Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402

The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast". The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters. Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance. He also discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

This video by Lex Fridman was published on Nov 25, 2023.
Video length: 01:39:02.

The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "The Lex Fridman Podcast." The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.

Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance. He also discusses the challenges of keeping the species as a pet, such as the difficulty in providing the right minerals for molting.

The conversation also touches on Michael Malice's personal preferences and the impact of his interests on his life.

• The video is from Lex Fridman YouTube channel.
• The video is a part of a transcript of a video with title 'Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402 - YouTube' and with description 'The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast". The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.'.

• Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp.
• He discusses the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He also discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet.
• He emphasizes the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

• The peacock mantis shrimp is also known as the thumb splitters.
• It has eight legs, six arms, two punching claws or spearing claws depending on the genus.
• It has two eyes, two antenna, and two ear flaps.
• Its punch can be as strong as a bullet.

• Michael Malice had one as a pet and found it fascinating to observe its behavior.
• He misses it and still thinks about it to this day.

• The conversation is about a book written by Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, titled "North Korea: 90% of the Time".
• The book is about North Korea and the author's experiences there, but the conversation focuses on the challenges of keeping a unique species as a pet, such as a peacock mantis shrimp.

• The peacock mantis shrimp is a unique and challenging species to keep as a pet due to its need for specific minerals in its diet and environment.
• The author shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• The conversation also touches on the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet, including the need for specialized care and attention.

• The peacock mantis shrimp requires specific minerals in its diet and environment to properly molt and maintain its health.
• The author discusses the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting and the challenges of maintaining the right balance of minerals in the tank.

• The conversation between Michael Malice and Alex Fridman on the Lex Fridman Podcast covers a range of topics, including the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet, and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.
• The conversation highlights the fascination and challenges of keeping a unique species as a pet, and the importance of proper care and attention to maintain their health and well-being.

• The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast".
• The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.
• Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402 - YouTube

Introduction

• The video is from Lex Fridman YouTube channel.
• The video is a part of a transcript of a video with title 'Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402 - YouTube' and with description 'The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast". The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.'.

Michael Malice's Experience with Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp.
• He discusses the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He also discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet.
• He emphasizes the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp's Unique Features

• The peacock mantis shrimp is also known as the thumb splitters.
• It has eight legs, six arms, two punching claws or spearing claws depending on the genus.
• It has two eyes, two antenna, and two ear flaps.
• Its punch can be as strong as a bullet.

Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402 - YouTube

Conclusion

• Michael Malice had one as a pet and found it fascinating to observe its behavior.
• He misses it and still thinks about it to this day.

Introduction

• The conversation is about a book written by Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, titled "North Korea: 90% of the Time".
• The book is about North Korea and the author's experiences there, but the conversation focuses on the challenges of keeping a unique species as a pet, such as a peacock mantis shrimp.

Challenges of Keeping a Peacock Mantis Shrimp as a Pet

• The peacock mantis shrimp is a unique and challenging species to keep as a pet due to its need for specific minerals in its diet and environment.
• The author shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• The conversation also touches on the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet, including the need for specialized care and attention.

Importance of Having the Right Minerals in the Mix

• The peacock mantis shrimp requires specific minerals in its diet and environment to properly molt and maintain its health.
• The author discusses the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting and the challenges of maintaining the right balance of minerals in the tank.

Conclusion

• The conversation between Michael Malice and Alex Fridman on the Lex Fridman Podcast covers a range of topics, including the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet, and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.
• The conversation highlights the fascination and challenges of keeping a unique species as a pet, and the importance of proper care and attention to maintain their health and well-being.

The Beauty and Uniqueness of the Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast".
• The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.
• Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

Michael Malice's Experience with Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp.
• He discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.
• He describes the behavior and appearance of the peacock mantis shrimp, including its ability to change color and its powerful claws.
• He talks about the fascination he had with the peacock mantis shrimp and how it was a unique and interesting pet to have.

Roseanne Barr's Influence on Michael Malice

• Michael Malice mentions that Roseanne Barr got him his first job.
• He describes her as pathologically funny and says that making eye contact with her is like "holy crap".
• He talks about how her laugh, which is featured in the theme song of her show, makes him feel like he did a Mitzvah.
• He says that he finds her little and thinks of her as a force of nature.

