Oddity Archive: Episode 156 - VHS Vault Vol. 14 (Be Cruel About Fire Safety)

[@MitchellHang]

"Seymour, the house is on fire! No, mother, it's just the Northern Lights."

[@KyosukeShigeru]

And a *slow clap* for you!

[@ChuckD79]

"HEEEEELP! HEEEEELP!"

[@otaking3582]

Well Seymour, you're certainly an odd(ity) fellow, but you steam a good ham.

[@ChuckD79]

On a sadder note, Dr. Frank Field passed away on Sunday, at the age of 100...he was a NYC news institution for over 40 years, and will be missed.

[@chadwik4000]

12:00 I think there's a specific community (much like fire, in fact) taking up the majority of that 50% of non-working (beeping) smoke detectors, Dr. Frank....

[@iced_coffeelvr1069]

All I can picture in my head now is George Costanza telling me about fire safety...

[@mr3urious]

Or Duckman.

[@luisreyes1963]

Unless you remember his panic attack at a kid's party on an episode of Seinfeld.

[@Malkmusianful]

HE was LEADING THE WAY

[@dorourke105]

@@Malkmusianful Or Poseidon from the Hercules series, okay I'm really reaching now

[@vinylstudsfavorites]

SEYMORE'S GETTIN UPSET!!

[@danielslade9485]

21:06 This now is true.

[@aiberlane3390]

I have never seen a box of baking soda that huge! And she emptied half of it into that pan!

[@luisreyes1963]

Must have bought it from Costco.

[@ABCEasyas--]

11:00 Hear that, @NLind? “55% of smoke detectors in America don’t work” Quite assuring for First Alert, a sponsor of this video

[@eddiereptile1049]

4:45 no it was me.

[@mattelectro78]

I remember watching the first video at school here in the UK. I also remember the teacher saying something like, "it may be American, but it's just as relevant in this country!"

[@ChuckD79]

Watched it in school here in the States, as well...the scene where Frank pours water on a grease fire to demonstrate how it should never be done stuck with me all those years, and also remembered covering a burning pot with a lid as an effective method to stop such a fire.

[@JL-sm6cg]

Also, I've seen Frank Field before. He used to do an early morning syndicated show called The Health Field with his wife, Pamela. It used to come on before the morning block of cartoons on WKBD TV50 in Detroit.

[@Sabrina79]

13:46 "Maybe I'm just thinking that the rooms are all on fire" - Stevie Nicks. And yes, I sang that line as I typed it. 😊💕🎶🎤

[@MrJohndoakes]

16:51 ....a video that was mocked on RedLetterMedia's "Wheel of the Worst" show, where Rich Evans talked about a grease fire he nearly caused at his grandmother's house, a thing that was nearly a meme.

[@leejtam0914]

the Be Cool PSA seriously feels like they made it in the mid 90s

[@5roundsrapid263]

I love when you riff videos! I was actually in a grease fire as a kid and even think 6:22 was hilarious...

[@OddityArchive]

Yeah, this video was meant more to lampoon the mixed messages and hyperbole in these types of videos as opposed to minimizing the seriousness of fires--but I think MOST Archive viewers are plenty hip enough to pick that out.

[@5roundsrapid263]

OddityArchive I have several firemen in my family and they would get a kick out of it...

[@ChuckD79]

I remember that part of the video when it was screened in my elementary school class, particularly the scene where Frank showed why you should never pour water on a grease fire.

[@motherbrain86]

love the way the fire saftey song in the credits goes out of tune like a dying turntable

[@v.m.9198]

my firefighter uncle actually had to stop a hawaiian pig roast at a trailer park because of the amount of smoke it was giving off

[@Dannypuck]

Benny Boy deserves more than 6,000 views. His show his fantastic.

[@DrewberTravels]

21:00 JASON ALEXANDER!?

[@otaking3582]

4:10 Ha! I get that reference

[@Stephie2007]

Unfortunately, I remember the "Be cool about Fire Safety" PSAs (including the ones that featured Gilbert Godfried as the obnoxious smoke detector) The 90s and early 2000s were a weird time.

[@heidifedor]

I had to watch that fire safety video at work.

[@danthemanwiththegarbagecan]

"i wish i could put my good hands around allstate's throat" that line delivery was priceless

[@Malkmusianful]

I don't know which Seinfeld joke to make with CGI Seymour Smoke: 1. He being what George's fiance saw on all that toxic envelope glue, or 2. HE WAS LEADING THE WAY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE

[@EddieHawkinsII]

There’s a tag on him… “Property of Vanderlay Industries.”

[@chadwik4000]

8:24 Either that's a cold sore, or the first take didn't go too well...

[@joannegray5138]

In the UK, we're told that if your frying pan catches alight, you have to soak a teatowel, wring it out so it's damp, then place it over the flames. None of this lid or baking soda stuff.

[@Fluteboy]

This is what you're after! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKXZf3yooZKsmac "Fire. If you don't let it start - you won't have to stop it."

