March 10th, 2023

In this episode of The Insomnia Project, a relaxing sleep podcast for insomnia, Marco and Amanda drift into a nostalgic conversation that begins in the bright lights of Las Vegas and slowly meanders through memories, television history, and small-town babysitting fame. What starts as a reflection on time spent in Las Vegas leads the hosts toward the familiar excitement of The Price is Right, and from there into the curious cultural moment known as “jumping the shark.”
As the conversation unfolds, Amanda shares stories from her younger days when she was the most sought-after babysitter in her town. Her reputation for reliability and fun made her incredibly popular with local families—until an unexpected turn led to what she jokingly refers to as her “fall from grace.” Like many Insomnia Project conversations, the story unfolds slowly and gently, offering the kind of low-stakes storytelling that invites your mind to relax and wander.
Along the way Marco and Amanda reflect on the strange and delightful ways memories connect—from game shows and television phrases to childhood jobs and the quiet rhythms of growing up. The episode settles into the familiar, cozy rhythm listeners love: calm conversation about everyday experiences that helps quiet racing thoughts and ease you toward sleep.
If you’re looking for a softly spoken conversation to help you unwind at the end of the day, press play and join us for this relaxed wander through Las Vegas memories, television trivia, and babysitting tales—perfect for bedtime listening and gentle late-night relaxation.
• Visit our website: theinsomniaproject.com






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​Jumping the Shark & Price is Right
(Original airdate: Nov 10, 2021)
Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax, and listen as we have a calm conversation about the mundane so that you can just drift off. As we often would say, this is the only podcast we hope you never get to the end of. I'm your host, Marco Timpano. Thank you for following us on Twitter listen and sleep or on Instagram, the Insomnia Project or our website, the insomniaproject.com or wherever you listen to our podcast. Thank you so much. I've been receiving so much feedback from our listeners recently, and I really do appreciate it from everyone.


Along with me today is Amanda Barker. Welcome. Are you keeping all this in the podcast

Along with me today is Amanda Barker. Welcome.

>> Amanda Barker: I'm here and I'm. I live to serve. Marco.

>> Marco Timpano: Fantastic.

>> Amanda Barker: That sounded sarcastic and I didn't mean

>> Marco Timpano: it to just bring your microphone down a teensy bit. Do you mind?

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah. Are you keeping all this in the podcast?

>> Marco Timpano: I think I will.

>> Amanda Barker: Okay. Behind the scenes.

>> Marco Timpano: Behind the scenes.

>> Amanda Barker: Bloopers reel.

>> Marco Timpano: I should do a bloopers reel, which is often us, just laughing uncontrollable or uncontrollably.

>> Amanda Barker: It's an adverb. Yes, yes.

>> Marco Timpano: There you go. Oh, we have one listener.


Tim: Things live in your subconscious. I get, when we're in store, people always respond with Polo

Okay, so I need to start by saying one of our listeners, and I apologize because I cannot find where they reached out to us, wanted to say that you were 100% right with your explanation of Libby or the Libby app.

>> Amanda Barker: Remember from last week that it's an amalgamation of your. Or it uses. I don't remember what I said.

>> Marco Timpano: I don't remember. Whatever you said was right.

>> Amanda Barker: I think I said something like you get on the Libby app and it connects to your local library and. Or it uses or, resources. Many libraries in your network, in your system, or just around the world. I don't know, but it's somehow I knew it two weeks ago and don't know it now.

>> Marco Timpano: How great would it be if you said it wrong today and then that listener has to say, she was wrong this time?

>> Amanda Barker: You know, it's amazing. I don't know what we're actually meant to be talking about today, but it's amazing what lives in your subconscious. And I'm going to tell you a story that this Libby thing just reminded me of in that I don't remember the answer now, but apparently I knew it two weeks ago. So when I was 21, I had surgery and I lived in a very small town and I was in my high school years a very sought after babysitter in my town. Oh, yeah, you would book me for New Year's, you know, months in advance. and, I was one of the babysitters of the town. So anyway, I babysat this one family. Should I say their last name?

>> Marco Timpano: No, probably not.

>> Amanda Barker: Okay. Well, anyway, they were lovely and, they were like family, extended family to me and I to them, I think, I hope. And, so they had a cousin that would come over a lot. Her name was Mariah. And so she was pretty funny. And I got to know her over the years.

>> Marco Timpano: Was she a good singer?

