Exploring the science of the senseless
Stupid is as stupid does, but HOW does stupid do what it does? Such is the question posed on Science of Stupid, National Geographic Channel’s investigation into tomfoolery. It returns for Season 4 on Sunday with back-to-back episodes.
Each episode collects video clips of head-shaking shenanigans — like someone jumping into a frozen swimming pool or riding a bike up a wall — and then dives into the science behind them. For example, you need to build up some sweet angular momentum if you want to headspin like a B-boy instead of Chef Boyardee.
Principles like gravity, centre of mass, impact angles and Newton’s laws also help make sense of the senseless.
“Above all, I’ve learned there is always science going on,” Richard Hammond, the former host of the U.K. version of the show, told the Mirror. (Dallas Campbell now fronts the U.K. version of the series, which also airs in Canada.)
“I’ve seen that whenever people are doing a backflip or jumping off something, science can explain why people hurt themselves. Science of Stupid is a great format — we love those clips of people doing stupid things. We can laugh at them because we give it understanding.”
FYI, there’s a simple trick to help you conserve angular momentum the next time your breakdancing routine calls for a dope backflip. Draw your knees in to increase the speed of rotation, Hammond says, and you’ll be the smuggest B-boy on the block.
CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH?
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger joins the late-night club with her talk show Truth & Iliza, debuting Sunday on ABC Spark. Residing in the crevice between pop culture and politics, it spotlights a different theme in each episode — like censorship, women’s sexuality and social awareness — with interviews and sketches to round things out.
“It’s a social commentary show,” Shlesinger told Glamour this week.
“It’s less focused on ripping apart Donald Trump and more focused on saying, ‘Here’s what’s going on in the world and our country, and here’s how it actually affects you.’ I really just wanted to talk to women in particular in a funny and informed way. I don’t think anybody is doing that and not making it 100 per cent about politics.”
Shlesinger won NBC’s standup competition show Last Comic Standing in 2008, and has recorded three Netflix specials: War Paint, Freezing Hot and Confirmed Kills. Her main goal with Truth & Iliza, she said, was to foster a dialogue about the things women might be thinking about but are afraid to say.
“Of course I want men to watch this show, but I want women to watch and feel understood, feel represented, and feel like somebody wants to make them laugh.”
THE PRIVATE EYES HAVE IT
Jason Priestley, whose sideburns should’ve been credited as a supporting actor on Beverly Hills, 90210, will return with a second season of his homegrown drama Private Eyes. It’ll kick off May 25 on Global.
The police drama stars Priestley as a hockey player-turned-private investigator and Cindy Sampson as his partner. Season 2 will see Samantha Wan (Second Jen), Sharon Lewis (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Bree Williamson (One Life To Live) and Mark Ghanimé (Reign) join the cast.
William Shatner, Jeanne Beker and designer Stephan Caras will guest star.