[@WilfredCthulu]

I'm surprised at how many people who still don't know about this channel.

[@hayleywaalen2612]

It was Charizard all along.

[@mix3k818]

The Be Cool About Fire Safety clip is so corny... ...I love it.

[@5roundsrapid263]

MiREK It gave me 90’s flashbacks, and not in a good way. 23:00 looks like a grown woman of today dressing like she did in high school!

[@mix3k818]

5Rounds Rapid You're right.

[@Tornado1994]

RedLetterMedia, Wheel of The Worst #1. 2013.

[@justjennie7394]

Love this! At my apartment every unit is connected so someone down the way can burn something in the kitchen and we're left standing outside waiting for our rural volunteer department to take 20 minutes to come the half mile down the street. Love your sense of humor Ben! Love the Allstate comment, especially since I work for Liberty Mutual😁😉

[@dunes8817]

the door...

[@jamesslick4790]

......close the dooooor.......

[@loneshewolf74]

I can't believe I haven't watched this channel in so long I almost forgot about it completely. I sure am glad I started watching again. I've actually seen this fire safety video a number of times, or maybe an updated version. It mentioned how you can't smell smoke in your sleep, and if you do wake up you'll be really out of it from carbon monoxide poisoning, and your chances of escaping are one in 400 billion so you might as well kiss your flame-roasted butt goodbye. Eww, what a revolting thought! At least it would be more so than McDonald's burgers, lol

[@daisydaze2886]

I remember watching the first video on a field trip to the fire station at about 6. I'm going to guess they skipped some parts like about various people dying horribly in fires as I don't remember being terrified after leaving.

[@DrewberTravels]

19:00 Son... if you try to tell me how to cook again...

[@RetroManMike]

I've got this video uploaded on my KZbin channel.

[@BrokenHedgehog]

*Singing* Iiiii don't want to set the world on fire...

[@bombasticbuster9340]

I am 50 yrs old. I havent seen vhs tape abused like this since Suncoast Motion Picture Co put Ishtar on VHS AND to be more cruel they burned it to an LD.

[@themacfan]

dude you cant imagine how much i love your channel !! so much fun , informative and unique .

[@AbbeyB77]

100% guarantee if I watched the first video as a kid I would have been badly scarred

[@ChuckD79]

Being a Long Island native, I remember Ch. 2 running ads for the PTGOA video, which was also later sold in the early 90s by our local Sears outlet store.

[@bashildy]

How many DUIs did Jason Alexander and what appears to be half of Bran Van 3000 get to be stuck doing that Fire Safety Video?

[@ViewpointProd]

tfw you are about too sleep cus its 12:00 am and minotte uploads a video SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK

[@PeacefulAutistic]

Love the VHS vault stuff! This is great!

[@SeanDamonGreene]

funnier than I thought it would be! The pyromania edition of Oddity Archive. That cop guy was extra creepy...

[@JL-sm6cg]

Of course they don't work! When the goddamn thing goes off when you're cooking or smoking a cigarette like it did in my house growing up, you would rather pull out the battery and take your chances with the fire! (And our detector had the most loud annoying buzzer that ever existed as well.)

[@toratio8547]

I should not have watched this over lunch - I nearly wore half of it and have actual tears. That was amazing - except that song is STUCK IN MY HEAD! It’s like they were subconsciously trying to turn people into pyromaniacs!

[@huskobonsarune]

Awesome vid! I'm sure Jason Alexander lit the video on fire when he saw it too.....

[@michelle_pgh]

Oh god, that '90s rapping one...I'm dying!

[@Luigirepublic]

The original Gilbert Gottfried smoke detector is cute. The CGI one with Jason Alexander is creepy. He even rips his own face off. Old CGI is the worst. Good lord.

[@loneshewolf74]

I prefer Hector the 2d-animated Smoke Detector. He has a surprisingly lovely singing voice. Too bad those hammy kids in his PSA ruin it.

[@VibbyABibby]

I remember "Be Cool about Fire Safety". Hector was better, but yunno... turn your psas into horror movies!

[@SNARC15]

COSTANZA! Zelda Scott called...she wants her home girl gimmick back!

[@Musicradio77Network]

Interesting video on how to avoid the fire. This was produced by WCBS-TV in New York City in conjunction with First Alert and McDonald's back in 1988. This was a NYC themed fire safety video and it was for educational use in schools.

[@ABCEasyas--]

How about a crossover episode with Chadtronic? He riffed Gilbert Gottfried’s Be Cool It could have been uploaded a couple of weeks later, since it’s National Fire Prevention Week

[@artistwithouttalent]

4:14 NOOOOOOOOOPE. That right there is a whole bunch of NOPE. 15:38 And I am DONE. NOPE. NO MORE. DO NOT WANT.

[@rwdplz1]

We actually had this VHS tape when I was a kid

[@MrJohndoakes]

You were in a fire cult?