Michael Malice's Favorite Comedian

• Michael Malice's favorite comedian is Neil Hamburger.
• He describes him as a character performed by Greg Turkington, who comes out in a tuxedo, big eyeglasses, and holds three glasses of water.
• He talks about how Neil Hamburger's jokes are often not funny and how the audience reacts to him.
• He mentions that Neil Hamburger opened for Tenacious D once.

Michael Malice's Favorite Movie

• Michael Malice's favorite movie is Jesus's Son.
• He describes it as a Little Indie movie and says that Jack Black did a great turn in it.
• He talks about how Jack Black is underrated as an actor and has a lot of range.
• He mentions that he is thankful for the joy and fun that Jack Black brings to the movie.

Family and Humor

• The speaker has a nephew named Lucas who is six years old and has a sense of humor.
• Lucas stole his sister's phone and called his grandmother pretending to be Michael, the speaker's nephew.
• The speaker took Lucas to Mar Lago, the former president's house, where they met the president.
• The speaker finds it funny that Lucas is comparing the president to Abraham Lincoln.
• The speaker has another nephew named Zach who is coming of age and loves being funny and having fun.

Jokes and Thoughts

• The speaker finds some jokes and thoughts enraging when people don't go with the joke or understand it.
• The speaker was in the car with his sister when she was young and made a joke about a squid.
• The speaker apologizes for the rude interruptions and appreciates the account, especially when the jokes and thoughts come to him with a 10-second delay.
• The speaker tells his sister that sometimes she needs help and her skin is showing.
• The speaker tells his sister that everyone went with the joke about the squid, and he was impressed by their sense of humor.

Family and Culture

• The speaker's family has a sense of humor, especially in Soviet culture.
• The speaker's parents remember a lot of lines from books and poems, which adds to the humor and richness of their conversations.
• The speaker feels that Russian culture has a dark sense of humor, wit, word play, and poetry.
• The speaker feels that these are great icebreakers in Russia, where people meet at parties or bars.
• The speaker feels that these are not things in America, where people use witty banter as icebreakers.

Section 1: Thanksgiving Special

• The video is about a conversation between Michael Malice and host Alex Fridman on the podcast "Lex Fridman Podcast".
• The topic of the conversation is the beauty and uniqueness of the peacock mantis shrimp, also known as the thumb splitters.
• Michael Malice shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp and the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He also discusses the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet and the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

Section 2: Family

• The speaker is thankful for their family.
• They mention that their family is proud of them, but they get argumentative when discussing certain topics.
• The speaker mentions that their relationship with their family is important and formative, especially early on in life.
• They mention that their father taught them a lot of things at a young age that they are grateful for.

Section 3: Learning and Growth

• The speaker mentions that they are grateful for the things they learned as a child.
• They mention that they are able to keep their friends from making the same mistakes they did.
• They mention that their father encouraged them to learn and had a good sense of humor.
• They mention that they have a love of learning and have accumulated many books to read.

Section 4: Cynicism and Appreciation

• The speaker mentions that they are not cynical and appreciate the good things in life.
• They mention that they are grateful for their podcast and the guests they have on.
• They mention that they wish their guests would talk less in their podcast.
• They mention that they appreciate Michael Malice's commentary on debates and discussions.

Introduction

• The speaker is discussing their experience with the video "American Splendor" and the graphic novel "Eon Huus" that was based on it.
• They mention their meeting with Harvey Pekar, the creator of "American Splendor," and how it led to the creation of "Eon Huus."
• They also mention their plans to turn "Eon Huus" into a graphic novel.

The Comic Book Series "American Splendor"

• The speaker discusses the comic book series "American Splendor" and how it was adapted into a movie.
• They mention the graphic novel "Eon Huus," which was based on the movie and written by the speaker.
• They mention their meeting with Harvey Pekar, the creator of "American Splendor," and how it led to the creation of "Eon Huus."

The Graphic Novel "Eon Huus"

• The speaker discusses the graphic novel "Eon Huus," which was based on the movie "American Splendor."
• They mention the challenges of turning a movie into a graphic novel.
• They mention their plans to turn "Eon Huus" into a graphic novel.

