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- NEXT ON THINGAMABOB...
[crowd cheering]
- WHO WANTS A HOT DOG?
[crowd shouting]
- WHAT ARE YOU MAKING? - CHAIR PANTS.
OH, MY GOD.
- AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LAND OF INVENTION.
WE'VE INVENTED BIFOCALS, SPRAY TAN, THE LIGHT SWITCH,
THE ZIPPER, THE STEAMBOAT, THE SCREEN SAVER,
AND THE ROCKET, JUST TO NAME SEVEN.
AND ALL THESE INVENTIONS HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON--
THEY WERE ALL CRAZY IDEAS ACTUALIZED.
SINCE WE ALL LOVE OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING,
OUR NEW HISTORY SHOW NEEDED AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX INVENTOR,
LIKE BOB.
- WHOA!
YEAH!
- EACH EPISODE, HE'LL RECEIVE THREE OBJECTS--
ALL OF THEM CONNECTED TO AMERICA'S INNOVATIVE PAST.
IT'S UP TO BOB TO USE THEM ANY WAY HE WANTS,
REVEAL THEIR STORY,
AND CONTINUE AMERICA'S TRUE SPIRIT OF INVENTION.
AMERICA, MEET BOB.
BOB, GO MEET AMERICA.
[rock music]
♪ ♪
[buzzer sounding]
- WHOA. OH, HEY, WHAT DO WE GOT?
SO WE GET ANOTHER BOX, AND IT'S THE HEAVIEST BOX SO FAR.
I'M VERY EXCITED BECAUSE HEAVY MEANS AWESOME.
WHAT COULD IT BE?
- WHAT? - OH, YEAH.
- WHOA. - AWESOME.
- OH, MY GOD. - THIS IS A--
- WHAT IS THAT? - WHAT IS THIS THING?
- WE GOT KNOBS. - OH, WOW.
IT'S A HOT DOG MACHINE.
- OH, YEAH! - OH, YEAH.
- IT WAS THE MACHINE THAT YOU SEE AT CONVENIENCE STORES
THAT HAVE THE HOT DOGS ALWAYS HOT, JUST ROLLING
AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND.
I LOVE GETTING AN OBJECT THAT'S A PRACTICAL THING
WITH A PRACTICAL PURPOSE, AND THEN I GET THE CHALLENGE
OF MAKING IT INTO SOMETHING MECHANICALLY FANTASTICAL.
LET'S SEE WHAT'S IN THE BOX AFTER THAT ONE.
SOME LEVI'S. - HMM.
- AT LEAST IT'S, LIKE, A REALLY STRONG FABRIC.
THEY'RE PRETTY COOL
BECAUSE THEY'RE KNOWN FOR BEING STRONG,
AND TWO HORSES CAN'T PULL THEM APART,
SO THAT JUST SEEMS REALLY COOL TOO.
THERE SHOULD BE ONE MORE. WE ALWAYS GET THREE.
DIVE DOWN. OH, SCALES OF JUSTICE.
SCALES--
THEY'RE REALLY COOL. THEY'RE MADE OF METAL.
THERE'S AN UP AND DOWN. THERE'S A MOVEMENT.
SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE A GREAT SWITCH
OR ACTUATOR FOR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THE SCALES OR THE JEANS.
BUT I JUST CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT HOT DOG ROLLERS.
COULD WE USE HOT DOGS TOO?
- I THINK WE HAVE TO. - YEAH.
HONESTLY, WHENEVER I OPEN A BOX,
IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I'M LIKE,
"WHAT IN HERE CAN I USE TO MAKE A GUN?"
SHOOTING-- HOT DOG SHOOTER.
- HOT DOG PROJECTILES.
- YEAH. - WE COULD MAKE A GUN.
- DUDE, HOT DOG GUN? - THAT'S AWESOME.
- HOT DOG GUN-- AWESOME.
LET'S SHOOT HOT DOGS.
- THE HOT DOG BEGAN AS A ROYAL FOOD.
FRANKFURTERS WERE HANDED OUT TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE
OF CORONATIONS IN THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE.
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT SERVED KING GEORGE VI OF ENGLAND
HOT DOGS AND BEER DURING A U.S. VISIT IN 1939.
THE KING ASKED FOR SECONDS.
