EPISODE CHASER: Fritzchen
This was a fun one for both of us. I've been a huge fan of Charles Beaumont for a long time, having discovered him first through the Twilight Zone and then through my endless probing into the work of the California Group.
That link right there will take you to Christopher Conlon’s wonderful article about the Group, which includes the heartbreaking story of Beaumont’s quick and brutal battle with the disease that killed him.
There were so many great stories to choose from (the "problem" with a lot of great writers), but in the end, "Fritzchen" won out with its greedy protagonist, his psychopathic kid, and the freakzoid monster at the center of the tale.
The References
We’re two Gen-Xers whose minds are everywhere all at once, sub-referencing ourselves into the boundless depths, thus warranting a deeper dive into some of the passing remarks we make on the show.
1. Sea Pigs
I mentioned in the episode that this is what the monster Fritzchen reminds me of.
Look at this little Lovecraftian nightmare. Can't you just see this thing eventually devouring a Dalmatian?
Here’s a Wired article about them.
(Sorry you have to read a Wired article.)
2. Recipe: Oyster Dressing Casserole
As promised.
I love oysters. I love ground beef. I love everything in this recipe.
Why, then, is it so goddamned revolting?
HOT TIP: If you want to stay true to the story, try soaking the breadcrumbs in a tiny splash of milk. Or, as Alec suggested, just have a glass of milk with it. Both prospects fill me with no small amount of loathing, ditto the prospect of freezing the leftovers as the recipe instructs, but I'm willing to try it for the sake of the podcast. Let me know if you'd like me to and I'll be happy to oblige.
THE LINK: https://www.food.com/recipe/oyster-dressing-casserole-375253
3. Birds of Paradise
One of the joys of research is gleaning a three-second long tidbit to use on the show and then filing it away in the trunk labeled "Grandpa's Army Stuff" eventually to be forgotten completely.
Thus, in the interest of Human Knowledge Preservation (HKP), here's a very deep dive indeed into the history of birds of paradise throughout the Victorian era. Grab yourself a scoop of oyster dressing casserole à la mode and enjoy.
4. The Brady Bunch
In addition to his writing credits, Christopher Beaumont has a handful of acting credits as well. Here he is as Marcia’s love interest and Greg’s arch-nemesis, Jerry Rogers (not Hank, as I thought he was called).
The show typecast him as a scumbag, because here he is in an earlier episode as scumbag Eddie, who sells Greg a damn lemon.
(And coming soon to a future episode of the podcast: The Chambers Eddie Hypothesis!)
He even appears as the thumbnail for the football episode.
Jeeezuz look at that picture.
Errata
We speak off the cuff, and often under the influence of a particular fermented beverage. It's only natural our mouths run ahead of our brains and we muck up some of the details.
The Beaumont story wherein he references his traumatic childhood is called "Miss Gentilbelle", whereas I pronounced it, "Miss Genti-BEEL". Lord knows where that came from.
A lot of stuff winds up on the cutting room floor. Usually it's because of issues with time and our propensity toward veering waayy off the subject. This time, it was a slight error. At one point, Alec had mentioned Narragansett Beer's series of Lovecraftian beers, a notion that warms my squishy little heart in allll kindsa ways. The only problem was that neither he nor I realized that the beers were a limited run.
Let this writing serve as a plea to Narragansett and Revival Brewing Company to bring back these exquisite creations. In the meantime, check out the designs on the cans.
And that's all I got. Catch you next time for "The Jar".
