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Show notes
What could Dolly Parton, a 425-horsepower station wagon, and a second-grade farting station possibly have in common? Probably nothing—which makes them perfect for the Accidental Education Reality Lab.In this episode, Tom looks at Dolly Parton’s transformation from celebrity into American mythology and asks why our culture seems to produce plenty of famous people but fewer true icons who can transcend generations the way Elvis Presley did.Then it’s time to defend one of the most misunderstood American cars ever built: the Dodge Magnum. Was the Hemi-powered wagon simply born at the wrong time? Tom looks back at America’s migration from station wagons to minivans, SUVs and crossovers, recalls his own experience driving a Magnum, its notoriously bad visibility, and makes the case that America spent decades rejecting the station wagon—only to reinvent it and call it a crossover.Finally, we head to an Atlanta-area second-grade classroom where a teacher has created a designated “Gas Station” for students who need to fart. What initially sounds like another attempt to eliminate every uncomfortable moment from childhood turns out to be a little more complicated—and maybe even ingenious.Along the way: minivan shame, Hemi engines, dirt-and-syrup-smelling children, childhood embarrassment, the strange psychology of growing older, and the important distinction between being uncomfortable and actually being harmed.Three completely unrelated stories. One strangely connected lesson:Sometimes the thing you were absolutely certain about… turns out to be full of gas. Discover other shows on the Talk Red Podcast Network, and get your daily fix of news, sports, and entertainment at https://TalkRed.com.