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, I mean, the poor thing. Her whole life, right?

>> Marco Timpano: Listen, I didn't name her. I'm just asking a question.

>> Amanda Barker: Her whole life. Well, it's interesting that you say you didn't name her, because the person that did name her was her mom and her mom was a nurse. And so, I guess when I was coming to her mom, Emily was in the recovery room because she was a nurse at that hospital. And, I don't have any memory of that, but hours later she said to me, I don't know if you remember, I was in here earlier. And I said, I don't. She goes, oh, well, I just wanted to tell you that. Yes, but Mariah does love eating celery with Cheez Whiz. And I went, what? And she said, you asked me if Mariah still loved to eat celery with Cheez Whiz because it was a favorite snack of hers. Now, I had no conscious memory of Mariah eating this snack in that moment or any time since. But apparently in my subconscious state, I tapped into the memory of her daughter eating Cheez Whiz with celery. So things live in your subconscious. That cheese with celery and the Libby app, The mechanics of it.

>> Marco Timpano: Wow.

>> Amanda Barker: So there you go.

>> Marco Timpano: You know, it's funny, you say she gets that all the time. I get, when we're in a store and Amanda says my name out loud, people always respond with Polo for Marco.

>> Amanda Barker: Polo. Every time. The bigger the store, the more they respond.

>> Marco Timpano: Yes.

>> Amanda Barker: In fact, I hate yelling your name anywhere because it's just going to elicit that. Make that. Yeah.

>> Marco Timpano: And it bothers Amanda more than it bothers me now.

>> Amanda Barker: Right? Well, because you're not hearing it because I'm the one seeking you. So I'm yelling Marco throughout the store.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, I hear it all the time when people ask my name. If I go to a counter and they say your name, and I'll say Marco. And before I get to say my last name, they say Polo or this is my favorite. So my last name is Tim Pano. That's the way I say it. In Italian it's Timpano. but in English I say Tim Pano. and when people say, can I get your last name? I'll say Tim Pano. And they'll think I'm saying my first name Tim and my last name Pano.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, I've seen that happen to you in real time.

>> Marco Timpano: So now I say it whenever, someone asks me, I say last name starts with a T so that they can start putting that into the system.

>> Marco Timpano: And then I say my last name.

>> Amanda Barker: I. Not so much now, but for most of my growing up, because my last name is Barker.

>> Marco Timpano: Yes.

>> Amanda Barker: I would get. Is Bob your uncle or are you related to Bob? Bob Barker being, I guess, the most famous Barker out there. I don't get it so much anymore because he's since retired.

>> Marco Timpano: But, for our listeners who are not in North American might not get.

>> Amanda Barker: That's a very American reference.

>> Marco Timpano: He was the longtime host of a game show called the Price of Right. The Price is Right, yes. which you can find in other countries under different names. Like, I've seen it Italy, I've seen it in France. You know, I've seen it. I've seen it like Wheel of Time.

>> Amanda Barker: Oh, really? Yeah, but in different. With different hosts.

>> Marco Timpano: Different host.

>> Amanda Barker: He was in, one of the Adam Sandler movies. What's the one with golf? Is that Bidley Madison?

>> Marco Timpano: Isn't that, Happy Gilmore?


What's your favorite game on the Price is Right

>> Amanda Barker: Happy Gilmore. So there's a very famous scene with Bob Barker, who was an avid golfer, and, it should be noted, animal rights enthusiast and, Adam Sandler in that movie. So, if you were like, oh, who is that? Well, that's who it is. I feel like people know him. But then again, we all think people know who we know, right?

>> Marco Timpano: Sure.

>> Amanda Barker: We all think we have the same reference level. I also get Baker a lot. A lot. You've seen that happen in real time?

>> Marco Timpano: Yes, sometimes. I'll just say all the time.

>> Amanda Barker: In fact, Baker. What?

>> Marco Timpano: I'm just kidding. shall I tell my Price is Right story?

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, sure.

>> Marco Timpano: And I'll try to know.

>> Amanda Barker: Is that what we're talking about, the Price is Right?

>> Marco Timpano: Well, I just thought it was a segue before you.

>> Amanda Barker: The soothing sounds of the Price is Right.

>> Marco Timpano: I'm gonna keep it very calm. But my favorite. What's your favorite game on the Price is Right?

