able to share this hour with you, the viewers and fans, really. it means the most to us that you come and watch us every night and we try to do our best and we're going to do a lot more kick-butt stuff in 2014. we're all extremely excited. so good night, from all of us at the "all in all-star 3/4 of a year in review show." we'll see you in 2014. all right, so end of the year show, one way to do it is the most important things that happened this year or the chronology of what happened this year, obviously, that's excruciatingly boring. and the thing that we ought to do is the best things that happened this year. only the good things. >> yeah! good things, that's what we're about! >> we're never about good things. which is why we have a special segment on our show we reserve for good things. it's a very small segment, it's called "best new thing in the world." so i think that we can put together, i think we have enough, i know we have enough. it's a question of whether we

have enough actually good ones that still stand up to the test of time and all of that. do we have a whole show worth of best new things that are freaking the best new things in the world that ought to be on for the end of the year show? >> easily, yes. i got one, we have about 44 minutes of program, 16 minutes of commercial. you can play this one like six times. >> you like one so much more than -- >> i personally do, yes. >> what is it? >> but, he's gay. but, he's gay. but, he's gay. which has so much unexpected excellence. i mean, "but, he's gay," you could win with that alone. but then there's more. but, there's more. it's so good. but, he's gay. >> it is the most -- it's the most newsy of all of our best new things. so we should put it right at the top of the show, because it's newsy. >> but, he's gay. and then there's just secret hidden surprises that happen. and you'd think that "but, he's gay," would be the catchphrase

of the century. like, we should have t-shirts., but he's gay. but there's an even better catchphrase that comes out. >> best new thing in the world today. house republicans left d.c. today for williamsburg, virginia, to go to their annual retreat. it's a three-day event that apparently is titled the 2013 congress of tomorrow, which is a little weird, right, as opposed to the 2013 congress of last month. anyway, it is their annual three-day repeat. it is pollster briefings and speeches and strategy sessions and politico.com reports that this year, there will be two motivational speakers for house republicans. one is a man who used to tour as a comedian with garth brooks. the other is this man you see on your screen. his name is eric wynne mayer. he's an adventurer and is famous for being the world's first blind person to climb mt. everest. is this story starting to sound familiar? blind mountain climber, blind

guy climbing mt. everest. anyone remember one of the most awesome news bloopers of all time? >> right after the break, we're going to interview eric whienmayer, who climbed the highest mountain in the world, mt. everest. but he's gay -- he's gay -- excuse me, but he's blind. we'll hear about that coming up. >> but he's gay -- i mean, but! an albuquerque news anchor in 2001, five years later, the clip was uploaded to youtube for some reason, and a million people got to enjoy the best gay, but he's gay joke of all time. and that is the same gay-blind mountain climber that will be motivating america's members of congress tonight. and the best thing about all of this is that eric whienmayer who was the first blind person to climb everest and who is really not gay, eric whienmayer has demonstrated nothing but the best attitude about this blooper, since he first heard it

happening, as it was happening. this is reportedly the video of mr. whienmayer listening to that tease to that albuquerque station during the broadcast as he waited for the interview. as you can tell, it's bad quality video, but you can see him dying laughing, as he hears the anchor say what she said. since this became a famous thing, mr. whienmayer apparently even runs the video of that blooper when he makes his motivational speeches. he finds it hilarious. so house republicans might be seeing this right now. a couple of years after the blooper happened, that anchor who did it moved to a dallas station and her new station staged a reunion, so years later, she finally got to explain to eric whyenmayer why she said what she said. >> right before your story, we had done extensive coverage about the story of a woman who was gay. gay was in the head. and then we came out to the tease for you, and i was so excited, and boom, it happened. and you were so gracious. we did the interview, we never talked about it and we moved on.

and i'm sorry. >> oh, no. please, i should be thanking you. it's the greatest thing ever. >> it is the greatest thing ever. and the guy who thinks so is motivating all of the republican members of the congress right now, as we speak! which is the best new thing in the world today. and you guys, be careful, because gay is in the head. >> gay was in the head. >> gay was in the head. >> it was in the head. it actually makes for a better t-shirt. >> it's unbelievable. gay was in the head. i say that's the best -- that's my favorite best new thing ever. >> all right. well, what else? who else has one? >> that doesn't top the fire-breathing dragon in detroit with the dj booth on the back and because detroit's going bankrupt, there's a lot of -- and the art is going to be maybe sold. so they did this project to sort of -- to save the art. >> that was the save the art thing. and of all the best new things in the world this year, that was the most visually stunning one.

