Why Goldfish Swam Into Our Living Rooms. Plus, Best Pet Vocalist

Every Little Thing

Gimlet

Comedy, Education, Science

4.6 • 4.6K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2018

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How did goldfish come to dominate our fish bowls and pet stores? We dive into the history of America’s favorite finned pet. Plus, the fanciest goldfish money can buy, and the best pet in a vocal performance. Guests: Katherine "Kasey" Grier, the pet historian; Dave Mandley, goldfish freak. Thanks to caller Liana, pet owners Kerry Ann, Stephanie and Diane, and all the listeners who shared their pet’s special talent. Additional thanks to Katrina Gulliver, Mary Mannix, Liz Thomas, James Rada, Prosanta Chakrabarty, Konrad Dabrowski, Zachary Sperstad, Andrew Simons, Loren Miller, Barbara Mable, Peter Hundt, Norman Stacey, Larry Cleveland, Margaret Thomas Koogle, Charles B. Thomas, Jim Bland, Stephen Eaton, and Mike Rice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You have reached the Every Little Thing helpline.
0:05.0	Please leave your question about a scaly animal that is also a delicious snack after the beep.
0:10.0	Hi, my name is Leana, and I've been wondering where goldfish came from, not the food like the pet.
0:19.0	Hello?
0:23.6	Hey Leana, it's Flora from E.L.
0:25.6	Hi.
0:26.4	Have you had a goldfish?
0:27.7	I have had a goldfish, yeah.
0:29.8	What was its name?
0:30.6	What was the story?
0:31.8	My sister and I both got one.
0:33.4	They were Goldie and Princess,
0:35.8	and then my parents totally left them
0:38.5	at the house alone for a week when we were on vacation.
0:41.2	I guess that was the end of their story. That was the end of their
0:44.1	story, yes. So what are you dying to know? So like every kid has had a goldfish, but
0:50.4	how did we even end up with them in our homes in the first place?
0:54.0	Like how did they end up in these bags that were getting from carnivals?
0:59.0	And parents are like, oh, okay, cool, here, let's just put it in a jar.
1:02.0	They are like a quintessential American pet.
1:04.8	Yeah. Do you have any theories about why it's this fish like why this fish
1:09.5	ascended the pet ranks? That's really just where I keep getting stuck is like I don't know how it was them.
	...

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