The Writing Process

• The speaker discusses the writing process for "Eon Huus" and how it has been influenced by their experiences over the past 20 years.
• They mention the fears they had about making it as a writer and how those fears have been dispelled.
• They mention their plans to turn "Eon Huus" into a graphic novel and how it will be a testament to their writing abilities.

Moving to Austin

• The speaker moved from New York to Austin.
• He found it lonely in Austin due to the lack of social activities and people he knew.
• He had a long list of friends he could hang out with in Austin.
• He could be himself around these friends.
• He is thankful for these friendships, especially in lonely moments.

Texas Independence

• The speaker discussed a failed attempt to introduce a bill for Texas to declare its independence.
• He gave it national attention and it was funny because many people didn't take it seriously.
• The speaker met with the legislator and had a nice conversation.
• The bill was unanimously voted down because the legislator was drunk and inappropriate.
• The speaker is thankful for this experience as it is part of the platform of the Texas Republican party.

Historians and Writing

• The speaker is thankful for historians who write in a way that is entertaining and readable.
• He is impressed by writers who come up with sophisticated words.
• He is a fan of Acme bombs and Acme St.
• He is a fan of Ron Chernow, who wrote The Hamilton Biography.
• He is grateful for historians who make learning about history enjoyable.

Historians and the Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Historians have written about the peacock mantis shrimp for a long time.
• The peacock mantis shrimp is a unique and fascinating species.
• Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, has a pet peacock mantis shrimp.
• Malice discusses the challenges of keeping a unique species as a pet.
• Malice emphasizes the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

Comparisons between Putin and Stalin

• Comparisons between Putin and Stalin are often made.
• It is difficult to claim that Putin conquered Ukraine would lead to a genocide.
• Comparisons between what's going on in Israel on either side to the Holocaust are also troubling.
• Malice does not like how some people use the term "holocaust survivor" to refer to George Soros.
• Malice thinks it is disingenuous and repulsive to equivocate between figures like Soros and Elon Musk.

The Holocaust as a Historical Event

• Malice thinks the Holocaust is a singular event in history.
• The lessons from the Holocaust are about how extreme it can get and how fast it can happen.
• Malice thinks people are fundamentally deranged with a veneer of civility.
• Malice thinks there is a show called "I'm Having Alzheimer's" that captures the thin veneer of normalcy.
• Malice thinks the deep ocean of the human mind is good and there is a longing to be good to others.

Michael Malice's Experience with Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Michael Malice, an anarchist and author, shares his personal experience of having a pet peacock mantis shrimp.
• He discusses the fascination he had with its behavior and appearance.
• He also talks about the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet.
• He emphasizes the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for proper molting.

The Beauty and Uniqueness of Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Michael Malice talks about the beauty and uniqueness of peacock mantis shrimp.
• He describes its colorful appearance and the way it moves.
• He also talks about the challenges of keeping such a unique species as a pet.

The Challenges of Keeping Peacock Mantis Shrimp as a Pet

• Michael Malice talks about the challenges of keeping peacock mantis shrimp as a pet.
• He discusses the need for a specific environment and diet.
• He also talks about the importance of proper care and attention.

The Importance of Proper Minerals in the Mix for Peacock Mantis Shrimp

• Michael Malice talks about the importance of having the right minerals in the mix for peacock mantis shrimp.
• He describes the minerals that are necessary for proper molting.
• He also talks about the challenges of maintaining the right mineral balance.

Unboxing the Chance Murmur Sculpture

• The speaker is excited to receive a sculpture from Turkey called Chance Murmur.
• The sculpture is a unique and beautiful piece of art.
• The speaker is impressed by the artist's creativity and skill.
• The sculpture is a work of art that speaks to the speaker's love of beauty and joy.
• The speaker is grateful for the artist's work and the impact it has had on their life.

Contemporary Art and Beauty

• The speaker is a fan of contemporary art and its ability to capture beauty in 2D or 3D form.
• The speaker is impressed by the creativity and skill of contemporary artists.
• The speaker believes that contemporary art has the power to add beauty to people's lives.
• The speaker is grateful for the opportunity to support young and creative artists.
• The speaker is impressed by the variety of contemporary art available, from paintings to sculptures.

Watch the video on YouTube:
Michael Malice: Thanksgiving Pirate Special | Lex Fridman Podcast #402 - YouTube