Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist
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:04:00
he was literally in pain.
:04:03
When he was 18 months old,
:04:06
they discovered that he had pus
:04:09
between the chest,
all over the lung.

:04:11
And every day for a week
:04:14
they took this baby
into the surgery room

:04:18
and they would put needles
into his chest,

:04:22
draw out the pus,
:04:23
Was he under anesthesia?
:04:26
- Local anesthesia.
- Local.

:04:28
Enough that he knew--
:04:30
because his biggest thing at the time--
:04:33
was the scream--
I remember the screaming in pain.

:04:37
There's a youngster out there
who's willing to trade

:04:39
a work of art for a salami.
:04:41
Would that young man stand up, please?
:04:43
I guess we'll need the houselights again
:04:45
and the camera pointing out
in that direction. There he is.

:04:48
There's John with the microphone.
:04:51
- What's your name, young man?
- Robert Flanagan.

:04:53
- What is it again?
- Robert Flanagan.

:04:56
Robert,
nice to have you with us tonight.

:04:58
- How old are you?
- 10.

:05:01
- 10?
- Going on 10.

:05:04
Where are you from, Robert?
:05:05
Azusa, California.
:05:07
Where do you go to school up there?
:05:10
I don't go to school right now,
:05:13
I just got out of the hospital.
:05:15
We are glad that you're out
and you look very well.

:05:17
Now, you created that yourself,
did you, Robert?

:05:20
Yes.
:05:21
Oh, it's a little television set--
:05:23
sort of in relief, isn't it?
:05:26
Raised out of the background.
:05:28
Are you interested
in becoming an artist, Robert?

:05:30
No.
:05:34
Well, you do seem to have talent.
If other things fail,

:05:36
you may be able to fall back
on that in future years.

:05:39
What are your interests,
professionally speaking?

:05:41
To be a doctor.
:05:51
I wanted to--
a couple of years ago, for a show,

:05:54
make an autobiographical version
of "The visible Man"

:05:56
that was pertinent
to my particular interests and problems.


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