[@flobo23]

Why?^^

[@MrJohndoakes]

flobo23 Possibly rwdplz1's family got it from ordering 20 Big Macs at a time?

[@flobo23]

if u put it like that... ppl like that dont even know how to burn calories ; )

[@MrJohndoakes]

No they never ordered again, it was all for the tape.

[@akaiuwu]

they go voom voom

[@memyopinionsche6610]

At first i smelled a hint of hamburger in the air. Then thought mmmmm. I sure could use a quarter pounder right now. Then I look down in absolute horror.. THAT'S MY LEGS ON FIRE! Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! I am still hungry! Then! ouch! ouch! ouch!

[@TheBronxBunnyMan]

Is it bad that I'm watching this while cookig?

[@ViewpointProd]

they litteraly pulled a lucas, replace the practical effets with CG, replace the classic music with a modern upbeat tune

[@nighttimevideo]

Ben, don't burn your new place down whilst trying to cook French fries.

[@TheBronxBunnyMan]

Poor Gilbert, always getting the shaft. I'm surprised I didn't hear any "Jump in the Fire" references.

[@ITILII]

at 19:03 "they cookin" hey like man yall is hatin' on mah grammuh, dontcha know foo ya gots to be ayba 2 reed to knows bout grammuh....hate crime cracka !

[@squirrelguy2195]

Close... the door

[@dunes8817]

I vaguely remember the original Be Cool About Fire Safety video.

[@Tornado1994]

RedLetterMedia, Wheel of The Worst #1. 2013.

[@mightyfilm]

Wait. Was that First Alert commercial narrated by William Conrad? Great. I can't take that seriously because now I expect him to say "Tune in to the next episode 'Smoke gets in your Eyes' or 'Last Hired first Fired.'"

[@5roundsrapid263]

mightyfilm I vividly remember “Jake and the Fatman”!

[@syxepop]

What I remember him more was for "Canon" a far more serious detective role...

[@EddieHawkinsII]

I expect him to start telling us the tale of Hudson Hawk. “The time was 1481, the artist was Leonardo DaVinci. The guy on the donkey’s just a guy on a donkey…”

[@imrustyokay]

OH GOD....I think I remember the Be Cool about Fire Safety....both versions...Yeah, Knoxville was kind of behind the times.

[@JL-sm6cg]

I must ask. I hadn't got there yet if you had, but have you ever done a show about Snuffy's Fire Brigade? He was an Animorphic fire engine who did a video in, like, the 70s. We watched it every damn year when I was in elementary school until the film was nearly worn out. It could be paired with the Looney Tunes characters shown in real life teaching how to prevent fires and getting hurt and such.

[@TRLTheRandomLab]

You should do a VHS Vault episode about sexual harassment tapes, since the MeToo movement and stuff

[@daveporter0217]

Why must educational PSAs talk down to their audience?

[@toratio8547]

Trying to burn that tape was so unsafe! You should've shot it with a handgun instead

[@jamesslick4790]

I'm watching this before I have my coffee.....I have priorities!😀

[@mix3k818]

Oh hey, comedy gold!

[@daisydaze2886]

"They were screaming with there hands in the air" Are they Sims? (I had to sorry)

[@algorefan4]

*see jason alxander is in the tape* uh Seinfeld quotes is this tape gonna kill independent george, these fire are making me thirsty am i doing this right

[@sawbonesquad4876]

that cgi, ugh, lol the late 90s were a lawless wasteland

[@dunes8817]

Jason Alexander?

[@MrJohndoakes]

He had a lot of parking tickets to pay off.

[@EmperorMAR]

Genuinely enjoy the gall you had to rif on something that has caused actual deaths.

[@danmount9462]

Seth Rollins would rather BURN IT DOWN!!

[@Lionkingview]

Ok,I simply must ask:where is that clip of the drunk guy molesting that woman in the intro from ?

[@hulavaultboy5935]

Manos: the hands of fate. Watch the FAQ video.

[@Metlhd313]

Not as good as the Wendy's rap about cooking burgers.

[@dunes8817]

Is it just me or did the last Be Cool About Fire Safety song recycle parts from Will Smith's Getting' Jiggy Wit It?

[@5roundsrapid263]

Dunes8 The bass line is originally from a 1979 Sister Sledge song, “He’s The Greatest Dancer”.

[@drhfq]

Yay, I'm early! Love your videos!

[@Moneytane1976]

That 1996 stuff - far too much terrible rap - aargghh!! Ear rape, thanks Ben I can always count on you to find the tackiest and most god awful crap ever made. You are a God. Between this and Vietnamese Macarena I can'ts ee why you are not in the 100 million view league

[@moonbase__]

Wait, so this channel is still going? Huh. I haven't watched you in a while lol :P

[@neilforbes416]

Use (c)rap to deliver a message about fire safety? - Credibility COMPLETELY GONE!

[@ayanaspuppetshows7745]

That fire rap...😟who said the bobble head thing was hip?This is terrible even for the times. 90s I would guess.