THE AVERAGE HOT DOG IS CONSUMED IN 6.1 BITES,
AND BETWEEN MEMORIAL AND LABOR DAY,
AMERICANS WILL CONSUME 7 BILLION HOT DOGS.
THAT'S 818 DOGS A SECOND.
HOT DOGS HAVE EVEN MADE IT TO SPACE.
THEY WERE EATEN ON THE APOLLO 11 MISSION,
GARNISHED WITH A THERMO-STABILIZED
CHEDDAR-CHEESE SPREAD.
YUM.
- SO HOT DOGS--
FIRST THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS BASEBALL.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT GROWING UP
WAS GOING TO BASEBALL GAMES WITH MY DAD.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ORDERED A HOT DOG,
THEY'D WRAP THEM UP IN FOIL AND THROW THEM TO YOU.
I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING FOR BASEBALL FANS
THEY'LL NEVER FORGET.
I'M GONNA BUILD A HOT DOG GUN
THAT'S GONNA SHOOT A HOT DOG RIGHT UP INTO THE STANDS.
CAN I GET SOMEBODY IN HERE
TO HELP ME TAKE DOWN THE OLD GUN?
- YEP.
OLD FAITHFUL. - WOW, SHE'S DUSTY.
- OKAY.
- THIS IS MY THINGAMABOB AIR-PRESSURE TESTING GUN
THAT I USE IN A LOT OF MY INVENTIONS.
I'VE MADE SPEAR GUNS,
FOOTBALL GUN, GUN GUN,
BUT I'VE NEVER MADE A HOT DOG GUN, YEAH.
SO THIS IS JUST FOR TESTING
IF AIR PRESSURE CAN SHOOT A HOT DOG SAFELY.
[laughter]
- HAVE YOU EVER SHOT ANYTHING
AS SQUISHY AS A HOT DOG?
- UM...NO.
LET'S GET THIS THING CHARGED UP.
[machine whirring]
IT'S, LIKE, JUST A BIT SMALL FOR THREE.
- YOU'RE UP TO PRESSURE. - THIS IS OFF.
- I SHOULD PROBABLY PUT MY GOGGLES ON.
- TRIGGER SET... - MOVING BLANKET.
- AIMED. READY? - GO FOR IT.
- THREE, TWO, ONE.
FIRE IN THE HOLE.
OH, MY GOD.
- I'M PRETTY SURE THOSE HOT DOGS AREN'T SOLID ANYMORE.
- THOSE ARE VAPORIZED.
- I'M NOT ENTIRELY POSITIVE, BUT--
- SO THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THE HOT DOG, LIKE, MORE OF A GENTLE PUSH.
LIKE, WE HAVE TO HOLD THE HOT DOG...
- I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST CHUNK.
- AND THROW IT BUT REALLY HARD.
- ALL RIGHT, CHECK THIS OUT. - OH!
- I TOOK THESE ROLLERS OUT.
- SO WE TOOK APART THE HOT DOG MACHINE
AND GRABBED A COUPLE OF THE ROLLERS.
WE CAN FIRE A HOT DOG RIGHT OFF OF THESE.
SHING! - RAIL GUN, BABY.
- YEAH, OR A BOW. IT COULD BE, LIKE, CHH--
- OH, YEAH. - OR WE COULD JUST USE A BOW.
- DUDE, CROSSBOW. - CROSSBOW.
- YEAH? - YEAH.
- A BOW IS PERFECT FOR A HOT DOG
BECAUSE A BOW STARTS OUT WITH A GENTLE PUSH,
BUT THEN RIGHT AT THE END, IT'S LIKE A SUPER-HARD FLICK.
THAT COULD BE A HANDHELD. - OH, TOTALLY.
- [imitates gunshot]
- [imitates gunshot] LET ME SEE.
- A REGULAR GUN BARREL HAS RIFLING ON THE INSIDE--
THESE LITTLE GROOVES THAT MAKE THE PROJECTILE SPIN REALLY FAST
TO MAKE IT GO STRAIGHT AND FAR.
SO, INSTEAD OF RIFLING, WE HAVE ALL OUR HOT DOG ROLLERS
ARE SPINNING ALL IN THE SAME DIRECTION,
SO IT'LL JUST MAKE THE HOT DOG SPIN.
AND THEN WE'RE PUSHING THROUGH THAT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE SPINNING REALLY FAST JUST LIKE A BULLET.