>> the motor city, the great city of detroit has produced lots of great cars, lots of great art, lots of great music over the years. and now the great city of detroit has produced this. behold, the light dragon! this is the brainchild of two artists, detroit-based artist ryan doyle and a hong kong-born artist called teddy low. it is called the light dragon. it is made entirely of salvaged metal and rubber and lights. it is apparently 60 feet long and it weighs 17,000 pounds. it sits on top of a stripped down 1963 dodge dump truck. it's equipped with 2,500 feet of color-changing l.e.d. lights. and because it is a dragon, naturally, it can breathe fire. no, really, it can shoot a 20-foot burst of flame through its dragon nostrils. that part is going to be really important later on in this story, so put a pin in that for a second. the city of detroit, as you may

be aware, is going through a bit of a rough stretch right now. the city filed for bankruptcy in july. they've been under the control of an emergency manager, who makes all of the decisions regarding the city's finances. and that has rendered local democracy, essentially, dead in democracy. one of the things that emergency manager did in the city recently was that he hired christie's auction house to appraise the art that is housed inside the amazing and iconic detroit institute of arts. the detroit institute of arts is one of the country's greatest art museums. it has a world-famous collection of rembrandts and michelangelos and diego riveras like you wouldn't believe. it is a truly incredible collection of art and it is owned by the people of detroit. it's municipal owned. the city owns the collection. it belongs to detroit and its people. and when the emergency manager announced that he was having the entire place appraised to find out its cash value, like in case he was going to sell it off, detroit started fighting back. and part of the way they have been fighting back is with art.

and that is where the fire-breathing dragon comes in. late last night, as the rest of the city was preparing to go to sleep, the l.e.d.-lit 65-long junkyard dragon, equipped with its own dj booth on the back, rolled through the city of detroit, pulled right up to the front lawn of the detroit institutes of arts, and as only a fire-breathing dragon can do, it left a simple message for detroit's emergency manager about how the city feels about its art museum. watch this. >> save the art. if you're going to try to send a message to the powers that be, that is one way to do it. set your fabric-wrapped signs on fire with the flames you shoot 20 feet out of your dragon nostrils. the artists who made that performance stunt made their

escape shortly after setting their sign alight. the sign was then extinguished by dragon supporters and also by the fire department. however you have been making your political case. however you have been trying to convey your political feelings, you need to know that out there, for dudes in detroit who are getting their political point across with fire-breathing, l.e.d., 60-foot dragons that breathe fire and that have a dj booth on the back. the bar has officially been raised, america. step it up. >> good. detroit belongs -- detroit made it. good. >> but the thing about that is that they're trying to save the art from the detroit art institute and christies just did their appraisal and they're going to get about, something like $500 million for it and it -- >> yeah, what they appraised, they could get, like $500 to $800 million, and they're thinking, that would put a big dent in our debts. and it would also eliminate detroit's public art collection. >> so this is a best new thing, but also a tbd. >> it's a best new fight. the fight is still under way.

>> i think they're going to need a bigger dragon. stick with innovation. stick with power. stick with technology. get the new flexcare platinum from philips sonicare and save now. philips sonicare. if you have a business idea, we have a personalized legal solution that's right for you. with easy step-by-step guidance, we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. start your business today with legalzoom.

steve, are you there? >> i'm here. >> steve, are there any best new things you remember that are really good? just the top of your head from watching? >> i like them all equally. >> well played. [ sniffles, coughs ] shhhh! i have a cold with this annoying runny nose.

