Does James May Smell Terrible? I Earth Science

[@doctypepublic]

I really wish James would've continued doing HeadSqueeze. Of course, I have no idea who terminated the relationship, but these Q&A vids are some of my favorite James May-related things.

[@HazenGrass]

Agreed now that Top Gear is over were all crawling the Internet to get more of the 3 of them or at least I am

[@StupidBlech]

Hazen Grass I am too, don't worry

[@The_McRib]

I think he was just paid to do a set number of videos during a gap in his other shows. If it was an ongoing job he probably wouldn't have done it as I imagine a presenter's schedule is very hectic and back then he was doing quite a lot of work with the BBC.

[@lucrativeelfmongrel]

James May is so wonderful. He's a British national treasure without even trying! What a hero!

[@isiartdotcom]

My understanding of the gold paint thing is that you need to keep a portion of the chest bare (ie the back) as the paint will not stretch and may therefore not allow for full expansion of the lungs. And, it doesn't matter if the paint is gold or not. Love your videos James.

[@dr5117]

Thinking of James May and fresh sweat will certainly keep me warm in the coming winter months.

[@jdbull66]

P.S. Love the program, I learn quite a lot of interesting things, and I appreciate the sense of humor.

[@Rottenberg666]

"You smell like a neglected French cheese" that's what i'm gonna say to people with unpleasant odor.

[@beefcakeandgravy]

Mythbusters DID test it, properly on The Hyneman. There was no significant effect caused by the latex gold paint that he had pained over all of his body. IIRC "slight discomfort" was all he felt, but from the uncomfortable rubber paint, not heat or other strange issues.

[@RFC3514]

Diving and bathing don't block your pores; sweat still comes out, it just doesn't evaporate (and you're unlikely to overheat while doing either of those things, anyway, since cool water conducts heat away from your skin faster than evaporating sweat would). I doubt anyone would die just from having blocked pores (the person would still lose heat through conduction, normal breathing, etc.), but it can certainly cause some skin cysts to develop.

[@joshualatham5926]

Experiments show that you like the smell of peoples natural scent when your immune systems differ, plus some other genetically things that can really help when reproducing. This makes sure that you get a diverse population. Vital to the survival on our race! :D

[@JohnnyKronaz]

"Hey sexy, you're immune to stuff that I'm not. Let's make resilient babies together."

[@petercrowl9467]

No - people didn't smell terribly in the 70's - or 60's for that matter. We used deodorants - and mostly roll-on not aerosol. But then the smell of cigarettes was everywhere.

[@Miss65boo]

James, you have beautiful blue eyes and I love your smile, so don't think otherwise!

[@SenpaiTorpidDOW]

Exactly. I think a combination of this and the fact that ultimately you are allowed to smell however you want; I may not like a perfume somebody is wearing, but who am I to say "I dislike your perfume". Then finally you don't know if there is a reason why they smell like that. They may have mental or physiological reasons as to why they sweat excessively, or they may have a disease/illness which makes them stink even if they aren't sweaty due to having lots of dead skin...

[@ipKonfig]

James May for World President! Love this guy!

[@ericvilas]

Actually, though it's true you can't die from Skin Suffocation, it should have no impact on being underwater, since it's not air that needs to get in, but water that needs to get out. Just clearing that up. Overheating will probably be a problem with gold paint, just not deadly.

[@JallenMeodia]

Its paint contracting while drying that is dangerous not it blocking up your pores.

[@scrustle]

I thought that thing about the patch left on the gold girl in that Bond film was just a myth, as well as the thing about dying if your skin "can't breathe".

[@SenpaiTorpidDOW]

Yup. The extent to which you have BO is determined by loads of different factors you can't really control. Showering helps obviously and so do antiperspirants because they remove bacteria and prevent you from sweating in the first place respectively, but my sweat stinks regardless of the fact I shower in the morning and at night and wear antiperspirant so I have to get prescribed deodorants to stop me sweating. P.S I'm underweight, but bacteria does thrive around fat which is why fat people...

