How To Do Everything

Talent Shows & Phone Call Etiquette

Nov 5, 2025
Eric Henze, a former first-grade talent-show star, shares his hilarious experience of performing armpit fart sounds and reflects on his school fame 12 years later. Mike Sachs, an author and interviewer, humorously recounts a memorable conversation with comedian David Sedaris, including a surprising bathroom anecdote. The discussion navigates the etiquette of taking bathroom breaks during important calls and whether guests notice such interruptions. Plus, learn about Boeing's quirky use of 20,000 pounds of potatoes to test airplane Wi-Fi!
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ANECDOTE

Banned Armpit-Fart Talent Show Act

  • Seven-year-old Eric Henze planned to perform an armpit-fart act at his elementary talent show but the principal banned it as inappropriate.
  • The show and NPR hosts later staged a mock talent showcase where Eric performed and discussed his technique and origins.
ANECDOTE

Where Eric Is Twelve Years Later

  • Twelve years later Eric spoke with the hosts as an adult and reflected on how the incident followed him through school and graduation.
  • He demonstrated that the armpit-farting remained a part of his life as a joke and occasionally for performances.
ADVICE

Mute Instead Of Ending Long Interviews

  • Mike Sachs recommends muting the call if you need to urinate during a long remote interview instead of breaking the conversation.
  • He endorses discreet solutions to avoid interrupting important calls, emphasizing privacy and practicality.
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