[ sniffles ] i better take something. [ male announcer ] dayquil cold and flu doesn't treat all that. it doesn't? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting antihistamine. oh, what a relief it is! all right. who else has the best new thing in the world? >> i have one. and i kind of feel like there's no competition, because this is so awesome. i have to say. i'm serious. >> you have the best new thing

in the world? >> i think the best, best new thing in the world. and i can only describe it with two words. >> mm-hmm. >> which are thing-falumabinga. >> this is the single best piece of tape we played all year long. even the best political -- it's not even political. >> no, it's just amazing. >> yes, this is it. >> best new thing in the world today. this is republican congressman of michigan. yesterday it was his job to preside over the house temporarily. he had to take his turn as speaker pro tem. >> the speaker in washington, d.c., june 17th, 2013. i hereby appoint the honor kerry bentavoli. signed john a. boehner. >> so at this point, kerry bentavoli is in charge of the house, this freshman guy. scary, but not a terribly big

deal. you talk into the microphone, say their names, and say where they are from. but that is where things went a little haywire. watch this. >> the chair recognizes the gentleman from american samolia. >> i'm sorry? who? the gentleman from what now? >> the chair recognizes the gentleman from american samolia. >> american samolia. if you google that, you can get a little help as to what he was maybe just -- then the dropdown menu helps. he means american samoa. american samoa. it's not that obscure. there's a girl scout cookie called samoa, right? lots of people who have never been to samoa have had lots of

practice saying it. samoa. samoa. so he said, american samolia, but he meant american samoa. but then things got a lot worse, because he had to say not just that the next person to speak was from samoa, but that the next person to speak has a name. his name is not easy to say, but not impossible. and this guy is not a new guy. he has been in congress recommending american samoa since 1989. but now he needs to be introduced in congress, and it's kerry bentavolia who has to take it away. >> the chair recognizes the gentleman from american samolia, mr. thing -afalomabinga.

>> how do you get from these letters on a piece of paper in front of you to -- >> mr. thing-falomabinga. >> maybe he thought american samoa was in spain, where presumably the "v" could be pronounced like a "b." it's a tough day with the new president pro tem, right? but if you are mr. faleomavenga, how do you respond? this guy has been here 20 years and has never heard the word samoa before and destroys your name. what do you do? you react with total class and win the whole day and everybody's respect. watch how he reacted. >> the chair recognizes the gentleman from american samolia, mr. thing -- falomabinga. thank you. >> thank you, mr. speaker. it's american samoa. >> the best-natured man in

congress is the guy who ignores that he has just been called falomabinga, who's willing to let that ride, but stands up for his place. with total poise, you are the best-natured man in congress and that act of restraint on your part is the best new thing in the world. >> so the guy's name is what? >> bentavolia can't say samoa? has he not been practicing anything? he just says i'm kerry. >> the guy's name is hard to pronounce, but samoa is not hard to pronounce. >> it's actually harder to say than samolia. >> on that note, you said it perfectly, and it's because of this thing which i've kept on my desk the whole time. it is a pronouncer. you can use that. >> and then it's, in case you want to refer to it in the

actual text, and the cool thing is, that after this, after we put him on the show in this way, we were shouting him out. he had such class and restraint in the way he responded. he went on to be the champion in congress of the washington redskins dropping their name as a racist insult in the nfl. and he has just been leading the charge on that in a way that made it more of an issue for the country than it ever has been before. so he's not only ene, and not only nice about where he's from, but very effective. >> we should mail that card to benavolia. >> that's an excellent idea. i have to go. ♪

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what else? best new thing in the world. who's got a favorite? >> as a former band geek, rachel, and i know that there are a lot of us here. i see you. i definitely see you. >> there's no former. >> we should have a rachel maddow staff band. >> i have to say, my favorite best new thing in the world is when we had to go out and rent a trombone to use on the set, because there was this video posted by a trombonist. and what he did with his trombone was like, the best new thing in the world. >> didn't i have to play the trombone? did i? >> i think you attempted -- >> i attempted -- >> beautifully! >> well done. >> you have good arm reach. >> wouldn't you like to be a senior producer? >> okay. this might not work. best new thing in the world.