[@clapetto]

Thanks!

[@Spindrift_87]

I think we have all the pieces in place there, yes. Good work. I don't think he was ever so fragrant after a couple of days in an extremely stripped-out Aston Martin, driving through Italy. In summer. With no air conditioning

[@BeastOfTraal]

I've never been England but I would imagine London smells quite different than the Salisbury Plain.

[@MonsieurArlequin]

As a person who has bad B.O, this is what you should do. Instead of just telling him that he stinks, give advise. Like recommend products to buy or give him/her tips. Show that you are not there just to insult them, be nice to the stranger and show genuine concern. Trust me. The person will feel greatful.

[@knlazar08]

Although if you will recall that episode, after 90% coverage, they did stop, as the paintees were feeling ill... Also watch this vid to see how tightly the mythbusters are controlled. Adam admits here that he's "not sure how much of this he is supposed to tell but..." but he tells what little he knows anyway. /watch?v=-St_ltH90Oc Note at 1:40 how he admits, "now that its on discovery's radar, THEY WONT LET US GO NEAR IT!" -(emphasis mine)

[@RFC3514]

To be fair, there are no studies about long-term effects of full-body pore blockage. Which means saying "it can't kill you" is as incorrect as saying "it will kill you". It certainly won't kill you immediately, but neither will smoking a cigarette (unless it was given to you by the Mossad or KGB, in which case it probably can).

[@mickieg1994]

there is a particularly horrible condition where you smell of rotting fish but are completely unaware of this. i had a small trouser accident recently just before a 4 hour flight and didn't realise until i got home i was wondering why everybody was moving away from me all day

[@TurboTelytJim]

It is said that when Europeans reached the tribes in the Amazon, centuries ago, they were repelled by how badly the visitors smelt in their clothes. It is also said tropical tribes peoples don't sweat as much but, even so, now they wear clothes they have had to adopt soap as well.

[@OhNoHesDrivenRoundIt]

It's kinda. In Austria we had the following case(provement avaliable): A bodypainter wanted to use a golden colour he just invented ,but it got hard and the skin of the person couldn't breathe ,dead.

[@Salensuss]

At least he have facts... Considering the amount of electricity that went into lighting alone during various film scenes it is bad for a normal human. If you cannot cool yourself in such situation you will be in medical emergency within 5 hours, and I don't think they really wanted an actual deadline. That's what wikipedia says which have dozens reference links.

[@JohnnyKronaz]

That gold paint thing was debunked ages ago.

[@Oats4761]

+Johnny Kronaz if by debunked you mean proven

[@JohnnyKronaz]

Adam Oatmeal When and where? Oh right, never and nowhere.

[@ArfurFaulkesHake]

Ist not so much that your skin can't breathe. But if you caver the whole body with paint your body can overheat causing several unhealthy reactions. Mythbusters did an experiment on that. An other reason is using the wrong kind of paint, which can contract on drying, which then constrict ones ribs and lungs, and thus interferre with normal breathing. Just cause ones lungs can't expand properly.

[@MJinPitt]

Without a doubt, the Extras are always better than the regular episode.

[@jdbull66]

Based on genetic compatibility, different people are attracted to some and repelled by other individuals' odors, with a wide spectrum of intensity.

[@ConorDrew]

When he was talking about being hot in Italy , All I could think of is when he was when there for top gear in the yellow Aston and he had to strip as it had no AC.

[@FARBerserker]

The thing with the gold colour is a myth. Covering yourself head to toe in completel, airtight wrapping is no worse than blocking off one nostril, as long as you leave the moutg and otger nostril open

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

I was saying exactly the same thing about smokey pubs just last night. When smoking indoors was allowed farts and armpits were nowhere near as offensive as they are nowadays.

[@MrAwawe]

Why would you want to tell someone that they smell in public? it's not like it's going to help.

