Prompt Cast
The Rise and Fall of Waterbeds: From Conversation Pits to Punchlines
TLDR Waterbeds were initially designed as conversation pits but quickly became popular as beds, especially for sexual purposes. However, they declined in popularity due to leaks, discomfort, and associations with negative things like porn, leading to the rise of alternative mattresses.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Waterbeds were popular in the 70s and 80s, but have evolved since then and are making a comeback with new designs.
04:32
The inventor of the modern water bed, Charles Hall, created an eight foot by eight foot water bed called the "pleasure pit" that was meant to be a conversation pit for multiple people.
08:42
The water bed was originally designed as a conversation pit with a water mattress in the middle, but it quickly became popular as a bed, especially for sexual purposes.
13:17
The early water beds were often associated with sexual purposes and became a punchline in sitcoms and movies, as they were prone to leaking and causing discomfort.
17:55
The idea of a water bed came about in the late 60s as a way to revolutionize sleep, but it was hijacked by people who owned the patent and even science fiction writer Robert Heinlein was considered the intellectual property holder of water bed designs due to his detailed descriptions in his books.
22:16
Charles Hall holds the patent for high-end water beds and founded a company called Innerspace Environments, but knockoff manufacturers with leaky and poorly designed water beds gave the product a bad name.
26:55
Waterbeds became a $2.3 billion industry in the late 80s, but declined in the 90s due to the rise of grunge, and the industry tried to distance itself from the sex appeal by establishing a trade association and making improvements to the design of waterbeds.
31:05
Waterbeds are heavy and require a lot of structural support, and in major cities like New York, they were often banned in leases due to their weight, making them difficult to move and transport.
35:10
Waterbeds were associated with negative things like porn and leaks, and their popularity declined in the 90s with the rise of alternative mattresses like Tempurpedic and sleep number.
39:32
The episode ends with a brief discussion about color blindness and how it can affect electricians.
Categories:
Society & Culture