you know how there are all kinds of extreme sports videos all over the internet these days? videos shot from the point of view of the athlete. they've got the camera on them, so you can feel like it's you, hurdling down the ski slope or catching a wave or whatever. there are reasons there are lots of videos like this out there right now, because the cameras you do this with have gotten small and cheap, like the go-pro, a fairly cheap camera that you can stick on a helmet or a skateboard while you do something involving velocity. and once people figured out that they could do go-fast stuff like that with a go-proon them as they did it, it wasn't long before people started using these cameras to do things other than just go fast. like, for example, somebody came up with the idea to attach one of these cameras to a hula hoop, which at least alters your perspective on things and possibly makes you barf just looking at it. but now one excellent american, one excellent musician may have discovered the most awesome use yet of a go pro camera.

this is a trombone, which is an inherently funny instrument. see? and this is a -- can you see that? that is a go pro camera that we have attached to the slide. remember the hula hoop thing? imagine the perspective from the go pro of somebody playing the trombone, okay? this is genius. watch. ♪ >> that is a professional musician, he is the second trombonist with the new york phil harmonic. mr. finley tells us he shot the video a year ago just on a whim

and put it on his personal website. this year a friend shared the link and the world hive mind collectively decided this must be seen. there's probably a masters thesis in why this works. something to do with the sudden altering of perspective or the slide moves. maybe it is the vein popping on the trombonist's forehead. for whatever reason, the spit valve eye view of a trombone being played is for obvious reasons the best new thing in the world today. side-by-side, so you get the same coverage, often for less. that's one smart board -- what else does it do, reverse gravity?

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starting at just $29,900. wears off. [ female announcer ] stop searching and start repairing. eucerin professional repair moisturizes while actually repairing very dry skin. the end of trial and error has arrived. try a free sample at eucerinus.com. okay. so, out of all the best new things in the world, at least as portrayed on "the rachel maddow show," we do have to sort of -- i feel like we have to show the breadth of what we've done, right? because best new things in the world tend to be a wide-ranging feature, right? so did we have -- i can't remember if we had any that were international and that were particularly good. did we have any good international ones? >> i have one. remember over the summertime, there was the huge anti-government protests in turkey and the media was just not covering it.

they were running films about penguins and they were -- >> the state media in turkey was like, nothing to see here. >> totally, penguins! so, like, there was this turkish game show host and he basically figured out a way to bring up the government crackdown 70 times in his show and it was like totally awesome. like, i don't speak turkish, but i could totally understand it. >> and he devised it as part of the game and it blew everybody's mind. >> he'd ask questions, and the answers would be words against the government. >> it was awesome. it was awesome even in turkish. that's right. >> in turkey, there's a tv game show that's called "the word game." it's kind of like "wheel of fortune," or maybe closer to "password." did you ever see "password." that was on for a zillion years about a zillion years ago. i'm an old person. in any way, in this turkish version of "password," the host gives the contestants a clue and based on the clue, they have to guest what the secret word is.

on monday night, the host of "the word game" in turkey decided to use the game show to subvert the censorship in his country. he made the whole game, the whole game show, about the thing that nobody is allowed to talk about on tv. for example, one clue to the contestants was, democracy breather. democracy breather? i'm stumped. but the contestant was not stumped. >> gas mask! >> democracy breather, as the government has been tear gassing the protesters, right? how about this one? a person who concentrates all political power. that's the clue. hmm! [ speaking foreign language snchd >> dictator! dictator. the next person was the social network site that has been described as a curse. answer?

