Mike Daisey completes his life story of Tesla with this tale about the scientist’s real Dr. Strangelove moment: inventing the ultimate superweapon. But did it work? The government thought it might, and the Cold War got hotter.
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Fantastic interview. Love you, Alan! You were one of the main influences for me to get back into acting later ...
on Alan Cumming -
Really difficult to convey this as a "sound story" and it was done beautifully. Really compelling.
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Alan Cumming
Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen is a co-production of Public Radio International and WNYC Radio, and is funded in part by Ken and Lucy Lehman and the National Endowment for the Arts. Studio 360's American Icons series is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Our Science and Creativity series is supported in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Comments [2]
Tesla: This is fun, isn't it? Just like old times, back in London? When was that - '42, '43?
Helen: I prefer not to think about it.
Tesla: Come on, Helen. Every major spy agency in the world was looking for me. I needed your help. And besides, what's a faked death among friends?
Helen: Whose harebrained notion was it to supply every Allied government with plans of your death-ray weapon?
Tesla: Well, I thought they'd all share it, that peace would break out. I did. I had my Nobel speech all memorized.
This story is inaccurate. He actually calls it the Peace Ray and never demonstrated it for anyone.
Stop sounding so sure of yourself.
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