Episode 158: George H.W. Bush, Exorcisms, and the Squatty Potty

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the death of President George Herbert Walker Bush, the resurgence of exorcisms, and the viral popularity of the Squatty Potty.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Forty-first president George H.W. Bush died recently at age 94. Niki mentioned diverging analyses of Bush’s legacy from historians Tim Naftali at Slate and David Greenberg at POLITICO. Natalia recommended historian Josh Clark Davis’ viral thread about Bush’s War on Drugs. Neil wrote about Bush’s experience with the religious right at the Washington Post.
• Catholic exorcisms are on the rise. Niki referred to this article at The Conversation about the role of Pope Francis in this rise.
• A product called the Squatty Potty is a consumer hit. Natalia referred to this Guardian article about changes in how we relate to toilets and our bodies, as well as to another product, Tushy, that illustrates a new openness to discussing once-taboo bodily functions.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Jaime Lauren Keiles’ Vox article, “Reconsidering the Jewish American Princess.”
• Neil commented on the controversy over every president reciting the Apostles’ Creed at George H.W. Bush’s funeral except President Trump.
• Niki discussed Sarah Zhang’s Atlantic article, “300 Million Letters Are Missing From the Human Genome.”