[ speaking foreign language ] twitter! the turkish prime minister had called twitter a menace to society. in a single one-hour episode of "the word game" in turkey, the host brought up the anti-government protest that no one's allowed to mention 70 different times. he put in police and violence and silence and resistance and censorship. according to "the new york times" lead blog, which picked up on some of the translated coverage of this hero game show host, the last two clues were pretty direct messages to the government. the second-to-last clue was "to voluntarily give up a position." the answer was, resign. and the last clue was, "the act that makes a person bigger by asking to be forgiven for wrong actions." the answer, of course, to that

was apologize. the host has not been back on tv for a live show since doing this on monday night, so we do not know what his act of bravery will cost him. whether or not the host ever knew that bravery would be part of what was needed from him at his host has a game show host, he has show what had he's got what it takes. best new thing in the world. >> that was serious -- it was great and serious, though. do we know what happened to him? >> we do have an update. thanks to twitter, he is back in the hosting chair. >> really? >> yeah. >> wow. >> that's cool. >> in america, he'd have gone to hollywood and pitched subversive password. >> or he would have gone into rehab. >> those two are not mutually exclusive. this is america. >> well, what else? >> i think i've got a contender, a real contender. and it involves a 5-year-old boy named miles scott. >> oh! >> who you may know as miles

scott, but the city of san francisco knows as batkid! >> the cool thing about this one is that it was a cool thing about this kid, a cool thing about the city of san francisco, and when it happened, it became a national cause. america came together around one thing. we can't stand each other on everything from fried chicken preferences to politics and everything in between, but when it comes to batkid, we're all on the same page. >> this is miles, he's 5. he's been battling leukemia for more than half his life. his leukemia is currently in remission, which is a good thing. when the make-a-wish people asked him what his wish was, he said he wanted to be a superhero, batman! or maybe batkid. but i probably do not have to tell you any of this, because if you own a computer machine or any sort of device that hooks you up to social media, this is what it looked like this afternoon if you set your tweet deck for hashtag sf bat kid. don't stare, you will go blind.

all the interest overwhelmed the make-a-wish website. look at what they had to post. we're sorry, we're currently experiencing technical difficulties due to the interest in the badkid wish. please check back. that's the virtual kid's response. in the real world, thousands, literally thousands of people brought their actual, physical bodies to the streets of san francisco today, transforming san francisco for a few hours today into gotham city. and miles, costumed as batkid, as the caped crusader's mini me, well, he knew he was going to spend the day in character, but he did not know how elaborate it would get. his experience started with a breaking news bulletin and a televised appeal from san francisco's actual police chief. >> gotham city needs you, batman. this is police chief greg sir, only hoping you can hear my voice. it's critical that you call me right now. we have a damsel in distress. but that's just the beginning, batman, just tip of the iceberg.

you have to call me! it's urgent. please, caped crusader, we need you! and bring the batkid. >> and he wasn't kidding. miles, in costume, got to read in a batmobile. he helped rescue a woman tied to a bomb on the cable car tracks. he foiled a bank robbery, resulting in the arrest of the riddler, oh, yeah! but his work was still not done. while miles was eating lunch, crowds of volunteers called on him to rescue the san francisco giants' mascot, lou seal, who had been kidnapped by the penguin. miles heard the call, freed the seal, and, yes, yes, helped nab the penguin. resulting in the most awesome fake indictment for both supervillains, published from the u.s. district court, goth that many division. and then for his superheroism, miles was awarded the key to the city. he also got congratulations from the white house, president obama even vined him his presidential thanks. >> way to go, miles!

way to save goth that many! way to go, miles, way to save goth gotham. what i to go, miles, way to save gotham. >> basically, the entire city of san francisco went nuts today. and so did everyone who could not be there in person, but who cheered it all on, online. and here is why this is the best new thing in the world. aside from the first and most obvious reason, which is that a key who has had to fight for his life is getting something he really wanted. another reason that this is great, is that the truth is, when people are faced with awful things, with the specter of awful things, including sickness and death, even in children, the seeming inevitability of darkness and destruction, you know what people want to do? they want to help. and when there's not just a desire to help, but there is a specific thing that you really can do and it really might help, people do it. people help. they go out on the streets and they do what they can. and that impulse, that humane impulse, basically engulfed a major u.s. city this afternoon, and that is the best new thing in the world today. oh, my god, is it.