>> Amanda Barker: I mean, listen, I remember the day I was home from school, or maybe it was summer, and they introduced for the very first time, Plinko. And I was so excited about Plinko. And I'm still, to this day excited about Plinko. So I know what yours is. And that's my, like, other favorite game. Was always my other favorite.

>> Marco Timpano: Don't steal.

>> Amanda Barker: My game is your favorite, but I'm gonna let you have that one. And I'm gonna go with Plinko. And my least favorite is the golf game. Oh, really?

>> Marco Timpano: Okay.

>> Amanda Barker: I hate that game.

>> Marco Timpano: All right. The, yodeler. The Alpine yodeler is my favorite.

>> Marco Timpano: It often reminds me of my grandfather who was an Alpine.

>> Amanda Barker: Did he yodel?

>> Marco Timpano: No, he didn't yodel. But he was an Alpine soldier. So. He had the Alpine hat.

>> Amanda Barker: He was an Alpine soldier?

>> Marco Timpano: Well, he was an Alpino is what they call him. But he was a soldier too, and he was in the Alpine forces back in the day.

>> Amanda Barker: Wait, what? Yeah, he was an Alpine soldier?

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah. Someone who.

>> Amanda Barker: What does that mean? He defended the Alpine?

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, the Alps, Something like that.

>> Amanda Barker: Really?

>> Marco Timpano: I'm not exactly sure. Look it up and then tell us.

>> Amanda Barker: so you're an Alpine person?

>> Marco Timpano: Well, my mother's side.

>> Amanda Barker: An Alpino.

>> Marco Timpano: Alpino.

>> Amanda Barker: I didn't even mean to make that awful joke.

>> Marco Timpano: But you did.

>> Amanda Barker: But what is it called? Actually? Alpino.

>> Marco Timpano: Alpino yeah.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah.

>> Marco Timpano: Have you never seen pictures of my grandfather with the Alpine hat on?

>> Amanda Barker: I've seen pictures of little you with an Alpine hat on. Well, sure, but I thought it was all like a, Look, we put an Alpine hat on this little baby.

>> Marco Timpano: No, that was the style. That was the style that my family, my mother's family wanted me to adopt.

>> Amanda Barker: And I love it.

>> Marco Timpano: I think I look good in an Alpine hat. I should wear it out going around town.

>> Amanda Barker: Do you identify as an Alpiner or Alpino?

>> Marco Timpano: Alpino. No, because I'm not. I'm not someone who roams the Alps or knows the Alps well.

>> Amanda Barker: What if you went to the Alps? Would you know what to do? Do you think it's in your blood?


Uh. I love the Alps. I think they look great. If one can navigate the Alps one can do anything

>> Marco Timpano: I don't know if it's in my blood. If one can navigate the Alps because they're forefathers.

>> Amanda Barker: I'm just beginning to.

>> Marco Timpano: But I do them. I think they look great. I love the Alps.


Next week will be our last episode for this season, and then in December,

>> Amanda Barker: All right, so.

>> Marco Timpano: So when. When we were in Las Vegas, I think it was Christmas time, too, wasn't it?

>> Amanda Barker: It was, yeah. We went to Christmas for Las Vegas. Las Vegas for Christmas, which I actually don't recommend.

>> Marco Timpano: I want to mention this as well. Next week will be our last episode for this season, and then in December, we're going to have an episode every day which will be the holiday episode.

>> Amanda Barker: Every day?

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah. In December? Yeah.

>> Amanda Barker: Like 31 days.

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah. Plus the six days after.

>> Amanda Barker: But what about the rest of November?

>> Marco Timpano: No, we're doing this week and next week, and that ends November. No, for Wednesdays, we do it every Wednesday.

>> Amanda Barker: There's at least one more Wednesday after that, and I don't think so. There isn't.

>> Marco Timpano: No, No. I looked at.

>> Amanda Barker: Are you sure?

>> Marco Timpano: Well, you have a phone. Take a look.

>> Amanda Barker: Okay. I don't have one here while

>> Marco Timpano: I tell the story.

>> Amanda Barker: I didn't want to be distracted with my phone. I wanted to be fully engaged in this, Alpine stuff. I'm just learning.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, you're right. There's two more. There's two more episodes.

>> Amanda Barker: Calendars.

>> Marco Timpano: Okay.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah.