[@Fahrvergnugen]

He mentions it in his most recent Top Gear column, too. topgear.com/uk/james-may/james-may-top-gear-magazine-column-2013-10-09 Apparently it really is a documentary, recorded under the aegis of Top Gear.

[@Muhovc]

What on earth makes you people connect "beeing able to put out sweat" with "skin suffocation". Deodorants which block your sweat pores make it harder for you to sweat and it is not helthy if done on the whole body (if only partly you only sweat elsewhere). Scuba diving does not block you from sweating.

[@VeraLucille]

The large patch on the woman's "back" was actually on her stomach. Otherwise you'd be able to see it. Also, it just depends on the paint. Plenty of people have been fully painted without leaving a large patch.

[@nayeem05]

Why am I watching James ramble on and on

[@Onodera1980]

I work in New York and often tell offenders that they... well, offend. "You wreak!" works for me.

[@thecoshman]

I think the reason why it is awkward to tell someone they smell bad, is because it is pointless. What are they going to do about it? rush home and have a shower? It's a bit like telling someone 'watch that step' after they have fallen over it

[@JonatasAdoM]

Some deodorants cause me physical pain as if my skin was glued together, I can't even move my arms well. There are also those that you just know they don't work.

[@Milux2000]

It worked in Goldfinger.

[@TheBGS128]

It´s curious that you meniton MythBusters, since they stated it didn´t kill the girl and didn´t kill Jamie, however they did advise not to do it, because it was potentially harmful.

[@alexvthooft]

Exactly! Has been regularly disproved. It's an 'urban' film myth!

[@debbiethemadbee]

Am I correct in saying there are different types of sweat (smell) depending on the situation? For example the fear (fight/flight) sweat and hot weather type sweat differing.

[@John-Walker]

What causes oxidisation and what problems do yo have with it when yo weld or solder

[@FrogmortonHotchkiss]

Why would you say? Are they going to shower there and then, or keep it in mind for next time? I agree, however, that it's a recent sensibility--for sure. But stale sweat is, indeed, yucky cos bacteria munch on it and excrete acids and whatnot.

[@refusist]

I have Congenital anosmia (born without the sense of smell) and this doesnt make much sense to me

[@jordanmalfara1501]

internal body temperature must be maintained to a very specific temperature, gold power or paint can act as an antiperspirant and that will make you very hot. it'll take a while though. if you want to try this out get some antiperspirant and put it on your neck after a few hours its unbearable.

[@TobyBGwynne]

To be fair this is just an extras bit where James talks as himself, not from a script, so just because he says something doesn't mean it's true and quite often he'll say that he's not sure or he only thinks that something is the case. The main video is generally factual.

[@Spindrift_87]

In a rainforest, no less. I was wondering if that would be brought up

[@felipemorata1559]

Why is this video without subtitles?

[@MrDickDan2]

"the queen" I loled

[@ryan266846]

overheating can kill you very quickly

[@maxximumb]

Mr May, please check your facts! Gold paint can't kill you like the Jame Bond film claims. Overheating would be a minor problem, but not fatal.

[@MassiveDerek]

Drive north on interstate 75 into Detroit. Smelliest place in the states.

[@AltarenGalil]

Im not British or American so i choose to use my own dialect that is a mix of both. Use the word that sounds more appropriate is my motto.

[@Karva85]

That gold paint thing is wrong Mythbusters did test it. Its partialy true as you could die after few days.

[@sianwarwick633]

About the paint - What about the Blue Man group. Maybe they aren't completely covered in paint

[@scubaculture]

I need one of those t-shirts

[@kunstsein]

4:50 No it would not kill you quickly or even slowly if you are fully coverd in paint of any kind. The skin does not breath. Nobody ever died because of a long bath or a long swim in the sea. The Bond film is the origin of this myth.

[@ltericdavis2237]

"England smells of cricket, roses and the queen"

[@jackst26]

3:04 checks his watch while not wearing a watch...