>> and that's a tv host trying really hard not to cry while telling a story. that's the thing. it's like, yeah, i cry at sad stories, so does everybody, i cry at the national anthem like everybody does. stories about people being good. oh, god! >> and since that happened, there has since been a development, that a mystery donor, somewhere in the city of san francisco, has put up a billboard by the bay bridge that says, "thanks for saving the city, batkid." >> oh! ♪

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i have a cold with this annoying runny nose. [ sniffles ] i better take something. [ male announcer ] dayquil cold and flu doesn't treat all that. it doesn't? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting antihistamine. oh, what a relief it is! if you have a business idea, we have a personalized legal solution that's right for you. with easy step-by-step guidance, we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. start your business today with legalzoom. i'm surprised that nobody brought up the actual best, best new thing in the world. this is the best one. this is the best one.

all right. best new thing in the world. who else has a nomination? kent? >> these are cute, these are funny. we did a story from russia that's going to have geopolitical ramifications for the next decade, to decades. >> russia? >> russia. >> i don't remember a russia. >> there's a dog that looks like vladimir putin. >> oh, my god! >> okay! >> we're just forgetting that? we're not doing that? dog looks like vladimir putin, okay? >> and you think you've got the story. run with it! >> i am tempted to say that the best new thing in the world today is this moment of inexplicability which happened on cnn just a little while ago

this evening. >> does it pay well? do you get a free lancer rate? >> i hope i get a chance to go over to russia and do a face-to-face interview with pravda and while i'm there, get a chance to talk to vladimir and maybe take my shirt off and do some things together. >> you can arm wrestle or something. senator mccain, thanks for being on. >> it's tempting to call that the best new thing in the world today, if only for mr. cooper keeping his exposure as mr. mccain says he wants to take off his shoulder and do things together. mr. cooper tolding it together for that is an excellent, excellent thing. but behold the best new thing in the world today. why the long face? this dog was reportedly a stray found on the streets of kiev in the former soviet republican of ukraine. the dog's picture was posted by a ukrainian newspaper this week

under a tag called oddties. trust me. as to why this picture of ukrainian street dog is considered an oddity, does he look at all familiar? thank you, google are translate, yes. found a dog, like a putin. seriously, it's true. the dog is a dead ringer for russian president, vladimir putin. it's amazing. even more so when you lay the pictures on top of each other. the resemblance is uncanny. like putin's face is coming out of the dog. the internet, of course, exploded over this today. it was basically my whole morning. all kinds of speculation about what is so putinesque about this dog. is this the eyes with the same expression, gaze upon me, for i am a badass? is it the bridge of the nose? i think on their own, neither of those things would be enough. the real reason this dog is so putinesquea is because the dog is shirtless.

and a magnificent watch the wind caress my skin while i ride horseback come hither john mccain kind of way. shirtless vladimir putin have a ukrainian stray dog doppelganger, obviously the best new thing in the world today. [ sneezes, coughs ] i've got a big date, but my sinuses are acting up. it's time for advil cold and sinus. [ male announcer ] truth is that won't relieve all your symptoms. new alka seltzer plus-d relieves more symptoms than any other behind the counter liquid gel. oh what a relief it is. than any other behind the counter liquid gel. stick with innovation. stick with power. stick with technology.

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i have a cold with this annoying runny nose. [ sniffles ] i better take something. [ male announcer ] dayquil cold and flu doesn't treat all that. it doesn't? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting antihistamine. oh, what a relief it is! all right. well, i feel like -- it makes me feel good, looking back at the year at all of the best new things that we did and the ones you liked in particular. it makes me feel like, there was more good news than i remember. but i'm surprised that nobody brought up the actual best, best new thing in the world. i mean, it was -- and it was a long time ago, it was sort of towards the beginning of the year, so maybe you don't remember, but it was clearly the best one. it was around valentine's day and on the occasion of valentine's day, one of the presidential libraries decided