Amanda doesn't recommend Vegas for Christmas, but she likes Las Vegas

>> Marco Timpano: Well, we were in Las Vegas, and while Amanda doesn't recommend Vegas for Christmas, I thought it was great, and I recommend it.

>> Amanda Barker: No, you didn't.

>> Marco Timpano: I loved it.

>> Amanda Barker: No, this is lies.

>> Marco Timpano: I like Vegas.

>> Amanda Barker: Do we have Vegas listeners that you're trying to appease?

>> Marco Timpano: I'm sure we have listeners.

>> Amanda Barker: Did you actually like it?

>> Marco Timpano: I like Las Vegas. I don't necessarily like going to Las Vegas with you, because you.

>> Amanda Barker: Wow.

>> Marco Timpano: Well, no, because you always I'm not fun. You're not fun in Vegas.

>> Amanda Barker: Listen, here's my thing. Here's what you need to know about me. I don't gamble. I'm not a gambler. And, I don't really have much time for. I like the free drinks.

>> Marco Timpano: Sure.

>> Amanda Barker: A free pineapple cocktail is nice.

>> Marco Timpano: What Amanda's not telling you is she's not a gambler, but she also likes to ruin your gambling experience.

>> Amanda Barker: This is not true. And I thought we didn't talk about negative things.

>> Marco Timpano: We don't.

>> Amanda Barker: Well, you're ruining my sleep by talking about one time I told you I could feel that the table was not lucky, and you got very mad at me. Well, excuse me for being honest with my feelings. I was doing my job at that

>> Marco Timpano: table, and then I walked over like

>> Amanda Barker: William H. Macy, and I stood next to you, and it was, I just.

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, we had fun in Vegas because Michelle Miracle, our dear friend, came and hung out. She drove from Los Angeles to hang out with us. And if you're going to be in

>> Amanda Barker: Las Vegas, she actually was in Vegas with us. Twice we've done two Vegases with her. Do, you not remember that?

>> Marco Timpano: I recommend, if you go to Vegas, make sure Michelle Miracle's there with you. When was the other time she was

>> Amanda Barker: in Vegas with us? Okay, so, Michelle. Okay, so we went.

>> Marco Timpano: We're never going to get to my Price is Right story.

>> Amanda Barker: I mean, we went to Vegas for Christmas, and I'm going to tell you, it was. Do you remember the year? Let's see if it did.

>> Marco Timpano: 2018.

>> Amanda Barker: You and calendars, dates. Okay, so it would have been, 2009 into 2010.

>> Marco Timpano: That long ago?

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, because we weren't married yet. And I remember it because my mom spent a good deal of Vegas trying to ask me things that I wanted for my wedding shower, which would have been the following spring. So that's how I know. Anyway, so we went to Vegas, and, yes, Michelle Miracle drove from LA and, visited us. But we also had another Vegas experience

>> Marco Timpano: with Michelle Miracle because we went to our friend's wedding.

>> Amanda Barker: Our friend got married in Vegas, and he lives in Vegas.

>> Marco Timpano: That's right.

>> Amanda Barker: And, so that's two Vegas experiences we've had with her. Which is really funny, actually, when I think about it.

>> Marco Timpano: Listen, if you can travel with Michelle Miracle, that's the person you want to travel with.

>> Amanda Barker: For starters, her name is Michelle Miracle,

>> Marco Timpano: so it doesn't get better than that.

>> Amanda Barker: Which apparently is a derivative of Merkel. Like Angela Merkel.

>> Marco Timpano: Could be her long distance Relative.

>> Amanda Barker: And if you don't know who Angela Merkel is, she hosts the Price is Right in Germany.

>> Marco Timpano: She doesn't.

>> Amanda Barker: She doesn't imagine. She'd be great.

>> Marco Timpano: She'd be unfair.

>> Amanda Barker: She'd be fair.

>> Marco Timpano: I think, the host of Price is Right or Wheel of Fortune in Germany looks like Angela Merkel, if I'm not mistaken. I'll look it up.

>> Amanda Barker: I bet they could defend the Alpines if need be.

>> Marco Timpano: If they need to. I know.

>> Amanda Barker: With your grandfather.


Your parents got you tickets to the Price is Right Vegas show

Okay, tell us your Price is Right story.

>> Marco Timpano: So when we were in Vegas with Michelle Miracle, but she hadn't arrived yet, your parents got us tickets to the Price is Right Vegas show where they basically do the Price is Right without the host you see on television, but they bring out the games and you get the opportunity to maybe go up on stage and bid on a prize.

