Shoot This Now

Maurice Ward was a British hairdresser and amateur inventor who was inspired by a horrific plane disaster to invent a material that could withstand fire, nukes, and perhaps even the sun. His invention, which his granddaughter named "Starlite," drew the attention of Boeing, NASA, and the British military.

Then it disappeared.

What happened to Ward's invention after his death is a complete mystery.

On this episode, we talk about whether Starlite was real or a hoax -- and note that many reputable scientists appeared to take the hairdresser very seriously. (Don't take our word for it; here's a video from the BBC.) We also talk about whether Ward's desire to do good was sidetracked by other motives, and whether some powerful force may have taken Starlite underground.

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This week, Mark Ramsey joins us to preview "Inside Star Wars," which debuts Wednesday, May 29 and which you should subscribe to right here. But he also tells the Carrie Fisher story, a tale of a nervous 19-year-old who doesn't know she's about to star in the biggest movie in the world.

Carrie Fisher suffered a series of indignities for her role in "Star Wars" -- from scenes with a character everyone called "the dog" to a series of weird hairstyles to a pre-shooting trip to an icky 1970s institution known as a "fat farm."

But through her performance as Princess Leia, she became a cultural icon. A month after her death, the 2017 Women's March included many posters Leia Organa -- and her famous headphones-style hair -- accompanied by slogans about rebellion and "The Force."

She was also known for wit, humor, and dedication in the midst of struggle. She overcame her resistance to Hollywood and acting to fulfill her destiny as a movie star, writer, and symbol of the power of struggle. Her struggle with addiction set an example for many more people -- if someone as cool as Carrie Fisher could quit drugs and booze, so could they.

She died in December 2016, one day before from her mother, Debbie Reynolds. But her force will be with us, always.

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Jobriath was a '70s glam-rocker who, like David Bowie, Elton John and Freddie Mercury, sang songs about space. But unlike any of them, he was openly gay in the 1970s - long before the people of earth were ready to welcome him with open arms.

This week we talk about his spiky piano music, his space-angel beauty, and the hype machine that set him up for a cruel downfall. His influence continues with artists from Morrissey to Def Leppard's Joe Elliott.

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In 1943, Nazi Germany made the world's most expensive propaganda film: "Titanic." The story of the Nazi Titanic ends even more tragically than the story of the real Titanic.

We relied on Robert P. Watson's book "The Nazi Titanic," and this excellent article by The Times of Israel: http://www.timesofisrael.com/goebbels-titanic-cinematic-disaster-turns-70/?fb_comment_id=633081316715300_102564287

UPDATE: We just learned a "Nazi Titanic" movie is already in the works. We can't wait to see it.

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"Inside Jaws" isn't just the story of the first summer blockbuster - it's also the story of how Steven Spielberg found his voice and his courage.

"Inside Jaws" host talks to us about Jaws, recreating shark attacks using only sound, and how Spielberg represents the creator in all of us. Listen to it here:

https://wondery.com/shows/inside-jaws/

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