3 chapters across the catalog
An archival recording features Barney Ales speaking directly to record distributors, applying heavy pressure to ensure Diana Ross's single "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" reached number one. Ales uses aggressive language, telling distributors their "careers and lives are at stake" if they fail to provide strong reports to trade papers like Billboard. The hosts analyze this as a masterclass in record promotion and the "calls from the field" system.
Mo Facts explains Fabian Socialism as a strategy of gradual, persistent progress toward a goal rather than overt force. Neely Fuller Jr. is introduced, emphasizing his specific pronunciation of "white supreme-acist" to highlight the concept of supremacy. The hosts discuss how the term "supremacist" has been softened through "refinement" and how the system operates on a global scale through business and technology.
The discussion turns to the psychological and "mind control" tropes found in *The Wizard of Oz* and its black adaptation, *The Wiz*. The hosts explore how these films were broadcast annually as a shared cultural experience. They analyze the plot of *The Wiz*, starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, noting the themes of following a "yellow brick road" to a fraudulent wizard.