>> Amanda Barker: It's not televised, but you get to live out your Price is Right fantasies, although in a maybe smaller, more containable way. And, that the prizes are a little bit of a lower rent situation, if you will.

>> Marco Timpano: I don't think they were lower rent. I just think it was harder to win. You didn't get to.

>> Amanda Barker: They were lower. They were lower rent.

>> Marco Timpano: And you didn't get to stay up in contestants row. If you got up there every round, they called up five new people.

>> Amanda Barker: They were not as nice as the ones on tv, I think.

>> Marco Timpano: Okay, fair enough.

>> Amanda Barker: And I'll tell you why at the end, but I'll let you tell your story.


I think we've taken a turn in this podcast and it's marital banter

>> Marco Timpano: Okay. So we're in line to get our name tag, and my wife Amanda is going a little bit crazy.

>> Amanda Barker: I like that you say my wife. I know who I am.

>> Marco Timpano: Well, I'm just. I'm just illustrating. Can I tell the story?

>> Amanda Barker: This is good.

>> Marco Timpano: There's a build up to this.

>> Amanda Barker: I think we've taken a turn in this podcast and I think it's turned into marital banter. I mean, I know it has.

>> Marco Timpano: One of our listeners says they love our banter. They're probably gonna be like, I wish I never said it. Because now they're just.

>> Amanda Barker: I feel like I'm not soothing enough.

>> Marco Timpano: This is why we have a season end. Because I need to sort of regroup and recap.

>> Amanda Barker: This is the Jump the Shark episode.

>> Marco Timpano: This is the Jump the Shark episode.

>> Amanda Barker: Okay.

>> Marco Timpano: Speaking of which, I remember that episode, but I'll get back to that.

>> Amanda Barker: Me too.


When did you jump the shark as a babysitter

I was being babysat by Faith.

>> Marco Timpano: Was she a good babysitter?

>> Amanda Barker: She was pretty good. She would eat all the ice cream, but she was pretty good.

>> Marco Timpano: When did you jump the shark as a babysitter?

>> Amanda Barker: Oh, well, it was with a family in grade 11. And I truly want me to tell you.

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, I mean, don't tell it if it's gonna land you in jail or something.

>> Amanda Barker: No, no. I invited my boyfriend over.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, here we go.

>> Amanda Barker: And it was all fun and everybody knew each other. But then, I thought the kids were napping, but I was making out with him.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, my goodness.

>> Amanda Barker: See, this is why I wasn't sure. And it was a really. It's actually a very, It was a moment I'll never forget because one of the kids came down and said, hey, Amanda, I don't know if you want to come upstairs and, I don't know, babysit for a while.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, wow.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah. She's a yoga teacher in Vancouver now.

>> Marco Timpano: Have you ever told her that? Replayed that song?

>> Amanda Barker: You know, I'll tell you something. And we don't. You know. And I don't mean it in a negative way, really, but whenever someone says, like, what do you regret in life? I have very, very few regrets in life. But that is always the first thing I think of when people say, what do you regret? And I regret my actions that day. I really do. Even though I was 16 and, you know, whatever.

>> Marco Timpano: That's what happens when you're a kid. Right.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah.

>> Marco Timpano: so where was I? Now?

>> Amanda Barker: Now, just so I'm clear, I was kissing him. I wasn't like.

>> Marco Timpano: Right, okay, fair enough. Don't make me put an E rating on this show, because I haven't had to do that.


A lot of our listeners view us as their friends that they listen to

>> Amanda Barker: Okay, so, tell us about the prices. Right. So I know you want it.

>> Marco Timpano: So my wife is getting a little bit.

>> Amanda Barker: I'm the wife. You don't have to use a pronoun. I'm here.

>> Marco Timpano: Okay, well, Amanda, who's here. And also my wife was getting a little bit, I don't know, agitated over excited when they were writing out our names. And she was a little bit too much, weren't you? And so the person.

>> Amanda Barker: I don't find this soothing. Just for the record. I guess it's not intended for me.

>> Marco Timpano: No, it's not. It's also intended. Listen. A lot of our listeners view us as their friends that they listen to while they're at work.

>> Amanda Barker: And we know someone who road tripped with us.

>> Marco Timpano: Avoiding. Who road tripped with us.