to release some of the handwritten love letters from one of our previous presidents to his adoring wife who became the first lady. it was very sweet. but like all great best new things, the thing that seems like it's best on the surface is actually kind of beside the point. and the actual best new thing in the world is the single greatest recording ever made of an american president saying anything ever. and it's lbj and i fell apart on television. i could not keep it together. and almost could not toss to the lawrence o'donnell show at the end of it. this is the best one. this is the best one. >> best new thing in the world. okay, tomorrow is valentine's day. if you are in a relationship, do not forget. do something nice. if you are not in a relationship, i hope that valentine's day does not bum you out and that you have a really good day, however you want it to go. but on the occasion of valentine's day this year, one of america's presidential libraries is going to make that

president's love letters to the woman who would become his first lady available for public viewing. now, some of those letters have been made public before. a few of them, in fact, were performed out loud back in the 70s by actors kirk douglas and helen hayes. watch this. >> my dear bird, this morning i am ambitious, proud, energetic, and very madly in love with you. i want to see people, i want to walk through the throngs, i want to do things with a drive. if i had a box i would almost make a speech this minute. plans, idea, hopes, i'm bubbling over with them. >> lyndon, please tell me as soon as you can what the deal is. i'm afraid it's politics. oh, i know i haven't any business, not any proprietary interest, but i would hate for you to go into politics.

>> isn't that awesome. after they first met it took the passage of 2 1/2 months and nearly 100 love letters between them before ms. claudia taylor, lady bird, agreed to marry lyndon johnson. we don't think of our presidents as young men in love, some times celebrities, we don't think of them as young men in love. particularly we don't think of this president that way. we think of lbj as the kind of president who was deliberately crass as a strategic tactic. he famously made people constrers wiconverse while he sat on a toilet. whose most famous presidential recording was him making an incredible phone call from the white house to order himself some pants from a man in texas. you have heard the recording of lbj ordering his pants over the phone, haven't you? oh, please tell me you have heard this recording. >> i want a couple, maybe three of the light brown, kind of --

almost powder color like a powder on a lady's face. and then there were some grerngs -- green, blue, black, about six pairs to wear in the evening when i come in from work. and i need about half an inch too tight in the waist. >> do you recall the exact size, i just want it to be, to get them right for you. >> i don't know, y'all just guessed at them. >> now the pockets, when you sit down in a chair, the knife and your money comes out. so i need it at least another in. in the pockets. >> that's fine. >> all right, now another thing, the crotch down where your nuts hang is always a little too tight. so when you make them up, give me an inch i can let out there because they cut me. it's like riding a wire fence.

these are almost, these are the best that i had any one in the united states. but -- when i gain a little weight, they cut me under there. so, believe me, you never do have much margin there. see if you can't leave me about an inch from where the zipper ends, right under my -- so i can let it out there if i need to. >> i have heard it before. i have never, ever, seen it laid out with the pictures of him. to the subtitler who had to, add in there, burps, close parentheses. i'm sorry, we may be getting lbj's love letters in time for valentine's this year. but valentine's eve, the rachel maddow show gives you lyndon johnson ordering pants in all its glory.

happy valentine's eve, america, this is how you know that i love you! ha-ha! best new thing in the world. oh, my god! >> it's not like trying to be crass. he is just calling it -- [ indiscernible ] from the white house, tape recording for all eternity. >> oh, nuts and bungholes. >> nuts and bungholes. nuts and bungholes. you would think those two word would make a return to the american lexicon, nuts, but nobody says bungholes. >> i didn't know we could say those things on tv. >> we can't. >> but he is the president of the united states. he is down by his nuts and his bunghole. >> well, here's to lbj, riding

the wire fence! whoo! good afternoon, everybody! [ applause ] >> yeah.

a healthy 26-year-old journalist has wriftten an article entitled why i am choosing to pay $300 to stay uninsured. let's see if howard dean and ezra klein can talk him into complying with the individual mandate of the affordable care act and buying health insurance. >> a new deadline. >> the administration sort of stretching its deadline. >> the last day to soon of under the affordable care act. >> now it will judge on a case by case basis. >> they're saying they're worried about any kind of