THE REAL LINCHPIN IS THE BOW.
THAT'S, LIKE, A RELIABLE SOURCE OF POWER,
SO, RATHER THAN A CONVENTIONAL GRIP,
WE'VE JUST GOT A PIECE OF HARDWOOD HERE.
CUT THE BEVELS, ADDED THE BRACKETS THAT GO ON THE BOW,
AND THEN WE'RE JUST MOUNTING THIS RIGHT ON THE HOT DOG GUN.
THE BOW IS NICE AND LIGHT AT THE END,
SO ALL THE WEIGHT WILL BE RIGHT HERE, CLOSE TO MY BODY.
SO THIS IS OUR HOT DOG PUSHER.
YOU PULL THE TRIGGER, IT GOES DOWN, AND THEN IT GOES FORWARD.
SEE THAT THING THERE? THAT LATCHES IT.
AND THEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER-- THAT WANTS TO GO FORWARD
'CAUSE IT'S GOT THE BOWSTRING ON IT.
THAT GOES LIKE THAT. CLICK.
AND THEN THAT'S ALLOWED TO SPIN UP,
AND WITH THE ROLLERS, IT SPINS.
WE'VE GOT A "SPINNY" CHAMBER THERE THAT THE HOT DOG GOES IN.
WE GOT THE ROLLERS HEATING IT, SPINNING IT.
CROSSBOW SHOOTS IT.
PERSON CATCHES IT, EATS IT, IS HAPPY.
ALL RIGHT.
GO TO THE GAME.
WANT A HOT DOG? WANT A HOT DOG?
[rock music]
♪ ♪
- YAY, I MADE IT. HEY, JEFF, HOW YOU DOING?
- HEY, BOB, GOOD TO SEE YOU. - GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO, MAN.
- REAL EXCITED. WELCOME TO NEW BRITAIN STADIUM.
- THANK YOU. THIS IS AWESOME. I'M SO PSYCHED TO BE HERE.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT HAVING YOUR OWN TV SHOW
IS WHEN YOU MAKE A HOT DOG CROSSBOW,
YOU GET AN INVITATION TO A BASEBALL GAME
SO YOU CAN SHOOT HOT DOGS AT PEOPLE.
- IS THIS THING ACTUALLY GONNA WORK?
- WELL, IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN YOU'RE ALL GONNA SEE.
- WELL, YOU'RE GONNA SET UP IN THE HOME DUGOUT.
- OKAY. - IT'S ALL YOURS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN WORK, AND WE'LL COME GET YOU
WHEN WE'RE READY. - I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A DUGOUT.
- GOOD LUCK. - ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
- DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING. - I WON'T.
WE'VE JUST GOTTEN THE GUN TO A POINT WHERE I THINK IT WORKS,
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST TO SPIN A HOT DOG
TO MAKE IT SHOOT PROPERLY.
SO THERE'S JUST A TON OF STUFF
I GOT TO FIGURE OUT BASICALLY ON THE FIELD.
- WHAT IS THAT THING? - THIS IS A HOT DOG CROSSBOW.
- [laughs]
- MY NAME IS BOB. HOW YOU DOING?
SO I'M WANDERING AROUND.
MAYBE I'LL GET SOME SODA OR SOME PEANUTS OR SOMETHING.
HOW YOU DOING? - GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
- PRETTY GOOD. WHAT DO YOU GOT?
- GOT SOME POPCORN, PEANUTS, CRACKER JACKS.
- COOL.
HE'S STANDING THERE,
HOLDING HIS STUFF, AND HE LOOKS A LITTLE TIRED.
ARE YOU ON YOUR FEET ALL DAY?
- I MEAN, THEY DON'T LET ME SIT DOWN.
I CAN'T TAKE A SEAT FROM A FAN, YOU KNOW.
- WHAT SIZE IS YOUR WAIST? - ABOUT 32 OR SO.
- I'VE GOT THESE JEANS... - OKAY.
- AND MAYBE I COULD MAKE YOU
SOME PANTS THAT YOU COULD SIT DOWN IN.
HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A CHAIR,
SO I'M THINKING MAYBE I COULD MAKE HIM
SOMETHING HE CAN SIT ON THAT IS KIND OF SECRET,
LIKE, NOBODY CAN SEE IT, AND THEN HE'S ABLE TO JUST,
LIKE, BEND HIS KNEES,
AND A CHAIR POPS OUT.