>> Amanda Barker: Our dear friend who wrote so many wonderful cookbooks. She listened to this podcast all the drive out to the east coast and back. Yeah.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, my goodness.

>> Amanda Barker: It was. Actually, I wasn't. I might have Been in a few of those, but that was a while ago.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, that's so wonderful.

>> Amanda Barker: Did you not know that?

>> Marco Timpano: No, I didn't know that.

>> Amanda Barker: Oh, she told us that. Oh yeah, In Waterloo.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh my goodness. Okay, so I'm gonna say this. Amanda was going. Was a bit excited and I was like trying to calm you down. And so I have a feeling they thought, oh, this is a fun group, but that lady is a bit too much. But her husband. Awesome.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, that's why I was being so excited. It's the rule of improv. You don't invite the crazy person up on stage. You invite their friend so as to create a lot of excitement in the crowd. But you don't want that person on stage. You want their friend on stage.

>> Marco Timpano: So are you saying you were doing that so I would get 100%? I don't think so.

>> Amanda Barker: A hundred percent? I was. I knew that's exactly what would happen.

>> Marco Timpano: So were they really?

>> Amanda Barker: We've never had this conversation. No, we haven't. I knew exactly that that's what would happen.

>> Marco Timpano: Or did you think they would pick you?

>> Amanda Barker: No, I didn't because I didn't think they'd pick because they don't normally. They pick the friend.

>> Marco Timpano: The friend.

>> Amanda Barker: Okay, so anyway, whatever. They didn't pick me. They picked you. You're the special one. You got to go up.

>> Marco Timpano: My name got called.

>> Amanda Barker: Let's see how that turns out for you.

>> Marco Timpano: My name got called and it was like time stood still. I could see not colors nor shapes. I didn't know what to do. I understand when you watch the show and the person gets called and they just, they're just suspended, you just can't believe it. And so somehow my body got from the seat with you and your parents to the stage.

>> Amanda Barker: See, I think we need to go back to Vegas and I will do the show and you can be the crazy one.

>> Marco Timpano: Sure, I'll be happy to do that.

>> Marco Timpano: And so they called my name. I'm down there in contestants row. I don't remember who was to the right of me. I don't remember who was to the left of me.

>> Amanda Barker: You were on the end.

>> Marco Timpano: I was on the end. So was I the last one called for that?

>> Amanda Barker: Last or first? But you were on the, I believe, the left hand side.


You overbid on a patio lamp on Price is Right

>> Marco Timpano: Okay. So they wheel out the item that I'm supposed to bid on and it's those, you know, those heat lamps that you have on restaurant patios in the cooler times, and they kind of are, you know, flames under, a kind of Looks like a hat.

>> Amanda Barker: Patio lamp.

>> Marco Timpano: Patio lamp. Yeah.

>> Amanda Barker: They're very popular now because patios have been so popular in the last two years.

>> Marco Timpano: But in 2008, they weren't as popular. They weren't as popular. So I had no idea.

>> Amanda Barker: Nor were they in 2009 when you were there.

>> Marco Timpano: Right. Okay. So I, of course, my in laws had said, we will help you. We watch it all the time. I turn to look at my family to get help, and it's as if they're trying to avoid my eye contact. They're not answering. They're looking everywhere but me. It looks like they're embarrassed, and I don't have a price. So the host is like, marco, I

>> Amanda Barker: didn't want to give you a bum steer.

>> Marco Timpano: Well, you kind of did because you left me hanging there.

>> Amanda Barker: We were figuring it out. We were discussing amongst ourselves, I think.

>> Marco Timpano: No, your parents were not even looking towards me. They were trying to avoid me. Anyways, so I was stuck.

>> Amanda Barker: How's it going to end?

>> Marco Timpano: It's going to end amazingly. So I decide to pick my favorite number. So I said $333, actually, which is

>> Amanda Barker: a really fair price for a patio heater. Like a big one.

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, I thought it was.

>> Amanda Barker: It was a tall one.

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, it was a tall one. It looked like it was copper in color.

>> Amanda Barker: And.

>> Marco Timpano: And I think I underbid. And I did not get pulled up. And had I got pulled up.

>> Amanda Barker: You overbid.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, What was it? How much was it?

