Jamie Hyneman Answers: What's One Myth You've Always Wanted to Test?

In February 2014, Jamie Hyneman did a Reddit AMA! This is his answer to user H04X, who wanted to know: "What's one myth you've always wanted to test but couldn't, due to financial/legal/safety/etc reasons?"

#JamieHyneman

[ash-tvbu]

the great thing about adam and jamie is how when adam says something crazy he laughs a bit, mentions how nuts it is, gets really enthusiastic, etc. but jamie will say the most batshit insane thing you've ever heard in your life with a completely straight face.

[Narokkurai]

He said it a few times on Mythbusters, but I always thought Jaime was being sarcastic when he would say, "for SOME reason, insurance wouldn't cover it!"

Now I realize that he really gets frustrated when he can prove something is safe but insurance won't let him do it anyway.

[bumblebum]

I had to laugh at 1:38: "for some reason, insurance won't let me do this"..

[Egotiztik]

I REALLY, TRULY, wish James had a YouTube channel. I could watch and listen and learn from him all day. We love you Jamie!!! Please make a channel and start making videos.

[thewestfire]

Jamie: I want to donate my body to science.
Insurance Co.: Aren’t you already an organ doner?
Jamie: I meant while I’m still alive.
Insurance Co.: No, we don’t do that here.

[Dconquist]

reddit: what's one myth you've wanted to test

jamie: i essentially want to die

[travman]

He sounds like a little kid trying to convince his parents to let him do a very stupid idea.

[-thrty-]

2000s Jamie: Jamie want *BIG* boom.
2010s Jamie: Jamie want be ball.

[deejaydragon]

At the beginning you're thinking "That's insane, you'd die." but as he breaks it down and starts explaining it, you're thinking "Actually, that sounds perfectly reasonable."

[PuddinTaim]

I just finished watching a video where Adam described Jamie's humor as extremely dry, dark sarcasm.
Then the algorithm directed me to this video to show what Adam meant.

[ryanc]

Okay, this is absolutely amazing. Just, a hilariously (on the surface) bat-shit insane idea, but the more and more you hear Jamie explain it, the less and less insane it gets. It almost seems like the insurance company was just like, nope, nope, nope, that's too crazy, we aren't allowing it, while Jamie systematically annihilates every argument they use, making the insurance company basically just throw up their hands in defeat and say, look, it just SEEMS too crazy, I could never get my boss to okay it, I'm sorry, but I can't approve this. I know it all works out mathematically, but, Jamie, for God's sake, have you heard your pitch?? You want to be the baseball. Do you not see how insane that is? I get it works out mathematically, and yes, you'll be covered in lube and perhaps even in a protective cage, but, if I go and pitch this to my boss, I lose my job. Doesn't matter that it works mathematically. For God's sake Jamie, you want to be a BASEBALL, thrown at the kind of speeds an actual baseball would be thrown!

[Elros]

I want to see an interview with their insurance agent. That would be an amazing chat of all the crazy dangerous ideas they had to say no to.

[lordicarus]

Man, I love Jamie! He has always been my favorite in Mythbusters. Most people who watched the show consider him to be that stoic, emotionless character, but I see there a man of deep emotions! You don't need to be an extrovert to be a great personor to be emotional. I see Jamie as that cool guy who just wants, with the purest heart, to bring people joy and have fun and learn and teach from crazy scientific experiments. I admire the man deeply! I really hope he's happy!
BTW: I love Adam too, I think he's awesome!!!

[GMCLabs]

A buddy of mine at work got in a bad motorcycle accident and was wearing gear like Jamie was talking about. It def saved his life. I think he said he wrecked at 70MPH and slid like 100 yards or so. Then he was eventually stopped by a guardrail, slid backwards into it and hit his back. He said he was wearing some kind of back plate and that saved his back. The 1st responders all knew him bc of the type of work we do.

[MrJagdepplin]

I... This is what millionaires should be funding. Like Jackass, but smart. Smartass. Boom. Done. SpikeTV I'm lookin at you.

[bsted_mx]

best quote ever "but insurance won't let me do this"

[godbeforeme]

I love how in depth his analysis is. He’s really done all the research. Just never got the green light.

[bookofdaveandsteve]

Never seen a man so respectable be so outraged that no one will let him get greased up. Great stuff.

[gregoryheim]

"For some reason insurance won't let me do this."
(Chuckles to himself)

[MetinFTW]

Just do it on a boat, you can allow for a higher mismatch in speeds that way since it is easier to account for the way you land i water. You could even do it in some kind of vessel that will always correct itself when you land in the water. Like a torpedo shape with fins to make sure you don't tumble and then instead just lose speed by gliding through the water if there would be a missmatch in speeds of course.