TELL YOU WHAT-- I'M GONNA TAKE A LOOK AROUND,
MAKE YOU A PAIR OF CHAIR PANTS.
- OKAY, THANK YOU. - THANKS, MAN.
- THANK YOU. - I'LL BE BACK SOON.
I MUST HATE MYSELF.
I COULD'VE JUST WAITED AND SHOT THE HOT DOG GUN,
BUT I HAD TO COMMIT TO ANOTHER BUILD.
NOW I'VE GOT TO HAVE THESE CHAIR PANTS DONE
IN, LIKE, AN HOUR.
- BOB RECEIVED A BOX CONTAINING THREE OBJECTS--
A HOT DOG ROLLER MACHINE, A PAIR OF LEVI'S JEANS,
AND A SET OF SCALES. - THAT'S AWESOME.
- BOB'S UPPING HIS GAME BY SHOOTING HOT DOGS
TO THE FANS OF THE NEW BRITAIN ROCK CATS.
- WHAT IS THAT THING? - THIS IS A HOT DOG CROSSBOW.
- [laughs]
- BUT WHILE HE'S WAITING FOR THE CROWD TO ARRIVE,
HE'S DECIDED TO USE THE LEVI'S TO MAKE A PAIR OF CHAIR PANTS.
- I MUST HATE MYSELF.
I COULD'VE JUST WAITED AND SHOT THE HOT DOG GUN,
BUT I HAD TO COMMIT TO ANOTHER BUILD.
NOW I'VE GOT TO HAVE THESE CHAIR PANTS DONE IN, LIKE, AN HOUR.
SO I'M LOOKING AROUND.
UM...
THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING AROUND HERE.
I JUST NEED A COUPLE OF THINGS.
OH, THIS LOOKS--
THE PROFILE OF THAT IS A PERFECT SEAT SHAPE.
I FIND A BUSTED-UP COOLER
THAT I FIGURE I COULD CUT A PIECE OUT OF AND USE
FOR THE SEAT.
I LOVE THIS. OKAY.
I NEED LEGS NOW.
THERE'S MORE TRASH. I LOVE THE TRASH.
IN A PINCH LIKE THIS, I GOT TO WORK WITH WHAT IS HERE.
WHOA. THIS IS A TENT OR SOMETHING.
I CAN TOTALLY RIP OFF TWO OF THESE.
THESE HAVE THE LITTLE BUTTONS SO YOU CAN EXTEND THEM.
OH, YEAH.
I LOVE BEING PLUCKED FROM MY SHOP
AND THROWN INTO THE WORLD SOMEWHERE
AND FORCED TO USE WHAT I GOT
TO MAKE SOMETHING COOL ON LOCATION.
I'M GONNA CUT THIS THING OFF.
FIRST, I GOT OUT MY SAW,
AND I CUT THE LEGS.
AWESOME.
I'M CUTTING UP THIS COOLER TO BE THE SEAT FOR A SET OF PANTS
THAT IS ALSO A CHAIR.
CHAIR PANTS.
THE NEXT STEP, I WELD SOME PLATES ONTO THE TELESCOPING LEGS
AND MOUNT THEM ON THE COOLER SEAT,
AND IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
ALL COMING TOGETHER.
THERE'S A GOOD PUSH.
SO HOW DOES THAT RETRACTION WORK?
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS-- OH, NICE.
ALL RIGHT, THESE ARE DONE.
THEY'RE NOT PRETTY, BUT THEY'RE CHAIRS, AND THEY'RE PANTS.
- SPEAKING OF PANTS,
LEVI STRAUSS CAME TO SAN FRANCISCO IN 1853
TO OPEN A DRY-GOODS STORE,
WHERE HE HIT UPON THE IDEA OF USING A DURABLE CANVAS MATERIAL
HE NORMALLY USED TO MAKE WAGON COVERS AND TENTS
INTO WORK PANTS FOR MINERS.
AN AMERICAN ICON WAS BORN.
THE CROTCH RIVET WAS REMOVED SOME 60 YEARS LATER,
AS IT HAD A TENDENCY TO HEAT UP AND BURN COWBOYS
AS THEY SAT AROUND THE FIRE.
