[Overlapping conversations] >> Eric: ALK AMONGST YOURSELVES.

♪♪ >> CATHY: EARLIER THAT SAME EVENING, REPUBLICAN PANELIST PETER BELL BET DEAN BARKLEY A STEAK DINNER THAT JESSE VENTURA WOULD NOT BECOME MINNESOTA'S NEXT GOVERNOR.

WONDER IF PETER EVER BOUGHT DEAN THAT STEAK?

I DO NOT KNOW.

LET'S MOVE ALONG TO MY FAVORITE PART OF THE SHOW, MINNESOTA HISTORY.

LAST WEEK, ERIC PRETENDED TO BE THE MYSTERY PERSON.

HE TOLD YOU THAT HE WAS BORN IN MINNESOTA MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO AND WAS THE MASTERMIND BEHIND MANY MID-20TH-CENTURY MODERN CONVENIENCES.

ERIC THEN ADDED SOME SPACE-RELATED HINTS.

YOUR TASK WAS SIMPLE.

TELL US WHO THE MYSTERY INVENTOR WAS.

THE SPACE HINTS DIDN'T HELP OUT THESE REGULAR CALLERS.

>> Cathy: NO AND NO.

FOR THIS WEEK'S RIGHT ANSWER, WE TURN TO MIKE FROM MINNEAPOLIS.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU, MIKE.

YOU ARE CORRECT.

WILLIAM A. MITCHELL IS THE INVENTOR WE SOUGHT.

BORN IN RAYMOND, MINNESOTA, IN 1911, HE BECAME A FOOD CHEMIST FOR GENERAL FOODS CORPORATION FOR 35 YEARS.

AMONG HIS 70 PATENTS WERE THE WELL-LOVED TANG, COOL WHIP, AND POP ROCKS.

I LOVED POP ROCKS AS A KID.

HERE'S A FUN COMMERCIAL FROM 1966 THAT TOUTS THE ASTRONAUT USE OF TANG.

>> THE ASTRONAUTS DO SOMETHING SMIGLUSKI THINGS YOU DO.

IN SPACE, THEY DRINK TANG.

THEY MIX IT LIKE THIS IN A ZERO-G POUCH.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.

YOU CAN MIX IT IN A GLASS.

UP THERE, THEY HAVE TO DRINK IT CAREFULLY.

THIS WAY.

YOU CAN DRINK IT ANY WAY YOU LIKE.

TANG TASTES ORANGEY.

TASTES GREAT.

HAS LOTS OF VITAMIN C AND A. TANG, CHOSEN FOR THE GEMINI ASTRONAUTS.

HAVE A BLAST.

HAVE SOME TANG.

>> Cathy: I LIKE TANG TOO.

DO YOU HAVE A FUN HISTORY QUESTION TO SHARE WITH US?

DROP US A NOTE AT [email protected].

AND WHILE YOU'RE ONLINE, WE ALSO WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK IF YOU USE THE CLOSED CAPTION FEATURE DURING OUR SHOWS.

LET US KNOW WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AND HOW IT'S BEEN WORKING.

THAT EMAIL ADDRESS ONCE AGAIN IS [email protected].

JUST ENOUGH TIME LEFT FOR TWO THINGS.

NUMBER ONE: HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO OUR GOOD FRIEND MARLENE SCHNEIDER.

I HOPE YOU HAVE MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS.

AND HERE'S SOME SHOW-ENDING MUSIC.

IT WAS THIS WEEK BACK IN 2012 THAT THE LOCAL GROUP "THE LOST WHEELS" PLAYED FOR US HERE IN STUDIO "B."

AND IF YOU SEE A LITTLE RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN OUR VERY OWN PAUL DOUGLAS AND THE GUITAR PLAYER ON THE LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN, YOUR EYES DO NOT DECEIVE YOU.

THAT IS PAUL'S MUSICAL SON WALT.

TAKE A LISTEN.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> ♪ IF YOU COULD RULE FOR A DAY ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU STAND UP THERE AND TELL THE FOLKS THE TRUTH ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU GIVE IT ALL AWAY ♪ ♪ FOR A CHANCE TO FIX YOUR OWN LIFE ♪ ♪ MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR YOU ♪ ♪♪ ♪ IF YOU COULD RULE FOR A DAY ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU TRY AND PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN ♪ ♪ JUST TO WASTE THE TIME AWAY ♪ ♪ SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE PRIZE ♪ ♪ OTHERS WOULD JUST LOVE THE CHANCE TO SAY ♪