Flightless Bird

Slime

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David explores the resurgence of interest in slime on Instagram and TikTok - an incredibly American phenomenon that's slimed its way into American culture since the 1970’s. He meets professor Christopher Michlig, author of File Under: Slime to discuss how slime has an even wider meaning and context within the United States. From The Blob to Ghostbusters, Garbage Pail Kids to skateboarding - slime is bigger than you might think.

Links: 
File Under: Slime (the book): https://hatandbeard.com/products/file-under-slime-by-christopher-michlig 

Lucy Jones’ Creatures That Don't Conform: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/creatures-that-dont-conform/ 

A Natural History of Slime: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/720858/slime-by-susanne-wedlich/

Oliver Payne’s 2022 short film, A Brief History of Slime: https://vimeo.com/684376655 

MGMT video for Bubblegum Dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX5NIs8bV54

Flightless Bird sees journalist David Farrier learning about what makes America special, from his unique perspective as a Kiwi accidentally marooned in the Land of the Free. Infinitely curious but never judgmental, each week David seeks to understand what makes America so unique, strange and wonderful.