OUCH! - [screams]
- JIMMY CARTER WAS THE FIRST U.S. PRESIDENT
TO WEAR DENIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
LEVI'S HAVE BEEN CO-OPTED BY EVERY SUBCULTURE
FROM GREASERS TO PUNKERS
AND NOW ARE THE MAINSTAY OF EVERY OFFICE'S CASUAL FRIDAY.
- POPCORN, PEANUTS, CRACKER JACKS!
GET YOUR SNACKS HERE!
- YO, STEVE. - FRESH-POPPED POPCORN!
PEANUTS! HEY. - CHECK IT OUT, MAN.
- WHOA. WHAT ARE THOSE?
- THESE ARE CHAIR PANTS. - ALL RIGHT.
- YOU GOT A MINUTE? YOU WANT TO TRY THESE THINGS ON?
- YEAH, LET'S TRY 'EM ON. - I'LL HOLD YOUR BOX.
- YEAH, SURE.
- I GUESS THE HAT COMES WITH IT.
- YEAH, YOU HAVE TO WEAR THE HAT--IT'S PROTOCOL.
- HOW'S THIS, HUH?
GET YOUR POPCORNS, PEANUTS, CHAIR PANTS.
COME ON, ANYBODY, ANYBODY?
ARE THEY FITTING? - A LITTLE SNUG.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
- ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S PRETTY SWEET.
- GREAT. THESE FEEL GREAT.
- SO THERE ARE SINGLE BUTTONS AT THE TOP...
- OKAY. - THAT RELEASE THEM.
- YEAH.
- FLIP 'EM BACK TILL THEY HIT THE STOPS.
YEAH, AND THEN SIT DOWN.
YEAH, AND THEN YOU CAN PUT YOUR FEET OUT.
LOOK AT THAT.
YOU'RE SITTING. WHOO, CHAIR PANTS!
- CHAIR PANTS. - UP THERE.
- THIS MAKES MY JOB SO MUCH EASIER.
[man grunts]
- AND NOW WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR'S COMING,
YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT? NO PANTS--NO CHAIR PANTS.
- [mumbles]
- YEAH. - NOTHING.
- IT'S REALLY NICE THAT I CAN ACTUALLY HELP SOMEONE.
HE CAN BE STANDING BETWEEN INNINGS,
SELLING HIS STUFF, DOING HIS THING,
AND THEN WHEN THE GAME IS ON, CLICK, SHING!
AND THEN HE SITS DOWN. - AHH.
- ENJOY YOUR CHAIR PANTS, STEVE. THEY'RE MY GIFT TO YOU.
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER ONE--THE CHAIR PANTS.
[cheers and applause] - I HEAR THE FANS.
I THINK IT'S MY TIME TO GO AND SHOOT HOT DOGS.
- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. ENJOY THE GAME.
- ENJOY THE LEGS. SEE YA. - WILL DO.
POPCORN, PEANUTS!
GET YOUR SNACKS HERE!
I'M WEARING CHAIR PANTS.
[rock music]
♪ ♪
- THIS IS THE BIGGEST CROWD I'VE EVER PERFORMED IN FRONT OF
BY A LONG SHOT,
AND I'VE GOT THIS GUN THAT I'VE NEVER TESTED.
- PLEASE WELCOME TO THE FIELD INVENTOR BOB PARTINGTON
AND THE WORLD'S FIRST HOT DOG CROSSBOW.
- WHOO!
[cheers and applause]
AAH!
I'M WEIGHTED DOWN WITH HOT DOGS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S LOAD THIS THING.
I'M LOADING HOT DOGS. IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
I'M COCKING THE GUN BACK.
IT GOES... [imitates screech], CLICK.
AND THEN I'M READY TO GO.
[fanfare playing]
all: CHARGE!
- OKAY, I'M GONNA SHOOT ONE FOR YOU GUYS.
ONE FOR THE CROWD.
[cheers and applause] READY FOR IT?
THEY'RE GOING UP.
I FEEL THAT NERVOUSNESS--
THAT PREGAME NERVOUSNESS--
BECAUSE I NEED TO PERFORM WELL. I NEED TO WIN THIS GAME.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
[crowd shouting]
WHOA, TWO HOT DOGS.
FREAKIN' AMAZING.
I'M GONNA GO RIGHT UP THERE.