[@Flamungus]

Well, you can't always know everything. These bonus Q&A's are not supposed to be accurate, they're just conversing.

[@littlekirby6]

"They do a lot of baking in Germany."

[@hogahaga111]

Reminded me of my gym T-shirt that is mushed in my bag for a few days xD

[@perforongo9078]

You could probably die from Gold Paint, it would just need to be really hot outside. Sweat glands regulate body temperature, and people die all the time from heat stroke. So if paint is blocking the sweat glands... I doubt MythBusters would decide to go so far as to kill one of their cast members. It's something that they couldn't and shouldn't test completely. This whole idea about "skin suffocation" is silly though.

[@Ethiopianraver]

I was hoping he would talk about if there was a difference between sweating from lets say exercising and sweating from stress. I had a terrible phone interview once and I stank way more than I did after a 2 hr gym session. Anyone know if there is actually a difference?

[@nickrich56]

... Pittsburg Pennsylvania smelled like Hypoid Gear Oil the last time I drove through it ...

[@TreyC24]

My hometown just north of Pittsburgh smelled of the oil refineries and you could smell the town driving in before you got to it.

[@olbrzym11]

4:42 hmm.. no! It would not kill you. Mythbusters have done episode about this.

[@sisterofslaanesh666]

i forgot where the youtube offices was in london, st pancras

[@samsmith1580]

After traveling around Europe in the 70s I then went to America and was amazed at how Americans smelt of nothing.

[@jeffpark4136]

They are aliens. Thats why

[@Oroy93Oroy]

Hallo James what is insanity and how do you determine if you or an other are sane or not

[@debbiethemadbee]

Why when do we stop smelling things like deodorant when we use the same ones for a while?

[@Pr0crustesify]

Not true , you die from the heat , thus when you bath or scuba dive you can stay cold , i think the mythbusters should do it when its properly hot.

[@imadecoy.]

Yeah, but who can really take Mythbusters seriously when they test things like "Is it easy to take candy from a baby?"

[@WyvernApalis]

Clarkson: yes he does

[@BigMitch1996]

@shraka factually a woman died during the filming of gold finger due to her body paint

[@AuntyGoogol]

As for places that smell, it's called the Tropics!

[@GamesnBrains]

James, you should get a whiff of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

[@TitanXP]

why do cords tangle?

[@robertof84]

minute 1:45 and on, look at james face while describing the smell.

[@DavidTheCatMedia]

True fact: the original purpose of snuff was to prevent people from being able to smell each other.

[@Rytis36]

what makes a wind?????

[@DoctorVince]

What about cigarette stink?

[@bland9876]

better safe than sorry

[@TobyBGwynne]

That was a movie.

[@AltarenGalil]

Im not from the US or the UK. Garbage sounds worse thats why i used it even tho i know you use the word rubbish. Even tho the question was about England i dont see why you would have to correct me for using a US dialect word.

[@TheDriver458]

Ugh my mom has a super-sensitive nose. It's annoying at times.

[@tenpinbowl12]

yup

[@josecinho23]

i could stay hours listen him

[@aramir71]

James referencing Germany makes me smile every time...(since i am a Gerrrrman)

[@ryan266846]

Bali smells of cigarette smoke if there's no wind.

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

I went into a chemists shop and asked for deodorants, the shop assistant asked me 'Ball or aerosol sir?'. I replied 'I want it for my arm pits actually'.

[@SenpaiTorpidDOW]

no, sweat is sweat.

[@OfficialJamion]

To Gold Body myth... someone needs to get James May to watch Mythbusters. They disproved that a while ago.

[@efox2001]

... And then the queen says "pull my finger".

[@diederikvandedijk]

When I put on deodorant I allways leave a large patch on my back

[@JackFitzsimmonsZondaFan]

Thumbs up if you thought James was going to talk about Clarkson or Hammond when asked if he worked with a colleague with bad BO?.