The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / The Most Useless Thing You Need To Know Today

**Posted by RadioActive** July 4, 2025 6:51 am

I apologize in advance for bringing this up, but it's something I discovered a long time ago and it just came back to mind the other day.

It turns out if you play the words "they sure" (as in "they sure are posting ridiculous stuff") backwards, it comes out "Oh shit!" I have no idea why, but it's something I discovered when working with tape back in the days of reel-to-reel in radio. A guest used the otherwise innocuous phrase during an interview and while I was editing the thing, rewound the tape slightly through the heads.

That's when I heard the surprising phrase in reverse. I checked it several times and yep, it was there. I even recorded myself on tape saying "they sure" several times, played it backwards, and it came out with the offending phrase each time.

I doubt this is something you'll ever hear on the "Totally Useless Information" podcast, but somehow it seems like it's something worth knowing. They sure want you to know...

**Posted by Shorty Wave** July 4, 2025 8:48 am

I want to try this but my voice memo doesn’t allow me to playback in reverse and my cassette players can’t do that either! Guess I’ll take your word for it RA!

**Posted by RadioActive** July 4, 2025 9:21 am

Shorty Wave wrote:
I want to try this but my voice memo doesn’t allow me to playback in reverse and my cassette players can’t do that either! Guess I’ll take your word for it RA!

Try this. I have no idea if it works, but it seems like it's just what you need.

**Posted by RadioActive** July 4, 2025 9:38 am

Just tried it using my laptop's Voice Recorder and it works - and so does the phrase backward!

I have no idea why "they sure" comes out that way, but it does. Very weird, but something you can throw out at a party. As long as you say it forwards.

Last edited by RadioActive (July 4, 2025 9:39 am)

**Posted by The Foxer** July 8, 2025 7:49 am

Hi RA,
Way back when I was first hired at CityPukse in the early 80's, Mike Martin, my supervisor told me this.
If you play back "CiyPulse" in reverse on the old BVU-200 VTR's (that you could do in reverse X1) it would play as "Sloppy News". Did a Beatles song say something cryptic in reverse as well?
Just asking.

**Posted by RadioActive** July 8, 2025 8:03 am

The Foxer wrote:
Hi RA,
Way back when I was first hired at CityPukse in the early 80's, Mike Martin, my supervisor told me this.
If you play back "CiyPulse" in reverse on the old BVU-200 VTR's (that you could do in reverse X1) it would play as "Sloppy News". Did a Beatles song say something cryptic in reverse as well?
Just asking.

I hear "sloppiness" when I do it, but that's still not a great thing!

**Posted by Shorty Wave** July 8, 2025 8:25 am

RadioActive wrote:
Shorty Wave wrote:
I want to try this but my voice memo doesn’t allow me to playback in reverse and my cassette players can’t do that either! Guess I’ll take your word for it RA!
Try this. I have no idea if it works, but it seems like it's just what you need.

Just seeing this today, thanks RA, will try it!