WHO WANTS A HOT DOG?
THREE, TWO, ONE. OH!
[crowd shouting]
OH, NICE CATCH.
WHOO! THANK YOU.
SUCCESS, WHOO-HOO!
HOT DOG GUN WORKED AMAZINGLY.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN REALLY CRUSHING IF IT FAILED
IN FRONT OF 4,000 PEOPLE, SO I'M GLAD THAT WORKED.
[crowd cheering]
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER TWO--THE HOT DOG CROSSBOW.
- WHAT COULD IT BE?
- BOB RECEIVED A BOX CONTAINING THREE OBJECTS--
A HOT DOG ROLLER MACHINE THAT HE MADE INTO A HOT DOG CROSSBOW...
- OH! OH, NICE CATCH.
- A PAIR OF LEVI'S JEANS
THAT WERE TRANSFORMED INTO CHAIR PANTS...
- AHH. - CHAIR PANTS, WHOO!
- THAT'S TWO DOWN AND ONE TO GO,
LEAVING JUST THE SCALES TO MAKE THE FINAL INVENTION.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- SO THAT'S WHERE I PUT MY KEYS,
AND IT'S THE TRIGGER THAT BEGINS SOMETHING.
WHAT INVENTION COULD I MAKE WITH THIS?
I HAVE A BOOK OF IDEAS. I USUALLY HAVE IT ON ME.
AND MAYBE NOW'S A GOOD TIME WHERE I COULD TAKE THE SCALES
AND USE MY KEYS TO TRIGGER
A LAB-COAT-PRESENTING MACHINE.
- THE SCALE MAY BE ONE OF MAN'S GREATEST MEASURING INVENTIONS.
DEVELOPED BY THE EGYPTIANS PROBABLY 7,000 YEARS AGO,
IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A SEESAW.
THE ANCIENT ROMANS AND GREEKS IMPROVED THE SCALE
BY IMPLEMENTING A STANDARD UNIT OF WEIGHT--
THE WHEAT SEED.
THE ARABS IMPROVED ON THESE TECHNIQUES
AND ESTABLISHED WEIGHT STANDARDS FOR GOLD, SILVER, AND GEMS.
LADY JUSTICE HOLDS A SCALE IN HER RIGHT HAND
AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE BLINDFOLDED,
DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU WANT YOUR JUSTICE
IMPARTIAL OR CLEAR-SEEING.
NOW SCALES ARE SO PRECISE,
NOT ONLY CAN THEY TELL YOU HOW HEAVY YOU ARE,
BUT HOW MUCH LIGHTER YOU SHOULD BE.
- IT'S GONNA START WITH THE SCALES.
I'M GONNA PUT MY KEYS ON ONE,
GONNA GO DOWN, AND IT'S GONNA HIT SOMETHING HERE,
AND THEN THAT SOMETHING IS GONNA DO SOME STUFF.
THEN MY COAT IS GONNA POP UP.
SO I'M THINKING IT MIGHT BE NICE IF SOME LIGHTBULBS
TURN ON HERE.
YOU KNOW, A COUPLE LIGHTBULBS FOR IDEAS.
LET'S MAKE 'EM GETTING BIGGER, LIKE BIGGER IDEAS.
IT'S GONNA GO, BLINK, BLINK, BIG IDEAS.
AND THEN BOOM.
POLYCARBONATE...
I WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT BASICALLY RAISED
MY COAT UP KIND OF MAGICALLY.
WHAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE IS SOMETHING KIND OF TELESCOPING,
AND I JUST SORT OF THOUGHT OF, LIKE, THOSE CAR JACKS
IN A MECHANIC'S GARAGE.
I COULD JUST USE COMPRESSED AIR FROM THE SHOP.
- YOU WANT TO GET THE GAUGE FACING OVER HERE, THOUGH, RIGHT?
- YEAH. - SO WE JUST SPIN IT IN PLACE.
- AND NOW WE'RE GONNA... - IN RETROSPECT.
- TRY AND JAM IT DOWN. READY?
- IT'S LIKE A-- LIKE A FISH
THAT'S TOO BIG IN A SMALL AQUARIUM.
- OOH! NICE.
COMPRESSED AIR IS CLEAN, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF IT.
SO I'M THINKING I LIKE THE IDEA OF INJECTING PRESSURE.
