Episode 82: The Sincerest Form of Flattery

"Holmes was accessible upon the side of flattery" [REDC]

We all know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Sherlock Holmes is no stranger to either, and with a growing database that includes some tens of thousands of work, it's easy to think that Sherlock Holmes is probably the most imitated literary character in history.

We take the time in this show to explore some of the motivations behind pastiches — as well as the cliched ingredients in so many pastiches (Mrs. Hudson, Mycroft Holmes, Professor Moriarty, cocaine, the Baker Street Irregulars, Jack the Ripper, real historical figures, etc.) and what makes them work — or in many cases, not.

But more than that, we announce a new format to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere episodes. Beginning with Episode 82, we're going to be splitting the show into two episodes per month. One show will be a featured interview and Gas-Lamp, while the other will be a show with the news, the quiz, and commentary related to the interview show that it precedes. In this case, our pastiche commentary is a prelude to one of the most exciting and anticipated pastiches of the year, Bonnie Macbird's Art in the Blood.

This is our first show with a musical guest, and we're pleased to introduce Jessica Lisette to the Sherlockian world. She performs her new hit single "Elementary," which makes its debut today. You can see her video embedded below.

Our "Mental Exaltation" quiz, so adeptly written by Nick Martorelli, challenges listener Jenn Zuko to win a copy of Bonnie Macbird's Art in the Blood. Will she manage to pull it off?

As a reminder, consider supporting our show through Patreon, for as little as $1 per episode.

We've been enjoying your photos and plan to post a number of them soon, so if you want to be part of this effort, please purchase as many of of our 221B or 1895 oval stickers as you like and then send us a picture of where you've put it.

Notes:

3:36 How to find our past episodes: the ihose DOT co code.

4:50 Supporting the show — just like Mary Miller

7:00 Announcing the new IHOSE format

10:02 The Sherlock Holmes news

21:45 The Pope makes news while in the United States

24:21 Jessica Lisette joins us to sing "Elementary"

38:30 Our sponsors — including the latest Sherlock Holmes brand ad

43:40 Commentary: pastiches

55:41 Mental Exaltation

1:02:22 Wrap up comments

And as usual, you might want to be sure you pay attention for a special Easter egg somewhere in the show...

Links:

• Jessica Lisette Music
• The Sherlock Holmes Society of London remembers Jeremy Brett (photo album)
• Is it really possible to have too many Sherlock Holmes books?
• An interview with the Sherlock Holmes Society of India's Secretary General
• A review of Dan Andriacco and Kieran McMullen's The Egyptian Curse
• Otto Penzler's Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories
• The new trailer to the Sherlock special
• The I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Patreon page

Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard and Scoop.it sites at ihose.co/flipsherlock and ihose.co/scoopsherlock, as well as on the The Sherlock Holmes Community on Google+ (now over 2,800 members), as well as through our accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

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Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).

Sponsors

This episode includes our two longtime sponsors that deserve your attention:

Wessex Press (check out the Murder in the Vatican: the Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes)

The Baker Street Journal, where you should get your annual subscription in now to secure all four issues and a very special Christmas Annual about The Seven Per-Cent Solution.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? You can find more information here.

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