>> Amanda Barker: This is my point. This is my point about that whole show. So you overbid, and actually, I think everyone overbid, and then they had to do it again. But that was an overbid. So what I'm saying is even the patio lantern wasn't worth $333. I think it was like 160 or something. So it's a pretty cheap patio lantern or whatever they're called. Patio heater. And the car. Am I okay to.

>> Marco Timpano: No. Because I just wanted to say this before we get to the car. I didn't win.

>> Amanda Barker: Spoiler alert. We do not have a car.

>> Marco Timpano: In 2009, I did not get called up on stage because I did not bet the right amount of money.

>> Amanda Barker: No.

>> Marco Timpano: But had I been able to go on stage, it was the yodel. The alpine yodel. Yeah.

>> Amanda Barker: Well, we'll just have to go. I mean, if there is ever a reason to go back to Vegas, it's not our dear friends that live there. It's so that you can try to get a chance to play the yodeli game.

>> Marco Timpano: I Will tell you this. I did not get to win. But the excitement of just being called and going down there and bidding was. Was enough. I had, like, for me, that was a highlight. And it. I'll never forget that experience.

>> Amanda Barker: No, it's. Well, I feel like you forgot. You have forgotten the year, how you overbid, how it ended. Do you remember how that night ended

>> Marco Timpano: in a drunken haze? No, I don't.

>> Amanda Barker: No, no, no, no. I mean the game. I mean, Price is Right. Do you remember how Price is Right

>> Marco Timpano: ended in the Las Vegas one? Yeah. Both people did not win.

>> Amanda Barker: Both people didn't win because they both overbid. And it was a trip and a car and all in. It was worth, like 16,000. It wasn't worth. So they both, bid in the 20s, which is a respectable amount for a trip in a car. And you think, well, they overestimate some of these things anyway. and it was a very, very cheap car. I don't even know if it was allowed on the road. Like, it was.

>> Marco Timpano: No, it was a brand. You would know.

>> Amanda Barker: M. Yeah.


You had to be within 5,000 for Showcase Showdown

Okay. Anyway, it was a lot of things. A lot of the big thing was people kept overbidding, and unlike on the show, or maybe they. And you had to be within. For the Showcase Showdown, you had to be within 5,000. Like, you.

>> Marco Timpano: You had to be close to the amount.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah. You couldn't. If you couldn't underbid and then be the one that won it or whatever,

>> Marco Timpano: you couldn't bid a dollar if the other person went over. You wouldn't win. You had to be. With different rules. Yeah, there was different rules.

>> Amanda Barker: Anyway, nobody won, but we won. we won the memory.


Happy Days episode called Jump the Shark. If people are wondering what that means

>> Marco Timpano: Speaking of memories, I remember being so excited to watch the Jump the Shark episode. If people are wondering what that means, there was an episode of Happy Days where the Fawns was gonna water ski

>> Amanda Barker: over a shark with a motorcycle, though, too, right?

>> Marco Timpano: No.

>> Amanda Barker: Wasn't his motorcycle part of it?

>> Marco Timpano: No.

>> Amanda Barker: I thought he was gonna motorcycle jump over the shark.

>> Marco Timpano: No.

>> Amanda Barker: Oh, so it was a no.

>> Marco Timpano: I think he motorcycle jumped over something else. But this was.

>> Amanda Barker: In what world did the Fawns take up water skiing?

>> Marco Timpano: Well, that's why they call it Jumping the Shark. So the term if you're not aware means you've gotten to a point where the show will never be as good as it once was, and you're picking something outrageous to do, and the show will never come back to where it once was. So that term is when you jump the shark, when you've done something so outlandish or so off brand that you've deviated from what was great to the absurd or to something that is no longer as great and that's jumping the shark.

>> Amanda Barker: Like just. It's like they're grasping at straws with plots. Yeah, I don't really remember, but I do remember it was a two parter.

>> Marco Timpano: It was a two parter.

>> Amanda Barker: To be continued. And we were very worried that the faun. Something bad would happen to the fauns.

>> Marco Timpano: I do remember I loved the Fauns. And I loved Henry Winkler. And I still love Henry Winkler. Everything he does. He's great in. And I hear he's the nicest person.

>> Amanda Barker: That's what they say.

>> Marco Timpano: Listen, the Fonz, Henry Winkler. If you ever want to be on the podcast, he probably would. He probably would.

>> Amanda Barker: But how are people gonna sleep to the Fonz?

>> Marco Timpano: You can't sleep to the Fonz. You can't sleep to the Fonz.