WITH COMPRESSED AIR, THE WHOLE THING COULD EXPAND OUT.
- SO THE AIR PRESSURE WILL BUILD,
AND IN THEORY, IT SHOULD RAISE SEQUENTIALLY,
SORT OF FROM LARGEST TO SMALLEST,
LIFTING THAT COAT UP.
- IF THOSE FITTINGS AREN'T SNUG,
ONE SEGMENT AGAINST THE OTHER,
THE AIR WILL ESCAPE, AND IT WON'T WORK.
TELESCOPING THING WORKS GOOD, AND IT'S RIGID.
LET'S JUST RUN A BUNCH OF PRESSURE THROUGH IT.
MY OFFICIAL THINGAMABOB COAT HANGER.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT MAKING INVENTIONS FOR YOURSELF
IS YOU CAN COMPOSE IT HOWEVER YOU WANT.
YOU CAN PUT LIGHTBULBS ON IT AND SWITCHES
AND MAKE A LITTLE THING THAT'S NICE TO LOOK AT EVERY DAY.
- OH, OOH, OOH. - [inhales sharply]
- THE NICE THING ABOUT THE SCALES--
YOU PUT SOMETHING ON ONE SIDE, AND IT GOES CLICK.
SO, LIKE, IT'S JUST A BASIC SWITCH.
I JUST PUT THE KEYS ON THE SCALES,
THEY GO CLICK, AND THERE'S AN INNER BUTTON
THAT HAS TO BE PUSHED.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A WEIGHT,
SO I USE A CALIBRATION WEIGHT ON THE SIDE,
AND IT ROLLS
AND TURN ON A FEW LIGHTBULBS.
IT ILLUMINATES THE SHOP AND MAKES ME THINK,
"OH, AN IDEA. I SHOULD MAKE ONE TODAY."
LET'S CHARGE THE TANK.
[machine whirring] YEAH, WHOO-HOO.
I'M GONNA PUT THIS IN THERE. - YEAH.
- WE'LL JUST GO FOR IT.
WE DON'T NEED TO TEST ANY COMPONENT.
LET'S JUST LET HER RIP.
HEY, DUDES. - YO.
- COAT PRESENTER'S UP AND GOING.
- LET'S DO THIS. - SHOWTIME, BOW TIME.
- OH, YEAH. - THERE IT IS.
- ARE YOU GUYS READY?
- RIGHT ON. - SO READY.
- I'M GONNA LEAVE AND COME BACK TO MAKE IT LEGIT.
- LATER, DUDE.
[whimsical music]
♪ ♪
- HELLO. - OH, IT'S BOB.
- BOB, YOU'RE HERE THIS MORNING. - I JUST CAME.
OH, I'M GONNA PUT MY KEYS DOWN.
- WHOA!
- MY COAT.
- [laughs]
- HEY, IT GAVE A LITTLE JUMP FOR ME.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
- THAT'S AWESOME.
- IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A PERFECT MARRIAGE.
I HAVE A PLACE TO PUT MY KEYS,
AND I HAVE A MACHINE THAT PRESENTS MY COAT.
USUALLY IF I DON'T PUT ON MY COAT ON RIGHT AWAY,
I DON'T DO ANYTHING.
SO IT'S KIND OF A REMINDER, LIKE, "GET TO WORK, STUPID."
HEY! - JUST LIKE THAT.
- THERE IT IS. - COAT PRESENTER.
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER THREE--
THE LAB-COAT PRESENTER.
- I REALLY LIKE THESE INVENTIONS.
HOT DOG GUN, GREAT. [crowd shouting]
OH, NICE CATCH.
CHAIR PANTS.
- AHH. - KICK BACK.
OUT OF THE PARK. NAILED IT.
- BOB STARTED OUT WITH THREE OBJECTS--
A HOT DOG ROLLER MACHINE, A PAIR OF LEVI'S JEANS,
AND A SET OF SCALES.
SO HOW ARE THEY ALL CONNECTED?
THIS FAMOUS ERA IN U.S. HISTORY WAS THE STARTING LINE
FOR AMERICANS LIKE LEVI STRAUSS AND PHILIP ARMOUR,
WHO BECAME RICH ENOUGH TO START ARMOUR HOT DOGS,
AND ALSO THE TIME WHEN A SCALE FULL OF GOLD
MEANT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE.