Moura (https://yellowfastcrumble.wordpress.com/2019/07/06/the-party-tomi-ungerer-les-cahiers-dessines/)
Supercut - Snake Asking Unnecessary Questions by (https://youtu.be/cGOb1TcO-8o)
Clive Barker’s illustrations for Abarat (https://www.clivebarker.info/galleryabarat.html) and “Christopher Carrion,” specifically (https://www.clivebarker.info/carrion3.html).
Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, xenophobia, genocide, pedophilia, incest.
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Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.
Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (www.patf.io and @patfio.bsky.social).
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album Polygondwanaland.