>> Amanda Barker: This is a very North American episode. Price is. And very 1980s episode like Price is Right. Happy Days.

>> Marco Timpano: I don't think I could do any.

>> Amanda Barker: If you were born in like, I don't know, in England in the 2000s, you're like, I don't know what these old, old American Canadian people are talking about.

>> Marco Timpano: Sure, sure. Or maybe they'll go back and watch the pre. Jump the shark episodes. I don't think I could do an episode with Henry when Claire's my guest. I would be too excited.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, you're right.

>> Marco Timpano: He's so great in Barry.

>> Amanda Barker: Barry is such a great show.

>> Marco Timpano: He's so great, isn't it?


Amanda M. says she finds casinos very relaxing

Well, listen, Amanda M. What did you

>> Amanda Barker: intend to talk about today? Because I can't imagine it was your experience in Vegas.

>> Marco Timpano: No, it wasn't. But I'm going to call this episode the Jump. I hope this isn't the episode where we jump the shark.

>> Amanda Barker: I feel like we did.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, no.

>> Amanda Barker: Talking about Vegas, of all things. But you know what's funny about sleep and Vegas? I will say this. I find casinos very relaxing. And I don't know why, but I do. It might be because I started working on cruise ships when I was 22, I think. And there's something about. And I always had to walk through them for various, like from my cabin to work and so on. So the din of casinos, that just constant hum of bells and so on and machines and all of that, and the lights of it. I find them very, very soothing. Very relaxing. And I worked and lived in a casino for five weeks in New Jersey. barely left the Building, I just would go to the beach whenever I had time, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. And I found it very soothing, very relaxing. There's something almost very homey to me about a casino. I know that sounds very weird.

>> Marco Timpano: No, it doesn't at all.

>> Amanda Barker: I always felt that way.

>> Marco Timpano: There's something to be said about that. The sound of multiple things making the same sort of sound and a rhythmic feel of lights. That can certainly relax the machinery of it.

>> Amanda Barker: The people sort of zoning out, staring at the machines. I don't know all of it. I just find it very soothing. Just the calm, the din, if you will, of it. And I did in Atlantic City, too. I always just felt like this is my home. I almost felt like maybe, if you believe in past lives, that I had a past life personality that lived at a casino or worked in one. I don't know. It always felt weirdly familiar to me.

>> Marco Timpano: Sure, sure. We saw some Vegas shows, too. Those were fun.

>> Amanda Barker: We did. I liked working in a casino. I liked living and working in a casino, believe it or not. Although I don't know if I would do it forever. You and I performed in a casino in Windsor that time.

>> Marco Timpano: Oh, we did? Yes, we did.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah. That was the first casino. And then I did a bunch of other things. So this is news to me that you actually like Vegas. I didn't think you liked Vegas.

>> Marco Timpano: I do like veg. Something about Vegas that appeals to me. Besides our friend, I have other friends in Vegas as well.

>> Amanda Barker: You do?

>> Marco Timpano: Yeah, My old dentist. Both of them, husband and wife team, are friends of the family. I shouldn't say my dentist. My former dentist. They're close friends of my family who were also my dentists who moved to, Las Vegas.

>> Amanda Barker: We should get our dentist to do an episode of this because he can be very soothing.

>> Marco Timpano: Our dentist is awesome.

>> Amanda Barker: He's wonderful. And I actually know him because of my work in radio, believe it or not. And that's how he became my dentist. That's a story for another time.

>> Marco Timpano: It is. I think it is.


Amanda: I hope this episode did not jump the shark

I think we're at the end of our episode.

>> Amanda Barker: I can't even believe it.

>> Marco Timpano: I can't believe it either. I can't believe you thought the fawns drove a motorcycle over a shark.

>> Amanda Barker: Yeah, I thought it was a motorcycle on water skis. I was like, five when I watched it.

>> Marco Timpano: Fair enough. Well, listen, thank you for joining, Joining us. Thank you for staying with us. If you've stayed this far, I hope this episode did not jump the shark. But if it did, I hope you had a few chuckles along the way. And tune in next week for more Insomnia Project. Thank you for all the correspondence, the emails, the texts, the. Or not the text, but the, tweets, and all the other ways people are getting in touch with us. I will do my best to respond. And, thank you for listening. Until next time, Amanda, and I hope you listen and sleep.