Introduction: Walkman Soap Dish: No Soap Radio
This is a rugged soap dish made from an old sport-style walkman.
About the title:
"No soap radio" was the punchline to a "joke" I vividly recall from grade school. The joke basically goes as follows:
"Two elephants are sitting in a bathtub. One says: 'Pass the soap.' The other elephant says: 'No soap, radio.'"
...at which point, upon delivery of the punchline, everyone would crack up hysterically except the one person who didn't know the joke was on them. What basically was happening was that a bunch of kids would gang up on another person and tell them a joke which made no sense and then make fun of them for not understanding the nonsensical joke.
It really was much more mean than funny. And having been on the receiving end of this cruelty at least once in my life, it has left a lasting impression. So, when I was looking at this soap dish and wondering what to call it some fifteen years later, the first thing that came to my mind was "no soap radio." Maybe now I can use it to wash away all of those painful memories.
Step 1: Go Get Stuff
You will need:
- An old and/or broken walkman (preferably of the "Sports" / water-resistant variety)
- A hot glue gun
- A set of small screwdrivers
Step 2: Remove the Electronics
Remove all of the electronics, mechanical parts and any extra metal plating from the inside of the case.
Step 3: Glue in the Buttons
Now would be time to glue in place the buttons for play, stop, rewind and fast forward.
As well, glue in place any other buttons that will fall off if they are not attached to the case.
Step 4: Glue the Switches and Nobs
For any switch that might be held in place with a metal screw (such as the volume knob), remove the screw and glue it in place.
Now is also that time to remove all of the extra metallic objects from the case. If the metal can't be removed, cover over it with hot glue.
Step 5: Wash Off the Case
Wash off the inside of the case with soap and water and you're done.
Go get a bar of soap and put it inside.
5 Comments
16 years ago on Introduction
well... way its described on wikipedia
16 years ago on Introduction
no soap radio was also the name of thw bath radio in thw simpsons. you can see it in the episode "homer the heretic"
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
Also a short lived television comedy show on NBC back in the late 70's. Thanks for the memories, that show died WAYYYYY too soon.
16 years ago on Introduction
This would certainly be waterproof! And "No Soap Radio" comes from the 1920's. I asked my late Great Uncle (a one-time traveling salesman) about that joke, and he told me that "No Soap, Radio" would be in the listings for a "Motor Lodge" in a guidebook. There's be no soap in the bathroom, but there'd be a radio (often bolted to the night stand, so you couldn't steal it), denoting how cheap the place was, and often charged by the hour for couples with an idle moment or two. In short, "No Soap Radio" was the 1920's version of a "No-Tell Motel". (Ah, those were innocent days...)
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for telling me about the origin of the term. It's rather interesting to know that it has such a long and sketchy history. I guess the joke can sort of make sense now, but it's still not funny.