The Power Of Sleep

·33 min·3 clips

A prank involving ash-covered faces escalates into a violent glassing with a priceless antique wine glass.

The episode begins with Andy Dawson and Sam Delaney introducing themselves and the show, noting it's a Friday morning episode available early for Patreon subscribers. Andy is in London for three Pet Shop Boys gigs at the Electric Ballroom, describing them as purist shows with obscure tracks and B-sides. He mentions seeing Neil Tennant make rare lyric mistakes and restart songs, adding a touch of humanity to the usually precise performances. Johnny Marr made a surprise guest appearance on one night, playing three songs. Andy is enjoying a mini-holiday in London, staying in a Travelodge and exploring the city. Sam has been bedridden with a cold all week, contrasting with Andy's active time. They discuss attitudes toward illness, with Sam recalling how he used to work through colds when younger but now shuts down. Andy shares an anecdote about taking two Night Nurse pills, which induced a 12-hour sleep that alleviated his cold symptoms but left him disoriented the next day. Sam talks about his own experience with drowsy cough medicine and melatonin, which led to a restless night he describes as nearly 'whiting out.' The conversation shifts to sleep habits, with both hosts praising the restorative power of sleep but noting their reliance on medication for it. Sam recounts a story about a teenage friend who developed a Night Nurse addiction due to sleep issues, leading to sleepwalking and a incident where his mother caught him sleep-pissing into a bucket. Sam then shares a personal story from when he was 17, involving a barbecue at his brother's house where he vomited into a bag containing freshly printed wedding invitations, ruining them. He panicked and ran home, leaving the scene. This leads to a broader discussion about house-sitting disasters. Sam describes another incident where his brother and friends house-sat for a rich boss, played a prank game called 'Pinchy Pinchy' that involved covering a new girlfriend's face with ash, resulting in her glassing his brother with a valuable antique wine glass. The hosts reflect on generational differences, noting that modern parents are more engaged with their teenagers' friends compared to the more distant relationships in their youth. They wrap up with Premier League football predictions for upcoming matches, including Burnley vs Brighton and Liverpool vs Fulham. The episode ends with casual sign-offs and an ad for Waymo autonomous vehicles.

As heard by us

A funny, uneasy episode about sleeplessness, teenage anxiety, medication, and the strange relief of finally dropping off.

Sleep comes through here as a basic need with an almost supernatural pull. The hosts move from medicated long sleeps to the particular dread of being awake while the mind refuses to shut down.

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Why you'd press play

Sleep is magical until your brain refuses to switch off, and this chat knows how scary the small hours can get.

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